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“The flexo market has been less affected than other markets by the general slowness of the economy over the last several years,” said Mike Impastato, vice president, market development, North American packaging division, Flint Group. “It has held up well with good strength in flexible packaging, and somewhat less strength in paper and board applications.”
“The flexo market held its own in 2005,” said Jim Freid, product manager, fluid inks and coatings at Wikoff Color. “It was an area where we saw good sales growth and developed additional opportunities that we expect to benefit from in 2006.”
“The flexo market, which includes packaging, labels and a small amount of commercial newspaper printing, grew slightly in 2005. The strongest growth was in packaging, but that was probably less than 2.5 percent in 2005,” said Brian Chwierut, flexible packaging product manager, Sun Chemical North America Packaging Inks.
“Our business has been quite good,” said Bob Nowak, general manager, flexo operations at Braden Sutphin Ink. “Our sales growth has come in tag and label, envelope and flexible film. Nine of our last 10 months have seen double-digit growth compared to the previous year, and the gains have been across the board.”
Curwood, Inc.’s Jennie-O Turkey Store “Oven Ready” Turkey Bag with Curwood’s IntegraScore opening feature received the 2005 Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA) Highest Achievement Award in Packaging Excellence as well as a Gold Award in Packaging Excellence and Silver Award in Printing Achievement.
“In general the packaging ink growth in North America and Europe is very close to their respective GNPs,” said Mr. Impastato. “In other parts of the world we see the growth in double digits. The hot spots now appear to be Southeast Asia and China. Those areas are growing very fast and will likely continue to have a high growth rate for the next several years.”
“We have found that our products are profitably exportable if the demand is due to quality or consistency issues that an export customer may have with their local supplier,” Mr. Freid said. “However, the freight and usual import duties add enough to the cost that prevent us from competing solely on the basis of price.”
“In Europe and Japan, flexography is not as dominant in package printing as it is in North America,” said Mr. Chwierut. “However, it is gaining increasing acceptance worldwide as its quality approaches that of gravure printing and also because many have found that it produces some cost advantages in the product process.”
Raising Ink Prices
Of course one of the most important issues effecting the flexo ink market and the ink market as a whole is the continuing rise in prices of raw material and fuel. Flexo ink manufacturers had a tough time passing these cost increases on to their customers.
“Prices have increased over the last year, but not nearly at a rate that will recover the high costs of raw materials,” said Mr. Impastato. “Our industry has been working diligently over the last six to eight years to cut cost out of our businesses. Those successful cost cutting and cost control measures made it possible to offset the cost increases we experienced over those years, with little if any of the cost increase being passed through the supply change to the packaging buyer. Because we have trimmed our cost and streamlined our businesses over this period, there isn’t additional opportunity to offset these latest raw materials cost increases. The ink industry cannot sustain itself long term unless it can pass through these material cost increases.”
“Price increases of any kind are difficult,” said Mr. Freid. “The suppliers of the raw materials to us usually hold their pricing as long as possible. But when they are passed along to us, we examine our options. We have the choice of losing some profitability if we don’t raise prices, or risk losing some business if we do raise prices. In the past, costs increased incrementally over some time period and getting increases was very difficult. During the past 12 months, it has sometimes been easier to get increases through because the drastic changes in petroleum-based products have been front-page news and everyone has seemed to accept higher energy costs on a personal basis. For example, when the price of oil doubles, the increases are an easier sell than during times when energy costs were more stable. And yes, we have been successful in getting price increase through.”
According to Mr. Chwierut, the ink industry is facing steadily increasing costs, raw material shortages and complications from natural disasters. “Volatile prices for raw materials affect both manufacturing and transportation costs, necessitating increases in ink prices,” he said. “Most printers have accepted these increases because they know ink makers could not absorb the rapid hikes in material costs as they have for several years and still continue to meet the demands of customers.”
Flexible packaging, with its demand for high quality graphics and inks, offers the most potential for growth, but flexo ink manufacturers caution that growth could be hampered by the continuing rise in raw material prices.
“We believe we will continue to see good growth in flexible packaging for 2006, but that growth could be tempered by a continuing escalation in oil and feedstock costs,” said Mr. Impastato.
“The area showing the most promise in 2006 is the flexible packaging market,” said Mr. Freid. “There is a growing demand for improved graphics, and quality ink products are needed to meet this demand. We feel that we are well positioned to meet those needs.”
According to Mr. Chwierut, in packaging, stand-up pouches and shrink sleeves are likely to show growth in 2006.
Solvent vs. Water
In terms of growth, solvent-based inks continue to dominate over water-based inks in the flexo market.
“We have observed that both products have their specific niches and the growth of solvent-based products is primarily due to the growth of the flexible packaging market,” said Mr. Freid. “Water-based is not yet capable of meeting all of the demands on high end flexible packaging, but is perfectly suitable for meeting the demands of the label and folding-carton markets.”
Braden Sutphin is focusing its efforts on water-based flexo inks. “We’ve chosen to stay away from solvent-based inks,” Mr. Nowak said. “We have many potential customers looking to switch away from solvents due to environmental concerns.”
Another area of growth in flexo is UV technology.
“UV flexo continues to grow steadily as new applications are found for its unique characteristics,” said Mr. Impastato. “In some markets like narrow web label, UV flexo has gained a strong position and is looked on as a standard product. In other market areas, like film printing, UV flexo is still emerging as a viable technology.”
“In the U.S., flexography is already the dominant printing process for many types of package printing, so it is unlikely to gain much further share against offset, gravure or letterpress printing,” said Mr. Chwierut. “UV flexo is becoming increasingly popular for labels, representing one area of growth.”
So far, digital technologies have not had a significant impact on flexo’s use.
“We recognize that digital printing is replacing some printing that was done by litho or flexo processes, but we have seen little impact in the markets that we participate,” said Mr. Freid.
“At this point, the biggest impact digital technology is having is in the prepress arena, where it is used in making separations and in computer-to-plate manufacturing,” said Mr. Chwierut. “Some label converters are using small digital printers to produce shorter runs of labels. In the packaging area, digital printing is not yet having a major impact, primarily because it cannot be used in many of the packaging structures or it does not have the speed and affordable costs for mass manufacturing that other processes, such as flexo, can supply. Ink jet printers are used for imprinting information on many packages, but this is not a substantial portion of the package’s cost.”
Flexo offers its users a variety of improved characteristics. “Higher speed, quick changeover flexo presses will further enhance flexo’s ability to compete in cost sensitive areas of the market,” said Mr. Impastato. “The productivity provided by this advanced equipment changes the economics in the highly cost competitive parts of the market.”
“The continued growth of direct drive-gearless flexo presses in addition to the sleeve anilox and plate systems continue to improve the print quality and competitive costs versus offset and gravure printing,” said Mr. Freid. “We also see the economic opportunities proved by the 7-color process print systems, such as Opaltone, allowing the printer to reduce operating cost while providing high-end graphic capabilities.”
“Printers increasingly are using finer aniloxes to achieve better laydown of fine ink films, which can improve the quality of print,” said Mr. Chwierut. “In addition, some printers are exploring the use five-color or six-color process printing to expand the gamut of colors they can easily reproduce without using special inks. Recent developments in prepress have allowed printers to factor these colors into their separations.”
Flexo ink makers are working hard to deliver added value to their customers.From improved customer service to the latest technologies, flexo ink manufacturers are continually challenged to meet the demands of their customers.
“Sun Chemical strives to produce a continuous stream of innovative products that allow printers and converters to achieve new effects and efficiencies in their operations,” said Mr. Chwierut.
“We have three product development labs that handle the increasing technical requirements and demands of our customers,” said Mr. Freid. “These labs are comprised of chemists, ink technicians and people with practical printing experience. We also have intensive internal training for our sales and technical representatives so that other service demands of the customers can be met on a timely basis. Our goal is to help our customers improve their printing efficiencies, and in doing so, help reduce their operational cost and improve profitability. We help our customers make money.”
Focusing on providing value is essential in today’s business world.
“Printers want an ink company that can deliver on the four Rs (the right ink, at the right press, at the right time for the right price),” said Mr. Impastato. “Adding value for our customers means that we can either reduce their applied costs or help them grow their business. During these hectic days, no one has time or resources to spend on services or activities that don’t add value at one or both of these two basic levels. This is where we are maintaining our focus.”
New Products For the Flexo Market
Sun Chemical has launched a new retort ink called Duratort, which can be used for both flexographic and gravure printing. According to Sun, this ink represents a real advance for retort, a growing segment of the flexible packaging market that has been printed primarily with gravure to this point. “In retort packaging, the food or other product is cooked at temperatures up to 250° in a laminated pouch that also serves as its package,” said Brian Chwierut, flexible packaging product manager, Sun Chemical North American Packaging Inks. “Duratort can be printed using the flexo process, and maintain excellent reproduction and very good bond strengths on a variety of films. For example, the Duratort inks will allow converters interested in retort packaging to use their operations. For example, the Duratort inks will allow converters interested in retort packaging to use their existing flexo presses to expand into this growing area. In addition, Sun Chemical backs its products with the best technical service in the business and support from the largest number of local service centers around the country.”
Braden Sutphin is offering its new pH Neutral ink, which minimizes ink tweaking, and benefit include a cleaner environment, faster cleanup time, faster anilox, and engineered for high end process work.
This year Flint Ink will be launching a line of high-strength solvent-based inks. “These new inks will support finer anilox usage, providing better graphics, better run efficiency and better end-use properties,” said Mike Impastato, VP Market Development, North American Packaging Division, Flint Group
“Wikoff has successfully introduced a range of high performance-high color density, high speed process inks for fine line anilox applications across a number of its product lines,” said Jim Freid product manager, fluid inks and coatings for Wikoff Color. “Specific inks have been formulated for high gloss surface print in regular and lightfast applications, heat resistant and multi-purpose laminating applications. The systems offer the printer exceptional color fidelity capabilities for high-end graphic reproduction. Other new products are constantly being introduced that are mostly modifications of existing products, again, that are required to meet some specific requirement.


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Gas price reaches all-time high in GTA
Gas prices reached an all-time high in the GTA over the weekend amid stress of a U.S. attack in Iraq and tensions in Ukraine.
Prices shot up 2 cents per litre across the city, reaching 142.3 cents Sunday at some locations. The previous high for the GTA was 141.1 on May 11, 2011.
“Canadians are no longer price makers when it comes to gasoline, we are price takers,” said gas expert Dan McTeague, who pointed out the price of gas in the U.S hasn’t budged in the past week.
“We don’t produce enough to meet our own domestic demands and rely more and more on outside sources, so problems in Iraq and Ukraine will affect our prices here,” he said.
Oil is considered a volatile commodity because the supply is seen as being easily threatened by civil unrest. The recent turmoil in Iraq — which supplies 4% of the world’s oil — and in the Ukraine is enough to shake the market and drive up prices due to the perceived supply and demand.
“Large and excessive bets on the energy futures markets is what’s driving these prices higher as opposed to any physical interruptions of supply,” McTeague said.
The average family will pay an extra $2,000 for energy this year compared to last, he said. And the rise in oil prices can also heavily impact the cost of most other commodities, such as food.
“It affects the price of beef, pork product, basically anything that needs to travel,” McTeague said. “The entire cost of living goes up because it is all connected.”
Some consumers are already responding to the pinch.
“It’s frightening. I remember when prices had hit a dollar a gallon and that was unsettling,” said Allan East, who works in the auto industry in Oshawa.
“We see more and more people trading in their cars for more fuel-efficient vehicles.”
McTeague said the likelihood of prices going up again will continue to depend on what happens next in Iraq and Ukraine.
“Those days of cheap gas prices are done … high prices are here to stay,” he said.

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Growth Energy announced that consumers have surpassed 8 billion miles on E15, known to consumers as Unleaded 88 – a fuel blended with 15 percent renewable biofuel that is approved for all cars 2001 and newer. This milestone is a reflection of the growing popularity of the fuel made possible by rapid retail adoption and more terminal availability of the fuel across the nation.
“With a surge in retailer adoption and terminal availability, we’re seeing steady growth in consumer adoption as exemplified by consumers surpassing 8 billion miles on this cleaner-burning, engine-sound fuel,” said Growth Energy Vice President of Market Development Mike O’Brien. “Supply of E15 into the fuel marketplace is a crucial step in further expansion, and our success with Prime the Pump has led to a steep growth in terminals offering E15 across the country. Our work with the nation’s leading independent retailers has put pressure on terminals to follow suit, causing a domino effect in their offering of E15 at their locations across most of the country.”
Consumer demand from retailers like Kwik Trip, RaceTrac, Casey’s, Cumberland Farms, and others has pushed open the doors to a ready supply of E15 at terminals. Working with Prime the Pump, Growth Energy has focused its efforts on establishing partnerships with the largest, independent players in the fuel space, which in turn has spurred a significant increase in E15 availability at terminals across the country – from five in 2017 to more than 100 today.
# # #
For further information contact:
In the May issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine, Vice President of Development and South Dakota farm kid Kelly Manning shared why he believes educating rural America’s future leaders on biofuels is so important, and how Growth Energy’s new biofuels curriculum can help: “…as I grew older and traveled around the country witnessing the new role of […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Growth Energy, in partnership with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE), announced the release of their new curriculum aimed at educating high school students to the world of biofuels. The curriculum is the first industry-supported biofuels curriculum that provides students a guided in-classroom experience and will offer ag educators the tools […]
"A strong rural America is not only fostering future farmers, but also future biologists, future chemists, future veterinarians, future engineers and future entrepreneurs." We're excited about educating the next generation of ag leaders through this biofuels curriculum! https://t.co/WGdo1O4ByB
Summer driving season – and year-round E15 availability – are right around the corner! Whether you're running errands with the family or headed out on a road trip adventure with friends, #E15 (#Unleaded88) will get you there. https://t.co/80xWRLM4jy
@GrowthEnergy @NAAE This is GREAT! 😃
Check out our weekly #AmericanEthanol Performance Update! @austindillon3 snagged a #Top10 finish heading into this weekend's #NASCAR break, the @AELMT is back in action, plus we have a preview of some other exciting events on the horizon: https://t.co/zgccZMl4nq


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Not only is today Good Friday, but it is also Earth Day. This year, many businesses located in and around West Chester will feature deals and giveaway freebies for the holiday. There are also many ways customers can benefit from Earth Day from businesses online.
Starbucks: Customers can bring in a reusable mug today and receive a free brewed coffee or tea. There are six Starbucks locations in West Chester and Liberty Township.
Caribou Coffee: According to the Pulse Journal, this coffee shop, which is located at 7755 Cox Lane off Tylersville Road in West Chester, will serve up a free cup of coffee to customers who bring in a reusable mug. The shop also offers a savings of 50 cents on coffee every day of the week when customers bring in a reusable mug.
Lowe’s: The home improvement store is celebrating Earth Day by giving away a million trees on Saturday, April 23. Lowe’s is located at 7975 Tylersville Square Road. The store will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. this Saturday.
Home Depot: According to the Pulse Journal, the local Home Depot located at 7749 Dudley Dr. in West Chester, will be hosting a free workshop this Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for women who want to learn some gardening tips.
Kmart: The discount department store is offering Earth Day deals on air conditioners and other energy savers. The store will also offer additional savings on televisions, sporting goods and more. Most of the deals are available only online.
Drugstore.com: Another online saving opportunity – Drugstore.com will be offering up to 60 percent off green and natural products. The sale ends today.
Travelocity: According to Yahoo.com, Travelocity has green hotels on sale for up to 40 percent off. There is also a chance to win two round-trip Virgin America tickets and a couple of nights at an eco-friendly hotel.
Target: In recognition of Earth Day, Target is allowing customers to enter into its Refresh Your Nest sweepstakes through April 30. Customers can enter online and win a home makeover valued up to $50,000.
Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |


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“Research In Motion Ltd.’s tablet hopes were dealt another blow as Sprint Nextel Corp said it canceled plans to sell a version of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet on its speedier network,” Greg Bensinger reports for MarketWatch.
“The decision means the device hasn’t yet found any support from the three largest U.S. wireless carriers, which includes AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless,” Bensinger reports. “Without their backing, RIM will have to bear the burden of sales and marketing support for the device, as well as application development.”
MacDailyNews Take: DCW.
Bensinger reports, “In contrast, Apple Inc.’s market-dominating iPad is advertised and supported by both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, and the tablet is displayed prominently in stores.”
MacDailyNews Take: Boom! Greg, with the kick to the teeth!
Bensinger reports, “Sprint had said in January it would sell a version of the device as soon as this summer that would run on its fourth-generation network. The carrier said this week that those plans had been halted because the market for tablets has became too crowded. Representatives from Research In Motion did not respond Friday to requests for comment.”
MacDailyNews Take: Probably DCW’s half-CEOs are too busy preparing their answer to the “What did you know and how soon did you know it” question. Or trying to buy a hockey team.
Bensinger reports, “Rival device-makers have had little success so far in catching up to Apple after its launch of the iPad in April 2010. Estimates vary, but analysts suggest Apple has two-thirds of the market, if not more.”
MacDailyNews Take: More. Shipping doesn’t equal selling. Apple’s so-called “rivals” do a whole lot of the former and very little of the latter while Apple can’t make iPads fast enough.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Buh-bye, RIM.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “N8nNC” for the heads up.]
People don’t want fake iPads, they want real Apple iPads; HP slashes TouchPad dud by 20% – August 12, 2011
Analyst: Beleaguered RIM to pull plug on weak-selling Wi-Fi PlayBook – July 18, 2011
Half-CEOs claim ‘RIM’s foundation is very strong’ as shareholders grumble – July 13, 2011
Beleaguered RIM slashes PlayBook production plans – June 22, 2011
O2 rejects RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook; won’t sell in UK due to end user issues – June 16, 2011


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JEFFERSONVILLE — A Texas-based taco chain has opened a location at Jeffersonville Town Center.
Torchy’s Tacos officially opens Wednesday at 1540 Veterans Parkway in Jeffersonville, next to the Five Guys.
The fast-casual restaurant is open for dine-in, pick-up and delivery service.
Stephen Bryan, managing partner of Torchy’s in Jeffersonville, said Torchy’s has “almost a cult following” in Texas.
This is the chain’s first location in Indiana and its first location east of the Mississippi River. It is the 86th location in the United States.
“There’a lot of love already — a lot of people either used to live in Texas or had business or had friends or family who live there, and the excitement for us to come here has been overwhelming,” Bryan said.
The company was founded more than a decade ago in Austin, Texas by Mike Rypka, who started out selling tacos from a food trailer.
The “Trailer Park” taco is one of the best selling tacos on Torchy’s menu, Bryan said. It has fried chicken, green chiles, pico de gallo, lettuce and cheddar jack cheese.
Torchy’s also has tacos such as Baja Shrimp and Green Chile Pork. The restaurant also serves margaritas and other cocktails.
Bryan said Torchy’s craft tacos are all made from scratch.
“We roast all of our veggies and our peppers and things like that,” he said. “It’s very unique what we do… a lot of love goes into our product. We have a minimum marination 36 hours to 48 hours on a lot of things as far as the meat and stuff.”
Torchy’s uses a recipe book they call the “Taco Bible,” Bryan said.
“We live by it — we don’t play around with it,” he said. “It’s very important to us that we follow the process every day.”
Torchy’s Tacos CEO G.J. Hart said in a news release that the company is “proud to call Jeffersonville and the Louisville metro community home” to the newest location.
“We’ve had our eye on the market for a while as we’ve seen development and business growth in the cities, and we can’t wait to introduce guests to our style of Damn Good tacos, queso and margaritas,” he said in the news release.
The restaurant is implementing COVID-19 precautions such as frequent sanitation, employee wellness checks, glove and mask use, and social distancing accommodations.


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NEW YORK -- Coming off a fairly good year in 1993, leather outerwear makers are riding high in the saddle as they ready for what they feel will be a big year in 1994.
The consensus from leather vendors is that overall volume in 1993 ran from flat to considerably ahead over the previous year, which was difficult. Gains in 1993, though, often came at the expense of margin, because of the highly promotional retail atmosphere.
This year leather executives forecast there will be increased open-to-buy for the category, reflecting the renewed interest stores have seen from consumers. The makers expect more early, nonpromotional buying.
Casual looks such as anoraks, stadium coats, bombers and baseball jackets, which topped bestseller lists last year, are again being counted on for the fall-winter season. Makers are using mixtures of leather and suede with fabrics such as wool, cashmere and shearling for a fresh look, as well as developing new finishes and novelty skins to attract customers.
Morris Goldfarb, president and chief executive officer of G-III Apparel Group, said overall leather volume was about equal to 1992, which he said was a "major accomplishment."
Goldfarb said the firm's G-III label sold well at $75 to $129 retail -- the lowest range for this moderate-price line -- as did the Siena Studio line -- its bridge-price line -- at $250 to $350. Coats selling between those categories and above did not sell well.
"It shows that the designer customer and the moderate customer traded down," Goldfarb said.
Promotions were steep, making margins tight, Goldfarb said.
"But the promotions keep us on our toes," he said. "It challenges us to source more effectively, and find new places to manufacture that can help our margins."
G-III is also expanding its domestic production facility on West 37th Street here. It currently employs about 200, and the short-term goal is to add 100.
So far, bookings are 20 percent ahead of last year, Goldfarb said. He expects important elements this year to include sueded skins and pig napa in casual silhouettes such as baseball jackets, and dressy and casual looks in imported lamb leather.
Issa Rae stopped by WWD's NYC headquarters to talk about season two of "Insecure," which premieres this Sunday on HBO. Click link in bio for all the details. #wwdeye (📷: @jgreenery; Styled by @mayteallende)
A Stella McCartney sketch of a custom dress made from protein-based silk in partnership with biotech lab Bolt Threads. The dress will be displayed at The Museum of Modern Art's upcoming design exhibition, "Items: Is Fashion Modern?"


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Toronto Pearson International Airport
Online parking reservation provider, ParkCloud, has broken into Canada, making the nation the 42nd country available to customers booking through its global network.
ParkCloud is now able to offer its online parking reservation services to customers travelling from Canada’s largest airport - Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Passengers parking up at the airport’s self-park covered garages at both terminal 1 and 3 will now be able to reserve their parking space before they travel, with 24-hour access and electric vehicle charging capabilities available.
Additionally, customers choosing the value park garage will also benefit from ParkCloud’s pre-bookable service, which boasts fast, free terminal link train transfers to terminal 1 and 3 and is a favoured option for travellers parking for an extended period.
ParkCloud’s partnership to offer its parking reservation services to the airport’s 44 million annual passengers has been agreed via U.S airport parking company, Park ’N Fly.
Mark Pegler, managing director at ParkCloud, said: “The scope to develop our network across Canada is really considerable and it’s an exciting time to be breaking into this market.
“We’re very much looking forward to the challenge of growing from such a strong start point as Toronto Pearson International Airport and bringing the convenience ParkCloud’s services can offer to more people travelling from Canada.”
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Battlefield 4 release date, trailer & gameplay rumours
Battlefield 4 rumours have surfaced once again. Read on for details on the suspected release date, trailer, controls and other news
Battlefield 4 has finally been shown off to the world at press events in San Francisco and Stockholm and some details about DICE’s new shooter have been confirmed.
Battlefield 4: Frostbite 3
Thanks to an eye-popping 17-minute demo (see below) the first and most immediate detail that has emerged is that Battlefield 4 will be powered by the Frostbite 3 engine.
Frostbite 3 adds a level of realism to DICE's game that pays careful attention to detail; everything from dynamic lighting effects, to micro and macro destruction animations to even particle rendering looks note-perfect. It all combines to make Battlefield 4 look as close to real life as possible.
Battlefield 4: Setting
Battlefield 4’s demo also confirmed that the series is set to remain in the theatre of modern warfare. This backs up what was said by DICE GM Karl Troedsson at GDC last year.
"There's a lot of things inspiring us as to how the franchise will move on,” he said. “Everything from fans' feedback, to market research and, of course, what we want to build ourselves.
This had already been hinted at in an article on CVG, who posted a piece of Battlefield 4 teaser art that detailed the Shanghai skyline. CVG says this seems to confirm earlier reports that the lion’s share of the single player campaign will take place in China.
Battlefield 4: Release Date
Battlefield 4’s release date has been confirmed or Autumn this year, or ‘Fall 2013’ as the trailer would have it. Players who pre-order it will receive the Premium DLC expansion pack for free.
Battlefield 4: Beta
According to a piece run by CVG an unnamed EA employee told the Reddit community, that Battlefield 4 would be out ‘after the beta’.
It was expected this would take place in the autumn, but since Battlefield 4’s release date is around that time, we should expect it a little earlier.
It’s already been confirmed that players who pre-ordered the Medal Of Honor: Warfighter Limited Edition will gain access to the Beta. There’s no word on how other players can access it, but rumours abound that pre-ordering Warfighter isn’t the only way into it.
Battlefield 4: Platforms
No next generation platforms have been confirmed as yet – probably because DICE and EA are under console NDAs that are as radioactive as they are bulletproof. We have to say, though, that we'd be bowled over if Battlefield 4 wasn't being prepared for Sony's and Microsoft next gen machines.
However, in an interview with Eurogamer, DICE executive Peter Bach said that the game will run on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Wii U owners, on the other hand, are out of luck; Battlefield 4 will not be making its way to Nintendo’s next gen platform.
“The biggest problem we have right now is we don't want to back down from what we see as our low spec machines. We right now don't have support for the Wii U in the Frostbite engine,” he said.
“The reason for that is it takes development time. What should we focus on to create the best possible Battlefield experience? We are now focused on PC and the current-gen platforms, and then there might be other platforms in the future that we can't talk about...”
Battlefield 4: Features
It’s been reported on Eurogamer.net that EA is looking at making the Frostbite 2 engine that powers Battlefield 4 work with the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset.
In an interview with Eurogamer, head of the Frostbite creative team at DICE Frank Vitz said, “I am really eager to see how the Oculus Rift works with Frostbite. There are multiple titles in the works that would be awesome with the Rift.”
He added: “It should be awesome. BF3 in S3D works great and our current version of the engine has all of that support still. I have one of the first Rift dev kits coming my way in March. We have an internal community eager to work on it... I know of at least four kits on order.”
Implementation should be “pretty straightforward,” Vitz said.
Battlefield 4: Gameplay
While there’s no word yet about Battlefield 4’s online modes – either co-op or multiplayer - DICE says that the single-player campaign has been rejigged to address the issues players and critics had with the same mode in Battlefield 3.
For starters, the gameplay will incorporate the more open, improvisational nature of the online modes.
Game Director Stefan Strandberg says that the single-player campaign will address this in Battlefield 4. "This is a game where the gameplay is centred around choice rather the predetermined solutions," he said, "Battlefield is about being able to improvise and form your own solutions to any challenge that lies ahead of you."
Strandberg pointed to a moment in the demo in which the player hijacked a jeep after having his AI allies lay down suppressing fire and flanking it. "We're taking the best moments from multiplayer and incorporating them into single player," he said.


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Alltech, parent company of Town Branch Distillery in Lexington, KY just broke ground on their newest brand – Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery in Pikeville, KY. Officially, their Lexington operation is a combination brewery and distillery (Brewstillery) that goes by the full name of Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company. Their newest baby is a similar and officially goes by Dueling Barrels Brewing & Distilling Company.
Lexington Brewing & Distilling began in 2,000 as a brewery, its Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale® has grown to become the brewery’s flagship brew, capitalizing on the brewery’s proximity to fresh Kentucky bourbon barrels. 10 Years later they added the distillery and in 2012, Town Branch Distillery joined the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
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The new Dueling Barrels brewery and distillery is expected to open in Spring of 2017 at a cost of $13 million and will celebrate the unique Eastern Kentucky heritage. This area of Kentucky is best known for coal mines, country music, moonshine and a family fued believed to have started back in 1865 – The Hatfields and McCoys.
The distillery name was inspired by the notorious feuds between the Hatfields and McCoys, and is a double entendre with gun barrels and whiskey barrels. Dueling Barrels will feature tours of the brewery and distillery, beginning with a visit to a small theatre to view a video of what guests will experience. A tour of the distillery and brewhouse will follow, where the process will be explained in depth, and then will end with a visit to the tasting room where the products can be sampled.
“With Alltech’s global reach, it is expected that Dueling Barrels’ beer, whiskey and moonshine, all from Eastern Kentucky, will go to the global market by the end of next year,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “It is also our hope that Dueling Barrels will extend the Kentucky Bourbon Trail into Eastern Kentucky, bringing visitors, tourism dollars and international publicity with it. If Dueling Barrels is added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, it would become the first and only stop east of Lexington.” Seeing as how Town Branch Distillery is on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association was on hand for the groundbreaking, I’m sure Dueling Barrels Distillery will one day officially be the furthest stop east on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.


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Now it is looking for bidders for an additional £175m deal over four years covering the blue light, health and leisure sectors.
The framework will offer Fusion21 members temporary or permanent quality modular buildings which are compliant with all building regulations.
Nick Verburg, Procurement and Supply Chain Manager at Fusion21, said: “We are developing our Modular Buildings offer in response to market demand and member feedback and look forward to welcoming new suppliers on board to support this new phase of growth.
“Fusion21 members using this framework will continue to benefit from efficiency savings and social value whilst accessing a range of sustainable building solutions specific to their building needs and requirements.”
SMEa are being encouraged to apply on the mytenders web portal. The framework can be found under Notice ID JUN154627.
The submission deadline is Friday 6th July 2018 at 12 noon


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- Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Northern California: U.S. Geological Survey
- Bridge collapses in Washington state, sending cars into river
- Large U.S. retailers sue Visa, MasterCard over card fees
- British police ponder conspiracy after soldier murder |
- Analysis: Markets face rough summer ride as Fed pullback feared
UPDATE 1-Asia Coffee-Roasters buy Vietnam beans; Indonesia oversold
* Sumatran premiums firm to $80/tonne
* Vietnam robustas change hands at $40-$50 discounts (Adds technicals)
By Lewa Pardomuan
SINGAPORE, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Robustas from Vietnam changed hands at discounts to London futures this week as its harvest progressed while tight supply and sporadic demand from exporters kept Indonesian beans at premiums for prompt shipment, dealers said on Thursday.
Indonesia's coffee output could rise nearly 13 percent in the year to September 2013, fuelled by improving weather, while rising demand from local roasters is likely to boost consumption and push up imports, a Reuters survey showed.
Indonesia is the world's second-largest robusta producer after Vietnam, and the two together account for about 23 percent of global output. Robusta is either blended with arabica beans for a lower-cost brewed coffee or processed into instant coffee.
"The prices for Indonesia are all over the place. I guess that's because they are also oversold. Everybody is trying to sell the beans at different prices," said a dealer in Singapore, who trades Indonesian and Vietnamese robustas.
"I've sold 80 defect beans at $120 premiums including freight. The London market is also very volatile right now," he added.
Other dealers said Sumatran grade 4, 80 defect beans changed hands at premiums of up to $80 to London's January contract , which has slipped more than 10 percent since hitting a 2-month high in early October on worries about ample global coffee supply. Premiums stood at $40 last week.
"There are not many people who dare to offer beans aggressively. You may get beans at $50 premiums minimum. I would think differentials will get firmer again next week," said another dealer.
"But I think people are buying hand-to-mouth at this price level. It's very expensive compared to Vietnamese beans."
The extended harvest has just ended in Indonesia's main growing island of Sumatra, while last year it finished around August. Heavy rain damaged the crop in the 2011/12 season, causing a severe supply shortage that sent premiums to record highs of $550 last year.
A minor crop is expected to start in December ahead of the main harvest in April next year. Indonesia and Vietnam account for about 23 percent of global output, according to the International Coffee Organization.
The new harvest is under way in Vietnam and is expected to peak in mid-November. The previous 2011/12 crop ended with a record-high output of about 1.6 million tonnes.
"We've bought Vietnamese beans at minus $40 and $50. The Europeans are buying but, to be frank, most other roasters are already well covered," said the first trader in Singapore.
"We are also trying to build up a long position. We have people still looking for prompt shipment. We are not interested in selling forward months."
Vietnam, grade 2, 5 percent black and broken beans were last week offered at discounts of $50 a tonne below London's January contract.
Indonesia premiums could rise further next week if London futures extend losses, but discounts could widen in Vietnam as more beans enter the physical market.
Coffee prices in Vietnam's domestic market fell to 38,900-39,100 dong ($1.87-$1.88) per kg on Thursday, their lowest since early May, traders said, possibly triggering some sales from growers.
January robusta coffee futures settled down $15 at $1,968 a tonne on Wednesday, after touching $1,965 earlier in the session, the lowest level for the second month since early June, due to pressure from Vietnam's crop.
New York arabica futures, which often dictate robusta, closed down 2.55 cents at $1.5465 per lb because of selling from top grower Brazil. (Editing by Joseph Radford and Robert Birsel)
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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The Talbots Inc. tlb Wednesday reported third-quarter earnings of $8.1 million, or 15 cents a share, down from a year-ago profit of $20 million, or 37 cents a share. The latest results include acquisition-related costs and adjustments of 16 cents a share and stock option expense of 4 cents a share. Excluding these items, the Hingham, Mass., apparel retailer earned 35 cents a share in the latest quarter. Total sales for the latest three months rose to $568.6 million from $426.3 million in the same period a year earlier. Same-store sales increased 2.3% for the quarter. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call was for a profit of 15 cents a share in the October period. Talbots said it now expects cost savings synergies of about $36 million in 2007 from its J. Jill integration efforts, up from its original estimate of $25 million. The stock closed Tuesday at $26.70, up 4.3%.
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- Do Ring cameras get stolen?
- How much is Amazon 2020 worth?
- How much does Jeff Bezos make a day?
- Has Uber made a profit yet?
- Will Amazon ban you for too many returns?
- Is Amazon in profit or loss?
- Did Amazon make a profit in 2019?
- How much money does Amazon lose on stolen packages?
- How much money does Amazon lose on returns?
- Is stealing Amazon packages a felony?
- What part of Amazon makes the most money?
- Will Amazon pay taxes in 2020?
- What does Amazon do with their returns?
- Is it bad to return items on Amazon?
- How much money is Amazon losing?
- How much debt is Amazon 2020?
- Where does Amazon get their money?
- Did Amazon lose money when it started?
- How much does Amazon make per day?
- Does Amazon operate at a loss?
- Does Amazon do anything about stolen packages?
Do Ring cameras get stolen?
The Ring Doorbell is meant to prevent burglars, not actually get itself stolen!.
How much is Amazon 2020 worth?
It’s now valued at $1.7 trillion. Last quarter, Amazon blew past Wall Street’s expectations, reporting $5.2 billion in net profit, even after warning investors it would spend all of the $4 billion it had expected to make for the quarter on COVID-related initiatives.
How much does Jeff Bezos make a day?
Thus, because of how his fortune has behaved in this pandemic year, Bezos earned an average of 8,990 million dollars a month, 2,250 million dollars per week, $ 321 million per day, $ 13.4 million per hour, and about $ 223,000 per minute.
Has Uber made a profit yet?
Overview of Uber: Uber’s revenue in the fourth quarter of 2019 grew 37% to $4.07 billion. However, it reported a net loss of -$1.1 billion compared to a net loss of -$887 million in the same period last year.
Will Amazon ban you for too many returns?
According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon will ban shoppers from using their site for returning too many items—sometimes without even telling the customer why they’re being banned. And for more things that could get you in hot water, You Could Get Sued By Amazon for Doing This Online.
Is Amazon in profit or loss?
Amazon India Losses Grow In FY20: Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Flipkart, Snapdeal & Co. The online marketplace unit of ecommerce giant Amazon India, Amazon Seller Service, has widened its after-tax losses from INR 5,685.5 Cr to INR 5,849.2 Cr in the financial year 2020.
Did Amazon make a profit in 2019?
Amazon today reported earnings for its fourth fiscal quarter of 2019, including revenue of $87.4 billion, net income of $3.3 billion, and earnings per share of $6.47 (compared to revenue of $72.4 billion, net income of $3 billion, and earnings per share of $6.04 in Q4 2018).
How much money does Amazon lose on stolen packages?
As Amazon drives more shopping online, Prime members say they receive on average 51 packages a year, and one in three Americans report having at least one package stolen, resulting in $25 million of lost goods and services every day, according to C+R Research.
How much money does Amazon lose on returns?
The amount Amazon will withhold on a FBM return is equal to 20% of the original fees paid up to a maximum of $5.00. So if your paying 15% in fees for a sale, Amazon will keep 3% of the items sale price for a return for items that are approx. $165.00 or less and $5.00 for those above that price.
Is stealing Amazon packages a felony?
Theft of a delivered Amazon or other package delivered by a package delivery service NOT related to the USPS is just a matter of theft. It would be prosecuted under a State law in the theft statutes. It is NOT a federal crime.
What part of Amazon makes the most money?
While online stores generated the highest amount of revenue at 50.4%, third-party seller services made up a significant portion as well, making up 19.2% of the total….How Amazon Makes Its Money.Business SegmentPercent of Revenue (2019)Amazon Web Services (AWS)12.5%Subscription services6.9%Physical stores6.1%Other5.0%2 more rows•Oct 13, 2020
Will Amazon pay taxes in 2020?
And, it noted, Amazon has “over $1 billion in federal tax expense.” Note the careful wording of “tax expense,” as opposed to taxes already paid, or to be paid in 2020. That’s because the vast majority of that $1 billion likely won’t be paid anytime soon.
What does Amazon do with their returns?
Amazon does sell returned merchandise on its website via a platform called Amazon Warehouse. Amazon returns are also sold by liquidators — large pallets or single items can be purchased online by the public through virtual auctions.
Is it bad to return items on Amazon?
Basically, we can return items without explanation as long as they were purchased within 30 days. They even pay for return shipping if your received item is defective or doesn’t match the description. However, it doesn’t mean that you can abuse the system and use it as a try-out/rental service.
How much money is Amazon losing?
Amazon projected a potential loss of $1.5 billion this quarter. But with the end of Q2 now behind us, Amazon shared its quarterly results, and they’re quite the opposite of gloomy. Despite the pandemic, Amazon doubled its net profit year over year to $5.2 billion, compared to $2.6 billion at this time in 2019.
How much debt is Amazon 2020?
According to the Amazon.com’s most recent balance sheet as reported on October 30, 2020, total debt is at $33.08 billion, with $32.93 billion in long-term debt and $155.00 million in current debt. Adjusting for $29.93 billion in cash-equivalents, the company has a net debt of $3.15 billion.
Where does Amazon get their money?
Amazon makes money through its retail, subscriptions, and web services, among other channels. Retail remains Amazon’s primary source of revenue, with online and physical stores accounting for the biggest share.
Did Amazon lose money when it started?
Amazon famously lost money for its first 17 straight quarters as a public company, bleeding a combined $2.8 billion. Once Amazon did start making money, it made very little of it. Amazon would report tens of billions of dollars of sales each quarter but a mere tens or hundreds of millions of dollars of profit.
How much does Amazon make per day?
Starting with the annual income, Bezos took home $1,681,840 in total compensation from Amazon in 2019, which included $81,840 in base income and $1,600,000 in other compensation. He made $140,153 a month, $35,038 a week, $5,005 a day, $208.56 an hour, $3.48 a minute, and $0.058 a second last year.
Does Amazon operate at a loss?
31, Amazon had federal operating loss carryforwards of $627 million, foreign balances of $7.8 billion, and state balances of $919 million. … Amazon still had to set aside $565 million for future federal income taxes due, and make an overall $1.2 billion net tax provision that reduced its 2018 net income.
Does Amazon do anything about stolen packages?
Amazon covers most stolen packages through its “A-to-Z” Guarantee Protection. … But if you’ve waited two or more business days for a response or the seller is uncooperative, you can file a claim with Amazon and they’ll likely issue a refund. In many cases, retailers will quickly agree to send you a replacement item.


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Supporting Black Country businesses
A batch of high-profile industry leaders have been recruited to add weight to the 2019 Black Country Business Festival.
Around 120 events are scheduled to take place across the Black Country Business Festival. The 10 industry leaders will play a key role leading their particular sector of industry as the festival gets under way next month with around 120 events taking place across the Black Country.
The programme of events is made up of trade shows, seminars, workshops and conferences of all descriptions – put on by local companies to help other local organisations and individuals to grow and develop.
Each sector is led by a business professional who is well-known in their industry and extremely knowledgeable in their area of expertise.
Advanced Manufacturing – consultant Paul Nicol
Automotive – Trevor Leeks of Jaguar Land Rover
Creative Industries – Kelly Jeffs, CEO Light House
Education – Jatinder Sharma, principal & chief Executive, Walsall College
Sector leads are confirmed as:
Hospitality & Tourism – Andrew Lovett, CEO, Black Country Living Museum
Professional Services, Business Support & Communications – Ian Bond, director & head of trusts & estates at Talbots Law and Shaun Carvill, managing director at Clickingmad
Property and Construction – Stephen Tracey, construction manager at Wates
Retail – Dan Murphy, regional centre director at intu Merry Hill.
Transport & Logistics – Stuart Everton, Black Country Director of Transport, City of Wolverhampton Council
Events are set to take place in every sector. In retail, Intu Merry Hill is showcasing exclusive artists’ impressions and plans of the centre’s forthcoming £100 million development to further improve the centre.
Retail sector lead, Dan Murphy said: “The Black Country has thriving businesses, innovative attractions and most importantly inspiring communities all proud of being from the Black Country.
“The introduction of the Black Country Business Festival has created a platform for the area to showcase all of this not only nationally but internationally making it truly an exciting time to be part of the region.”
Digital agency, Clickingmad is running two events to help businesses to learn tips and tricks that will make their website out from the crowd and turn it into a great sales tool. Managing director Shaun Carvill, a joint sector lead for professional services, business support & communications, said: “The Black Country is one of the most vibrant and exciting areas of the UK to do business.
“The Business Festival will help put the Black Country back where it belongs; at the top of the list when it comes to business investment, opportunities and job creation and also to acknowledge where the industrial revolution had its first great expansion.”
Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber, said: “We decided to divide the Festival into sectors to make it easier for people to browse through the events that are relevant to them. It will also allow us to extend our national reach and promote the Black County’s innovation, culture and commerce on much broader scale.
“There is no better time stand together and tell the rest of the world about our amazing, vibrant and diverse business community – because ‘this is the Black Country’!


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Gas prices spiked last week, rising an average of 12 cents per gallon in Florida. Drivers are now paying an average price of $3.35, which is just 1 cent less than last year’s high.
The 2021 high of $3.36 per gallon was the most expensive daily price since September 2014.
“The effects of rising oil prices are now beginning to be felt at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Crude oil prices have risen early and often in 2022. The price of crude has already surpassed last year’s highs, driven by ongoing concerns that global oil supplies will struggle to keep up with soaring demand in 2022. Unfortunately for drivers, it doesn’t seem that oil prices will see any significant relief anytime soon. Gas prices may only get more expensive as fuel demand increases because of spring break and summer road trips.”
Fuel Price Overview
Sunday’s Florida Average Price – $3.35 per gallon
Avg. Cost for a fill-up – $50.25 for a 15-gallon tank
2022 Fla. Avg. High – $3.35 per gallon (Sunday)
2021 Fla. Avg. High – $3.36 (highest since 2014)
2022 U.S. Oil Price High – $87.35 per barrel
2021 U.S. Oil Price High – $84.65 per barrel
So far this year, the U.S. price for crude oil surged 15%. Wednesday’s daily settlement of $87.35 per barrel was a new 2022 high, and nearly $3 per barrel more than the 2021 high.
- Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.49), Port St. Lucie ($3.38), Naples ($3.38)
- Least expensive metro markets – Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.19), Panama City ($3.22), Pensacola ($3.24)
Ways to Save on Gasoline
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
- Remove excess weight in your vehicle.
- Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.
- Enroll in savings programs. AAA Members who enroll in Shell’s Fuel Rewards program can save 5 cents per gallon when they fill up at Shell. Click here for more information.
Find Florida Gas Prices
- Daily gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.aaa.com
- State and metro averages can be found here
|AAA GAS PRICE AVERAGES|
(Price per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline)
|Sunday||Saturday||Week Ago||Month Ago||One Year Ago||Record High|


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The Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Exhibition will be back for its sixth instalment in 2024. Held 9 to 11 May, the event will be hosted again in MIECC (Malaysia International Exhibtion and Convention Centre). The floor space of 8 500 square meters indoors has been filling rapidly since the announcement of a new floor plan with many of the previous exhibitors coming back.
Talking about the scheduled program, Organiser Stefan Pertz said that exhibitors and visitors can expect the usual fringe programme to be re-instated. "Obviously, we worked with constraints during our last show and the coming one will be under the paradigm of the post-pandemic ruling, which allows us to host our fringe programme again," he said.
Sponsorship opportunities are being snapped up already with MAN Truck & Bus Malaysia leading as the Gold Sponsor. Being a communications platform for the commercial vehicle industry in Southeast Asia, MCVE 2024 offers customisable sponsorships to cater to the individual needs of each participating brand.
The new floor plan is to facilitate a better flow throughout the exhibition while a new website, launched in January, is go offer a better user experience too. Better space utilisation offers more brands the opportunity to partake. The website is geared to giving participating brands more visibility.
Organisers expect that a number of updates will be posted shortly, keeping the market informed about the programme, participation and activities around the event.


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National Small Business Advocate Launches “100 Black Businesses Bankable” Initiative
Talibah M. Bayles, Founder & CEO of TMB Tax & Financial Services recently announced the launch of a nationwide initiative designed to help Black and women-owned small businesses secure long-term business profitability. The 100 Black Businesses Bankable Initiative, was launched by the for-profit company in partnership with its newly formed 501c(3) nonprofit sister organization Access Granted Inc.
For decades, minority-owned and managed businesses have struggled with the strenuous task of effectively running their day-to-day activities and also ensuring that their financial records are properly kept and managed in line with state and federal regulations.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the local small business community, Talibah saw an opportunity to make a real difference, particularly for small business owners of color who have historically faced systemic barriers to accessing capital through financial institutions. A former federal government employee of 15 years, Talibah was perfectly equipped to educate and advocate for those businesses that were left behind by federal funding programs.
In July of 2020, Ms. Bayles appeared before the US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, providing testimony as an advocate for minority-owned small businesses shut out of disaster relief funding.
Through Access Granted Inc., Talibah works closely with local, state, and federal organizations to provide small business owners with open access to information, growth tips and strategies, as well as free or radically discounted accounting, bookkeeping and tax services.
Ms. Bayles is a current member of the 2021 Birmingham, Alabama Class of SBA Emerging Leaders, and the Alabama Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She is a former member of the City of Birmingham’s Inaugural Small Business Council (SBC) 2019 – 2021.
TMB Tax & Financial Services is a full-service tax advisory and small business financial wellness firm that also offers loan packaging services for all opportunities that require business owners to produce tax documents, profit, and loss statements, and also helps businesses access potential local, state, and federal programs available for funding their various projects.
Click here to sign up for The Black & Bankable CEO Summit


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Warburtons is adding handmade, artisan loaves to its free-from range in the UK.
A spokesperson for the company told just-food, the new range – sold under its free-from brand Newburn Bakehouse – allowed it to "provide an even higher quality of bread products within the free from industry."
Warburtons will sell a classic white Artisan Loaf and a white sourdough artisan cob.
Chris Hook, free-from director at Warburtons, said: "As the first branded baker to enter the free-from market, our ambition is to lead the way on innovation and diversification in the category. We launched twelve products in 2014, and the launch of these unique gluten- and dairy-free artisan loaves builds on the success of other market-leading product developments, such as the launch of the first gluten- and dairy-free sandwich thins in the UK last year. We will continue to raise the bar with our 2015 products to provide consumers with even more choice."


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ATLANTA - Several hundred thousand Delta Air Lines customers may have been exposed to a malware attack on a company the airline uses for online chat services.
"While we believe we have identified with some precision the transactions that could have been impacted, we cannot say definitively whether any of our customers’ information was actually accessed or subsequently compromised," the airline said Thursday.
There was no impact to the Fly Delta app, mobile delta.com or any other Delta computer system, and the company said payment information for Delta Wallet customers wasn't compromised.
The company hasn't provided details of how the cybercriminals got in or who breached them, but one cybersecurity expert said if your information was accessed, it was likely just credit card information and not driver’s licenses or Social Security information.
"Usually credit card companies are really good about this," said Alex DeFreese, senior security analyst at Bishop Fox. "They alert you as soon as a purchase is made and even if it does go through, you can be refunded that money."
Also on Thursday, Delta launched a website to answer its customers' questions and concerns about the attack, which can be found by clicking here.
On Wednesday, Delta said it was informed on March 28 that 7.ai, a San Jose, Calif.-based company, had been involved in a "cyber incident." Certain customer payment information for the company's clients, including Delta, may have been accessed between Sept. 26-Oct. 12, 2017.
Delta said it immediately began working to determine what impact the breach may have had on its customers, delta.com, and its computer systems. It also contacted federal law enforcement and confirmed the incident was contained by Oct. 12.
7.ai said it is cooperating with law enforcement.
"We are confident that the platform is secure, and we are working diligently with our clients to determine if any of their customer information was accessed," the company said.


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Oregon restaurant owner Andrew Fortgang is eagerly awaiting the May reopening of his French restaurants after a year of pandemic closings. But the Chablis and Beaujolais will go down a bit easier if he can win another battle: eliminating a 25% tariff on wine, cheese and other European products caught in a cross-Atlantic battle over airplane parts.
The Biden administration and European Union agreed in March to suspend the tariffs for four months as they seek a “fresh start” in resolving a long-running fight over government subsidies to Airbus and Boeing. The dispute and judgments before the World Trade Organization triggered tit-for-tat tariffs on agricultural products that have nothing to do with aerospace but have given food professionals heartburn since late 2019.
The levies have forced companies up and down the supply chain to stomach smaller profit margins or to raise prices on consumers. Restaurants were hit hard by the pandemic and say they can ill afford a return of those markups.
“We’re done with surprises. We need that stability and need to be able to plan and move forward with confidence that these aren’t going to come back into play,” Mr. Fortgang, a co-owner and wine director at his Portland restaurants, told The Washington Times.
Bottles that once cost Mr. Fortgang about $20 are now $25, and it only gets worse for the high-end beverages such as scotch and Burgundy. With names Le Pigeon and Canard, his restaurants have an unmistakable French bent, so he can’t just pour products from Australia or Chile.
“It’s not like a fungible thing you can just trade one for another. That’s not why people come,” he said.
Even if he wanted to switch things up, the tariffs have destabilized the wine industry as a whole, making it difficult for distributors to serve clients, whether they trade in European wine or American bottles from famous vineyards in Washington state, Oregon and California.
The World Trade Organization approved the tariffs after 15 years of litigation over EU subsidies to Airbus. The U.S. said the subsidies were illegal and harmed American companies such as Boeing. The WTO agreed and granted the U.S. a $7.5 billion arbitration award under President Trump, who frequently wielded tariffs as a negotiating tool.
The levies targeted aerospace products and agricultural goods, including British cashmere, German roasted coffee and Spanish olive oil.
Meanwhile, Europe hit U.S. ketchup, orange juice and other goods with $4 billion in tariffs in November after the WTO ruled that Europe could retaliate for what it said were illegal U.S. subsidies to Boeing, an Airbus rival.
Gabriella Beaumont-Smith, a macroeconomics policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation, said the new administration’s pause of tariffs in March was an act of good faith as it tries to put European relations on good footing.
Yet President Biden and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai will be under the gun to ax the tariffs completely.
“I don’t think that four months is long enough, and they should be lifted entirely on both sides,” Ms. Beaumont-Smith said of the tariffs. “They are harmful to American consumers, and European consumers as well.
“It is the worst time for the administration if it were to reimpose these tariffs,” she said. “People have gone through a lot of hardship, and they don’t have to deal with more expense and more bureaucracy. I think the pandemic does create more pressure.”
The Biden administration says it is committed to “a comprehensive and durable negotiated solution” to the aircraft dispute.
“Key elements of a negotiated solution will include disciplines on future support in this sector, outstanding support measures, monitoring and enforcement, and addressing the trade distortive practices of and challenges posed by new entrants to the sector from non-market economies, such as China,” the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative said in announcing the pause of tariffs.
Gary Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said he would expect both sides to extend the deadline if they can’t strike a deal during the four-month pause.
“I would be surprised to see the tariffs reinstated. That would put a real cloud on Biden’s charm offensive with Europe,” he said. “The only thing that would trip up a resolution would be some new, unforeseeable challenge from Europe.”
As talks commence, he said, Europe may agree to limit its “launch aid,” in which countries loan huge sums to Airbus to produce new aircraft models and get repaid as models are sold. He said terms could call for commercial interest rates and full repayment of loans even if sales of models fall short in a given time frame.
U.S. restaurant owners and food purveyors, including the Specialty Food Association, say too many people would suffer if negotiators can’t reach a deal.
“There are no winners in trade wars, and these incremental taxes created an additional burden on the food industry that was already suffering due to COVID-19,” Thomas Gellert, president of importer Atalanta Corp., said last month. “We are optimistic that now, as we see some hope for the food service market, restaurants can provide their guests the products they demand without this additional tax.”
Mr. Fortgang’s restaurants were shut down in March 2020 and reopened at limited capacity from June to November, before closing again. They plan to reopen during the first week of May.
When conditions are normal, “you can afford to pay an extra buck or two for the Iberico ham or bottle of Sancerre you’re serving. You can absorb that,” Mr. Fortgang said of the tariffs.
But it’s a different story when you’re operating at half capacity or recovering from a once-in-a-century health crisis.
“We’re still in an uncertain time as far as COVID, as far as the long-term effects on economic and the long-term effects on consumer behavior,” he said.
If the levies return, then people on the payrolls of businesses with tight margins will suffer the most.
“The super, super-wealthy people, they’re going to be fine. They’re going to buy [these products] and not care,” Mr. Fortgang said. “It’s really about the jobs it hurts here on this side of the pond.”
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LEO Lane, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based software company, has entered a partnership with HP concerning 3D printing.
Displaying 10 results for
FABTECH will be the first large-scale manufacturing trade show to return to McCormick Place in Chicago, September 13-16. The announcement comes as the state of Illinois moves into its final reopening phase.
MediJet printer designed for anatomical models, surgical guides and medical tooling using sterilizable and biocompatible materials
Felsomat USA will host Innovation Day on June 10 at its U.S. headquarters in Schaumburg.
Two new models have now been added to Nikon Metrology's latest NEXIV S-range of CNC video measuring systems suitable for in-line, automated dimensional measurement tasks.
3D Systems said it agreed to sell its On Demand Manufacturing Business.
The increased use of CT scanning for metal powder bed fusion parts is usually associated with high-value parts and elevated quality requirements. There are increased requests for CT scanning on parts made of engineering-grade polymers like PEEK, PEKK or ULTEM and for fiber-reinforced composites like Nylon 12 CF.
Nikon Metrology’s industrial microfocus X-ray CT inspection solutions now enhanced with a new offset CT reconstruction algorithm to deliver faster scan speed and image resolution.
Here is a case study of how Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence helped out a manufacturer.
3D Systems announced the addition of four new high-performance, production-capable resins to its Figure 4 portfolio designed specifically for both batch-run, end-use part manufacturing, and prototyping applications.


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A U.S. judge largely sided with Apple on Wednesday over how several technical terms will be defined in its patent fight against Samsung over smartphones and tablets.
Deciding on the meaning of certain terms, known as claim construction orders, helps to define the scope of a party’s patent rights and can often shape the course of litigation.
Apple sued Samsung in the United States last year, saying the South Korean company’s Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets “slavishly” copies the iPhone and iPad. Samsung then countersued Apple.
The claim construction order released on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, defines eight terms relating to seven different patents in the case. Koh opted for Apple’s preferred interpretation on five of the terms, and Samsung’s for two of them, according to the ruling.
Koh blended language that had been suggested by both companies for another of the terms, interpretation of the word “applet.”
Representatives for the companies could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The case is scheduled for trial in July. However, the Federal U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Friday in Apple’s attempt to stop the sale of some Galaxy products before trial. Koh had rejected Apple’s request.


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"Among survey respondents with an established business partner model in place, 48 percent report EBITDA growth increases of more than 5 percent in their company over the past year, compared with just 22 percent of those that have not yet adopted this approach," Ernst & Young said in a report on its survey. Two other key data points suggest that business operations improve when supply chain managers and CFOs work together:
"83% of finance business partners and 87% of supply chain business partners agree that data and analytics present CFOs with an unprecedented opportunity to drive a more collaborative, business partnering relationship with the supply chain."
"26% of business partnering CFOs and 24% of business partnering supply chain executives see improving organizational design to aid tax effectiveness as one of the top three opportunities for the CFO to play a greater role in the supply chain."
Ernst & Young interviewed 423 CFOs and heads of supply chains at technology, automotive, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and other companies. The importance of the relationship between the CFO and supply chain leaders cannot be overstated and seems to be getting stronger. According to the report, "70% of CFOs and 63% of supply chain leaders say that their relationship has become more collaborative over the past three years."
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As he noted, the myriad of health benefits associated with omega-3, including its role in coronary heart disease, mental health, infant development, oral health, and even blood pressure regulation, is well established.
And while new omega-3 product launches in Europe are reportedly low in comparison to those in Asia and America, he explained that it is not a market that is slowing down in terms of consumer appetite: “Despite the slower pace of new launches in Europe, consumer interest is growing, particularly in functional food and drinks.”
“Mintel’s consumer research has shown that around 30% of consumers report consuming functional food and drink that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
“So not only is global demand growing, but consumers are telling us that they're actually consuming these products.”
As global demand for omega-3 rises, concerns about scarcity and overfishing have taken centre stage, Miller explained.
“The main industry insecurity stems from issues with our desire to overfish the species that give us loads of omega-3, as omega-3 fatty acids typically come from marine sources.
“Additionally, due to climate change and the warming of sea temperatures, there might now be a drop in the naturally occurring levels of algae, when it comes to plant-based omega-3.
“However, there are some naturally occurring plant-based sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is sometimes coined the omega-3 of plants, and things like chia, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds are all potential sources.”
Miller noted however that this isn’t a straightforward solution, as “the big problem is that the conversion of ALA is limited by enzyme Delta‐6 desaturase (D6D).
“The problem is that if I was to genetically screen each one of you, you would probably all have different levels of this enzyme in your body. That means you will need different levels of omega-3, and this is another confounding factor that we have to accommodate for, and as an industry we see suppliers are trying design solutions.”
Innovation in the field
The future of omega-3 fatty acids involves addressing sustainability concerns, embracing innovative technologies, and personalising approaches to meet individual needs, Miller asserted.
He drew attention to the startup Örlö, the Icelandic company offering plant-based omega-3, using “99% less land and water in crops than other producers.”
Their carbon-negative, high-tech vertical farming methods produce microalgae for use in gel tablets for “three times better absorption of nutrients.
And looking to future alternatives, Miller referenced the ongoing research being conducted by Rothamsted Research Institute and the University of Southampton on oil from GM Camelina sativa plant (one of Europe’s oldest oil seed crops) and its suitability for replacement of oily fish in the human diet.
He noted that while there isn’t yet a product on the market, human trials have shown it to be safe for consumption, offering the promise of a truly sustainable omega-3 source.
He also noted that there are exciting things to come for the industry with Australia’s BiomeMega probiotic-derived Omega-3, which is due to launch its first commercial product by 2027 assuming the firm passes regulatory requirements.
The company uses precision fermentation and AI to customise outcomes, such as how much nutrients go into the fermentation at a particular stage of bacterial growth, the purpose of which is to improve the nutritional value and bioavailability of Omega-3.
And in the world of personalisation, he referenced the work of US-based company Parasol Nutrition for its personalised omega-3 program, which involves blood tests to determine specific doses needed of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Miller concluded: “I think where consumers are going to get the most benefit from taking omega-3 is by making sure that it's targeted to their exact person.”


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The Packer | July 1, 2020
July 1, 2020- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $512 million for fresh produce purchases through renewed contracts to companies packing and distributing in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
The total awards announced by the USDA July 1 is $1.27 billion in renewed contracts, and $202 million in new contracts that are mostly to produce companies. That’s on top of the original $2.2 billion announced for the first round of contracts on May 8.
A total of 199 contracts were renewed, according to the USDA, which did not report the amount each company received in the new round of funding, with a total of $1.27 billion.
Companies receiving contracts for the first time for the food box program, are mostly produce suppliers, or produce is one of the company’s product segment.
Some of those contracts went to companies whose original bids were passed over “due to various issues in their proposals,” according to the USDA announcement. The new awards will “direct food to reach underserved areas, places where either no boxes have yet been delivered, or where boxes are being delivered but where there is additional need.”
The produce companies (and distributors that handle produce) in that list are:
The $1.27 billion in renewed contracts also include $288 million for dairy products, $233 million for meat products and $444 million for boxes that are a combination of produce, dairy and meat products.
“The decision to extend current contracts and the quantities extended under those contracts were determined based on a variety of factors such as contractor performance on this and other federal contracts, funds availability to the government, and the needs of the government,” according to the USDA.
Several companies are absent from the “renewed” list, including Ben Holtz Consulting, whose original $40 million contract was rescinded. CRE8AD8, a San Antonio event planning company that received $39 million and struggled to meet demands of Texas food banks, did not receive an extension.
The USDA plans to make more award announcements for companies new to the program, which has a $3 billion price tag in total.
“USDA is exploring different contracting vehicles available for these additional purchases,” according to the release. “Information about this next round of contracting will be made available on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program website at www.usda.gov/farmers-to-families. Please monitor the website or subscribe for updates.”


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Ban makes hidden gem so much harder to find
Business owners in a Sutherland town say they are facing closure after Highland Council ordered them to stop advertising on the town’s high street.
Dornoch Retail Park is just off the main road but cannot be seen by people driving or walking past.
Traders say the council’s ruling, which also requires them to remove advertising from the entrance to the park, has left them invisible.
For the full story, pick up a copy of today’s Press and Journal or read our digital edition now.


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Marketing fails happen—and can usually be traced back to the drawing board where a bad idea got hatched. But sometimes the problem can be blamed on a bot.
That’s what happened after KFC reportedly sent out a phone notification on Nov. 9 telling customers in Germany to “treat themselves” to commemorate Kristallnacht. The event, known as the “Night of Broken Glass,” launched a wave of Nazi attacks against Jewish people in Germany.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the push notification said: “It’s memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!”
How the rogue KFC bot notification happened
KFC Germany apologized for the notification and told Newsweek that an “automated push notification was accidentally issued to KFC app users in Germany.”
The company explained that it uses “a semi-automated content creation process linked to calendars that include national observances.” In this case, the company said, an “internal review process was not followed, resulting in a non-approved notification being shared.”
The incident is a reminder of why humans are still needed in the age of automation. KFC said it has suspended the app notifications while it reviews the process.


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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), in partnership with the Cerf Island Resort in the Seychelles, braved the unusual cold weather of Abu Dhabi on November 21, 2019 to attend the 4th edition of Abu Dhabi Travel Trade Event (ADTTE).
The event, organised by Mr. Conrad Caeiro of Razzmatazz 360°, was held at the Splash garden at the Aloft Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Having been a big supporter of the last three editions of the ADTTE, the STB participated to the event as a platinum sponsor this year.
The outdoor set-up at the Splash garden was perfect for the occasion and provided to the 300 attendees present an opportunity to network with the 22 exhibitors including the Seychelles delegation.
The event’s program indulged the invited guests to some attractive raffle draws, give-aways and enjoyed a lavish dinner while pursuing their networking and shopping for their next holiday.
The STB and its sole partner Cerf Island resort being a prime sponsor for the ADTTE 2019 were placed at a strategic position allowing the two Seychelles representatives to maximize on their position to provide information about the destination as a prime holiday.
In order to entice the Abu Dhabi visitors the team offered extensive information about the destination as an island hopping paradise, promoting the various other attractions including the product and services available on Cerf Island.
Speaking about the STB’s participation at the ADTTE 2019 event, the STB representative in Abu Dhabi and Tourism Attaché Ms. Aliette Esther stated the prominence of the event creates an ideal platform for the promotion of the destination, which is in line with the STB marketing strategy to increase the destination’s visibility.
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“ADTTE is now a signature event and is already being looked forward to by the travel trade professionals,” said Ms Esther. “It gives the Seychelles maximum exposure and it is worthwhile attending.
“We had many visitors at our stand who are dreaming of going to Seychelles and we managed to convince some of them to buy the ticket and go. Others had already been to the Seychelles and were really happy with their trip, expressing the wish to go back once more.”
Aside from the networking aspect, the event also included music entertainment and an Egyptian tanoura dancer who dazzled everyone with his entrancing whirls and brightly lit costume. There was also a special cake ceremony, which was cut by the H.E. Ambassador, Ricardo Laverie of the Embassy of Panama Abu Dhabi and Ms. Esther, STB Abu Dhabi Tourism Attaché.
There are other similar events lined up in Abu Dhabi before the end of 2019.


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Focus on Nigeria as an investment destination
Africa’s largest economy; Nigeria, has abundant investment opportunities. The woman driving investment initiatives for the country Yewande Sadiku,
How artificial intelligence is taking over the economy
The White House unveiled a hands-off regulatory approach to foster the development of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Google previewed Duplex, an experimental service that lets its voice-based digital assistant book appointments on its own -- but it ended up raising broader questions.
Rivers economy - Governor Wike woos investors from UK
Rivers economy - Governor Wike woos investors from the UK.
Nigeria's economy grows by 0.83% in Q4 2017 GDP report
Nigeria's economy grows by 0.83% in Q4 2017 GDP report.
This is how Nigeria can unlock its economic potential
Nigeria’s economy beat the recession in Q2 of this year spurred by a recovery in the oil production and improvements in foreign exchange availability. However, concerns remain that the economy is still not living up to its full potential.
Nigeria's economy - Analysing MPC decision with Bismarck Rewane
Nigeria's economy - Analysing MPC decision with Bismarck Rewane.
Egypt August PMI 48.9 vs 47.2 in July
Emirates NBD Group Head of Research, Chief Economist Tim Fox discusses his outlook for the Egyptian economy.
Is Nigeria’s retail industry growing or shrinking?
How is Nigeria's retail space faring as Nigeria's economy begins to show signs of improvements?


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Toyota is to launch an all-new version of the Previa, its flagship family MPV. The new Previa, debuted at Geneva Motor Show 2000, will build on the established reputation of its predecessor for space, comfort and advanced styling.
Guinness’s latest advertising campaign is based on racing gastropods, but the only thing snail-like about the Toyota Land Cruisers the leading brewer has chosen for its promotional fleet are their hard shells.
Toyota has made its mark on Britain with Prius, Toyota’s hybrid car. Starting from the Toyota plant at Burnaston, Derby, volunteers from the Toyota Enthusiasts Club drove around central England on a route that traced out the shape of the Toyota logo.
Toyota has released a new special edition version of its popular RAV4 (Recreational Activity Vehicle with 4-wheel drive). Known as the ‘Reebok’, it marks a link with the well-known sportswear manufacturer.


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DUBAI: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) hosted the Ambassadors of International Expo 2020 to brief them about the efforts being exerted to highlight the position of Emirate of Dubai as a commodity trade hub and of the role of UAE in international community.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of DMCC, said the Dubai Expo 2020 theme is: “Connecting Minds...Creating the Future.”
As the authority in charge of the free zone of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, we link many international companies in the UAE and the Middle East and help them to expand their work.
Being the global gateway for commodity trade, he continued “we connect the industrialised and consuming countries, and support the movement of trade in goods and strengthen Dubai’s position as a global destination for trade at the same time.”
He added: “We wished our ambassadors will further promote the UAE as an exemplary destination to host Expo 2020”, citing that the DMCC is looking forward to supporting the ambassadors of Expo 2020 to highlight the potentials of the UAE.
The DMCC organised the tour for Expo 2020 envoys to Almas Tower, the headquarters of DMCC, where they visited many facilities.


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KEF, a British manufacturer of luxury audio products celebrating 60 years of production this year, has announced the appointment of Michel Plante to the KEF Canada team with the title of Brand Ambassador. In this new role, Plante will support KEF’s retailers by strengthening their knowledge and understanding of the KEF product through product and sales training.
Asked about the opportunity to join the KEF family, Plante commented, “to be back on the road as an evangelist for the KEF brand and our industry is exciting. Having the chance to share my experience over the last 35 years will benefit those who want to improve their situation. KEF’s product offerings reach a vast audience and represent unlimited opportunities to appeal to audio enthusiasts.”
Plante, who most recently holds the title of Publisher for PMA Magazine has also worked for companies including Erikson, SFM, Dumoulin and Plurision in addition to an active role running both the Toronto and Montreal Audio shows. “KEF is one of the top marketing leaders in our industry which allows us to influence future trends in the market,” says Plante. “Teaming up with one of my mentors, Ian Brown, is an incredible opportunity; together with the support of our president, Alec Chanin, we will be able to support the development of our customer’s business effectively” added Plante, who worked with Ian Brown through the 1990s at Audio Products International.
Ian Brown, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for KEF Canada commented, “We are so excited about Michel Plante joining our KEF team. Michel is a true professional full of knowledge, passion, and integrity. This addition is a perfect win-win for KEF, our dealer partners and their staff. I am thrilled to work with Michel again.”
KEF was founded in 1961 by BBC engineer Raymond Cooke and the name is a reference to the original manufacturing location at Kent Engineering and Foundary. While the company is now owned by foreign entities, KEF continues to develop its speakers in Maidstone, Kent UK.


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Android users of Instagram spent nearly an hour a day on the app in June, according to a new report from digital marketing measurement company SimilarWeb.
The amount of time Android users dedicate to Instagram is approaching that of Facebook — an average of 58 minutes per day in June compared to Instagram users’ 53 minutes per day. Snapchat is right behind, with users clocking an average of 49.5 minutes per day on Android devices. (SimilarWeb gets its data from a combination of ISP partners, public sources, mobile and desktop devices, and directly from various websites and apps).
Though time spent on Facebook is the highest of the three social apps, it’s increasing at the slowest rate. Last July, for instance, Facebook users spent close to 50 minutes per day on the Android app, while Instagram users spent just under half an hour. That same month, Snapchatters used the app daily for around 25 minutes.
It’s worth remembering that Facebook owns Instagram, so if the same user is spending about an hour with each, that’s nearly two hours dedicated to the social giant. Instagram also recently launched its own long-form video platform, IGTV, aiming to capture even more eyeballs.


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This wedding will be remembered for many things, but mostly because the new bride got a 3D-printed ring with an ultra-rare, honest-to-goodness lunar rock.
A few of the security cameras we've reviewed have come close to perfection, but we still think there's room for improvement.
If you're using your Android for productivity, then you're probably doing a lot of copy-and-paste actions between windows. Simplify this process by checking out Copy Bubble.
A new report pegs Apple gadget as the most exciting upcoming entrant in the wearable tech race. But getting consumers to purchase and continue wearing these gadgets will prove pivotal.
Tunisian tourism groups are betting the force of "Star Wars" fans can help them save the one-time desert home of Anakin Skywalker.
Bonhams auction house will offer up choice documents, hardware, and other memorabilia from the history of space exploration.
The Power Brick external battery pack doubles as a Lego-compatible building platform, letting you design your own ultimate smartphone stand.
A brand new 3D printer has arrived on the scene with the biggest print bed of any consumer model -- large enough to print small pieces of furniture.
Crave writer Michael Franco catches up with one of the creators of the Origami laser cutter, now blasting through a campaign on Kickstarter.
One of the world's finest creators of comic book horror has teamed up with The Pokemon Company for a special "scary" collaboration.


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Today in the Game Developers Conference (GDC) that it is taking place this week in San Francisco, Google He has presented two interesting new features in its platform of advertising to video games for mobile devices.
Google has introduced its new ads playable, a new format of interactive advertisement with which developers can create a light version of your game so that users can try it during the announcement to get an idea of what will give you the full game.
These playable ads are more a version in HTML5 games that developers can create a demo mode. Users will begin to see these new ads playable Google Ads in the coming months. Now now developers to offer playable ads had to rely on other companies for ads.
Another important development has to do with the video ads. Insurance more than once were playing a game in vertical and after finishing a game you think a video ad in horizontal that it forces you to play your device to see it in the correct position. All a nuisance that Google solves thanks to artificial intelligence.
The new function auto-flip of Google will identify objects more important in each frame in the horizontal video for automatically create an optimized version of the video to be played on vertical. Thus if we have the video vertically we see videos in vertical.
The first tests of Google with this new formed video are a success. New videos automatically generated vertically have a rate 20% higher click on videos played on horizontal, since the majority of users that use mobile vertical do not bother to turn the phone to see the ad, they hope to finish to close it.


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Hollywood's 3D Film Festival will kick off Sept. 30 with the U.S. premiere of "Streetdance 3D."
RTL-owned production powerhouse UFA Cinema is heading for the high seas with a planned 3D pirate franchise based on a new book series by writer-filmmaker Joachim Masannek.
Two giants of the visual effects business, Industrial Light & Magic and Sony Pictures Imageworks, have launched an open-source software effort to address the problems of sharing large, complex CG…
Get ready for 3D movies for the home.
Paramount Pictures and NBC Universal will begin offering their movies on iPhones, Blackberries and other mobile phones through a new streaming service launched Wednesday by mSpot.
AOL France was among a handful of Gallic companies hauled before a Paris court Wednesday on piracy-related charges by the makers of hit film "Les Choristes."
Fox is looking to put the kibosh on Sony/Revolution's "Zoom," or at least move its release date. Studio and partner Marvel Enterprises have filed suit against Sony Pictures Entertainment and…


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Come festive season and most of east India seems to head to a Khadim’s outlet to buy footwear — during Durga Puja, the company sells over 14,000 pairs a day. This year, there was an unusual shopper at the Kolkata-based shoemaker — PE player Reliance Equity Advisors, which forked out ₹90 crore for an undisclosed stake in the company. “The funds raised will be used for opening 90 company-owned and operated retail outlets across the country over the next three years. It will also be used to retire debt and scale up logistics infrastructure,” says Siddhartha Roy Burman, CMD, Khadim India.
Good for Khadim’s, but what prompted the sudden PE interest in the company and, indeed, the sector?


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It appears Resi fans may be being tapped up again soon to test a new unannounced title, according to an email sent out to Resident Evil Ambassdors this week.
The email from Capcom, forwarded to IGN and subsequently posted to Reddit, first thanked fans for Resident Evil 2’s nomination to the Game Awards, before detailing changes coming to the program where it’ll be introducing a new ranking system, with fans reaching higher tiers eligible to pick up ‘invitations to a playtest session of our unannounced title.’
With Resident Evil 3 announced before the Game Awards, and the last game to have testers recruited through the program – Resident Evil Resistance, which was eventually revealed to be Resident Evil 3’s multiplayer – already known quantities, speculation is running rampant as to what the ‘Unannounced Title’ may be.
Given the invitation is for fans in the Resident Evil Ambassdors scheme, many are suggesting it could potentially be Resident Evil 8, but with news this week of Capcom renewing trademarks for Dino Crisis, there’s plenty of fans who have their fingers crossed for a remake of the PS1 classic.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, our next dose of Resi action comes in the form of Resident Evil 3, out April 3 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Credit: Source link


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[ad_1] A blockchain linked to Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has been hit by a $570 million hack, a Binance spokesperson said on Friday, the latest in a series of hacks to hit the crypto sector this year.Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said in a tweet that tokens were stolen from a blockchain “bridge” used […]
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