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Back in June, Microsoft announced a number of improvements coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming, including new low-latency tech and support for a broader range of games. Recent updates to Xbox Store pages indicate that soon Microsoft will allow you to stream any game you own via xCloud.
Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming only supports games on Xbox Game Pass. Back in June, Microsoft announced plans to allow users to stream the games they own digitally through xCloud servers, although there may be some restrictions on certain games if publishers opt out.
— VipPerWeS 🇧🇷 🎮Hellblade ⚔ (@Wesley72745610) August 9, 2022
This week, Xbox fans began to spot changes to the digital store pages for games like Elden Ring, Grand Theft Auto V and Soul Hackers 2. Each page had a new cloud badge, indicating that the games are playable via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Microsoft has not confirmed when it will roll this out, nor has it confirmed a list of supported titles yet. However, the company will be participating in Gamescom later this month, so an announcement could be coming then.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Xbox Cloud Gaming is going to be an even bigger value-add for Game Pass once Microsoft opens it up for non-Game Pass titles in your library.


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“We know that healthy diets contribute to healthy minds and healthy minds learn better,” said Penny Parham, Administrative Director, Department of Food and Nutrition with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Miami, FL (PRWEB) April 22, 2010
Vend Natural, Inc. (“Vend Natural”), America’s leading healthy vending company offering all natural and organic snacks, beverages and fresh cut fruit and vegetables, today announced the expansion of its operations in Miami-Dade County, Florida, reflecting a growing national trend towards healthier living.
As part of a wellness initiative, Miami-Dade County Public Schools selected Vend Natural and its distribution partner Woodstock Natural (based in Woodstock, New York) to provide fresh fruits and vegetables and organic snacks and beverages in its innovative machines in 23 middle and high schools in Miami-Dade County schools. The machines provide the students and school community with access to a wide array of Del Monte fresh cut fruits and vegetables and healthy and organic snacks and milk.
Vend Natural, founded by company President Gil Sanchez, was formed to address the declining health of our nation by providing healthier snacking alternatives to on-the-go individuals at schools, hospitals and businesses. The company’s mission is to support improved eating practices by offering healthy products that are easily accessible and affordable to everyone.
“We know that healthy diets contribute to healthy minds and healthy minds learn better,” said Penny Parham, Administrative Director, Department of Food and Nutrition with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “Our county is leading the way in ensuring that our students have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy snacking alternatives, and Vend Natural’s program was a perfect fit," said Parham. “Our students love the machines and the healthy choices.”
Vend Natural President Gil Sanchez says, “We are pleased to partner with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to transform how students and the broader school community think about snacking and vending.” “Our environmentally friendly machines and low carbon footprint business also makes good business sense,” said Sanchez.
Vend Natural’s state-of-the-art machines offer a market-customized assortment of natural and organic snacks and beverages. Always looking to provide the healthiest options possible, Vend Natural recently announced an agreement with Del Monte Fresh Produce to offer an assortment of Del Monte's fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in its machines as well. Vend Natural is committed to environmental sustainability by ensuring its machines operate at the highest level of energy efficiency as they are made largely from recycled metals; operate with energy efficient LED lighting; are constructed with triple-pane glass and extraordinary insulation for the highest level of refrigeration integrity.
About Vend Natural, Inc.
Vend Natural, Inc., based in Ventura, California and Annapolis, Maryland, was inspired by the vision of helping to transform eating patterns by providing healthy snacking alternatives in convenient vending locations across America. Specializing in placements in schools, hospitals and businesses, Vend Natural, Inc. currently operates more than 350 machines in 20 states with plans for significant growth over the next several years. The company is known for its innovative and environmentally-sensitive vending machine design offering state-of-the art, dual temperature-zoned, energy efficient machines that hold a large variety of both natural and organic snacks and beverages. Vend Natural, Inc. is also known for its fresh, bright, signature machine graphics featuring large, appealing illustrations of grapes, raspberries and its tag line, “Energize Your Body.” For more information, visit http://www.vendnatural.com.

domain: news


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Cab booking, travel, e-tail top monthly transactions online
New Delhi: More men than women transact on e-commerce and digital platforms in a day, according to a report from Dentsu Aegis Network’s digital and social media agency WAT Consult. Of the average customers per day on such platforms, 76.3% are men and 23.7% women.
The report titled E-commerce in India – Consumer Perspective, maps buying behaviours across categories, including e-tailing, cab booking, travel, entertainment, food and beverages and electronics, among others.
While majority of e-commerce consumers fall under the age group of 25 - 36 years, the highest spenders are those above 37 years. Average monthly transactions per customer are the highest in the cab booking segment ,with users taking at least three rides per month, followed by travel, e-tail and food & beverages, where an online transaction is made at least once a month.
Top four metros, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, comprise the highest number of average customers per day (29.3%) followed by Bengaluru and Ahmedabad (27.3%), small metros (22.08%) and small towns (21.4%). Small metros are those with a population of one to four million, while for small towns it is below one million.
There is no major difference between overall average monthly spends of male and female consumers. While men spend Rs 2,209 women, spend around Rs 2,124 monthly.
”E-commerce is playing a vital role in bridging the gap between consumers residing in tier-I and tier-II cities. It is also helping premium brands increase their presence in semi-urban areas, where they have no retail outlets,” according to Rajiv Dingra, founder and chief executive, WAT Consult. “Scale is the only issue, where more people need to shop online more often. Also, while electronic, mobiles and apparel markets will always stay on top, we will see immense growth in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and grocery segment in the future.”
The report highlighted multiple behaviour trends specific to different categories. There is a 12% increase in the amount of money spent during weekdays in the e-tailing category as office goers tend to indulge in impulse purchases while browsing shopping websites/apps during commuting or lunch hours.
With an average transaction size of Rs 573 in the food & beverages category, there is a 13% difference in the transaction size on a weekend over a weekday. Consumers transact more with a brand between Thursdays and Sunday. Switchers (people who do online purchase only once in six months) are higher in this category, since people prefer to try out different cuisines and avoid ordering from the same place more than once.
The entertainment category, which focuses on online movie ticket booking, is male dominated, with 79.3% of men transacting with brands. With an average ticket size of Rs 892, the average transaction size is similar during weekdays and weekends. Meanwhile, the average transaction size is highest in the electronics category during the weekend, at around Rs 7,854, 15% higher than that on a weekday. Transactions are higher in metros and less in smaller towns as consumers prefer purchase of electronic items from the local stores.
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It looks like there will soon be a new contender in the hosted blog platform sphere. Blogsmith, the engine which was designed to run Weblogs Inc, Jason Calacanis‘ early blog network which was subsequently bought up by AOL.
WordPress seems to be the market leading platform at the moment, certainly among hardcore bloggers. It will be interesting to see whether Blogsmith’s imminent arrival will affect that service at all – especially in terms of the release of the awaited 2.1 release.
Blogsmith.com currently forwards to Brian Alvey’s blog. I’ll keep an eye on it, as it’s likely to change soon.


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Campaigners against a badger cull to control bovineTB have suggested they will boycott milk and dairy products from farms involved in the trial.
Farmers Weekly asked the major retailers to outline their stance on sourcing product from farmers.
“We take animal welfare very seriously; it is a top priority for us and our customers. There are animal welfare issues on both sides of the debate and this understandably makes it a very difficult issue. The government has been through due process and has concluded to go ahead based on scientific evidence.
“Bovine tuberculosis poses a significant threat to the health and welfare of British livestock as well as the livelihoods of many beef and dairy farmers. According to the government, in 2010 and 2011, over 50,000 cattle had to be slaughtered in England in an attempt to control the disease.”
“We will continue to take milk and beef products from farmers across the country, including those in the areas where the cull is taking place. In terms of taking on new farmers, our process for new suppliers will remain the same.”
Waitrose has said that participation in the pilot cull is for farmers themselves to decide and would not affect the supermarket’s sourcing of milk or beef and neither would it be an issue when taking on new suppliers. A spokesman said: “Our farmers know best how to run their businesses and it is right that decisions around the pilot cull are left to them to make.”
“Animal welfare is an important and sensitive issue for many of our customers and we take our responsibilities in this area very seriously. We also recognise the significant threat that bovine tuberculosis disease poses to our dairy farmers and their livelihoods. We are committed to supporting them through this challenging time and have no plans to stop sourcing from farmers in the affected areas. The cull policy and its implementation are a matter for government and the farming community.”
The Co-op said its position on the cull was neutral. A spokesperson said: “Animal welfare issues are important to The Co-operative Group and its members and customers, as is ensuring a long-term, sustainable future for British farmers. None of the farmers within The Co-operative Dairy Group are located in the proposed trial areas. However, as we do not operate a segregated milk supply chain, in common with other retailers a small proportion of our milk may have come from farms in the proposed trial areas.”
“We are aware of the debate on a badger cull, however as a retailer it is a matter we have never taken a view on, and we don’t anticipate this changing. Nevertheless, we understand and acknowledge the genuinely held beliefs on both sides of the argument. We have no plans to change our sourcing strategy.”
Marks & Spencer
“Our priority is our relationships with our farmers, and we have no plans to change our long-standing sourcing policy. We understand the TB issues facing the farming industry and that a solution needs to be found. We are awaiting the results of the government trial.”


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If your neighbor is building a chicken coop in the backyard, your mom has an Etsy shop, and all your friends are brewing batches of artisanal something-or-other, you may already suspect that crafting and DIY (do-it-yourself) projects are enjoying a boom not seen since pioneer days. According to the latest Chase Freedom Lifestyle Index, it’s true: over the past year craft store spending has jumped by 91%.
Lessons needed on how to do it yourself
After buying those craft essentials, many people need some help figuring out what to do with them. Along with DIY supplies, people are spending more money on lessons, classes and books. And while home improvement spending is up slightly, sporting goods spending is enjoying almost as big a boost as books.
The Lifestyle Index keeps track of cardholder activity and compares year-over-year quarterly spending. During the third quarter of 2013 (July-September) the biggest spending increases were in the craft and road toll categories (at 91% and 13%, respectively). Looking back two years, from the third quarter of 2011 to the third quarter of 2013, those categories still have the biggest jumps in spending, at 82% and 39%.
Gas spending was down year-over-year (- 5% from 2012 to 2013 and – 6% from 2011 to 2013). Since gas prices hit a two-year low last summer, analysts concluded that lower gas prices lured people onto the roads more often, causing toll spending to rise.
Electronics and office supplies spending down
Meanwhile, spending on gas, electronics and office supplies was down in the third quarter. Spending on electronics dipped by 7% compared with the same quarter in 2012 and 11% compared with 2011. But the biggest dip in spending was in the office supply category, which saw a decline of 7% year-over-year and 14% looking back two years.
Here are the differences in third quarter spending year over year:
- Craft stores: +91%
- Tolls: +13%
- Lessons and Classes: +3%
- Books: +6%
- Sporting Goods: +5%
- Gas: -5%
- Electronics: -7%
- Office Supplies: -7%


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Cannabis businesses don’t want to feel like drug dealers anymore. Here are four types of startups that are coming to the rescue.
Tokken, The Cannabis Paypal Startup
Tokken’s mission is to support the marijuana industry by allowing money to be regulated, taxed, and normalized in the economy.
Much like Paypal, Tokken allows customers to make purchases with an app on their smartphone without having to deal with cash. It provides mobile payments (tokkenPay) and POS services (tokkenSell), as well as a blockchain-based compliance tool that provides data integrity and transparency to both parties.
To do this, Tokken utilizes the Bitcoin blockchain, and partners with companies such as Blockscore that offers real-time identify verification and business verification, and Tierion that provides the API and tools to create a verifiable record of any data or business process on the blockchain.
“One of the federal government requirements that precludes banks from operating in the cannabis space is the ability to record and ensure complete data integrity,” says Tokken’s CEO Zarrad, “We use [blockchain’s] indelible ledger as a redundancy mechanism…[to] prove to regulators and law enforcement that every timestamped transaction recorded through our system hasn’t been tampered with.”
With experience as a regulator and in the financial industry, Zarrad, 36, already has been able to attract interest from banks such as Fourth Corner Credit Union and dispensaries such as Ballpark Holistic Dispensary.
How It Works: Dispensary customers 1) download the Tokken app, 2) link their bank accounts or credit cards to the app, 3) go to a partnering dispensary and pay using a mobile wallet, such as Venmo. 4) The transaction is recorded on Tokken’s blockchain ledger. 5) The retailer is issued “Tokkens,” a branded digital currency exclusively within the company’s system. 6) The retailer can convert Tokkens to its respective US dollars, transfer them, or pay suppliers and growers who are also using Tokken.
Medicinal Genomics, The Research Startup
Medical Genomics uses cutting-edge DNA technology to research cannabis genetics and develop products that help growers, dispensaries, and testing laboratories ensure the safety, consistency, and quality of cannabis.
It uses the Bitcoin blockchain to map out the DNA sequencing of cannabis strains and implement strain verification and stability programs. It also creates a QR code for every sequenced strain on Kannapedia that business owners can downloaded and label on their products.
Medical Genomics’ technology gives patients and other consumers a way to verify a strain as well as its therapeutic effects, which can improve intellectual property issues in the marijuana industry.
Potcoin, The Smaller Bitcoin Startup
Potcoin, much like Bitcoin, is a a cryptocurrency (i.e. digital currency) and payment system that is created and held electronically. Potcoin allows peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions without the need for an intermediary, such as a bank. This means that it is independent of any government or bank, and does not carry high fees that credit card companies charge.
To get an idea of what Bitcoin is, please read our post: Intro to Blockchain Bitcoin in Cannabis Financing.
Kind Financial, The Seed to Sale Software and Hardware Startup
Kind financial offers a “seed-to-sale” software and hardware solution that allows cannabis businesses and government organizations to track their cannabis operations and ensure compliance with regulations every step of the way – from “seed to sale.”
To get a better idea on what Seed to Sale software is and how cloud computing technology is used, please read our posts on Discovering Seed to Sale Software and Opportunities in the Seed to Sale Software Industry.


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Published: Monday June 18, 2012 MYT 1:19:00 PM
Updated: Monday June 18, 2012 MYT 2:46:53 PM
No plans to re-enter China, says GHL Systems
Kuala Lumpur: GHL Systems Bhd is not re-entering the Chinese market in the immediate future after the irregular transactions that took place in FY2011 but will focus on the opportunities ASEAN countries offer.
The company lost RM26 million in FY2011 due to irregular transactions in their China operations and provisions measures taken.
"We are reconsolidating ourselves and reinvest in the company to grow the business," said chief executive officer Kanagaraj Lorenz. Shareholders have accepted the proposal of not having dividends pay out this year after the annual general meeting which is held on Monday. The company is looking at expanding sales regionally and in important secondary cities in Malaysia like Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Kuantan. Executive director Ng King Kau said that they are looking at increasing merchant acquisition's sale growth by five-fold within the next two years.
"We are not only a domestic company. We are an Asean company. We expect to see not less than 50% of our revenue to be contributed by overseas business by 2015," executive chairman Loh Wee Hian said.


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Consumer electronics startup boAt has filed a draft red herring prospectus with SEBI to launch its initial public offer (IPO) worth Rs 2,000 crore. The Mumbai-based company is looking to raise Rs 900 crore via fresh issue of shares while its existing shareholders including the founding team have tendered shares Rs 1,100 crores in an offer for sale.
Both co-founders Aman Gupta (now of Shark Tank India fame) and Sameer Mehta will be selling shares worth Rs 150 crore each while early investor Warburg Pincus will offload shares worth Rs 800 crore in the OFS transaction, according to the company’s papers filed with SEBI.
Interestingly, boAt has been one of the only startups where the founding team controls more than 50% of the equity at the time of IPO as both Gupta and Mehta have 28.26% stake each. That is a testament both to its scorching growth as well as relatively sustainable margins, compared to other startups or even peers in the consumer electronics space.
As per the DRHP, out of the total Rs 900 crore to be raised via fresh issue, the electronics marketing brand will utilize an aggregate of Rs 700 crore towards repayment of secured/unsecured borrowings of the company.
As of 31 Dec 2022, the D2C brand’s total outstanding secured and unsecured borrowings (mostly working capital financing) amounted to Rs 764.2 crore and the repayment will make the company virtually debt free.
The company has appointed Axis Capital, BofA Securities, Credit Suisse, ICICI Securities as the lead book running manager for the offer while Link Intime has been onboarded as the registrar.
Launched in 2014, the company now controls five brands in its portfolio including boAt, Redgear (acquired in 2020), Tagg (acquired in 2022), wearable brand Defy and its own personal care and grooming brand Misfit. Earlier this month, the company also entered into a joint venture with electronics manufacturer Dixon Technologies to manufacture its products in India.
The DRHP has also filed restated financials for H1 FY22, showing a profit of Rs 118.3 crore for the six month period. The company recorded revenue of Rs 1,548 crore for H1 FY22, annualising to Rs 3,096 crores. This essentially means that the company is on its way to registering over 2.3X growth in revenue during FY22 with over 2.7X growth in profits. Those numbers are astounding, considering the firm started business only in 2014, and the operating model has been primarily a marketplace driven model, with Amazon a primary contributor to sales. While that has led to industry beating expenses on advertising and promotions for instance (lowest), or even cost of sales (well below average), its long term sustainability has to be considered a risk factor.
Besides the obvious pressure from competition both old and new, the firm’s high dependence on marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart especially for sales leaves it susceptible to any major policy changes these platforms make.
Further, an IPO where an offer for sale from existing investors including founders dwarfs the actual funds being raised for the firm has to be seen in the right context. Investor experience with the recent IPO of CarTrade, which was completely an Offer for Sale from existing investors, has been terrible, with the stock down over 50% on its offer price.


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MURASHITA’s front man/guitarist Masaki Murashita will be doing a signing session at the EMG Pickups booth at NAMM on Saturday, January 24th at 12PM with Ira Black (Lizzy Borden/Atika 7) and Eric (EROCK) Calderone.
The 2015 NAMM Show (National Association Of Music Merchants), takes place from January 22th to January 25th at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.
*The NAMM Show is a trade-only event and not open to the public.
Visit www.namm.org for more info.
MURASHITA, the new band led by former Hemoptysis front man/guitarist Masaki Murashita has recently released the debut single “Retribution”.
“Retribution” is exclusively available online now at MURASHITA’s Bandcamp page and will be available worldwide on iTunes, Amazon.com, and most major online retailers on Tuesday, January 20th.
The single features bassist Kelly Conlon (DEATH, MONSTROSITY, VITAL REMAINS), drummer Kevin Talley (SUFFOCATION, SIX FEET UNDER, CHIMAIRA) and was Mixed by Ryan Greene (Megadeth, NOFX).
MURASHITA will be entering the studio this spring to record the full debut EP. For more info, visit MURASHITA’s official website at www.masakimurashita.com
On the Web:


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Users of the popular stock and crypto trading app Robinhood are reacting to the announcement that the platform will delist Craig Wright’s Bitcoin SV (BSV) on Jan. 25.
A Robinhood spokesperson further told CryptoSlate that any BCV held on the platform by customers after the deadline will be “sold at market value and credited to their Robinhood buying power.”
The change comes as a part of Robinhood’s routine review of its crypto products, meaning BSV will continue to be tradeable on the app until the deadline. However, it also highlighted that investors residing in Hawaii, Nevada, and New York have limited capabilities to trade BSV.
The Robinhood spokesperson further stated,
“We have a rigorous framework in place to help us regularly review the crypto we offer… No other coins are affected by this change and all of our customers’ crypto remains safe on Robinhood. We are extremely selective about the assets we offer…”
The price of BSV opened on Jan. 11 at $44.95 but has fallen 16.97% as of press time to $37.29. Bitcoin is also experiencing a ‘red day’ with the flagship crypto dropping 0.91%. However, the price decline for Bitcoin is still well above the $17,000 mark as the retracement failed to mirror the losses of BSV.
Bitcoin SV and Craig Wright
Bitcoin SV is a hard fork of Bitcoin Cash and was created by the infamous Craig Wright, who claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the founder of Bitcoin. Wright has positioned himself within numerous legal battles with those who have challenged his claim to the Bitcoin throne. Thus, many investors are cheering for the removal of BSV from popular exchanges.
Craig Wright has made no direct comment on the delisting, which has coincided with a significant sell-off of BSV. However, he did tweet several motivational quotes from Benjamin Franklin and Plato, adding,
“While I cannot say I have been perfect here, I am managing to listen first and talk after much more. I have been tracking this, and so far I am progressing well.”
BSV was added to Robinhood in November 2018 following the BCH fork, with BSV distributed to all BCH holders at the time. Therefore, BSV will have traded on Robinhood for roughly five years when it is removed.
Why is Robinhood delisting BSV?
According to Robinhood’s latest filings, the platform holds $9.36 billion in crypto across all assets. It is unclear what percentage of this figure is related to Bitcoin SV. However, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin make up the bulk of the holdings at $8.145 billion.
Therefore, the Bitcoin SV will make up some part of the remaining $1.216 billion held on behalf of customers. Robinhood does not disclose the value of the Bitcoin SV held in its custody.
Given Robinhood’s previous run-ins with the SEC, it is possible that Bitcoin SV is being removed due to a desire to reduce its risk exposure to some asset types. In Robinhood’s most recent 10Q document filed with the SEC, Bitcoin SV was singled out as a potential risk factor for the business.
“In August 2021, hackers were able to momentarily take over the Bitcoin SV network, allowing them to spend coins they did not have and prevent transactions from completing.
Any loss of private keys relating to, or hack or other compromise of, the hot wallets or cold wallets we use to store our customers’ cryptocurrencies could result in total loss of customers’ cryptocurrencies.”
Bitcoin SV may feel further price impact on Jan. 25 should a large amount of BSV be left on the platform after the deadline.


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Lee & Associates has released Q4 2022 North America industrial, office, retail, and multifamily market reports.
Metro Vancouver Industrial Market
Vacancy rates remain near 1% and demand has yet to show signs of easing, positioning Vancouver among North America’s tightest industrial real estate markets. The low vacancy rate and scarcity of developable land have continued to support lease activity and lease rate growth within the region. The Bank of Canada raised interest rates twice this quarter, increasing the overnight rate by 50 basis points on October 26th, and another 50bps on December 7th, resulting in a rate of 4.25%. Consequently, the cost to purchase has been climbing, shifting additional demand towards leasing. Activity within the lease market is expected to remain hot, while sales may pick up in 2023 as both inflation and interest rate hikes decrease.
Metro Vancouver Office Market
The Bank of Canada continued to increase interest rates throughout the fourth quarter of 2022, however, inflation has started a downward trend. Due to a year of increased expenses, the last quarter has seen more sublease space come on the office market as some firms try to recuperate costs. Nevertheless, the Metro Vancouver office market continues to outperform other major North American cities due to the draw for large firms – specifically tech – to set up shop here. Not only is Vancouver a business hub that is a great place to live, we have an existing talent pool of employees and a low dollar for large American companies to take advantage of. This can be seen with the example of Amazon – as they are still committed to 1.1 million SF in the upcoming Post building in the downtown core even after cutting costs through thousands of global layoffs.
In the short term, it is expected that more sublease space will become available to the market as we face a period of adjustment post-COVID. Vacancy will rise further, specifically in the downtown core as the suburbs have a much tighter office market. Although in the long term, we expect Metro Vancouver to continue to perform well.
Metro Vancouver Retail Market
Due to a year of high inflation and ever-increasing interest rates, consumer purchasing power as well as confidence was low heading into the 2022 holiday season. For this reason, savings were top of mind as shoppers cut back on non-essential spending and searched for deals. COVID also caused shopping patterns and priorities to change, with more consumers wanting a seamless online/offline experience. Throughout 2023 to draw buyers back, retailers will need to prioritize improving the consumer experience with promotions, quality service, entertainment, and smooth transition from online to in-person.
However, landlords in Metro Vancouver needn’t worry about the decrease in consumer spending, as the low vacancy paired with the unique building constraints for new retail space keeps the area’s demand, and therefore retail rental rates and sale prices, high.
Stay up to date – to receive our market insight as soon as they become available, subscribe here.


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Nintendo has the option to release Amiibo "in card form" in place of any discontinued figures, Shigeru Miyamoto has said.
The cards would feature the same functionality as the figures and allow developers to take advantage of discontinued Amiibo characters in future games.
"We'll continue to make future games that will have functionality with the "amiibo" characters as an additional present for people who bought them," Miyamoto told ABC. "Beyond that, we're looking at how we can use the "amiibo" functionality in the future, including cards and whatnot."
"We're not making promises for certain figures," he added when asked whether Nintendo would continue including support for discontinued Amiibo in future games, "but the way 'amiibo' is designed is that certain games can have 'amiibo' specifically for that game. Other games can take advantage of past 'amiibo' that developers want to make their game compatible with.
"In the future, we have the option, if certain 'amiibo' figures are no longer available in stores, to release an 'amiibo' in card form with the same functionality."
It was reported earlier this month that Marth, Villager and Wii Fit Trainer Amiibos had been discontinued, prompting fans to rush out and buy them before they sold out. They since appear to have been restocked at certain retailers, however, prompting confusion over whether they had actually been discontinued.
A second wave of Amiibo, which includes Zelda, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon and Luigi, go on sale today.


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AFTER MUCH ANTICIPATION MOTOROLA RELEASES Q
By Led Black
It’s been about a year since Motorola announced with much fanfare its new smartphone Q. It is finally available at the Verizon wireless website and will go on sale in Verizon wireless stores on June 5th. It is fifty percent thinner than its competitors with all the features you’ve come to expect from smartphones; Web Browser, Bluetooth Capability, Windows Media Player and a 1.3 Megapixel Camera. My Treo 650 is starting to look shabby in comparison.
For more info visit: www.verizonwireless.com


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With gas prices once again on the rise, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) has collected positive data and RV travel savings information to use in responding to media questions that may be asked of industry spokespeople in the coming months.
With the approach of the spring and summer travel seasons, these facts are also suitable for use in consumer marketing communications.
RVIA updates this information on a regular basis. Please visit www.rvia.org for the latest version.
Among the points:
- RV travel is a great value. The PKF Vacation Cost comparison study shows that a family of four can save 23 percent to 59 percent on vacation costs depending on the type of trip and type of RV used. A two-person travel party (the typical empty-nest couple) would save 11 percent to 46 percent.
- More than 80 percent of RVers say their RV vacations cost less than other forms of vacation, even when fuel prices rise.
- Many RV owning families take frequent mini-vacations in their RVs. Sixty-three percent spent five or more weekends in their RVs last spring/summer.
- When fuel prices rise, RVers adjust by traveling to destinations closer to home, driving fewer miles, and staying longer in one place, according to surveys of RV owners conducted by RVIA and CVENT, a leading provider of online surveys and research technology.
- To save on fuel, RVers typically spend more time enjoying the campground experience and less time on the road. More than 16,000 campgrounds nationwide give RVers the flexibility to save fuel and cut costs by staying closer to home. Whether they travel five miles or 500, they can still enjoy a great outdoor experience.
- Fuel prices would need to more than double from their current level to make RVing more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel, according to PKF Consulting. PKF’s spring 2011 vacation cost comparison study shows that RV trips remain the most affordable way for a family to travel because of the significant savings on air, hotel and restaurant costs, which continue to rise.
- Fluctuating fuel prices affect the cost of all modes of travel and transportation. Airfares and hotel rates rise rapidly when fuel costs increase.
- Many RV owners surveyed take additional measures to reduce fuel consumption through simple steps like driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph, packing lighter to reduce weight in the RV, and turning off home utilities to save energy when traveling. RVers travel at a leisurely pace with no tight schedules for flights, hotels or restaurants.
For more information, contact RVIA’s Kevin Broom at (703) 620-6003, ext. 304, or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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07:30:34 local time CHINA
* Mediators can end labor wrangles, foreign firms told:
Foreign-funded companies have been urged by an official from China’s top trade union body to consider using professional mediators to help handle an increasing number of disputes involving Chinese employees.
Labor disputes have emerged as a worrying trend that can affect social stability, said Guo Jun, head of the legal affairs department at the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.
Last year, courts nationwide handled about 300,000 labor dispute cases, in addition to more than 1 million such cases mediated by trade unions, Guo said.
Arbitration tribunals handled about 666,000 labor disputes, an increase of 23,000 from 2012.
“As China is becoming a market economy, it’s natural for companies to reshuffle, merge or even shut down some underperforming businesses. Such decisions inevitably affect workers,” Guo said.
“If employers cannot communicate these moves to their workers effectively through professional mediators, workers might resort to strikes or other extreme behavior to defend their rights.”
read more. & to read.
* Wages in China:
Wage levels in China have increased continually over the last two decades as the economy has developed and the private sector has created new employment opportunities.
However, disparities among geographic regions, industrial sectors and between top executives and ordinary workers have also increased significantly, widening the rich-poor gap. Moreover, wage increases for China’s lowest paid workers have often been eroded by higher costs of living, and the issue of wage arrears remains a serious and unresolved problem throughout the country.
Legal provisions on working hours and wages
- The standard workweek in China is 40 hours (eight hours per day, five days per week).
- The 1994 Labour Law stipulates that overtime shall be paid for any work exceeding standard working hours and that overtime shall not exceed three hours a day or 36 hours per month (Article 41).
- Overtime pay should not be less than 150 percent of an employee’s wages during normal working days; 200 percent on rest days, and 300 percent on national holidays, such as the Lunar New Year (Article 44).
- Wages shall be paid to the workers themselves in legal tender and on a monthly basis. Deduction of wages or delay in payment of wages is strictly prohibited (Article 50).
- An employer shall pay wages to workers during their statutory holidays, marriage or funeral leave (Article 51).
The minimum wage
Article 48 of the Labour Law stipulates that the statutory minimum wage should be set at a level sufficient to support the daily needs of employees. It was not until March 2004 however, when the then Ministry of Labour and Social Security implemented its Minimum Wage Regulations, that guidelines were put in place to establish a framework calculating and adjusting the minimum wage.
08:30:34 local time NORTH KOREA
* S.Korea, DPRK begin talks on joint factory park:
South Korea and the Democratic People’ s Republic of Korea (DPRK) started their first talks in six months on Thursday in Kaesong, the DPRK’s border town, about running the inter-Korean factory park, Seoul’s unification ministry said.
Six South Korean delegates crossed the inter-Korean land border into Kaesong, the DPRK’s border city some 10 km north of the military demarcation line, and began talks at around 10 a.m. local time as scheduled, the ministry said.
The two Koreas agreed last year to hold the joint management committee meeting every quarter, but it has been halted since December last year amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula following the joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States in February.
“It will be an opportunity for a comprehensive review on productive normalization of the Kaesong industrial zone,” chief South Korean delegate Lee Kang-woo told reporters before heading to the dialogue venue.
Currently, South Korea should fax a list of workers to the DPRK a day before their trip to the joint industrial zone. The DPRK has allowed only those on the list to travel to the zone during a designated time.
The Kaesong industrial complex, the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation, is home to 120 South Korean small companies that produce mostly labor-intensive products such as shoes and garments.
06:30:34 local time THAILAND
* Thai Textile Industry Forecasts 3.66 Per Cent Growth This Year:
An official from the Ministry of Industry has forecast exports of Thai textile and garment products could hit US$7.6 billion this year, up 3.66 per cent from last year.
Atchaka Sribunruang Brimble, director-general of Industrial Promotion Department at the ministry, was quoted as saying Wednesday by Thai News Agency (TNA) that signs were showing demand for sport outfits will continue to grow as more Thais were turning to physical exercise.
At the same time, Thai companies have been assigned to manufacture soccer outfits for 10 teams participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament.
Federation of Thai Industries vice chairman Wallop Wittanakorn said garment and textile exports to the United States and Europe have remained positive despite the US downgrading the country on its human trafficking watchlist.
06:30:34 local time CAMBODIA
* Ocean Garment to stay shuttered until July 9:
A garment factory will prolong its monthlong closure until at least July 9, when the Arbitration Council Foundation rules on a case brought by its workers.
Ocean Garment factory in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district announced on May 24 that it would cease operations until today, paying workers $15 for the month. Employees balked at the amount, demanding their full pay during the downtime.
“This case is already in the hand of Arbitration Council, and the workers still demand 100 per cent,” said Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW), after the council heard the case yesterday.
Management has tried to negotiate with workers, but they have refused to accept anything less than that, Ocean deputy general manager Salayddin Ahmed said.
Ocean was forced to stop production when Gap Inc, the factory’s sole buyer, ceased orders, citing unreliable deliveries due to frequent strikes.
* Strikes spur Target roll-back:
American retail giant Target is another major brand scaling back its sourcing from Cambodia in response to garment industry turmoil here, Minister of Commerce Sun Chanthol revealed during a trade mission to the US.
In a wide-ranging speech on Cambodia’s economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, on Monday, the commerce minister said Target had joined clothing brand Levi Strauss in reducing orders following a deadly apparel worker strike in early January.
“Levi Strauss reduced their orders from Cambodia. Target also reduced their orders from Cambodia, because they are afraid of the labour unrest and so on,” said Chanthol, who attends government meetings with major brands to address industry concerns.
Since the January protest, overtime has slowed across the industry due to buyers decreasing orders in Cambodia, according to Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia secretary-general Ken Loo.
“I feel that this scale-back is not a problem yet,” Loo said. “I think they [buyers] will want to continue to source from Cambodia if we can provide them with stability, so that is what we have been trying to do.”
Loo said that Target was not among the biggest buyers in Cambodia but was still a significant contributor to the industry.
Ath Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union, said that it is the government’s lack of response to buyers’ requests for fairer treatment of workers that is resulting in a loss of business.
“The issues have not been resolved, despite the 23 detained demonstrators being released; the other remaining issues in the industry have not been resolved, so they [factories] have started to reduce their production,” Thorn said.
“Now, they [buyers] have set a deadline for the government from now on until October. If the remaining issues have not been ironed out, they will stop their production here.”
* The 5th Garment Workers’ Labour Law Competition Application Form:
The 5th cycle of the Garment Workers’ Radio Competition allowing garment workers to express their knowledge and experience pertaining to Cambodia labour law, is launched today.
In collaboration with radio station Vayo FM 105.5 MHz, ILO-BFC will implement the competition intended to address the interest of workers to better understand the Cambodian labour law. This initiative has a strong educational potential and is aimed to send a positive message to workers that the knowledge of the Cambodia labour law is important, within their reach, and useful in their daily lives.
The first place winner of last year’s competition, Chhoun Channa, says “providing the chance to workers like me to possess knowledge of the Cambodia labour law will help workers to understand what is legal and illegal to do in the factory and we can approach to management to protect our rights if there is a violation of the law.”
BFC’s Chief Technical Advisor, Ms. Jill Tucker, says that building on the success of the past four years of the Garment Workers’ Radio Competition, ILO-Better Factories Cambodia will be evaluating the impact of the programme on listeners as well as contestants.
20140627 BF Workers’ Radio Competition 2014 (Eng).
* ILO launches fifth round of radio competition:
The International Labor Organisation launched Friday the fifth round of a radio competition to promote understanding of the Cambodian labor law among garment workers.
“This initiative has a strong educational potential and is aimed to send a positive message to workers that the knowledge of the Cambodia labour law is important, within their reach, and useful in their daily lives,” the ILO said.
The competition will involve 18 candidates competing before a jury in live broadcasts on Radio Vayo FM 105.5 every Friday from 4-5 pm between August 29 and November 14, it added.
05:30:34 local time BANGLADESH
20140625 * Factory closed over workers unrest:
Workers of Hop Lun Apparels protested in front of its factory in Sataish area in Gazipur demanding safe drinking water, bonus and other facilities.
* Most RMG unions affiliated with US-based NGO:
About 20 leaders control 90% of recently registered unions
Most of the country’s RMG trade unions are reportedly controlled by workers’ federations affiliated with US-based non-profit organisation Solidarity Centre, with many labour leaders and factory owners raising concerns that the sector might become a hostage to a vested quarter.
According to the Labour Ministry, 152 trade unions have registered following last year’s Rana Plaza disaster. There are allegations that 142 of those unions were linked with nine federations “affiliated” with the Solidarity Centre.
Sources said around 20 leaders of those RMG workers federations were controlling the entire sector.
“We have recently got involved with the Solidarity Centre and the organisation is now paying monthly Tk13,000 each to two organisers of my federation,” said Md Kamrul Hasan, general secretary of Akota Garments Workers Federation that secured 12 trade union registrations this year.
Several leaders of the nine RMG workers federations also admitted to the Dhaka Tribune that they received “financial and technical” support from the Solidarity Centre.
Amirul Haque Amin, president of National Garment Workers Federation, told the Dhaka Tribune that his federation was affiliated with Solidarity Centre and received technical support from them.
However, Jennifer Kuhlman, field programme specialist at Solidarity Centre’s Bangladesh office, denied allegations of having affiliates with any RMG workers federation in Bangladesh. Replying to a query, she told the Dhaka Tribune through an e-mail that the centre only provided “technical” assistance for building the capacity of federations and factory-level unions.
* Labour inspectors inadequate:
Training of the labour inspectors is instrumental in ensuring safety and rights of the workers
Though increasing, the number of labour inspectors in Bangladesh is not enough, and the government should provide modern infrastructures and tools for better inspection, said Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Janet Durno yesterday.
Addressing a certificate awarding ceremony, she said: “Much more things have yet to be done.” The ceremony at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital was jointly organised by the Law Ministry and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to award certificates to around 39 labour inspectors.
Janet said: “Rana Plaza was a great tragedy. After the incident, we were committed to reform the sector. Around 65 new inspectors have joined so far. Important amendment has been made in the Labour Act. Together, we can transform the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh.
“The UK, together with Canada and the Netherlands, is supporting the development of an efficient, credible and transparent cadre of labour inspectors. Progress has been made in addressing many challenges facing the garment industry through concrete commitments by manufacturers, brands, development partners and the government.”
Tuomo Poutiainen, programme manager of ILO’s RMG Programme, said: “Training of the labour inspectors is instrumental in ensuring safety and rights of the workers. Legislative and policy changes should be made for further progress. ILO is committed to assist the government of Bangladesh.
* New Garment Organizers Build Skills at Training:
In this coastal city of 6.5 million people, the second center of garment production in Bangladesh after the capital, Dhaka, a re-energized labor movement is making real progress in organizing workers.
At a Solidarity Center training program for two trade union federations, 12 young organizers—most on the job for less than six months—were advancing beyond the basics of organizing and moving up the knowledge ladder fast.
It helped that two other attendees—Nomita, president of the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation (BIGUF), and her colleague, Chandon, BIGUF vice president, joined the training to support and inspire. Between them, they have two decades of experience organizing in a hostile environment, and have been instrumental in guiding the new activists into a ramped up, more strategic form of organizing.
This was not their first training program, and the organizers were delving into more sophisticated material, including chapter and verse on labor law, organizing women workers, developing leaders and representative unions, incorporating new tactics into campaigns and how to interview workers to document the unfair labor practices (including sexual harassment, firings, threats and violence) that they and their colleagues are facing on a daily basis.
* DIFE gets certificates from ILO:
Labour Inspectors of the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments (DIFE) were awarded certificates at an event to mark the successful completion of three-week induction training on inspection and occupational safety and health.
The improving working conditions in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Program of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the International Training Centre (ITC) of ILO has been carrying out the Labour Inspection training for the current and newly recruited labor inspectors of the DIFE.
A total of 125 labor inspectors (114 male and 11 female inspectors) were trained in three training sessions starting from 8 June.
The improving working conditions in the RMG Program aims to support Bangladesh to significantly improve the capacity of its inspection system through gradual improvement of the legislative and policy framework, equipping and training of the current and newly recruited inspectors, support to improving the organizational structure and the business processes of the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments (DIFE).
Reiterating ILO’s commitment in working for better labor inspection system, Tuomo Poutiainen, Programme Manager, RMG Programme of ILO said, ‘Training of the Labour Inspectors is instrumental in ensuring safety and rights of the workers. Training alone cannot ensure betterment of conditions unless legislative and policy changes are also made. ILO is committed to assist the government of Bangladesh in this process of change’.
* Accord’s inspection identifies ‘critical structural findings’ in 2pc RMG units:
Accord’s inspection has identified ‘critical structural findings’ in 14 buildings out of its 760 surveyed garment factories since the inception of its assessment programme until to date.
“We requested the official review panel to take immediate steps regarding these 14 buildings as our engineers deem those unsafe for production and occupancy in its current state,” Executive Director of Accord Bangladesh Operations Rob Wayys said at a press briefing held in the city Wednesday.
Four factories remained closed and seven are in operation with drastic load removal while the rest three are in the process of shifting, he explained.
“The percentage of such critical findings is less than two,” he said adding “We are working with the brands factory owners so that the closed ones can resume their operation.”
He, however, said the 14 buildings accommodate a total of 23 garment units.
But according to Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), a total of 21 factories faced closure or suspension of production following the western retailers’ inspection programmes.
* Accord trying to reopen factory of Softex Cotton:
Accord is in talks with the management of Softex Cotton on how to reopen the production unit of the garment maker that was closed in March in the face of inspections.
“We are now working to find out a solution. To resume production, the Softex factory building will have to shed large amounts of loads,” said Rob Wayss, executive director of the Bangladesh operations of Accord, a platform of 180 retailers and brands mostly from Europe.
The construction of the annex of the main building may also help restart production, Wayss told reporters at a press conference at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka yesterday.
After inspections by Accord engineers, the factory of the Mirpur-based garment maker was shut on March 6.
On April 30, Softex Cotton sent a legal notice to Accord challenging its decision.
Wayss said Accord inspected 760 factories so far, both in Dhaka and Chittagong. Of them, only 14 were identified as risky, the number being less than 2 percent of the total buildings inspected so far.
Of the 14 buildings, four were asked to shut production, seven were allowed to continue operations after shedding loads and three were asked to shift to other places, he said.
Wayss said the findings of the inspections are more or less the same in every factory — messy wires on the floors, cracks on the walls and faulty designs of the buildings.
* EU retailers find severe faults in 14 RMG factories:
Completes inspection of 760 units
The European retailers’ inspection teams found severe structural faults in less than 2 per cent of some 760 readymade garment factories they have inspected in Bangladesh.
Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, the platform of the EU retailers and brands has listed for inspection over 1,700 garment factories from which 180 signatories of the Accord procure products.
The Accord on Wednesday said that it had inspected 760 factories so far and found major structural faults at 14 factories in 14 buildings.
In a press conference on their inspection programme, the Accord officials said that the inspection teams found structural faults in 59 more factories but they did not refer the list to the review panel.
The production of the factories is running with the remediation work under the supervision of engineers of the Accord, Rob Wayss, executive director of Accord, said.
* Accord: Less than 2% RMG units vulnerable:
It’s a good news for the country’s RMG sector
Experts of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have identified less than 2% apparel factories vulnerable out of 760 they inspected in last one year period.
“Accord engineers have identified critical structural findings in 14 buildings and recommended for evacuation through the review panel,” said Rob Wayss, executive director of Accord Bangladesh operation at a press conference at a city hotel yesterday.
The vulnerable buildings are only 1.84% of the total inspected buildings.
|Of the 14 buildings, 4 remained closed, 7 needs drastic removal of loading and the rest three trying to relocate, said Rob.
* Bangladesh Accord commitment to transparency :
Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh announces publication of factory inspection reports and presents filmed footage from Accord safety inspections
Just over one year ago in May 2013, ready-made garment (RMG) industry global brands and retailers and 2 global unions and their national RMG affiliates signed an unprecedented agreement to make RMG factories safe in Bangladesh.
The Accord has made good progress since. More than 180 brands and retailers are now part of the Accord. More than 800 inspections for fire, electrical and structural safety have been completed. This week, the Accord has disclosed inspection reports and corrective action plans (CAPs) of 50 factories. The Accord will continue to disclose all reports and CAPs in the coming weeks and months.
To commemorate one year of the Accord and its implementation and to show its work in the first year, the Accord has invited a group of national and international journalists to accompany safety inspections at Accord producing factories.
The journalists accompanied Accord inspectors at 4 inspections on 24 June 2014. Filmed footage and photographs from these inspections are being made available to all interested journalists.
* Safety first:
This new statistic is a good indicator that factory owners have at least been shaken from their complacency
Less than 2% of the 760 apparel factories inspected by The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety were identified as being vulnerable. Among the inspected factories, 59 were found to be critical and in need of remediation, but could be made compliant through corrective development.
This is good news for a country that witnessed the disastrous collapse of Rana Plaza, which resulted in the lives of more than 1,000 of the factory’s workers being lost, little more than a year ago.
The 2013 Savar building collapse worked to fatally expose the inadequate safety regime in our country, where RMG factories often lack sufficient technical equipment and the expertise required.
This new statistic is a good indicator that RMG factory owners have at least been shaken from their complacency and indifference to actually taking measurable steps in avoiding further disasters of this magnitude.
* Inspection tensions add woes to BD garment industry:
Western safety inspectors’ erratic decisions pose a new set of problems for Bangladesh’s US$22 billion garments industry, whose safety record has been under the microscope since the collapse of a factory near Dhaka that killed more than 1,100 workers last year, reports Reuters.
More than a year after the public outcry that spurred Western retailers into demanding better standards from the factories that make their clothes, it also highlights the practical complexities of improving the conditions of millions of poor workers whilst also safeguarding their jobs.
Export growth in the sector has slowed as buyers turn to India, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia because of concerns over workshop safety, higher wages and political instability.
Now factory owners say they are concerned about arbitrary shutdowns and meeting the cost of demands for remedial work, while workers worry about who will pay their wages if their workplace is temporarily closed.
“We went through inexplicable harassment during this whole process, and I am sure they don’t care about that,” said Sonia & Sweaters Director Mahabubur Rahman, of his experience of the inspection.
* Stalemate Over Garment Factory Safety in Bangladesh:
Eight times now, the European-dominated Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh — a group of more than 150 retailers and brands — has forced the temporary closing of garment factories after its inspectors found dangerous conditions.
But from the time the inspections began, tensions have been growing between the Accord and the Bangladeshi apparel industry, resulting in an impasse over a recent attempt to shutter what the Accord considers an unsafe factory building that houses Florence Fashions. And this time, as on several previous occasions, the Bangladeshi government has aligned with a garment manufacturer opposed to having its factory closed, even temporarily.
The series of inspections through more than 1,000 of the country’s apparel factories has been emotionally freighted from the start, with workers, manufacturers, building owners and government officials watching the process with conflicting sentiments.
Of course, many Bangladeshis recognize the need for these inspections, and for some dangerous factories to be closed, as part of a broad-based effort to prevent another disaster like the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed 1,129 workers in April 2013.
But factory closings can have immediate economic impact. Some factory owners worry about losing large and profitable orders to other companies and countries, and garment workers themselves fear losing their jobs. In one of the first closings after an Accord inspection, workers took to the streets in a raucous demonstration, protesting that their wages might not be paid.
read more. & to read.
* DoE fines 5 Gazipur factories Tk 34 lakh:
The Department of Environment (DoE) on Thursday fined five washing and dyeing factories in the district Tk 34 lakh for polluting water of the Turag River.
After a hearing at the DoE headquarters in the capital, its director (monitoring and enforcement) M Alamgir slapped the fine on Syntech Finishing Mills, Jeans Collection, Laundry Gate, Unique Textile Mills and Safe Fashions Ltd situated in Tongi industrial area of the city.
The factories were fined for operating without environment clearance certificates and effluent treatment plants, causing huge damage to the water and biodiversity of the river.
The Turag has been declared as an environmentally critically area by the government as per the environment law.
to read. & read more.
* Relocation of RMG units may ease pressure on capital:
They estimated that around 1,027 RMG units, employing nearly five lakh workers, are located in the capital, while there are 533 factories with about 3.48 lakh workers in Savar and Ashulia
Relocating over one thousand readymade garment factories from Dhaka to outlying areas may help ease some of the severe problems faced by residents of the capital city, including chronic traffic jams and environmental
If such a plan were to be implemented, at least 15 lakh people, mostly RMG workers and their dependents, would be forced to move out of the overcrowded city, reducing ever-increasing pressures on it, according to data of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.
They estimated that around 1,027 RMG units, employing nearly five lakh workers, are located in the capital, while there are 533 factories with about 3.48 lakh workers in Savar and Ashulia.
The survey was conducted among 1,560 factories in Dhaka district.
Talking to several workers, this correspondent found that each one lived with at least three other family members _ meaning nearly 15 lakh of the capital’s 150 lakh inhabitants are here due to the presence of RMG factories.
* BGMEA statements outrageous: US:
The US has described the recent statements of the President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) as ‘outrageous and unacceptable’.
‘We have grave concerns about these statements,’ Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson of the state department said replying a question at a regular press briefing on Wednesday.
The question has been asked about the recent comment of BGMEA President Atiqul Islam who said individuals and labour rights activists who directly contact the US government or Congress should be prosecuted for sedition. ‘There are laws and courts in this country.
Despite that, those who are making allegations abroad without informing anyone must face sedition charges,’ BGMEA President Atiqul Islam had said recently.
He made the comment after Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed’s visit to the US on June 10, during which several US Congressmen alleged torture of workers showing him a letter sent from Bangladesh. Islam also demanded trial of those responsible for sending such letters. Deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said: ‘These statements, if true, are outrageous and unacceptable’.
read more. & read more.
* US concerned over BGMEA statement:
The US expressed grave concerns over the statements made by the head of BGMEA that individuals and labor rights activists who directly contact the US government or congress should be prosecuted for sedition.
‘These statements, if true, are outrageous and unacceptable,’ Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson of the US department of state said, responding to a question.
read more. & read more.
* Intertek opens elaborate testing lab for garment, footwear:
Intertek yesterday opened a testing laboratory in Dhaka to support the country’s growing garment industry.
The company listed on the London Stock Exchange tests quality of industrial products and provides certificates on compliance.
The Dhaka lab, the company’s biggest in Asia, will provide one-stop services for diverse industries in the region, the company said in a statement.
The plant will test fabric samples, apparel, footwear, home furnishing and electrical appliances for hazardous elements and chemicals. It will also provide calibration, inspection, auditing and training services.
read more. & read more. & read more.
RANA PLAZA BUILDING COLLAPSE
* UK government tells retailers to pay up in Rana Plaza compensation battle:
International development minister says he is writing to companies who have not yet contributed
The government is weighing into the battle for compensation for victims of last year’s Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh with a letter warning British retailers including Matalan to pay up.
The cut-price clothing chain, based in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, has admitted that its clothes had been produced on the second floor of the factory building, where over 1,100 people died, but has refused to pay into a compensation fund backed by the International Labour Organisation.
The company says it was not using Rana Plaza when the building collapsed and has insisted that it has already helped victims with a donation to a charity support programme to mothers involved in the disaster.
* OECD meets in Paris with Rana Plaza on the agenda:
Over a year after the collapse of Rana Plaza the compensation fund remains woefully underfunded.
Today sees the start of a two day high level international meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris that will discuss efforts to build more responsible supply chains.
Ahead of the meeting of Ministers from across the world UK Minister for International Development, Alan Duncan MP, has written personally to a number of UK based brands who were associated with Rana Plaza calling on them to make significant contributions to the ILO backed Rana Plaza Donor Trust Fund.
In an interview in today’s Guardian, Mr Duncan says “”We have to raise the pressure over a year after the event to make sure a complete compensation package is assembled.” He added that retailers could not claim that they weren’t aware of where their clothes were produced because production had been sub-contracted by their suppliers.”
* Governments call on brands to pay up:
Clean Clothes Campaign welcomes leadership shown by governments in strongly urging clothing brands to pay into the Rana Plaza Donor Trust Fund.
The following statement is in response to the final statement on compensation Rana Plaza victims that you can read here.
Clean Clothes Campaign welcomes today’s statement from the governments of the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy and Spain calling on companies to immediately “donate generously to the [Rana Plaza Donor] Trust Fund.”
“These governments have taken political responsibility where companies have failed to act, which is a significant step in getting compensation for all victims” says Ineke Zeldenrust, of Clean Clothes Campaign, “it is not acceptable that 428 days since the collapse of Rana Plaza the Donor Trust Fund is still lacking US$23 million. Brands can no longer look for excuses, they must pay up.”
The statement is released as Ministers from around the world meet in Paris, alongside the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and representatives of trade unions and NGOs, at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct.
The ILO and UNI Global Union, alongside Clean Clothes Campaign, have expressed deep concern that the fund is still running short of the much needed funds, and whilst the Forum looks at ways to improve responsible business in the future the governmental statement highlights the fact that “the lack of compensation for the victims weaken[s] the improvements realized up to now in Bangladesh.”
“The combined profits of the 29 brands that have been directly linked to Rana Plaza is well in excess of US$22 billion a year,” adds Ms. Zeldenrust, “they are being asked to contribute less that 0.2% of these profits to go some way towards compensating the people their profits are built on.”
read more. & read more.
05:00:34 local time INDIA
* Labour ministry okays new scheme for inspection:
A CAIU will be set up to analyse and collect field data for a transparent and accountable labour inspection system
The Union labour ministry has approved a more liberal inspection scheme aimed at simplifying business regulations and bringing “transparency and accountability” in the system.
For this purpose, a Central Analysis and Intelligence Unit (CAIU) will be set up to analyse and collect field data “for a transparent and accountable labour inspection system”.
The scheme will be brought into effect from October 1 for the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), inspections under the ambit of the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) and the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS).
Under the new scheme, inspection of factories will be carried out under 11 Acts, including the Minimum Wages Act, Contract Labour Act and Child Labour Act. There are different inspection guidelines for EPFO, ESIC, CLC and DGMS.
* Excise duty on branded garments might return:
Branded garments might become more expensive, with the finance ministry thinking of bringing back excise duty on this category in the coming Budget; it was removed last year.
The ministry might also levy a higher duty on cigarettes, for raising more money, amid an economic slowdown.
“The government might consider various options to generate more revenue — excise duty on branded garments might be restored, “sin goods” like cigarettes might attract higher duty, customs duty might be increased wherever there is some scope. A final call will be taken by the minister,” said a senior tax official, requesting anonymity.
A 10 per cent excise duty on branded garments was levied in Budget 2010-11 by then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. He increased it to 12 per cent in Budget 2012-13, with 70 per cent abatement. But his successor, P Chidambaram, removed the levy in Budget 2013-14, to help this industry, hit by a slowdown and currency volatility. As a result, the exchequer took a hit of about Rs 1,300 crore.
The worry is that a return of the levy might hurt manufacturing in the Rs 50,000-crore branded garment industry and skew the balance in favour of the unorganised sector.
“The duty cut gave a lot of fillip to the branded garment sector.
The growth could have been higher but February onwards, it slowed due to elections and the overall sentiment in the economy.
We hope the duty cut continues, as the new government is putting emphasis on manufacturing and employment generation,” said Rahul Mehta, president, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India.
* Union to move SC for reopening of jute mill:
The unit located near Tagarapuvalasa closed in 2009. Owing to the prolonged closure, several workers moved to Vizianagaram, Nellimarla, Srikakulam and other places in search of jobs in jute mills there.
Chittivalasa Jute Mills Workers’ Union (CJMWU) has decided to knock at the doors of the Supreme Court to seek a direction for immediate reopening of the unit located near Tagarapuvalasa.
The mill, which employed 2,800 permanent, 800 badli and 2,000 apprentice workers at the time of closure, was shut down by the Kolkata-based management on April 20, 2009. More than five years have passed, but the lockout, imposed under the pretext of deplorable power position, continues despite orders by the labour court and the government.
“The old management which entered into an agreement to sell it off has run into rough weather over the modalities for change of ownership.
The issue has become sub judice. Hence, we will bring pressure on the new government in Andhra Pradesh to seek a direction from the Apex Court,” INTUC leader and CJMWU president K.K. Varahala Raju told The Hindu on Thursday.
He said the union also decided to file an affidavit in the court seeking a direction to the management not to delay the reopening on humanitarian point of view.
Owing to the prolonged closure, several workers moved to Vizianagaram, Nellimarla, Srikakulam and other places in search of jobs in jute mills there. Others have been working as labour to eke out a living.
The union had signed an agreement with the management in 2011 to extend full cooperation for revival of the mill, one of the oldest composite mills in the State built during British Raj with a capacity of 100 tonnes a day. Those who have already attained superannuation will be given an option to work.
* Chittivalasa Jute Mill workers wait for its reopening:
Chittivalasa Jute Mill at Tagarapuvalasa in Visakhapatnam district – one of the oldest composite jute mills in Andhra Pradesh – has remained closed for over five years, and the prospects of reopening appear remote, but still the workers are hoping that the mill may be reopened.
More than 5,000 workers are dependent on the mill which was closed on April 20, 2009. The management declared a lockout on that date, as there was resistance from workers to the proposal to reduce the number of shifts from three to two, citing power problems.
The mill, with a capacity of 100 tonnes a day, used to employ 2,800 permanent workers, 800 badili workers and 2,000 apprentices. Tagarapuvalasa, a small town, and ten to fifteen villages in the vicinity used to provide the workforce.
Now the workers are seeking employment in different fields. Some of them are going to other jute mills in the neighbouring Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
Many are employed in odd, badly-paid jobs in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram.
05:00:34 local time SRI LANKA
* MAS bags US $ 28mn IFC loan :
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will lend US $ 28 million to the Sri Lankan apparel manufacturer MAS Capital (Pvt.) Ltd and its subsidiaries to support the group’s expansion and innovation plans.
IFC’s long-term loan will provide additional capital for MAS to expand its product portfolio and boost exports. The group is expected to create more jobs, predominantly for women.
MAS Chief Executive Sharad Amalean said that the association with IFC is a significant milestone for both the company and the country.
“The apparel industry in Sri Lanka is at the forefront of innovation and growth and MAS continues to push boundaries while expanding capacity to meet the growing demands of our buyers,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s textile and apparel exports account for almost 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 43 percent of its total exports, making it the country’s second largest foreign exchange earner.
04:30:34 local time PAKISTAN
* Textile policy to promote value-addition:
Federal Minister for Textile Industry Abbas Khan Afridi has said the upcoming Textile Policy 2014-19 would revive the industry and promote value-addition to achieve $1 billion growth in the sector’s exports every year.
Addressing business and industry leaders at a luncheon meeting, organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Thursday, the minister said the government was conscious of the fact that only textile industry could provide jobs in large numbers. The policy would encourage exports of value-added textile goods rather than raw material or semi-finished goods, he added.
The minister categorically stated that export of raw material could not be stopped altogether, but the policy objective was to minimise it by enhancing exports of value-added textile goods.
“If we want to create jobs we have to go for value-addition at every stage as nowhere in the world raw material is exported,” the minister asserted.
* ‘Additional $3bn textile exports during next two years’:
Federal Textile Minister Abbas Khan Afridi on Thursday said that textile exports will fetch additional $3 billion during the next two years after changes in the textile policy.
“Around $1 billion additional textile export receipts has been estimated for the next fiscal year and further $2 billion in the following year,” he said, while talking to newsmen during his visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).
He visited the apex trade body to take input from stakeholders for the policy formulation.
* Textile City Karachi: Chinese group shows investment interest:
Textile Ministry will leave no stone unturned to facilitate foreign investment as it guarantees development and prosperity of a country.
This was stated by Minister for Textile Industry Abbas Khan Afridi in a meeting with a Chinese company China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), says a press release issued here on Wednesday.
The representatives from CGGC showed keen interest in investment in Pakistan Textile City Karachi. Financial assistance, joint venture and infrastructure development at Pakistan Textile City remained the main focus of the discussion.
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* Exports to jump after textile policy implementation :
After the implementation of textile policy that it is likely to be announced in the second week of July, people will see rapid growth in textile sector of the country and there will be an increase of at least $1 billion in the first year and $2 billion from the second year.
Federal Textile Minister Abbas Khan Afridi in an interview with TheNation said that the government had adopted the policy of giving incentives to the value-added sector of textile industry that will improve the textile exports of the country which presently stood at $13 billion.
* Leather industry seeks government support:
Pakistan Tanners Association’s Standing Committee on Gas and Infrastructure Chairman Usman Umer apprised the government of the declining leather exports, and warned that if the situation persisted, the Indian competitors would snatch further market of Pakistan’s leather goods.
Criticising the government’s industry policies, he said that the present government, instead of offering incentives to the ailing industry, is unnecessarily overburdening it by levying unethical and unpractical taxes like Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), causing more uncertainty for exports-oriented industry in future.
* Leather products export declines by 14% in 2008-13, India bites share:
Leather products exports are on the declining trend and opening doors for Indian competitors to further snatch market share of Pakistan in the international market.
Chairman Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA)’s Standing Committee on Gas and Infrastructure Usman Umer criticising government’s anti-industry policies said present government instead of offering incentives to the ailing industry unnecessarily over-burdening it by levying unethical and unpractical cess like Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) due to which the future of exports-oriented industry was facing uncertainty.
* PTA body chief urges government to exempt exporters from GIDC:
Chairman Pakistan Tanners Association’s (PTA) standing committee on gas and infrastructure, Usman Umer, has urged the government to exempt exporters, particularly those belonging to leather industry, from the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC).
In an SOS to the government, he said that the country’s leather sector exports were on the decline and a situation has been persisting where Indian competitors could further snatch Pakistan’s leather and leather goods market share.
* LCCI team on EU visit to tap GSP Plus potential:
For the collective benefit of the business community and to tap EU potential under GSP Plus status, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation is presently on a 15-day long visit to the European countries where a number of MoUs have been signed to market Pakistani merchandise in all the 27 European Union member states.
This was stated by LCCI acting president Mian Tariq Misbah while talking to The Nation here on Wednesday. He said that LCCI delegation, in the lead of its president Sohail Lashari, has held hosts of meetings with business leaders, signing several deals in the presence of a large number of European businessmen.
* EU delegation briefed about GSP plus status:
Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT), being the focal organization for GSP plus, hosted the European Union (EU) delegation meeting with provincial ministers.
The meeting was held at the Punjab Assembly and was attended by the Provincial Minister Industries, Chaudhry Muhammad Shafiq, Minister Labour, Raja Ashfaq Sarwer, Minister Minorities Affairs, Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Secretary Industries. Top management of PBIT was also present on this occasion.The European Union delegation consisted of Deputy Head of the GSP Unit, Nikolaos Zaimis, Trade Officers Johan Sorensen and Hasnain A Iftikhar.
The EU delegation was briefed about the increase in exports after the grant of the GSP plus status to Pakistan. The delegation was also given a detailed presentation about working of different departments of Punjab government in the wake of GSP plus status. It was apprised that all 27 conventions are being followed by the departments of Punjab government.
* GSP Brussels Unit head visits Aptma:
Head of the GSP unit in DG Trade Brussels Mr. Nikolaos Zaimis visited APTMA Punjab on Thursday and discussed in detail the business and investment climate as well as trade prospects for Pakistan under the GSP plus.
Acting Chairman APTMA Punjab Syed Ali Ahsan welcomed him at the APTMA Punjab Office. Other office bearers of APTMA Punjab were also present on the occasion. A detailed presentation was made to the visiting EU official regarding activities of APTMA and benefits as well as challenges out of the GSP plus facility for Pakistan since January 2014. Mr. Zaimis appreciated the role of APTMA in preparing the industry for benefitting from the GSP plus facility and raising awareness. about international standards and practices.
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* Made in Pakistan Expo 2014 to fetch big export orders: PRGMEA chief:
The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has received an overwhelming response so far from the Pakistani exhibitors and about 70 percent stalls have already been booked for the 2nd edition of the Made In Pakistan Expo 2014 being held in Mumbai India from August 31 to September 5, 2014 subsequent to the success of the inaugural edition of MIPEM 2014 held from April 3 to April 7, 2014 at Mumbai.
The single country exhibition aims to provide a platform to the Pakistan-based companies, for showcasing their range of products and services to the Indian public and business community.
The exhibition will also be contributing in promoting Pakistan-India economic relations by diversifying the existing trade patterns thus introducing a wide range of quality Pakistani products in the Indian market with prominent business and trade sectors.
* ‘Cry for help’ scandal hits Primark:
A customer of Primark has claimed to have found a label stitched inside a dress that tries to draw attention to exploitative working conditions of ready-made garments workers.
Denying the claims, the British-owned retail group said it would investigate the matters, reports Guardian.
Primark operates in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
A 25-year-old customer of the retail group, Rebecca Gallagher claimed that she found a label on a £10 dress which she purchased from a Primark store in Swansea. The label reads “forced to work exhausting hours.”
She said the message was written on one of a number of stitched labels which gave Primark addresses in Spain and Ireland along with washing instructions.
She said: “You hear all sorts of stories about people working in sweatshops abroad – it made me so guilty that I can never wear that dress again.”
* Comment: Labels found in Primark clothes:
Clean Clothes Campaign responds to recent stories of ‘calls for help’ found in Primark clothing.
Over the past week there have been reports of notes for help or messages stitched into clothing sold by UK and Irish retailer Primark purportedly from workers suffering inhumane conditions in the production of clothes for the retail giant.
Clean Clothes Campaign, in response to the stories says, “It is difficult to know whether these notes are genuine. However speculation on the origin of the messages should not distract from the known reality which is that the conditions described – in particular long hours, poverty pay and unsafe working conditions – are a fact of life for the majority of women and men producing clothes for high street brands including Primark.
“As our recent reports, Tailored Wages and Stitched Up, clearly demonstrate inhumane conditions and wages that full far short of a living wage are endemic in the industry and can be found from clothing factories in Bangladesh to Bulgaria, Cambodia to Croatia.
“Primark are not alone in sourcing from these factories and it is important that Primark and all clothing brands take action and put an end to exploitative and inhumane purchasing practices and ensure the people who make their clothes are paid a living wage in decent working conditions.
* Joint Petition at Adidas HK Office regarding three unresolved labor disputes of three Adidas suppliers in Indonesia and China:
June 20, More than 40 people from Hong Kong and Indonesia labour gorups gathered in front of the adidas office in Hong Kong to show solidarity to the workers in China and Indonesia.
They are the Chinese workers in disputes with Dongguan Yue Yuen and Guangzhou Dynamic Casting, and the 1300 Indonesia workers from PDK who were unfairly dismissed in 2012. Among these factories, there is one thing in common: they are all producing for the international footwear giant adidas.
They group shouted slogans: shame on adidas, compensation for workers, people before profit, adidas, don’t give up the workers, etc.
Adidas sent a sourcing manager came out and listened to the demand of labour groups.
He accepted the protestors’ petition letters of the three cases but refused to further comment on the cases or prepared to answer any questions.
He only promised to forward the letters to his CSR department.
* Peru Gets Us$12 Million In Anti-dumping Duty On Chinese Clothing:
Nearly US$ 12 million has been collected in the first quarter of this year in the form of anti-dumping duty imposed on garments of Chinese origin in December last year, Foreign Trade Society of Peru (Comex) reported.
Last December, the National Institute for Defense Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) imposed anti-dumping duties on five types of clothing imported from China.
The state’s agency carried out this mechanism in order to neutralize the damage caused to the Peruvian domestic industry due to imports of clothing from China, which entered Peru at dumping prices.


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Insider trading activity cooled significantly before the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with Oracle's Larry Ellison cutting back on a recent selling spree in which he has sold off more than 41 million shares in his software giant.
Ellison sold 3 million shares with a market value of $35.3 million over a few days ending June 30, putting him at the top spot for inside-selling executives for the week ended July 2, according to data compiled by Thomson Financial.
So far this year, Ellison has sold nearly 42 million shares of Oracle
Compared to the previous week, insider activity before the holiday weekend was skewed slightly more towards buyers. Total insider sales reached $466.6 million in market value, less than half the previous week's level of $1.04 billion, according to the Thomson data. Purchases by insiders edged up slightly to $35.1 million compared with $33.1 million the week before.
The diminished selling activity changed the sell-buy ratio (the amount of shares sold for every $1 spent on purchases). For the week, the sell-buy ratio was $13.3 -- a significant drop from $31.51 the previous week.
According to Thomson, the sell-buy ratio hit $18.76 in May -- its lowest level in more than a year.
"It was a slow week. But bottom line, it's been a slow summer," said Mark LoPresti, who tracks insider activity for Thomson.
LoPresti noted that June ranks as one of the lowest months on record for both buying and selling by executives. In the 174 months since 1990, June ranks 153 in terms of executive insider buying. Selling among executives is at its lowest point in 4 years, according to LoPresti.
"There's a lot of indecision in the marketplace," he said, citing uncertainty about last week's interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve as well as the presidential elections in November.
In terms of trades by companies or other institutions, the largest sale was by St. Paul Travelers Cos.
Two other CEOs sold chunks surpassing the $10 million mark last week. Michael Volkema, CEO of office furniture designer Herman Miller
On the buying side, CEO Steven Schnall of New York Mortgage Trust
Media mogul Sumner Redstone continued to add to his already controlling stake in Midway Games


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Around 5,000 members of a trade union at Romanian automaker Automobile Dacia protested on March 7, unhappy that the authorities have not started work on a motorway connecting the southern part of the country with the central city of Sibiu.
Dacia’s owner Renault has underlined that the lack of modern infrastructure in Romania affects its productivity and exports. Automobile Dacia’s general manager Nicolas Maure has estimated that a motorway connecting the plant with the Sibiu-Nadlac motorway in the western part of the country, and further with Hungary and western Europe, would help the company save €30 on each car it produces in Romania.
The protest took place in the southern Romanian town of Mioveni, where the car plant is located. The plant’s employees fear that the authorities’ lack of action could put their jobs at risk.
Romanian road company CNADNR announced on March 7 that the feasibility study for the Pitesti-Sibiu motorway will be completed by December 15 when the design and execution works will start. The motorway should be completed in 2021.
Dacia employees have also asked the government to encourage the population to buy new cars, and to speed up the start of a new vehicle scrappage scheme and discourage the import of second-hand cars, digi24.ro reported.
In October 2015, Maure also voiced concerns about the small local market and the need for the government to encourage purchases of new cars. Most of Romania’s fleet is old, and the majority of purchases are of old cars, with imports of used cars outweighing purchases of new cars by around three to one.
“It is a very great weakness in Romania not to have a domestic market for new vehicles,” Maure told the Foreign Investors Summit in Bucharest on October 27. “The market for new vehicles dropped from 350,000 new cars in 2008 to a bit less than 100,000 [in 2014]. It is not a very robust situation when we have two big plants working 90% for export, so it is crucial that we find ways to restart the domestic market for vehicles.”
The company is also looking at ways to ensure production in Romania remains competitive, as labour costs creep up towards the EU average.
“We will not increase production capacity for the foreseeable future, but we will continue to invest in the line-up, adding more automation to maintain the competitiveness of our plants,” Maure said in an interview with bne IntelliNews on the sidelines of the conference.
In addition to the Dacia plant, Romania also hosts a plant run by the US’s Ford. However production of automobiles edged down by 1.1% y/y to 387,177 units last year, with Dacia producing 339,204 and Ford 47,967 units. Most of the production is exported. Dacia's main export markets are France, Spain and Germany.
Despite the concerns over Romania’s transport infrastructure, German car manufacturer Daimler may consider the country as location for a possible future plant, as the group is aiming to become marker leader on the premium segment by 2020, Romanian media reported on March 4. Daimler already owns a gearbox factory in the central Romanian town of Sebes, in which it has invested €300mn.
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