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A recent study into B2B buying habits has concluded that 68% of procurement professionals now purchase goods for their businesses online. The State of B2B Procurement Study was conducted in 2014 by Acquity Group and has determined that there has been a sharp rise in the number of companies doing their procurement online, with the 68% in 2014 up from 57% the previous year. But what does this tell us about the nature of B2B procurement and how does it differ from the consumer sector?
For many years the world of procurement in business was more about who you knew and what you offered them than it was about competitive prices and quality of service. Particularly at the larger end of the spectrum companies that were so huge as to be distanced from the staff manning their procurement operations would routinely see departmental budgets being spent with the salesman doing the best schmoozing routine.
Those purchasing team members who are in charge of sizeable company budgets for equipment and services would often feel a lack of any real pressures to negotiate good deals on behalf of the firm or seek out the best rates. Instead your typical B2B procurement professional has traditionally been very susceptible to the shady world of corporate hospitality. A little bit of back scratching and greasing the wheels would often ensure the spending power of your company fed through to the pockets of those doing that corporate entertaining. After all, why wouldn’t you thank that selling company for their efforts by buying up all that expensive stock of items your business needed anyway?
The problem has been a lack of accountability at mid management level. If you’re running a one man band where margins are tight then it’s in your interests to seek out the very best prices you can get on all your essentials. But when it comes to splashing the cash as a purchasing department, the pressure to get maximum value from your purchases is that much more removed. And this is why there has seemingly been a reluctance to move with the times to online purchasing, cutting out those salesmen keen on commission with their offers of fancy seats at the football or extravagant meals where the drinks keep flowing. But do these latest stats show signs that this is finally changing?
Technology as an Enabler
Although the concept of buying online is far from new, and statistics suggest that we’re only buying more online as consumers with every passing year, within the B2B space the move to online shopping has not been so swift, principally for the reasons given above. However, with the advent of eProcurement software and systems designed to significantly streamline the whole supply chain process for both buyers and vendors, we are now starting to see the volume of B2B transactions online increase at a more rapid pace.
All of a sudden there has been a sharp rise in the number of procurement professionals who’ve recognised just how much better served they are by accessing procurement portals online where suppliers can tender their goods and services, allowing easy at a glance determination of who offers the very best deal for the business.
Getting Savvy Like Consumers
In exactly the same way as the proliferation of comparison sites and huge shopping portals has opened up the world of eCommerce to allow us as consumers to seek out the most attractive offers, so too can those in business also afford to shop around and seek out the value. In fact, the Acquity Group report found that only 12% of B2B buyers have any inclination to meet with a sales representative anymore, showing just how much more reliant the sector has become on transactions being concluded entirely online.
So does this mean the end for the suited up salesman? It’s unlikely, but there’s certainly a case for the pushy peddler of cheap stationery being given his marching orders as modern businesses wise up to the racket they once ran. And with a more clued up customer base, ultimately the suppliers are forced to up their own games in terms of being competitive and offering a higher quality of service. So the buyer is the real winner and the businesses once hemorrhaging funds into the coffers of greedy suppliers are able to thank the more modern practises of eSourcing and eProcurement for enabling this better and fairer world for all.


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Violette Serrat, the influential makeup artist behind the brand Violette FR, is known by her 494,000 Instagram followers for her chic French beauty style. It consists of a bold red lip or colorful eye, and — this is key — no foundation. But interestingly, her brand’s best-sellers are in the skin-care category.
When Violette FR launched in 2021, it did so with a smattering of products beyond the color cosmetics category. They included Avec Amour, a roll-on fragrance; Frange Puff, a brush-on dry shampoo; and Boum Boum Milk, a three-in-one spray, meant to take the place of a toner, a serum and a moisturizer. The latter remains its bestseller. On Tuesday, it launched The Sérum Superlatif Set, a collection of five curated serums that sells for $220. The individual serums are $46 each.
“The philosophy in France is to take care of what Mother Nature gave you, and stylize that with fashion and makeup,” said Serrat, who goes by Violette. “[Fashion and makeup] are ways to express your style and your identity, and to celebrate who you are. We never use makeup as a way to hide or fix.” Given that, it is perhaps less surprising that skin-care products are a focus of her brand.
Violette formulated the serums around “the five issues I’ve seen most in my 19 years of touching skin,” she said. The five serums are: Skin Barrier Rescue, Blemish Rescue, Reactive Skin Rescue, UV Damage Rescue and Dullness Rescue. “There are core skin-care products, and there are solution-oriented products. … I wanted to develop those ‘S.O.S.’ types of products,” she said, noting that her own life inspired the collection. She has contact dermatitis and said her skin reacts to most products.
Violette said she doesn’t plan to grow Violette FR into a brand providing every step of one’s skin-care routine. What’s more, she said, the serums aren’t for everyday use. “You need to let your skin breathe and do its job,” she said. Her recommendation is to use each solution for 48 hours, as needed. During the testing phase, the brand found that, when using the Reactive Skin Rescue Serum, for example, 80% of subjects experienced an objective improvement in redness intensity after 48 hours. In the same time period, 100% of testers reported irritation relief, reduction of itchiness, skin soothing and calming.
Violette said she’s concerned about sustainability and aware that producing any products contributes to the problem. As such, she said, “I’m just going to focus on what doesn’t exist in the market — either the color doesn’t exist or there’s not a vegan version of it.”
As such, she has no plans to create a cleanser, despite customer demand. And, of course, she has no plans to create a foundation — she’s often spoken about her distaste for the coverage that foundation provides, calling it overkill.
Violette recently launched in Moda Operandi’s new beauty department and it has a pop-up at Le Bon Marché, where its sales have exceeded expectations, according to Violette. New York City- and Dallas-based celeb esthetician Joanna Czech carries the brand, which serves as a “great endorsement,” Violette said.
In France, Violetter FR is sold at less than 10 of those legendary French pharmacies. “Because we manage the relationship directly with the pharmacies, it’s actually a lot of work,” she said. “We could go through a big distributor, but then our products would be blasted to every pharmacy. Like everything I do, it has to be intentional.”
This year, Violette plans to strategically expand the brand to more retailers. “The retailer has to make sense for the brand, and it can’t cannibalize our other channels,” she said.
To market the new serums, Violette FR will selectively gift Violette’s friends and “people of influence.” Rather than traditional influencers, these will include “a painter, a lawyer,” and other people across age ranges “who have an opinion and talk about it, and who I admire,” Violette said.
She added, “I receive so many [mailers], and it’s always so much waste.”

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This week Intel has confirmed that a number of development boards have come to the end of their production and have announced that their Galileo, Joule, and Edison lines will be discontinued. For now the boards will still be available to purchase at the last batch will have shipped by the end of 2017.
To recap the Intel Edison is a computer-on-module offered by Intel as a development system for wearable devices and Internet of Things devices. The Intel Edison development board was initially announced to be the same size and shape as an SD card and is fitted with a dual-core Intel Quark x86 CPU at 400 MHz communicating via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The Hackaday website explains more about the end off line process:
It’s important to remember that this does not mark the end of the semiconductor giant’s forray into the world of IoT development boards, there is no announcement of the demise of their Curie chip, as found in the Arduino 101. But it does mark an ignominious end to their efforts over the past few years in bringing the full power of their x86 platforms to this particular market, the Curie is an extremely limited device in comparison to those being discontinued.
Will the departure of these products affect our community, other than those who have already invested in them? It’s true to say that they haven’t made the impression Intel might have hoped, over the years only a sprinkling of projects featuring them have come our way compared to the flood featuring an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi. They do seem to have found a niche though where there is a necessity for raw computing power rather than a simple microcontroller, so perhaps some of the legion of similarly powerful ARM boards will plug that gap.
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The Florette Festival Market
Thu, 02/02/2012 - 11:22
Lichfield Festival’s popular market day is to get a new name and new backing for 2012, with the announcement that Florette UK, the bagged salad specialist which has its UK headquarters at Fradley Business Park, Lichfield, is to become its major sponsor.
The Florette Festival Market will take place on Saturday 7 July, and celebrate local arts and crafts, produce and performers.
The Cathedral Close, Dam Street and around Minster Pool will once again be brimming with artistic flair, as over 150 stalls are set up featuring local artists and crafts people selling handmade goods from jewellery to pottery and paintings, woodcarving and stained glass.
Entertainers including Lichfield Concert Band, Walsall Operatic Society and Sutton Coldfield Rock Choir will be performing, and visitors will have an opportunity to try the finest local food and drink suppliers, including Lichfield Brewery, Halfpenny Green Vineyard, Coulter Lane Fruit Farm, Cannock Dairy ice cream and BeezNeez Honey.
There will also be a range of participatory activities enabling visitors to try their hand at things arty and crafty.
Florette is the leading force in prepared salad, producing the UK’s number one selling bagged salad, Florette Crispy. Like many of its customers, Florette is passionate about fresh, tasty and great quality food, so is delighted to be supporting the Festival Market as it showcases a host of fine food and crafts from across the region.
Neil Sanderson, Managing Director at Florette, commented: “The Festival Market is a great local event that really showcases the best the community has to offer. The whole team at Florette is looking forward to the 7 July and we’ll be there to show our support – and sample some of the delights!”
Lichfield Festival Director, Fiona Stuart, said: “There is a real feel-good factor to our market day, and that is also what Florette is all about. We are looking forward to a day of arts and crafts with freshness and crunch!”
The Florette Festival Market is just one event in the 2012 Lichfield Festival’s calendar, which will take place from 5-15 July.
If you would like to find out more about the Florette Festival Market contact the Market Co-ordinator Jennifer Smith on 01543 306275 or Jennifer.firstname.lastname@example.org
For further information on Florette, tips on healthy living and recipe inspiration become a fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/FloretteUK.
For sponsorship enquiries please contact Vicki Stanley, Development Manager on 01543 306272 or email@example.com


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Fans of Porsche, the automaker known for its motorsport history and its very fast sports cars and sport-utes, will be pleased to hear it is returning to the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) after a six-year absence. And the reason is as much due to the lasting effects of the global market downturn several years ago as it is due to the arrival of the company’s newest SUV, the compact-sized Macan.
In 2008, just as Porsche Cars Canada was formed as an independent subsidiary, the worldwide financial crisis hit, affecting every auto manufacturer. With sales down, budgets became tighter, explains Laurance Yap, director of marketing at Porsche Canada. The company made a decision to pare down its participation at major auto shows — including such highly publicized events in Detroit and Tokyo — and focus on “more targeted communication, events where people could drive cars and we could talk more closely to a more highly qualified group of buyers.”
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Although Porsche Canada had been having discussions with CIAS organizers to return to the show as early as 2010, once the adjoining Rogers Centre was dropped as part of the venue, there simply wasn’t suitable space available in the North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Yap says.
“If we were going to go back in, we wanted a prominent space to show off our line,” says Yap. “And [the show organizers] were only able to offer us a space in the Auto Exotica area, which was great for our sports cars, but our volume model is the Cayenne. Half of our sales are from an SUV.… They didn’t have a space big enough to accommodate our ambitions. So we just kept the lines of communications open.”
The primary factor that enabled Porsche Canada to return to the CIAS for the 2014 show was Suzuki pulling out of the Canadian auto market. “Their departure left the auto show with a space large enough and prominent enough for our needs,” says Yap.
That, combined with the fact the Macan is launching this year, he adds.
Yap says Porsche Canada is still very focused on creating more intimate events where the company can talk to qualified buyers one on one. That said, when the Macan arrives at dealerships late this spring, “it’s not going to be a challenge for us the first year [to sell] as many as we can get our hands on. But we really feel we need to create awareness for this car because, ultimately, it’s going to be our Number One selling vehicle in arguably the … fastest growing segment (compact SUVs).
“So, to not be there with the Macan just didn’t make sense. That, combined with the auto show having enough space for us to do things properly, is kind of a no-brainer.”


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According to a study conducted by the National Institute for Health Development (TAI), food sold in Estonia contains surprising amounts of added sugars, including in foods where it might not be expected.
TAI studied the sugar, salt and fat content of 4,000 products sold in Estonia's shops, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Monday night.
Author of the study Haidi Kanamäe said that in small amounts, adding sugar is justifiable from a food tech perspective, but sugar is still to be found added to many more products than might be expected.
Kanamäe said: "The sugar content in meat products was surprising. Even though the average contents are not major, the different sugars and their combinations are used quite widely."
Sugar was found in every third product the study analyzed, including in significant quantities to pates, meat snacks and sandwich spreads. Olle Horm, head of meat products firm Atria, said that sugar is a flavor enhancer and is thus more often used in heavily-flavored products.
Horm said: "In classical meat products, sugar content is around 0.2 to 0.6 percent, but if the product contains teriyaki or some other strong marinade, this percentage is higher."
"Sugar, unlike salt, doesn't have a functional effect. Salt is necessary both as a preservative and for structure, but sugar is primarily a question of flavoring," he noted.
Horm said that the average Estonian man is not partial to "sugary" meat products, so such is generally not added to classic products, but can be found in American-style product ranges.
The meat industry has started to think about reducing the amount of salt in products for some time, while sugar hasn't as yet come up on the radar.
The phenomenon can also be found in breads.
Muhu Bakery grain bread contains 9 grams of sugar per 100 grams, though this is far from a record. Rye bread containing up to 14 grams of sugar can also be found in stores. However, by evening grain bread is often sold out, unlike the sugar-free varieties, the report found.
"Sugar binds bread, adds tenderness, strengthens the aroma," Merle Männasalu, baker from the Muhu firm, said.
Haidi Kanamäe noted that consumers must be ready to accept products with lower salt and sugar content, and should also make changes in their own diets.
Editor: Roberta Vaino


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Yasmin Le Bon, center and Olivia Palermo, right, watch models present outfits by Jonathan Saunders at London Fashion Week in London, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011.
Associated Press | Photo By Joel Ryan
Sat, Feb 19, 2011 4:23 PM EST
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Microsoft 4Afrika has signed a partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to provide tools, resources and mentorship to entrepreneurs enrolled in the foundation’s entrepreneurship programme.
In a press release by Microsoft, the two organisations will help entrepreneurs to use ICT to further their businesses, enrich their services and reach new customers.
“Microsoft 4Afrika and the Tony Elumelu Foundation share a common goal to accelerate economic and social development by promoting entrepreneurship…”, says Akin Banuso, General Manager, Microsoft Africa. Echoing sentiment shared by experts and people the world over, he continued saying, “As we enter into an era of digital transformation, it’s vital that we help all entrepreneurs develop relevant technology skills and integrate ICT into their businesses. Technology can help SMEs reach customers outside their local markets, generate powerful business insights and improve their customer retention. We have found that SMEs who adopt this kind of modern IT have seen 15% faster revenue growth than those not using it.“
In what has become an annual event since its inception in 2015, the Tony Elumelu Foundation provides 1000 entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, access to seed capital and membership into the TEF Africa-wide Network through its entrepreneurship programme.
With a partner like Microsoft now on board, the entrepreneurs will now have access to an essential ICT dimension, strengthening their capacity and ensuring that they remain relevant and competitive.
During the The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum in Lagos in October, Microsoft will be training the entrepreneurs in the usage of its platform and services.
In addition, Microsoft will also identify high potential entrepreneurs from the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme and integrate them into its Innovation Grant Programme, a programme which since 2013, has provided financial support to over 55 local startups, who have since generated $5.1 million in reciprocal investments.
Do you have any African tech tip or news article for publication, send it to firstname.lastname@example.org.
9 Startups Accepted into the First Next Health Accelerator with $15K Seed Funding
Intrepid Entrepreneurs, a non-profit designed to catalyze the power and promise of young people and women to fundamentally advance their societies, recruited nine startups for the inaugural cohort of the Next Health Accelerator.
Female, African entrepreneurs with a minimum viable product (MVP) from 26 countries applied to the program. After a rigorous review process, nine startups from seven countries were selected to begin the program in March 2021. The investor readiness accelerator is six months long and includes $15,000 seed funding, international mentors and partners, business support services, and value chain access.
The Next Health Accelerator’s focus on sexual and reproductive health is founded on the premise that unmet needs for sexual education, menstrual hygiene management, family planning, medication abortion, and STI diagnosis and treatment will be most sustainably delivered by local African enterprises.
Sexual and Reproductive Health issues directly affect 300 million women and girls on the continent and the productivity of the entire continent. For the continent to prosper and support its burgeoning youth population, it must harness the demographic dividend with access to equitable healthcare and economic opportunities. Next Health Accelerator addresses both.
The 2021 cohort includes:
- Rocket Health: Provides telemedicine and pharmacy services for SRH needs including convenient lab test retrieval and medication delivery in Uganda
- Verifie: Delivers STI self-tests and treatment products via doorstep delivery in Ghana
- Pharmaserve: Specializes in delivering high-quality pharmaceuticals in Nigeria through a fully integrated inventory monitoring system
- Girls Pride: Provides menstrual hygiene management education and skills training to create reusable pads in The Gambia
- Pad-Up Creations: Employs over 100 people in Nigeria to produce single-use, chemical-free pads sold in 16 countries
- Valorigo: Manufacturers single-use sanitary eco-friendly pads made from locally grown bamboo in the Congo
- The Grace Cup: Delivers SRH education and reusable menstrual cups in Kenya
- Kosmotive: Provides SRH information and access to SRH self-care products in Rwanda
- Massira: Delivers SRH information interactively as well as access to SRH services and products through an online community in Ghana
Lindsey Simmonds, the Co-founder of Intrepid Entrepreneurs in a press statement said,
She continued that, development policies made in Washington, D.C. or London need to make room for the power and promise of the youth and women on the African continent. And on this premises, their Next Health Accelerator catalyzes African startups to investor readiness to make scalable, sustainable impact imbued with the commitment and determination that only comes from homegrown ideas.
Visit the intrepidentrepreneurs.org to learn more about the Next Health Accelerator 2021.
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Tesla stock rises as NTSB closes fatal crash investigation
Carmaker recovers from 3-week low after JPMorgan suit
Tesla stock traded up on Wednesday morning, bolstered in part by the news that US National Transportation Safety Board has closed one of its investigations into the company.
The NTSB announced it would not take any action regarding a Tesla crash in Saratoga, California that occured in August 2020 and resulted in the deaths of the 75-year old driver and his wife.
The regulatory body stated that although the driver of the 2019 Tesla Model 3 had engaged Tesla’s Autopilot function, he was manually using the accelerator pedal. As such, the car went into override mode before striking a truck at around 110 miles per hour and catching on fire.
The NTSB found that the Tesla had issued a number of visual and audible alerts to the driver after failing to detect his hands on the steering wheel while Autopilot was engaged.
Although leading the field, Tesla has struggled to make good on its pledge to successfully produce fully self-driving vehicles. CEO Elon Musk himself said this year he “didn’t expect it to be so hard”, before admitting “the difficulty is obvious in retrospect.”
Last month, the NTSB said it was “deeply concerned” about Tesla’s failure to respond or adopt the board's safety recommendations.
November also saw the company recall almost 12,000 vehicles sold in the US since 2017 due to a communication error triggered by a software update to the early access version of its 10.3 Fully-Self Driving Beta programme.
By 10:30 GMT, Tesla traded up by 3.3% at $1,090.52. The company had slumped to a near-one-month low on Monday after Elon Musk offloaded another $931m (£691m) of stock. In total, the South Africa-born billionaire has sold almost $8bn worth of stock in a week.
This week also saw JPMorgan sue Tesla for $162.2m, accusing it of “flagrantly” breaching a seven-year old contract relating to stock trading options that the firm sold to the world’s largest bank.
JPMorgan stated: “We have provided Tesla multiple opportunities to fulfil its contractual obligations, so it is unfortunate that they have forced this issue into litigation.”


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Apple may have to stop selling some iPhone models in the US if a judgment that found it had infringed on two patents owned by multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company Qualcomm is enforced.
Telecommunications retail service provider Australian Private Networks — trading as Activ8me — has paid a penalty of $12,600 after the competition watchdog, the ACCC issued an infringement notice for alleged false and misleading representations.
My 50Mbps connection is barely delivering 1Mbps. Bragging about handling a 70% increase in traffic does not equate to getting[…]
Another PR stunt from one of our Telcos? Why am I underwhelmed by their generosity?
The "Bully Boys" are still hard at it I see.
I find it incredible. VOIP is expected as an extra charge on top after cutting phone service. It should be[…]
TelSoc passed this resolution yesterday BTW…Telsoc calls upon the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC):To include in its considerations the inequity[…]


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ZipRecruiter's 2018 Job Market Trends
One of the defining economic themes of 2018 was the compacted job market. With total job openings outnumbering the total number of unemployed 2018 became noted record levels of unemployed across the Country – including Illinois.
While mention of economic headwinds (tariffs, and inflation) deflating this economic swell have persisted since last Fall there has been little indication that hiring has capsized. 2019 will require Schaumburg businesses to strategically outsmart the competition to hire – and retain – the best talent will require adept use of previous market trends to be successful.
Leveraging ZipRecruiter’s Job Market Trends that Defined 2018 Schaumburg businesses can gain the decisive advantage to outsmart the tight labor market and drive more revenue. The following represent a snapshot of the most relevant insights as they impact the Schaumburg economy and its ability to fill, and replace, positions.
- Chicago Metro Finishes 10th on ZipRecruiter’s Opportunity Index -Normally, a top 10 finish would be worth celebrating and recognizing. This ZipRecruiter ranking is NOT that kind of distinction. The good news for Schaumburg businesses…there are nine other US Metros that have more jobs than applicants. The bad news, Schaumburg businesses are dealing with a labor market that features nearly 2 jobs per every applicant. With Illinois already experiencing record low unemployment this ZipRecruiter supports all anecdotal evidence of a tight labor market.
- Main Street’s Talent Exodus to Wall Street - 95% of the Schaumburg Business Association’s member businesses have employment have fewer than 100 employees and as the ZipRecruiter’s research indicates in this tight labor market the small, “mom-and-pop” (or Main Street) business are suffering the most. The data shows even under the record setting conditions job seekers are flocking to big businesses (or Wall Street to complete the analogy). This “flocking” is tracked through submitted applications favoring the large organization over the small, mom-and-pop, sized businesses across every industry.
The ZipRecruiter Job Market Trends that Defined 2018 recapitulates a year of preponderance for job seekers – especially for the Schaumburg Business Association’s members. With a nearly 2:1 ratio of jobs to applicants and a workforce that is increasingly seeking out larger organizations for employment an already tight labor market has become pressurized. Unless there are considerable economic shifts hiring in 2019 will remain a stressful experience. You can find out how to secure that one applicant per every two jobs by attending the SBA’s upcoming Leadership Luncheon focused on Outsmarting the 2019 Tight Labor Market by registering here. The Schaumburg Business Association is a full service community and economic development organization able to connect your business with the workforce resources needed to succeed.
Posted on Jan, 25
by Kyle Schulz filed under


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LAS VEGAS - Dodge wants young, male drivers to see its 2000 Dodge Neon in a different light - slammed, scooped and supercharged.
To help stimulate their imaginations, Dodge created the Neon SRT concept, the most powerful Neon to date, with a supercharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 208 horsepower.
Dodge wants to be a player in the burgeoning import performance market, a niche dominated by the Honda Civic, Acura Integra and Mitsubishi Eclipse.
This performance craze emerged about five years ago in Southern California, migrated across the South and now is blossoming on the East Coast. It is even making inroads in the Midwest.
These cars are often slammed, or lowered, and equipped with aftermarket turbochargers and other performance boosters, spoilers, air scoops, custom wheels and exhaust systems, and powerful sound systems.
The import performance trend is "still growing, in the heartland and on the East Coast too," said Thomas Myroniak Jr., a marketing consultant representing HKS USA Inc., a manufacturer of aftermarket performance parts. "The Civics are becoming the '57 Chevys of the '90s."
Dodge thinks the new Neon is a natural platform for such modification. The Neon SRT concept is intended to give 18- to 25-year-old male drivers some ideas of what they could do with accessories if they owned a Neon.
"It's one of the fastest growing aftermarkets out there," said Marques McCammon, the Neon SRT program manager. "It's like the '57 Chevys and the SuperBirds of a younger era."
The SRT has an aggressive-styled front fascia, projector-beam fog lamps, hood air scoop and imposing rear spoiler.
Its 2.0-liter, single-overhead-camshaft, four-cylinder engine generates 208 horsepower and 180 pounds-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. By contrast, the production Neon has a 132-horsepower engine. Even the high-performance Dodge Neon R/T, due later in the 2000 model year, will have only a 150-horsepower engine.
The SRT is 1 1/2 inches lower than the production Neon. It has four-wheel independent suspension with Eibach custom springs, Tokico performance-tuned struts, heavy duty front and rear sway bars, and 17-inch racing tires and aluminum alloy wheels.
Ford Motor Co. also is responding to the trend with the Ford Focus R, a concept with a turbocharged 2.0-liter, double-overhead-camshaft engine that generates 200 horsepower and 245 pounds-feet of torque.
A study by the Specialty Equipment Market Association indicated that in 1998, car owners spent $100 million on import-performance accessories. SEMA is taking another look at this market because of its rapid growth.
"It undoubtedly is much larger than a year ago," said Jim Spoonhower, SEMA vice president of market research. The updated study already shows that drivers in this market niche are spending $3,500 to $8,900 per vehicle on performance improvements and other accessories, Spoonhower said. Suspensions, exhaust systems and sound systems are the most popular changes, he said.
In addition to the Civic, Integra and Eclipse, used Toyota Supras and Mazda RX7s have been part of the import performance market, said Charles Shepherd, head of the sales division at GReddy Performance Products Inc., of Irvine, Calif.
One of GReddy's most popular performance accessories is a $1,995 turbo kit designed for the Civic. Since the kit was introduced three years ago, GReddy has sold more than 500.
"On the East Coast, Miami alone is starting to come up close to Southern California saleswise," Shepherd said. GReddy displayed a yellow 2000 Civic Si with prototype turbo and intercooler kits.


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‘Taco Tuesday’ is at the center of a legal battle between Taco Bell, Taco John’s, and potentially the U.S. government.
Taco John’s, an American Mexican-inspired fast food franchise specific to the Midwest, trademarked the phrase ‘Taco Tuesday’ in 1989 and has defended it ever since. They’ve never taken umbrage with businesses declaring internal Taco Tuesdays for their employees, but have issued cease and desist letters to many restaurants, breweries, and food trucks in 49 states.
Taco Bell has filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademarks office to have Taco John’s claim vacated, however, on the basis that the term is now so generic that anyone should be able to use it.
“Taco Bell believes ‘Taco Tuesday’ is critical to everyone’s Tuesday. To deprive anyone of saying ‘Taco Tuesday’ — be it Taco Bell or anyone who provides tacos to the world — is like depriving the world of sunshine itself,” the Taco Bell filing reads.
It’s not a new argument – other words which became too generic to be trademarks include cellophane, escalator, trampoline, and slinky.
LeBron James tried to trademark ‘Taco Tuesday’ in 2019, to be used with regards to sports-themed parties, and was turned down on the basis that the phrase was too much of a “commonplace term,” to be trademarked, with no mention on Taco John’s.
Taco John’s responded to Taco Bell’s filing by announcing a new two-week Taco Tuesday promotion, with a large side of sass.
“I’d like to thank our worthy competitors at Taco Bell for reminding everyone that Taco Tuesday is best celebrated at Taco John’s,” CEO Jim Creel said in an emailed statement. “We love celebrating Taco Tuesday with taco lovers everywhere, and we even want to offer a special invitation to fans of Taco Bell to liberate themselves by coming by to see how flavorful and bold tacos can be at Taco John’s all month long.”
Photo: Retail Photographer / Shutterstock


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The trade expo was the perfect venue for us to show our prospective B2B clients all the latest security products and solutions our company has to offer.
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Melbourne, Australia (PRWEB) April 14, 2014
Omega Security Solutions, a leading security products and services provider in Australia, unveiled some of their top products in the recently concluded Total Facilities Expo. The trade show was held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on 4-5 March, 2014. It is the most comprehensive exhibit of its kind in the country.
“The trade expo was the perfect venue for us to show our prospective B2B clients all the latest security products and solutions our company has to offer,” said Mr. Ben Dougall, Director of Omega Security Solutions.
With the Victorian Police releasing figures showing some 46,713 burglaries from Jan 2013 to Dec 2013, the importance of properly securing homes and businesses has risen. The report also indicated a jump of 8.6% in aggravated burglaries (involving a weapon) over the 2011/12 period.
Mr. Dougall stated, “These crime statistics are always cause for concern. The figures are a clear indication that business and homeowners should be looking for ways on how to better secure their properties.”
The Total Facilities Expo was the ideal event for Omega to reveal their latest security solutions in light of these alarming new stats. The event showcased hundreds of innovative products and solutions bringing together the top companies in the building and facility management industry, including those seeking out cutting edge security solutions.
Omega Security Solutions presented a range of security brands they supply including: Bilock, Salto, Galaxy, Abloy Protec, Lockwood, EKA, WH Software, Dorma, Abus, Novas, Brava and Ingersoll Rand.
“We stand behind the quality and effectiveness of all the security products we offer to our customers. We carry the major brands, trusted by homeowners and property managers alike for decades,” said Mr. Dougall.
The Total Facilities Expo was the ideal event to help building industry professionals connect with reputable companies like Omega Security Solutions to find the right options for their situation. Omega’s depth of experience in the building security industry ensures they’ll be able to find the right solution for any business in any situation. To find out more about Omega Security Solutions trade exposition, visit http://www.omegacorp.com.au/total-facilities-expo.
About Omega Security Solutions
Since 1973, Omega Security Solutions has been helping Australians protect their homes and their businesses. With humble beginnings as a small family business, their solid integrity and impressive work ethic have made them become recognised today as an industry leader in providing the latest security technology products.
The company slogan has remained the same over the decades: “Good Security is Good Business.” To learn more about Omega Security Solutions, visit their About Us page.


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November 15, 2023 12:21 GMT
September Economic Activity Data Due, President Boluarte At APEC
- President Dina Boluarte will participate in the APEC Leaders' Meeting and will hold high-level meetings with leaders and entrepreneurs from the 21 economies that are part of the trade bloc. A headline crossed overnight that USTR’s Tai and Peru’s foreign trade minister Mathews are said to have discussed a US-Peru free trade pact.
- Data due today should be significant for the central bank that have been gradually cutting rates by 25bp per meeting. As a reminder, Finance Minister Alex Contreras recently announced a package of $2.6 billion in government-backed loans meant to ensure businesses can keep paying their suppliers. Contreras said a recovery is expected to take place in the fourth quarter. Today’s data is due at 1500GMT/1000ET:
- September Economic Activity Y/y, est. -0.6%, prior -0.6%
- October Lima Unemployment Rate, est. 6.6%, prior 6.7%


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Tealive has tied up with Myanmar bank uab bank to integrate its store concept and offerings into the bank's new branches. According to CEO Bryan Loo (pictured), Tealive hopes to assist the bank in attracting younger customers, as well as create a social meeting place for bank customers.
Under the first phase within the next two months, uab bank plans to integrate four Tealive stores into its branches at Sanchanung, Shwe Gone Daing, Tarmwe and Thanlynn thus making it the first district in Yangon to have two outlets. Having opened three outlets in Myanmar last year together with food and beverage player Myanmar Food For Thought, Tealive is eyeing two more stores this month in Thanlyin and Hledan Centre.
“We will deepen our presence in Myanmar with the opening of 20 outlets by the end of this year, including integrating selected outlets into uab bank’s branches,” he said.
Uab bank's MD and CEO Christopher Loh said the collaboration is a win-win agreement and that Tealive is an excellent fit in its plan to offer consumers a new banking experience. He added that the bank plans to expand its branch network from the current 78 branches in 47 townships by adding 10 to 15 new branches each year, and has identified Tealive as a strategic partner to transform the customer experience and engagement.
“Our UAB bank branches will be designed to meet the discerning needs of today’s dynamic young generation. Moving forward, we see Tealive adding tremendous value to our overall social and lifestyle offering,” Loh said.
Meanwhile just last week, the lifestyle tea brand doubled down on its sustainability efforts by rolling out a strawless bubble tea cup and a glass tumbler,with a pledge to reduce the use of single-use cups by 500,000 pieces a month next year. Tealive currently offers two types of reusable cups - a glass tumbler called OneCup designed by a young Malaysian entrepreneur Sam Loh, and this strawless bubble tea cup.
“As we searched for a sustainable solution to the use of single-use plastics, we thought it would be great to have a cup designed using food-grade materials for our pearls and other toppings that would not need a straw,” Loo explained.
Separately in 2019, Tealive appointed CIMB Bank as its principal advisor for its IPO. Loo told A+M in a statement that the listing exercise is the beginning rather than the destination of Tealive's journey in what that brand envisions to accomplish. This includes doubling down on growth locally and internationally, as well as tripling its innovation initiatives.
"Any potential upcoming corporate exercise is to live up to our mission of building Tealive into a truly global brand originating from Malaysia," he added. He also told A+M that the IPO "will definitely be" carried out this year, but declined to comment further on queries regarding the valuation of the company and its plans post-IPO.
Last year, Bloomberg reported that Loob Holding's IPO in Malaysia could potentially raise about RM300 million, and that the company is seeking a valuation of up to RM1 billion. The company also said last year that it intends to hire 1,200 to 1,500 more workers over the next two years as it expands aggressively to approximately 500 outlets in Malaysia by mid-2021.
Source: Marketing Interactive


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Clearwire is launching its 4G WiMax network in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles before the end of the year, it said Monday.
Telstra today started selling its upgraded mobile broadband modem to the wider consumer market, after several months of offering the device -- and its theoretical network speeds of up to 42Mbps -- to big business customers and the government sector.
Adelaide-based Adam Internet has become the latest internet service provider to offer its customers a broadband plan with a terabyte or more of download quota included.
Australian Internet service provider MyNetFone is offering no-fee setup for 24-month Naked DSL contracts until the end of the month.
Singapore Airlines has announced that it will soon provide in-flight mobile phone and Internet access for its passengers, thanks to a multimillion dollar collaboration with OnAir.
Australian Broadband provider Internode this week launched a service that allows customers to keep their existing phone number when migrating to Naked ADSL2+ broadband plans
Telstra today revealed it was no longer losing consumer fixed broadband customers -- reversing a trend of market share loss that had been stinging the customer over the past few years.
Draft legislation from the U.S. Congress would create a new network neutrality law but would prohibit the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from making its own rules prohibiting broadband providers from selectively slowing Web traffic.
The wholesale arm of Australia's biggest telco Telstra has declined to engage in what it described as a "public battle" with its customer Internode, in the midst of delicate negotiations that are slated to affect Internode's ADSL broadband pricing ar...
Internode late last week speculated that Telstra's wholesale division was giving some retail internet service providers better deals because they hadn't built out their own competitive broadband infrastructure as some like Internode, iiNet and TPG ha...
57 per cent of likely voters in the U.S. don't support any Internet regulation by the federal government, according to a new survey released by Broadband for America, an advocacy group with members including AT&T and Verizon Communications.
Operators around the world are getting ready to launch commercial LTE services, and users should get ready to pay a premium for mobile broadband using laptops, if TeliaSonera's pricing is anything to go by.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has voted to open up unused spectrum in the television band to unlicensed wireless broadband devices, a move that will give U.S. residents access to "super Wi-Fi," the agency's chairman said.
A massively multiplayer online (MMO) virtual world will be created as a tribute to Michael Jackson's legacy as an entertainer and humanitarian.
The nation's second-largest telco Optus has again stated it is still considering whether to provide retail fibre to the home services over the Tasmanian leg of the fledgling National Broadband Network, despite its biggest rival Telstra joining the pa...
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Economy turns in good showing for first third of '86. Tumbling prices and rising output lead to `pretty good' forecast
New statistical snapshots show the United States economy growing at a healthy clip and consumer prices taking their biggest dip in 37 years. The overall economic outlook is ``pretty good,'' says Martin Mauro, senior economist at Merrill Lynch Economics, the forecasting arm of the nation's largest brokerage firm. That is true despite the fact that some parts of the US have been hard hit by falling oil prices.
There is ``some overstatement'' in the latest price and growth figures, says Cynthia Latta, senior economist at Data Resources Inc., a large economic forecasting company. But even after allowing for exaggerations in recent data, most forecasters expect the economy to keep growing this year and next. And while prices are expected to climb at a faster clip in 1987, a return to double-digit inflation is nowhere in sight.
The rosy economic scenario is good news for political incumbents as the 1986 congressional elections approach. White House spokesman Larry Speakes noted that the politically sensitive misery index -- a combination of the nation's inflation and unemployment rates -- peaked at 22 in June 1980. The index ``has now dropped to about 8 under the Reagan administration's 5 years. So you don't hear much about that from the Democrats anymore,'' Mr. Speakes said.
The government reported Wednesday that consumer prices fell 0.3 percent in April, after adjustment for seasonal factors. That was the first time since 1954 that consumer prices had fallen three months in a row. Since February, prices consumers pay have fallen at an annual rate of 4.3 percent. That's the biggest three-month drop since a three-month period ending January 1949. For the first four months of 1986, consumer prices have fallen slightly more than 2 percent.
The sharp drop in energy prices has been a major factor in the cheery inflation news. Last month energy prices fell 5.8 percent overall and gasoline prices plunged 11.3 percent. But gasoline prices are already rising a bit, DRI analyst Latta notes. And when the recent energy-price declines have worked their way through the economy, they will no longer mask the price increases seen in other areas. For example, prices in the service sector of the economy rose at a 5 percent clip in the last three months.
And the dollar's recent drop against the Japanese yen and German mark also will add to inflation, experts say. That's because a weaker dollar makes the dollar price of imported goods rise. And it also provides a price umbrella under which US companies can raise their prices for products that compete with foreign-made goods.
The 50 economists surveyed by the newsletter ``Blue Chip Economic Indicators'' expect consumer prices to rise 2.3 percent this year, down from 3.6 percent in 1985.
``In 1987, though, inflation could rise back into the 4 to 5 percent range as the effects of the oil-price collapse fade, capacity utilization rates increase, and unemployment declines further,'' says David Hale, chief economist at Kemper Financial Serices Inc. in Chicago.
This week the government also revised its estimate of economic growth in the January-to-March period to 3.7 percent at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up from 3.2 percent. Both figures have been adjusting for inflation.
But much of that growth resulted from businesses building up inventories of unsold goods. Some of the apparent buildup may be the result of incorrect government estimates, DRI economist Latta says. To the extent the figures are accurate, it ``means a cutback in orders'' for goods in coming quarters.


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The Lagos State Government has ordered a partial lockdown of all businesses in the state for a 7-days period as measures to contain and avoid the spread of Coronavirus disease.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this known in a speech addressed to the citizens of Lagos state to shut down all businesses, markets, banks, etc., except for the essentials needed for day-to-day survival which include medical equipment stores, groceries stores, etc.
The partial lockdown is said to last for 7-days starting from today Thursday 26th March, till Wednesday, April 2nd 2020.
Video credit: CNBC Africa
Ensure to be safe, remember ‘health is wealth.’


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Sysco Corp. has purchased 255 acres in Ennis, where the company plans to build a food redistribution facility that will employ more than 300.
The planned million-square-foot facility in the Ennis Industrial Park will supply Sysco distribution centers in the region. The distribution centers then supply restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and caterers.
Ennis is 37 miles south of Dallas on I-45.
“This is the big mother ship that will distribute to all the other warehouses around here,” says Gary Lindsey of Grubb & Ellis Co., who represented Sysco in its site search.
Ennis City Manager Steve Howerton says Houston-based Sysco will join CVS Pharmacy, Lowe’s Cos. Inc. and PetSmart Inc. as major corporations with distribution centers in the industrial park.
“The City of Ennis has made the recruitment of major distribution facilities a top economic development priority and Ennis is fast becoming a major distribution hub,” Howerton says.
Sysco has a large distribution warehouse in the Austin Ranch project in Lewisville. That 557,000-square-foot facility won’t be affected by the Ennis redistribution center.


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Restaurant spending on the rise during holiday season
As shoppers hit the mall during the holidays, they're not just fulfilling wish lists. They're also filling their bellies.
Restaurant sales are getting an even healthier bump than sales at stores as people increasingly go out to eat in the last months of the year. Retail sales are expected to grow 3.7% in November and December this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Restaurant sales in the same months have been trending up between 4.2% and 6.4% since 2010, according to data from MasterCard Spending Pulse, which also found that November restaurant sales were up 8.1% this year over last November.
Often people are sitting down to a meal before or after a shopping trip. Some are in search of sustenance. Others are looking for an experience that leaves lasting memories.
"There’s something about the season, the lights, the music, the lovey-dovey feeling in the air, that leads to us wanting to go out more," says Brad Pettiford, 28, who says he often uses the holiday season as an excuse to eat out more than normal, adding a dinner out with his wife Jami onto other activities such as shopping or ice skating. "It's a nice event that is memorable."
People are building a restaurant stop into their shopping trips, or even making it the reason for a mall visit in the first place. Of those who shopped at a mall or shopping center on Thanksgiving or Black Friday this year, 63% also dined, according to data from the International Council of Shopping Centers.
The trend fits into an overall shift in spending habits. Restaurant spending is expected to hit a record in 2015, in excess of $709 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association, a 4% increase over 2014. Recognizing the shift, some mall operators are stoking the growth by overhauling their offerings from sub sandwich shops and greasy Chinese chicken joints and installing trendy chains like Shake Shack and Blaze Pizza, along with a mix of more upscale restaurants such as Brio Tuscan Grille or Sushi Roku.
Nearly half of the new tenants Irvine Company Retail Properties has brought in to its 41 California-based properties since 2013 have been restaurants. That's up from 2006 to 2010 when 34% of new tenants were eateries. The increase in restaurants is paying off with increased foot traffic and longer shopping trips by customers, says Easther Liu, the company's chief marketing officer.
Since American Whiskey opened in the heart of a major shopping hub near New York City's Penn Station in September 2013, sales have trended higher, especially during November and December, when the average ticket is about 10% higher per person, says Casey Pratt, a co-owner of the restaurant. And customers aren't just coming for the food. The restaurant has also noticed an uptick in sales of its holiday-themed T-shirts and hats, which Pratt attributes to people wanting "something to remember the experience and the place by."
Gift cards, the most-requested holiday gift item according to the National Retail Federation, are also driving traffic. Brother Jimmy's BBQ, which has locations along the East Coast and in Florida, has had about a 10% increase in gift card sales this holiday season compared to last year at its four Manhattan locations, says Jon Kachejian, the chain's vice president. The restaurant has benefited from an increase in casual dining among young adults in particular.
"There’s more people gravitating toward our type of business — group casual dining with affordable price points," he says. "We get a lot of parents requesting gift cards for their kids in their 20s."
A stronger economy is aiding the trend. Brother Jimmy's has seen "a huge uptick" in corporate holiday parties in recent years, a change from lower budget, employee-organized gatherings the recession ushered in, says CEO Jimmy Goldman. Publik Draft House in Atlanta has seen locals return, after relying more on tourist traffic to keep sales up during the recession, says Daniel Schmitz, the head bartender at the restaurant.
"The last few years, there’s really been an increase in everybody coming out more," he says. "People are just wanting to be part of the city life again."


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Gold Statement is an annual exhibition, conference and jewellery show that brings all stakeholders together, including policymakers to deliberate on the promotion of value addition to Ghana’s sustainably mined precious minerals and also to showcase the craftsmanship of Ghanaian jewellers and goldsmiths. The event officially opened on 24th November and closes with a Gala Night on 26th November at the Accra Marriott Hotel.
Ghana is currently the leading producer of gold in Africa, with the country’s gold production amounting to a total of 117.6 tons in 2021, and contributes to 90% to the mining sector. Hon. S.J. Nii Adjei Tawiah, Municipal Chief Exective, Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly spoke about creating a Jewellery Emporium in Accra and making Accra the center of jewellery production to promote tourism and increase revenue in the country at large. He also said a greater portion of Ghana’s gold should be refined here in Ghana to increase Ghana’s revenue and tourism.
Professor Richard Amankwah, Vice Chancellor, University of Mines and Technology(UMAT) spoke about training for and promotion of made in Ghana jewellery. He added that UMAT believes in responsible mining and they have teamed up with Ghana National Association Of Small Scale Miners (GHNASSM) and Small Scale Miners (SSM) to promote mining.
Speaking at the launch, Head of Material Science Department, Ghana Standard Authority, Genevieve Baah Mante said Hallmarking is a must for Ghana’s growing jewellery sector.Gold Statement is supported by the Ghana Tourism Authority under its ‘Beyond The Return’ initiative and plans to continue with this annual event to continue encouraging growth in the gold and mining industry.
Story by: Agbemenu Kekeli Shine


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One in six Australian businesses are affected by the coronavirus outbreak, with the Government decision stopping all direct commercial flights to China already striking several industries, according to newly published research.
Chinese phone manufacturer realme has unveiled its first flagship smartphone, the X50 Pro 5G, during an online launch but will not be releasing it in Australia.
The global PC market is expected to fall by 3.4% in 2020, with PC shipments in the first quarter of 2020 falling by more than 25% sequentially and 10% annually due to the coronavirus outbreak affecting both the channel and supply chains in China.
Good article Sam.
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There has been a a slow but steady increase in the unsupervised spying on Australian citizens by it own Law[…]


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Furlog at TransRussia, the most important Russian logistics fair
From 13 to 15 April in Moscow we attended TransRussia 2019, the 25th International Trade Fair for Transport and Logistics Services. TransRussia has been held every year since 1995 and it remains the largest Russian trade fair in the sector: in fact, it’s a point of reference for representatives of the transport and logistics market, as well as an opportunity to find new potential partners and service providers.
Here are some numbers: this year there were 398 companies from 29 countries around the world, with 18,915 visitors in 3 days of exhibition.
An opportunity to meet the Russian market
The fair, which is accompanied by an active business-related program, is a really precious opportunity to discover the potential of Russia, one of the key countries in global transport. Divided into stands by macro categories – from transport services tout court to IT solutions for logistics – and full of meetings with more than 100 speakers, this year the fair reached its record number of visitors after years of lower participation.
In particular, there was a high presence of Chinese and central Asia exhibitors, countries with which Russia has many exchanges and with which Furlog has over time specialized with its train services. TransRussia has therefore proved to be a very important opportunity for networking and exploring the market and we are proud to have participated at it.


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This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.
- As restaurants struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic, experts say that certain chains will not only survive but could even thrive.
- Pizza chains including Papa John's and Domino's are well-positioned, as people order more delivery.
- While the casual dining industry is struggling, BTIG analyst Peter Saleh says that Texas Roadhouse and Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse's parent company, are in the best place to weather the storm.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
As many restaurant chains prepare for the apocalypse, some are more prepared to weather the storm than others.
The restaurant industry lost an estimated $25 billion in sales and more than three million jobs, in the first 22 days of March, according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The NRA found in a survey last week that 3% of restaurants had already closed permanently, and that another 11% planned to do so within the next 30 days.
"The ones that win, or relative winners, are restaurants with drive-thrus, restaurants that have big delivery business, restaurants who do a lot of take-out business — who are known for takeout," BTIG analyst Peter Saleh told Business Insider. "If you're mostly an in-dining room type restaurant, I think you're going to struggle."
Here are six chains that Saleh and other experts say are best positioned to weather the restaurant apocalypse.
Saleh and Roger Lipton, a restaurant industry analyst, investor, and advisor, name dropped Domino's as one of the best-positioned chains, thanks to its delivery-centric business model.
Domino's reported same-store sales growth of 3.9% at company-owned stores and 1.5% at franchise-owned stores in its preliminary first quarter earnings report on Monday.
Unlike many chains, almost all Domino's locations in the US remain open. While CEO Ritch Allison said that the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the business, it is still unclear how the outbreak will impact the company.
"Shelter in place directives, pantry loading, university and school closures, event cancellations, and the lack of live televised sports have all impacted our business in ways that we cannot yet fully quantify," Allison said in a press release on Monday.
Papa John's is similarly thriving compared to other chains. Across North America, same-stores sales are up 5.3% through the three-months ending March 29.
"Although March sales in North America were negatively impacted by the cancellation of large gatherings, including major sporting events, our international and domestic businesses have performed well, as customers and communities rely on us and others in the food delivery industry," CEO Rob Lynch said in a press release on Tuesday.
"Our cash position is supporting our current operations, and we have access to approximately $350 million in our credit facility, should we need it," Lynch continued.
Lipton also mentioned Wingstop as a chain that was well-positioned as seating areas shut down. Roughly 80% of the chicken chain's sales were already off-premise as of February, with the chain emphasizing delivery over the last year.
Chains that already have a significant drive-thru and delivery business are in a good position as dining areas shut down, Saleh says. McDonald's is in an especially good position, according to Pacific Management Consulting Group founder John Gordon, because the company's historic strength and likely ability to prevent franchisees from closing stores.
"Specifically, MCD appears to have plenty of liquidity to support its franchisees as they work through short-term sales and cash flow issues, and history suggests the McDonald's brand contains recession-resistant qualities that should allow for better-than-average fundamental performance in 2H20/2021," Baird analyst David Tarantino said in a note on Thursday.
Most sit-down, casual dining chains are set to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic, with no drive-thru business and less delivery experience. However, Saleh says that Texas Roadhouse is one of the best-positioned brands in the struggling sector.
Saleh pointed to the lack of debt and the significant real estate portfolio.
"They have $300 million of cash on their balance sheet and only a very, very, very little amount of debt on the balance sheet," Saleh said. "So, unlike all the other casual diners that have a fair amount of debt on their balance sheet, they have next to nothing."
Olive Garden's parent company is the other casual dining chain that Saleh says is best equipped to "weather the storm."
Saleh says that Darden's strong balance sheet signifies the company can survive the lack of sales. Further, Olive Garden has been working to grow its takeout business, which will make up the the bulk of the chain's sales during the outbreak.


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Renault Samsung has confirmed that it will initiate a voluntary redundancy programme, reflecting falling sales in its domestic South Korean market and abroad, the result of general economic weakness and a limited product range.
The programme is the first of its kind launched by the company and will close on 7 …
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Dutch Games Association (DGA) will be hosting the tenth Holland Pavilion at Gamescom 2019, bringing Dutch companies large and small to the event. Gamescom is Europe’s biggest trade fair for interactive games and entertainment, and one of the most important industry meetup worldwide for insiders, publishers and developers.
With over 370.000 attendees in 2018, gamescom is one of the most important conferences for game developers. In 2018, over 23 companies participated at gamescom and the Holland Pavilion was a great success. Did you know the strongest international growth was due to presence from Austria, UK and the Netherlands?! Read more about Gamescom’s growth here.
Are you interested in participating in the Gamescom Holland Pavilion 2019?
Register now via the form on our registration page!
The Holland Pavilion at gamescom and its activities are powered by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency


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hyundai creta pics
Car Choice India: Despite fears of inflation, Indian consumers are willing to pay a higher price to buy their next expensive vehicle. According to the study done by Deloitte, most of these people are looking at a vehicle priced between Rs 10 to 25 lakh.
tata nexon pics
According to the 2023 Global Automobile Consumer Study (GACS) report by consulting firm Deloitte, they are now preferring feel over price, which is a clear indication of a change in their vehicle buying behaviour. Most of these people don’t even mind waiting 4-12 weeks to get a better feel and the vehicle of their choice.
maruti suzuki grand vitara pics
The study was conducted in India from September 21 to 29 last year, in which questions were asked to 1,003 consumers. It was found in the research that about 47 percent of the participants expressed their desire to buy a vehicle worth Rs 10-25 lakh.
mahindra xuv700 pics
According to the study, only 28 percent of the consumers expressed their desire to buy a vehicle priced at Rs 10 lakh or less. About 57 percent of the participants expressed their desire to buy an electric vehicle in the range of Rs 10-25 lakh, while 20 percent expressed their desire to buy an electric vehicle priced below Rs 10 lakh.
toyota innova hycross pics
This showed a clear change in the vehicle buying trend of Indian consumers, the report said. This shows that an average consumer is preferring feel over price. Whereas the traditional Indian consumer takes prices into account and the price vs mileage comparison becomes paramount while buying a vehicle. (with language input)


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Electronic Arts Earnings Ahead of Expectations
- May 11, 2022
- Scott Peters
Electronic Arts March quarter results were ahead of expectations and the game publisher increased dividend 12% and repurchased $1.3 billion of shares. The company also plans to end its partnership with FIFA.
Electronic Arts Inc reported fiscal year 2022 fourth quarter ending in March sales increased 38% to $1.8 billion and net income soared three-fold to $225 million.
Diluted earnings per share increased to 80 cents from 26 cents a year ago.
The company repurchased 2.5 million shares for $325 million in the quarter matching the dollar amount for the purchase of 2.4 million shares.
For the year, the company purchased 9.5 million shares for $1.3 billion.
The company increased dividend per share by 12% to 19 cents from a year ago and payable on June 22, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 8, 2022.
Guidance and Outlook
The company also guided fiscal year 2023 between $7.6 billion and $7.8 billion and earnings per share between $2.79 and $2.87 and net income between $793 million and $815 million in the year.
The game publisher guided operating cash flow in the year between $1.6 billion and $1.65 billion.
The company expects sales or net bookings between $7.9 billion and $8.1 billion.
In the fiscal year 2023 first quarter sales are expected to be between $1.675 billion and $1.725 billion, earnings between $216 million and $240 million, and diluted earnings per share between 76 cents and 85 cents.
Company and Stock
Electronic Arts is headquartered in Redwood City, California and employs about 10,000 people.
Electronic Arts stock jumped 12.3% to $125.38 after the game publisher reported March quarter results and the stock has declined 9% in the year so far.


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Richard L. Anderson
When Microsoft Corp. in May said it planned to acquire social network LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, the press release announcing the deal featured many of the elements journalists, investors and analysts have come to expect from brands and organizations distributing financial information in a post-digital age.
The press release, coinciding with a joint conference call/webcast hosted by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, included a link to an investor relations page carrying a slide deck explaining the benefits of the transaction, as well as both companies’ financials.
This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Aug. '16 Financial PR/IR & Professional Services PR Magazine
In addition to the press release, Microsoft posted B-roll video intended for broadcast journalists containing sound bites from the two companies’ top executives and footage of the Microsoft and LinkedIn campuses. Plus, CEO Nadella’s internal staff memo about the “whys” behind the LinkedIn acquisition found its way onto Verge by 9:20 a.m. the morning of the announcement.
The media blitz is a far cry from how financial news was distributed in 1969, when I worked as a PR assistant in the corporate communications group at Textron’s corporate headquarters in Providence, RI.
The company was about to announce its acquisition of the United Fruit Co., for $1 billion, the biggest deal in Textron’s history. I was handed two envelopes and told to get on a bus and go the Wall Street Journal bureau office in Boston. (One envelope included a release announcing a done deal, and the other announced discussions between the two companies, but no official transaction.)
When I arrived at the Journal I called my boss from a pay phone, who told me to go upstairs and personally deliver envelope marked “#1” to Al Hunt, the Assistant Bureau Chief. In those days, this was the fastest way to deliver a press release to the wire services, something akin to the Pony Express.
Although the methods of information distribution have radically changed since then, the preparation and delivery of financial news and information these days remain a methodical task. IR and PR executives must ensure that when they send financial-related content to stakeholders — regardless of the channel — it conforms to all regulatory requirements and does not omit any public information that analysts and/or shareholders may consider material.
However, the accelerated pace of digital media, combined with the proliferation of social channels, is changing the game for IR. As online platforms increasingly become the core of strategic marketing, IR and PR execs are working together more cohesively in order to get their messages out more quickly than in the past, produce more original programming and steer the conversation online.
“Social is causing companies to break down the silos, where IR, PR and marketing are all working together,” said Josh Machiz, Director of Integrated Marketing at NASDAQ, the tech-heavy stock exchange. “By getting all three disciplines to message together, you’ll be able to present [financial] analysts with communications in the best way you can.”
Communicators play a critical role in shaping their brand’s social media guidelines and making sure employees know the ropes. IR and PR execs also boost their value by helping to educate C-level executives on the most effective use of social media channels.
“If they don’t have firsthand experience with social, it makes it easy for [C-level] execs to say ‘no,’” Nasdaq’s Machiz said. “You have to demonstrate why the benefits outweigh the risks and how social platforms can drive engagement and actual results. Often, the easiest way to do so is to help create a public facing social handle for [top] executives, so they can truly feel that impact of social as people they actually know and some they don’t engage with their content.”
Social channels also enable IR and PR execs to demystify their brand with stakeholders and pull back the curtain on their products and services.
Following the Brexit vote, for instance, NASDAQ ran a Facebook Live video featuring several interviews with in-house analysts discussing the financial impact of the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union. Hosted from NASDAQ’s Market Intelligence Desk, the video included several questions from online viewers, which were posted on the company’s Facebook page.
While a growing number of IR/PR execs are eager to capitalize on social platforms to get their message out, traditional PR channels have not lost their luster.
Take Spectrum Brands Holdings, a diversified consumer products company whose brands are sold by the world’s top 25 retailers and are available in more than one million stores in approximately 160 countries.
David Prichard, VP of IR and Corporate Communications, said he prefers traditional channels to inform the company’s IR/PR strategy, such as highly targeted telephone calls, face-to-face meetings with analysts and key influencers and road shows catering to money centers in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
“You can’t replace face-to-face meetings. And with technology and video conferencing, it’s a lot easier to meet with potential investors and money managers who are interested in your story,” Prichard said. “We’re not afraid of social media, and we monitor it closely, but we’re just not getting requests at all for it” from financial analysts or portfolio managers.
No doubt, the appetite for financial information distributed via social platforms is still emerging. A recent National Investor Relations Institute study found that 297 out of 369 IR execs, or 80 percent, use social media for their work; the results are consistent since NIRI first began to track social channels for IR use in 2010.
The survey found that about half of the IR respondents indicated no interest in social media interactions/engagement with their IR departments from buy-side investors (49 percent) or the sell-side community (51 percent).
There’s been also been a push to get corporate CEOs to become more active on social media and begin to leverage the networking power of, say, Twitter. A recent Domo/CEO.com study found that only 39 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs now have a social media presence compared with just 32 percent in 2014. At the same time, only 10 percent of these CEOs have Twitter accounts, and among those who do, only 60 percent are active. So, there’s obviously no stampede to follow in the footsteps of Tesla’s Elon Musk, who has blazed new paths in disclosure through Twitter.
There’s no doubt that leveraging social media channels enhances an IR professional’s ability to communicate more quickly and more broadly to the stakeholder audience. But, at the end of day, it remains true since 1969 and before that nothing replaces personal interaction.
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Richard L. Anderson is Senior Managing Director at Feintuch Communications.


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Well isn’t this interesting — with just about five days to go until Google’s I/O conference, the company may have just accidentally spilled the beans about their next big Android release. For a brief time, users who tried to purchase an unlocked Galaxy Nexus from the Google Play store was greeted by a blurb describing the device as the “the first phone with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.”
Assuming this isn’t just some random mistake, Google has confirmed what nearly all of us expected their new update to be called, though there’s sadly little other information to go on at this point. Going off of past experience though, don’t expect Verizon’s LTE-enabled version of the Galaxy Nexus to get the update quite as quickly as its unlocked cousin.
Alas, Google seems to have caught wise to the error, as anyone who puts a Galaxy Nexus in their cart and tries to check out will no longer see the telltale description. Still, a peculiar little screenshot is still visible, and a (much) closer look reveals what appear to be a few minor changes from the Ice Cream Sandwich UI we know and love. Droid-Life points out that the slightly different Google search bar aligned along the stop of the screen bears a vague resemblance to the one seen in a screenshot Google released to promote their updated Google I/O app.
It’s possible that we’re all just reading way too much into this little image, but the phone’s description and the fact that Google’s I/O is right around the corner may mean that some poor soul in Mountain View just jumped the gun a little bit.


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In 2020, Huawei launched its own navigation service – Petal Maps mainly for Huawei device users to explore the world around them in a new and easy way. According to the latest information, the new version of Petal Maps will be launched next week with some exciting features.
The next version of Petal Maps will come with various new features including virtual navigation and hotel booking. Additionally, Petal Maps will be available on the Huawei Watch GT 2 with full functionality.
Earlier, Huawei added the Bolt into Petal Maps carpooling service which allows users to book trips directly in the app. Additionally, Petal Maps services include positioning, navigation map displays, real-time traffic updates, and more.
According to Huawei, 2022 will bring excitement for Huawei Mobile Services. However, there are many more exciting announcements on the way for 2022 which will be shared soon.
Additionally, Huawei is continuously working hard to build the HMS app ecosystem and is pleased to support the launch of several exciting product updates for AppGallery, Petal Maps, and more.
Even more interestingly, the HMS app ecosystem currently serves over 730 million monthly active users. Additionally, there are a total of 5.4 million registered developers. Now, Huawei looks forward to onboarding new partners and creating more creative app experiences for our customers in 2022.
Huawei Petal Maps not only allows you to get your current location, browse the map, search for places and add your favorites, but also view real-time traffic conditions, events and more.
Moreover, Petal Maps supports multiple languages with voice notification in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Mandarin. Moreover, this app also takes care of personal data and keeps it private.


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Kreston IOM attend ISLEXPO
Kreston IOM’s IT Manager James Cheshire and Sales and Marketing consultant Rosemary Wright attended ISLEXPO last week in Douglas Isle of Man. Hosted by the Isle of Man Government’s Department of Economic Development, this year’s ISLEXPO concentrated on inspiring growth.
Part conference, part motivational gathering and part business networking platform, ISLEXPO celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit captured by the Isle of Man’s mantra ‘Where You Can’.
Commenting on the conference James said: “this event really does showcase the Isle of Man and its capacity to adapt quickly to the fast paced changes in industry and business worldwide. It’s definitely a place where people can get things done and with the support of the government it really does showcase our island’s ability to attract innovative global businesses”
For more information regarding Isle of Man start ups please contact Rosemary firstname.lastname@example.org or call the office on +44(0)1624611926 and mention ISLEXPO to speak to one of our members of staff.


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Intel Expands Software Development Efforts in Europe
Intel announced the opening of the Intel Romania Software Development Center today. The Intel Romania Software Development Center represents a multi-million Euro investment for the Intel Software and Services Group. Software innovations from the center's R&D work will help enable new and exciting consumer usages. Some recent examples of this type of Intel software innovation include the Intel AppUp Center and Intel's leadership in the MeeGo project.
The Intel Romania Software Development Center will focus on software solutions needed to create the best possible user experiences on a variety of Intel architecture based smart devices including smart phones and other common devices like smart TVs or in-vehicle infotainment systems. The center will initially conduct R&D for the MeeGo open source platform which provides great flexibility for smart devices and software developers.
"Intel has a long standing history in microprocessor development and manufacturing. In transforming Intel into to a computing company we need the best software talent to deliver on our vision," said Renee James, Intel Senior Vice President and General Manager, Software and Services Group. "Romania is an ideal location for software engineering talent due to a rich university environment, and close proximity to customers and ecosystem partners."
The Intel Romania Software Development Center will employ about two dozen software R&D professionals initially and is expected to grow its workforce to about three to four times that number as the site expands in development diversity. The new center's R&D professionals will continue in the tradition of open source software developments and release the new findings to the open source community in order to foster further improvements and early use of new technology.
Intel as a global company is committed to continuing our history of education, higher education and university partnerships. The Intel Romania Software Development Center will aim to drive future collaborations with academic and government institutions and work closely with European software industry partners.
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This action by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois represents the first instance of permanent injunction against a firm or grower for violating public safety standards as mandated by the Produce Safety Rule enacted under the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011.
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A University of Georgia study has presented a new method to make crops - specifically tomatoes - safer to eat by applying sanitisers to produce preharvest.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland's Chief Executive says now is the time to check for pests and carry out a deep clean, following two Closure Orders in June.
With increased awareness of fraudulent food practices that affect businesses and consumers to varying degrees, comes a need to tackle them before they cause serious harm. New Food hears from two experts about new industry measures that aim to encourage whistleblowers to report without fear of consequence.
In light of the pandemic, Juliet Gellatley, Director of Viva!, makes her case for vegan farming.
The guidance has set out safety advice and legal regulations for food manufacturers and agricultural businesses that are operating during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.
Members of the International Food and Water Research Centre (IFWRC) Scientific Advisory Panel discuss current challenges the food industry is facing, including climate change and food fraud, as well as key trends and the role of international collaboration between industry, academia, government and non-government organisations.
The research used a survey tool to analyse the environmental monitoring practices being implemented across the frozen food industry to prevent and control Listeria monocytogenes.
Growing consumer awareness and increasingly stringent regulatory demands have resulted in renewed emphasis on the quality of water and selection of disinfectants used for the washing and preparation of vegetables, salads and other fresh produce. Giovanna Cossali explains why she believes ozone is worth considering as a sanitiser.


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I am not a big fan of social media “influencers.” (Gosh, I’m rolling my eyes even as I type the word.) I find most of them rather phony and entitled, their reach being grossly overestimated.
That being said, I can’t help but marvel at the astronomical success that the Kardashian-Jenner clan has had in the field. Paris Hilton might have originated the occupation of being famous for being famous and profiting from it, but the women of Kim Kardashian’s family have elevated it to a whole new level entirely.
Take the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters, for instance. This week, Forbes magazine featured the 20 year-old reality TV star and model on the cover of their annual issue covering the richest self-made women. Despite not being legally old enough to drink, Kylie Jenner’s personal net worth has been conservatively estimated at around US$900 million.
It’s even being said that she is set to go down in history as the youngest billionaire in a year’s time, surpassing the record previously held by tech titans John Collison and Mark Zuckerberg.
While the millions that the social media star earns from her reality shows, endorsements, and after-tax dividends from her cosmetics company already add up to a 9-digit figure, it is the latter that accounts for majority of the young mogul’s fortune. Kylie Cosmetics debuted back in 2016, with US$29 lip kits containing a duo of lipstick and lip liner in various shades. The company has since sold more than US$630 million worth of makeup, and is now estimated to be worth US$800 million.
Here’s the thing, though: the company’s products were largely marketed online, specifically through its proprietress’ social media accounts. Jenner might have more than a hundred million followers, but judging by her company’s sales figures, her reach extends even further.
What I find especially compelling about this whole narrative is how it highlights the limitless potential of digital marketing, especially in the current climate. Millennial purchasing power is increasing, and since they’ve been shying away from traditional forms of media such as television, newspapers, and magazines, traditional businesses have their work cut out for them when it comes to getting this target market’s attention, let alone their $$$’s.
Jenner’s exponential success with social media platforms ought to be one heck of a hint for companies who want to stay in business as millennials continue to wrest market share from older generations. Unlike TV commercials or newspaper ads, social media allows brands to directly interact with their customers and in real time at that. It also amplifies any campaign’s reach, what with several million people from all classes the world over scrolling through their feeds at any moment, looking for the next big thing.
Yet, perhaps what makes social media so powerful as a marketing tool is that it promotes connectedness. Had she launched her company ten years earlier, Kylie Jenner would just have been one of many celebrities endorsing one of many products. Beautiful and aspirational, sure, but also rather distant and not especially relatable. In the age of Snapchat and Instagram, however, her constant updates on both the mundane and glamorous aspects of her well-documented and expertly-curated life has held her enormous audience captive, with each post giving them a vicarious thrill.
And if you can’t be Kylie Jenner, the next best thing is living or looking like her, and making clients feel like they have a portion of the reality star’s charmed life (never mind if it’s something as miniscule as the lipstick she wears), is perhaps what’s driving the blooming tycoon’s digital marketing campaign into the force of nature that it is today.


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An H&R Block employee was recently arrested for fraud when two H&R Block customers found out that their ’08 taxes had been filed and their refunds issued on a prepaid debit card, all without their knowledge.
Investigators identified employee Valerie Guerrero as a suspect. She worked as a tax preparer for branches in Truckee, CA and Reno, NV (W. 4th St). Investigators learned that Guerrero was using the prepaid debit cards to make purchases in Sparks.
Guerrero was arrested by Sparks police and booked for several felonies that include burglary, fraudulent use of a credit card, possessing a credit card without the owners consent and receiving property as a result of unlawfully using a credit card.
Clients who have used H&R Block in Truckee or Reno in the prior year can contact the local IRS office to ask if they have been victim to similar fraud.


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Published on the 28/10/2021 | Written by Heather Wright
Demonstration Network maps big future for Industry 4.0…
Data is king for Industry 4.0 but it’s an area where local manufacturers are often struggling, according to advanced manufacturing senior consultant Frank Phillips.
“One of the big themes we’re seeing is around how people are using data to find out what is actually happening in their business and make the right decisions quicker,” he says.
Phillips works at LMAC, which is partnering with Callaghan Innovation and the EMA to provide Industry 4.0 network site visits and assessments to Kiwi manufacturers.
“It’s not about futuristic stuff necessarily.”
The site visits are part of Callaghan’s $6 million government-funded Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network, which also includes a mobile showcase, webinars and, in the future, smart factory tours.
The Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network is a push encourage Kiwi manufacturers to embrace new technology and innovate to remain globally competitive, using a fusion of technologies, from robotics and automation to data analytics, mixed reality and artificial intelligence.
LMAC has done Industry 4.0 Smart Industry Readiness Index (Siri) assessments with around 25 organisations, ranging from 10 employees to 8,000, and says harnessing shop floor data – from tracking jobs and how long they take to the quality and productivity of each machine used – is a key challenge for many manufacturers.
“In terms of getting hold of that data, New Zealand businesses are not that good. They get some of it, the bare bones required, information about who turned up that day and for how long, because you have to for time sheets,” Phillips says.
But as a natural course they don’t tend to take it further than that.”
That’s largely because of the challenges around getting the data. For many it is a very manual process. Analysis of enterprise data – essentially ERP, MES and machine telematics – remains a challenge, and combining it with facility data around utility usage such as water, gas and electricity and how smart your building is set up, are low on the list of priorities for local manufacturers, he says.
Phillips says a critical data assessment is a key part of building a high-level Industry 4.0 roadmap and something he encourages manufacturers to do.
“What data do you actually need in your business, what decision are you trying to make, what insights help make that decision and have you got the right data at the right time?
“That’s something we are seeing from a lot of manufacturers.”
Mapping a businesses top priorities and the shop floor KPIs they’re trying to improve most over the coming years is a critical component, Phillips say, and one where ‘nine times out of ten’ they’re not measuring what’s needed from the shop floor.
“How can you expect improvement at a management level if you’re not measuring key metrics in the business? That’s where I see the biggest gap.”
Ming-chun Wu, Callaghan Innovation programme manager for the Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network, says a recent survey of manufacturers shows interest in the use of big data is high among manufacturers, along with robotics and automation.
Wu says the network was established to enable manufacturers in particular to see Industry 4.0 in action.
“Often these concepts are deemed too mysterious, while others might have heard about them but aren’t sure where to start in terms of implementation or planning for the use of some of these available technologies,” she says.
“It’s not about futuristic stuff necessarily, but things that have already been adopted by quite a number of businesses across New Zealand that we are trying to share and show others how that could help them.”
The site visits include webinars and physical visits to manufacturers who have already embarked on the Industry 4.0 journey. For the manufacturer’s involved the process also includes a fully funded ‘SIRI’ benchmarking assessment to help accelerate their own Industry 4.0 journey.
LMAC is an accredited provider of Germany’s Tuv Sud’s Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) assessment, which aims to provide a common framework to help companies determine where to start and how to scale and sustain Industry 4.0 efforts.
Kayne Franich, general manager member engagement for the Employers & Manufacturers Association, which has been a key player in the site visits and assessments, says interest among its manufacturing community in the Demo Network is high across all areas, from those who have not heard much about Industry 4.0 to those who are well on the journey.
“We have seen close to 700 businesses engaged in the Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network since inception, which is great,” Franich says.
Manufacturers interested in joining can find out more and complete an initial self-assessment here.


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Fashion retailer Burberry has announced an 18 per cent increase in underlying retail revenue to £339m and a 13 per cent increase in comparable store sales in the three months to 30 June 2013, which they put down to good performance of the Spring/Summer campaign and investment in digital.
Chief executive Angela Ahrendts said she is “pleased” with the retail performance in the first quarter, but says that the “macro outlook remains uncertain”. She adds that Burberry will “continue to focus our investment on profitable high growth opportunities by channel, region and product categories.”
By region, there was double-digit comparable store sales growth in Asia Pacific and the Americas and high single-digit growth in Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA).
While online performed well globally, offline growth was led by Hong Kong and China, while France and Germany remained robust and Korea showed early signs of improvement.


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USPTA charity raises more than $7,500
October 6, 2012
The United States Professional Tennis Association raised $7,582 from its silent auction held at the USPTA’s Tennis Buying Show during the World Conference on Tennis from Sept. 16-21, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey, Calif.
During the silent auction, attendees had an opportunity to bid on a variety of items, including:
The auction benefits the USPTA foundation, which through grants supports various programs in the community that help to grow tennis and bring the game to those who might not otherwise have the chance to play.