text:
Changes in the Amazon Seller Landscape lead to possible shifts in global e-commerce
We are witnessing a growing trend of private-label brands acquisition on Amazon. Led by aggregators valued at billions, these brand acquisitions are leading to fast and dramatic shifts in global e-commerce. U.S.-based companies, like Perch and Thrasio, are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in order to fund their expansions into markets in Europe and Asia. In Europe, rollup companies like Heroes have been trying to replicate the Thrasio model, while in China Nebula Brands is jumpstarting Amazon acquisitions.
In this blog post, I’ll help you make sense of the aggregator phenomena and try to examine what’s driving this trend.
Understanding The Phenomena:
What’s an aggregator? Aggregators are companies that buy online brands and third-party merchants. This is typically referred to as a “roll-up” and has led to aggregators being referred to as rollup firms.
What’s the aggregator strategy? By purchasing leading brands in key product categories, aggregators achieve increased profits through consolidation. This then results in the aggregator taking a position as a market leader.
Why are aggregators eager to buy top Amazon seller brands? Well-funded aggregators purchase thriving brands so they can consolidate logistics, accounting, and supply chain resources. The scaling achieved through such centralization can lead to greater efficiencies in manufacturing and production, more competitive pricing and more desirable customer experience. Ultimately, that drives brand loyalty.
What’s the Aggregator End Game and How Significant Is This Trend?
It’s all about competitive advantage and the market that’s leading the way is, no surprise, Amazon. With more than 5 million Amazon sellers and annual product sales by Amazon marketplace sellers now reaching $118 billion and climbing, there’s no question about the attractiveness of the Amazon marketplace to investors and entrepreneurs.
More than a million new sellers joined the Amazon marketplace last year. Aggregators see the potential and have swept in with an aggressive brand acquisition strategy. After purchasing a brand, aggregators often accelerate inventory and expand into new markets, trimming costs as they go. Already, about 40 Amazon aggregators have emerged, with most of these firms still quietly seeking deals behind the scenes. Since 2019, eight aggregators have announced fundraising rounds totaling more than $2.5 billion.
The speed of the changes on Amazon in the last year has been breathtaking.
Thrasio, the aggregator leading the pack, has raised a stunning $750 million for its startup in under a year with a running total of investments at $1.6 billion and has purchased 100 third-party seller brands to date. What’s more, a recent New York Times article reported Thrasio’s estimate that its products now ship to 1 in 10 American homes.
But Thrasio is just one of many aggregator firms whose bold moves are shaking up traditional online selling through Amazon’s platform. The rush toward consolidation is not likely to slow down anytime soon.
As an increasing number of investment firms pour more and more money into aggregators and their move to change the e-commerce landscape, it will be fascinating to see the effects on innovative brands and marketplace sellers. Let’s take a look at what’s driving this trend and what it means for your business.
What’s Driving the Current Change in the Marketplace?
There are several factors affecting the rise of the aggregator companies, such as Thrasio, Perch, SellerX, Heyday, Boosted Commerce, Razor Group, Heroes and Branded. The firms attracting funding, such as Perch, say that third-party sellers simply don’t have enough resources for expansion.
Here are a few of the contributing factors to the accelerated activity of aggregators in the Amazon ecosystem:
E-Commerce is on the rise as a go-to investment. Oil and gas investments, along with other go-to investments, are no longer perceived as a secure choice due to the global shifts of the last several years, many investors shifted their focus to e-commerce.
A more favorable view of the value of Amazon seller brands. It used to be that Amazon Marketplace brands were viewed with suspicion – or that a brand’s ability to hold its own in the marketplace would be questioned if that brand chose to sell through the Amazon platform. That perception has shifted radically in recent years.
Market opportunity through consolidation. The fragmentation of the Amazon marketplace has proven to be fertile ground for well-funded aggregators who want to make profits and tap the potential of private-label brands.
What does Aggregator Activity mean for Your Amazon Brand?
Some product innovators and boutique brands will profit from the phenomenon of capital-rich firms hungry for third-party sellers who distribute through Fulfillment by Amazon. Others will likely see a decline in sales due to scale and systems efficiencies made possible by the consolidation of companies in the marketplace.
Anticipated results of this heightened aggregator activity in the Amazon marketplace include:
* Quick cash infusions that increase product quality and, ultimately, brand loyalty.
* A focus on providing a seamless customer experience through omnichannel marketing
* A drive toward greater speed to market and fast company growth
So, for top Amazon sellers with high-demand products in a desirable category, the aggregator boom could be a way to cash in on your company. Today, third-party sellers make up 50% of Amazon’s total sales. Whether you’re at the top of your category or a new competitor in the Amazon marketplace, having a clear idea of your exit strategy may well become a must-have earlier in the game.
Whatever the impact on individual sellers, there’s no doubt the sweeping changes in the seller landscape are likely to alter the competitive landscape forever. Some analysts see this disruptor energy as a huge positive. Others view it as a sign of the end for small sellers in the seller space.
Aggregator companies increasingly operate on the global arena reaching platforms beyond Amazon.
In the UAE, Opontia is acquiring brands on that country’s popular e-commerce marketplace, Noon.com. Other noteworthy new companies include:
- Una Brands, a Singaporean company that is acquiring businesses on Tokpedia, Lazada, Shopee and Rakuten
- Valoreo and Wonder Brands, both Mexican companies that are acquiring on Mercado Libre
- Mensa Brands, Evenflow, 10club and Powerhouse91, all of which are Indian companies that are acquiring brands on Flipkart, Nykaa and other local e-commerce platforms
At this point, it’s not clear which platforms will even allow for acquisitions. Under U.S. law, e-commerce platforms allow the transfer of a seller account or a product from a third-party seller to a company that acquires them, which is a necessary technical step in the process. But for marketplaces headquartered outside the U.S., the laws are not necessarily the same.
Sign Up to the Wise Commerce Newsletter
Want more tips and insights on Amazon news, strategies and best practices?
Join our Newsletter today!


text:
MediaSmarts has partnered with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to develop the Online Commerce Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet – the fourth in a series of tip sheets on cyber security issues.
Like it or not, if you use the Internet you have an online identity. Some people call this your “brand.” What’s a brand?
It’s been a busy few months for Facebook: a government investigation, another in a seemingly endless series of changes to the site’s privacy controls, a New Yorker profile of its famously publicity-shy founder and the upcoming release of The Social Network, a thoroughly unauthorized account of its early days. With all of the publicity and controversy around Facebook – not to mention its still-growing popularity – it’s almost impossible to remember what online life was like before it. In fact, it’s not much of an exaggeration to say that those who began using the Internet after the introduction of Facebook and its competitors do so in a way that is fundamentally different from older users.
Much of what we believe about the world comes from the media products we see and hear. This is especially true of places and things we might not have actually experienced, such as developing nations and global development efforts. Beyond Media Messages: Media Portrayal of Global Development looks at how the media influences our views of developing nations and global development efforts, how we can learn to read or view media portrayals critically and how we can become media authors to promote democratic citizenship.
Teachers who include media literacy in their classrooms often face issues that don’t arise in other subjects. Nothing illustrates this better than the issue of diversity in media. It’s not unreasonable for teachers to see the topic as a can of worms and be concerned about offending students and their parents – not to mention worrying about what the students themselves might say. At the same time, it’s a topic that is simply too important to be ignored: what we see in media hugely influences how we see others, ourselves and the world. As a result, an ability to analyze media depictions of diversity is not only a key element of being media literate, it’s essential to understanding many of the social issues and concerns that we face as citizens. That’s why Media Awareness Network has developed That’s Not Me – a new online tutorial for professional development to help educators and community leaders approach this issue through key concepts of media literacy.
How #Ottawapiskat turned the tables on media coverage of native issues Over the last few months the Idle No More movement has succeeded in bringing Aboriginal issues to national attention. This has been due in no small part due to the movement’s use of Twitter, where #IdleNoMore was a Trending Topic in both Canada and worldwide.
Summer can feel very long sometimes. Heck, I’ve been there. I clearly remember the days when the kids seemed crazier than a pack of wild squirrels, leaving piles of household detritus in their wake while I followed them helplessly, longing for a hot cup of coffee and five minutes in the bathroom without someone knocking on the door.
Canadian teens love to socialize online, and they especially love to share photos.
Is technology drawing us closer together, or pulling us apart? When it comes to TV and digital media, the answer may well be “yes” to both.
I’ve already written about YouTube and Instagram, but today I wanted to share some information about four other popular sites and apps that are on my radar right now: Snapchat, Vine, Tumblr and ask.fm.

domain: news


text:
UP to 150,000 people are expected to visit Goodwood Revival this weekend.
The sell-out event will see driving greats including Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees and Max Chilton on the track.
The annual revival sees road racing cars and motorcycles on display that would have competed during the circuit’s original period – 1948-1966.
Celebrtities including comedian Rowan Atkinson have already been spotted enjoying the events at the world’s biggest historic race.
But it is not just the motorsport that brings the atmosphere to the Goodwood Revival.
There is plenty to see around the circuit – including a barbershop quartet who sing timeless songs of the nostalgic era.
Visitors yesterday enjoyed toe-tapping music from Revival Big Band, My Favourite Things and five-piece vocal trio Elle and the Pocket Belles.
Off the track, there were fox furs, hats of all shapes and sizes, sunglasses, colourful dresses and uniforms.
While some dressed for the austerity of the 1940s, others went bigger and bolder in 1950s dresses and smart 60s styling, competing for the Goodwood Revival best dressed prize.
Many people were shopping for treasures on Revival’s High Street and over the road where traders were selling fashion pieces. Children were pushed around in vintage prams, and one boy even rode a donkey through the streets of the Goodwood Revival.


text:
1 (888) 505-5689
Episode #15: WordPress for Everything?
This week we are joined by Andrew Norcross from Reaktiv Studios to discuss why more small business owners and content marketers are looking at WordPress as a solution for not just blogging, but the ever changing face of digital publishing.
Andrew’s Top Five Plugins
Is Facebook’s video growth bullshit – http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2015/07/freebooting_stolen_youtube_videos_going_viral_on_facebook.single.html
Carnegie Melon study on gender bias in Google ads – http://marketingland.com/carnegie-mellon-study-finds-gender-discrimination-in-ads-shown-on-google-134479


text:
LiDestri Foods Inc. plans to donate $1 million in medical-grade hand sanitizer this summer to camps and school districts to keep staff and campers safe.
Company officials on Monday said LiDestri has donated 6,000 gallons of hand sanitizer so far, with a value of roughly $250,000. In addition to summer camps and schools, the Rochester food and drink manufacturer will donate the sanitizer to first responders, medical facilities, charities and more.
Last weekend, every family entering Seneca Park Zoo was given complimentary hand sanitizer. The YMCA of Greater Rochester Inc., the Harley School, and school districts in Greece, Fairport and Brighton have stocked up for the school year.
This spring, LiDestri pivoted its spirits lines to produce hand sanitizer using the formula recommended by the World Health Organization. The sanitizer can be used on hands and surfaces and is available in four sizes, including 1 gallon.
The family-owned company, headquartered in Fairport, produces locally more than 3 million food and beverage products each day and nationally employs more than 1,300 in the Rochester area, California, and New Jersey. LiDestri dates back 45 years, under the leadership of Giovanni LiDestri.
Recipe 21, a division of LiDestri Foods Inc., on Thursday rolled out its hand sanitizer line for the general public in direct response to COVID-19 relief efforts and the nationwide supply shortage.
LiDestri previously had adjusted its spirits production at its Lee Road facility to produce the hand sanitizer and meet the growing needs of essential businesses, health care workers, first responders and consumers. Orders are now being accepted online at Recipe21.com and being shipped directly to consumers.
Recipe 21 plans to donate a portion of the hand sanitizer proceeds to two charitable partnerships including CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving food and beverage service employees with children, who are faced with a health crisis or a natural disaster and are in need of help, including those who have been medically diagnosed with COVID-19; and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit that provides a unique healing experience to more than 20,000 seriously ill children and their families annually. Each organization will receive a minimum contribution of $21,000, officials said.
“When the country experienced such a significant shortage in hand sanitizer, we knew we needed to pivot our operations to do what we could to help. This was the perfect opportunity for Recipe 21 to make a real difference,” said Stefani LiDestri, the Rochester company’s co-CEO. “We are proud that this will be produced locally with our manufacturing teams, who work hard every day to get our products out to the market. Supporting families is a cause close to our hearts at LiDestri, so we are thrilled the sales of our hand sanitizer will benefit two charities also committed to helping families during difficult times.”
The hand sanitizer is an alcohol-based liquid featuring a World Health Organization-approved formula. The product launched on April 21 with curbside pickup at the company’s manufacturing facility, but the organization has since pivoted to increase the availability of its product. Recipe 21 is offering consumers two sizes, a pocket-sized 50ml bottle or a larger 375ml bottle, for home delivery nationwide.
For those in Rochester, the Rochester Red Wings and Palmer’s Direct to You Market are also selling Recipe 21 hand sanitizer.
“The Recipe 21 Brand has such a strong following. We feel responsible to step up and help our community and our retail partners, bartenders and customers,” said Ricky Tatar, director of sales & marketing for Recipe 21. “We love our community and our R21 fans. We are proud to work with our great partners to make hand sanitizer available to as many people as we possibly can while benefiting two meaningful charities.”
LiDestri will continue to make its popular Recipe 21 value-based spirits line, sales of which have experienced strong growth in recent weeks. Recipe 21 attributes its success to consumers and Upstate New York liquor stores for their ongoing brand support. As a thank you, many of these liquor stores in partnership with Recipe 21 will also be receiving hand sanitizer to help keep employees safe. The company also donated more than 600 gallons of Recipe 21 hand sanitizer directly to Rochester-area charities, health care facilities and essential businesses.
The Recipe 21 line is a nine-year-old brand that includes Premium Vodka; Orange, Grape and Cherry vodkas; London Dry Gin; Silver Tequila; Blended Whiskey; Cinnamon Whiskey; White Rum; Coconut Rum; Triple Sec; Peach Schnapps; and a Spiced Rum coming this summer.
LiDestri Foods Inc. has joined the ranks of Rochester area manufacturers who are helping with health care needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has transferred the production of one of its spirits lines to the creation of liquid hand sanitizer.
The process included the sourcing of the necessary raw materials, as well as packaging, company officials said. LiDestri’s production capabilities enable the company to have a great impact on filling the void and has a current order for 250,000 cases of hand sanitizer. LiDestri plans to produce and sell to the public in the coming weeks hand sanitizer under the brand name of its spirits brand Recipe 21.
All 1,300 LiDestri staffers remain employed, with more than 1,000 employees continuing to work on production lines, officials said. Office staff is working from home through the company’s investment in more than 50 new laptops to ensure each employee had the tools needed to do his or her job.
The local company has established a task force to address communication and procedures to follow state Department of Health and CDC guidelines, and has formed a cleaning task force that cleans surfaces, doors and equipment every four hours, officials said.
In a recent letter to employees, company co-CEOs Stefani LiDestri and John LiDestri thanked their team for adhering to precautions and processes and promised to continue transparency in communication.
“For more than 45 years, LiDestri Food and Drink has lived by a core value established by our chairman and father, Giovanni LiDestri, to ‘do the right thing,’” the CEOs wrote in their letter. “What we do at LiDestri Food and Drink matters — and now more than ever, our communities are counting on us to continue operations.”
In addition to producing hand sanitizer, LiDestri leadership has gifted a case of sauce to each employee during the pandemic and has given gift cards for all employees to patronize a local restaurant in Greece and in Fairport, where the company’s facilities are located.
The gift card investment — which also has helped two restaurants keep their doors open during the crisis — totals more than $50,000. Gift cards for restaurants and groceries also were issued to employees in LiDestri’s California and New Jersey facilities.
The company also has donated cases of sauce to location organizations, including a senior living facility and the Veterans Outreach Center, as well as 800 cases of sauce to Foodlink Inc.
Consumers want their food choices to be fresh, local, “clean,” healthy, decadent, plant-based, full of taste, packaged in a recycled container, and made by a company that has a social conscience and doesn’t harm the environment.
Those were some of the conclusions of a panel on meeting consumer demands with food innovation at the Grow-NY conference this week at the Floreano Riverside Convention Center.
Nearly 1,000 people, from Georgia to Alberta, Canada, were attending the conference to learn or boast about food and agriculture opportunities in this part of New York and to witness a $3 million competition for food and agriculture startups.
Seventeen startup companies, including two from Ontario County, were vying for prizes ranging from $250,000 to $1 million in the competition due to conclude Thursday. Grow-NY is an economic development initiative trying to lure businesses to or expand businesses in the Finger Lakes region, part of the Southern Tier, and Central New York. The Grow-NY area covers 22 counties, from Broome County in the southeast to Orleans County in the northwest.
Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement is managing the competition and event, which is funded by Empire State Development.
The local competitors were The Perfect Granola, of Victor, and RealEats America, of Geneva. Both companies source ingredients locally, eschew additives and exercise their social consciousness by donating their products, whether they’re granola bars or ready-to-reheat meals.
Other competitors included:
Dropcopter, a Syracuse company that uses drones to pollinate tree crops;
Combplex, an Ithaca company that using small lasers to kill pests that are killing honey bees;
AgVoice, a Norcross, Ga., company that uses voice-activated mobile devices to record and compile agricultural data; and
Livestock Water Recycling, from Alberta, a company that recycles the waste stream of cows into fertilizer and reusable water.
The competition was due to conclude with the announcement of the winners Thursday evening.
Each company had 20 minutes to make its presentation, with 10 minutes for the pitch and another 10 minutes to field questions from a panel of judges.
Evident in many of the pitches and the symposium discussions were the resources that exist locally for food and agriculture entrepreneurs. Many noted the role that Cornell University, and particularly its research and development arm in Geneva for agriculture and food production, Cornell AgriTech, had played in helping their companies hone their ideas. Similarly, several companies noted that they’re already demonstrating their technologies or products by working with Wegmans Food Markets Inc., such as at its organic farm in Canandaigua.
More established food and agriculture companies also offered their takes on doing business, including Rochester’s LiDestri Food and Drink, Rich Products in Buffalo and Chobani, in Chenango County. In the panel on consumer preferences, they both said they’re always watching for changes in consumer preferences, including environmental concerns.
Niel Sandfort, vice president of new product development at Chobani, said when a company’s carbon footprint is calculated, the nutrients they’re transporting should be part of the equation. He noted that yogurt is one of the most nutrient dense foods made, and trucks carrying that food shouldn’t really be compared to, say, trucks carrying loads of soda pop, which is essentially water and sugar.
Nevertheless, he said, “We’re constantly ‘light-weighting.’ Last year we took out 1 million pounds of resin. How do we (keep making) a better container?”
As for additives, Sandfort said the company is extremely careful about what it introduces to yogurt, joking that “Yogurt is basically a petri dish waiting to be contaminated.”
Jamie McKeon, senior vice president of demand creation at Rich Products, said consumers say they want clean, additive-free food but they’re also unwilling to compromise on taste. Her company, which makes what she described as a celebratory range of products — cakes, cookies, icings, pizzas — actually sees sales drop when it attempts to market products featuring healthy ingredients.
“Indulgence is important to consumers today. How can we make it healthier and ‘cleaner?’” she said. McKeon said consumer preferences seem to indicate people want to eat healthier during their daily routines, but focus more on taste and experience for non-routine meals or celebrations.
“Consumers are in control and they want to have it all,” she said.
LiDestri is partnering with a controlled environment producer of greens because of consumer preference, said Phil Viruso, chief operating office at LiDestri. “Consumers want fresh, healthy options and they want smaller portions,” so the company is trying to accommodate those preferences.
RBJ’s coverage of the winners of the competition will run online.
Businesses from anywhere are eligible to compete, but if they win, they must locate in the “Grow-NY region” for at least a year. That region includes the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Central New York, comprising 22 counties.
“Food and Ag-tech is a huge part of our overall economy,” said Tom Schryver, executive director of the Cornell center. In a video at the start of the announcement, he cited Chobani, the billion-dollar yogurt giant that grew from nothing in Chenango County, as an example of food entrepreneurship the award hopes to encourage.
Schryver also noted that 100 million people who need to eat live within 500 miles of the Grow-NY region, providing opportunity to grow more food-related businesses. The majority of new jobs come from startup companies less than five years old, he said.
The announcement, drawing state legislators, Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo and local food industry captains, was held at LiDestri Foods, a major food manufacturer and innovator.
“There can be countless more LiDestris creating jobs,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.
She said farmers are facing major difficulties on several fronts, including U.S. trade policies, changing tariffs, difficulties securing a workforce and effects of climate change. “We have to find ways to help them keep producing.”
Hochul said the three economic development regions were chosen for the Grow NY competition in part because they won $500 million from state in economic development funds, which will pay for the program.
Bill Strassburg, head of strategic planning at Wegmans Food Markets, said, “We have a wonderful ecosystem,” for food and agriculture entrepreneurship. “Grow-NY will help us become even more notable.”
Each year of the program, seven businesses will win prizes, from $250,000 to $1 million. Finalists will be mentored by a business adviser, receive pitch training, be brought to the region for a three-day business development trip and be given introductions and tours with potential partners.
Applications are open until July 15. More information on the competition and how to enter it is available on the Grow-NY website.
LiDestri Foods Inc. is partnering with Crop’s N.V. of Belgium to produce ready-to-eat meals at a new facility at Eastman Business Park. The move is expected to create 123 new full-time jobs in the next five years.
Up to $4 million for the project is being made available through the Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Initiative. Another $4 million also may be provided through the Excelsior Tax Credit Program in exchange for job creation commitments.
The URI capital grant stipulates that $1 million of the $4 million grant is tied to the region’s anti-poverty initiative; the company will have to hire 33 people who meet the eligibility requirements for the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative.
“We are excited because we are bringing an innovative product from our European partners that not only provides jobs for families but an innovative, on-trend healthy choice for families,” LiDestri Co-president John LiDestri said in a statement Tuesday.
Officials did not disclose the name of the new manufacturing company that will be formed as a result of the partnership, nor when construction would begin or end. The project will help retain 900 jobs at LiDestri’s two locations on Lee Road and in Fairport.
“By investing in innovative projects and partnerships we are growing key industries across the state and creating more jobs for New Yorkers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “This new partnership will continue to highlight the region’s great agricultural assets and build on the efforts of the regionally designed Finger Lakes Forward plan to reinvigorate communities and generate economic growth across the entire region.”
The $51.3 million project will include the construction of a 65,000-square-foot facility at EBP, as well as the addition of manufacturing lines, a railroad extension and utility upgrades.
“New occupants at Eastman Business Park continue to contribute to its growth,” EBP President and Eastman Kodak Co. CFO David Bullwinkle said. “With almost 110 companies operating in the park today and impressive momentum for new users, we are working to bring in several more in 2019. Eastman Business Park resources are a great fit for food and beverage processing, biopharma and roll-to-roll manufacturing.”
LiDestri was founded in 1975 as Cantisano Foods Inc. and is known for its pasta sauces, dips and salsas. Crop’s N.V. manufactures and distributes frozen food in Europe including fruits and vegetables.
“LiDestri Food and Drink has been a catalyst to the transformation of Eastman Business Park and has become one of our region’s fastest growing employers,” Sen. Joe Robach, R-Greece, said. “This exciting partnership will bring even more jobs to the revitalized Eastman Business Park. As a member of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, I am proud to see the state’s investment in this project and significant tax dollars coming back to our community.”
At least one local company is passing along benefits from the 2017 Tax Cut and Job Act: LiDestri Food and Drink informed its 1,200 employees today that their mid-month paychecks would be twice as large as usual.
The one-time boost was a result of “strong company performance” and the recently enacted federal tax cut, the company said.
“When we learned that the recent tax cuts would provide the company with some unaccounted-for funds, we immediately thought it should be shared with our workforce,” said Co-President Stefani LiDestri. “It just so happened that it came together on Valentine’s Day, the perfect time to let our employees know how much they mean to us.”
Employees at five locations—Fairport; Rochester; Fresno, Calif.; Lansdale, Pa.; and Pennsauken, N.J.—are receiving a note with the bonus check that says, “The LiDestri’s family wants you to know that we appreciate you, each and every day and yes, you are our Valentine!”
A company spokesman said the total bonus payout was more than $1 million.
LiDestri was founded in 1975 and today supplies more than 80 million cases of food, beverages and spirits a year. The company produces a number of national brands as well as an array of private labels, such as some Wegmans store-brand products.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.


text:
Breaking: Other China Milk Additives Include Animal Urine & Skin To Increase Protein Count
A senior dairy analyst said Chinese farmers were cutting corners to cope with rising costs for feed and labor.
“Before the melamine incident, I know they could have been adding organic stuff, say animal urine or skin,” said Chen Lianfang of Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant Co. “Basically, anything that can boost the protein reading.”
But he and others expressed skepticism that so many farmers would know to add melamine to milk. The chemical is not water-soluble and must be mixed with formaldehyde or another chemical before it can be dissolved in milk.
“Farmers can’t be well-educated enough to think of melamine,” Chen said. “There must be people from chemical companies contacting them and telling them it’s a good idea.”
Whey Powder Also Suspect…
“The (US) Food and Drug Administration said it is stepping up inspections at ports as a precaution. Inspectors will be sampling bulk shipments of food ingredients from Asia that are derived from milk, such as milk powder and whey powder. The FDA also plans to issue a consumer alert warning people not to buy milk products from China on the Internet.
Above Breaking News from AP: Milk Off Shelves As China’s Safety Scandal Grow
A week ago, Barbados Free Press was first to break the news on Barbados of China’s melamine-tainted powdered milk and baby formula. Then it was one dead and hundreds of babies seriously ill.
A week later and we know the situation is much worse and far more widespread than previously thought. Four babies dead, and the number of seriously ill is heading for ten thousand. The contaminated products are now known to include fresh milk, powdered milk, baby formula, yogurt, snack bars and cream.
22 Chinese Milk Producers Delivered Tainted Milk Products
And it is not just one company anymore. TEN PERCENT of samples from all producers tested in China show melamine contamination.
Reports of Tainted Products Found So Far In: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Yemen, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Gabon and Burundi
Health Minister Estwick: What Is The Situation In Barbados?
We’d like some communication, Sir. Don’t you think it is about time for you to share what, if anything, your ministry has actually done in response to today’s information about tainted milk products from China? Are there any products on our shelves that contain any dairy ingredients from China?


text:
Two days after raising $250 million in a series D raise in February 2022, pan-African fintech giant Flutterwave held an event where it announced, among other things, that it would add Google Pay and Apple Pay to its payment options.
Today, the business is following through on its promise regarding Google Pay, as customers of the global payment service may now use it to make purchases from merchants on Flutterwave’s storefronts.
This comes from the company’s recent integration of the e-Naira, the digital currency used in Nigeria, into its platform. This makes it possible for buyers and sellers to transact directly using cryptocurrency.
With these changes, it’s clear that Flutterwave is on a mission to give its users quick and flexible ways to pay. Flutterwave says that this change will make it less likely for people to leave their online shopping carts empty.
In a statement to TechCabal, Flutterwave’s founder and CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, said he was sure that the Google Pay integration would bring customers from all over the world to businesses on Flutterwave.
Flutterwave’s commitment to developing a platform that enables streamlined payment processing for all users is the driving force behind the company’s sustained and rapid expansion.
The GooglePay payment option will attract more foreign clients and boost the present success rates for Flutterwave enterprises. By integrating with Google Pay, customers from all over the world will be able to take part in the flourishing e-commerce ecosystem that is now present in Africa. It will help us keep our promise to give everyone a world full of opportunities,” he said.
While this is going on, Flutterwave is not automating the process of integrating this feature for any of the 30,000 merchants who use their platform. To participate, interested merchants need to manually opt-in from within their dashboards.


text:
Fairtrade, the globally recognized label for social justice, and the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, recently announced an expanded partnership aimed at helping farmers and agricultural workers to diversify and access new markets, achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and strive towards Agenda 2030.
The expanded partnership, the details of which are outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Fairtrade Global CEO Sandra Uwera, Fairtrade Max Havelaar CEO Renato Isella, and ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton, will now see both organizations accelerate work in promoting greater sustainability among farmers and agricultural workers across the globe, enabling them to participate more in global trade.
The collaboration will see enhanced work in a range of areas including on-farm diversification to enable farmers to face increasing agroecological and socioeconomic challenges; gender, women and youth empowerment; adaptation to climate change and biodiversity; the strengthening of governance, financial and commercial management skills for farmer groups; and building the capacity of producer organizations to set-up and maintain their own monitoring and response systems on human rights and environmental due diligence, or HREDD.
“I am thrilled to see Fairtrade and ITC recommit to and build upon our organizations’ long-standing and fruitful partnership,” said Uwera, following the signing of the agreement at ITC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. “Together, we can work with renewed purpose in enabling farmers and agricultural workers around the world to achieve the SDGs.”
Uwera continued, “We have seven years left to Agenda 2030 and farmers and agricultural workers are a critical part of ensuring we stay on track to achieving a sustainable future for all. The expanded partnership between Fairtrade and ITC will help ensure delivery of critical support that will enable farmer organizations to make the right decisions as they work to make their operations more sustainable and achieve greater market access for their products.”
Fairtrade and ITC have long held an extensive collaboration promoting ethical trade and advocating on sustainability issues with key global stakeholders. Indeed, over the past few years, the two international bodies have worked closely on a number of publications as well as the ITC Sustainability Map – a unique tool benchmarking voluntary sustainability standards. In addition, both organizations have collaborated at a programmatic level on projects related to coffee and cocoa value chains in Ghana, Ethiopia and Latin America.
“The collaboration with ITC’s Alliances for Action (A4A) initiative has already been very fruitful and together we have been able to create value chain projects with a real innovative and impactful character,” noted Isella. “We are happy that we can now take this partnership to the next level with the aim of bringing on board more partners and additional resources so that even more producers can benefit.”
Building on this history of successful partnership, the new Fairtrade – ITC agreement provides the framework for further collaboration as the organizations expect to scale up their current sustainability efforts in various value chains, as well as engage commercial partners and new stakeholders in public-private partnerships to tackle producers’ sustainability priorities.In addition to these planned efforts, the partnership will also support farmer organizations in accessing new distribution channels, both locally and internationally, for their products, permitting them to reach new markets and strengthen their finances.
“Our partnership with Fairtrade gets to the heart of what we do, which is empowering producers in developing countries to move up value chains, enter new markets and earn higher incomes, to live better lives,” said Coke-Hamilton. “I’m looking forward to expanding on our collaboration to reach new sectors and regions.”
Fairtrade is an independent non-profit organization representing nearly two million farmers and workers worldwide. It owns the FAIRTRADE mark, a registered trademark appearing on more than 30,000 products, which is the most recognized and trusted sustainability label in the world.
To learn more about Fairtrade, visit Fairtrade.net.
Plan to Attend or Participate in the
Annual World Tea Conference + Expo
To learn about other key developments, trends, issues, hot topics and products within the global tea community, plan to attend the annual World Tea Conference + Expo in Las Vegas, co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the World Tea Conference + Expo, or to enquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities at World Tea News, contact:
Business Development Manager, Questex
Email: [email protected]


text:
South African musical sensation, K.O, known by his real name Ntokozo Mdluli, has recently achieved yet another milestone in his already illustrious career. Fresh off his triumph at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs), where he clinched accolades for The Most Streamed Song and Highest Airplay Composer, the rapper is now venturing into a new realm – the retail industry.
Taking to social media on November 20, K.O enthusiastically shared the news of his upcoming venture. The opening of his inaugural multi-purpose retail store. The SETE hitmaker, who is known for making waves in the music scene, provided a glimpse into the unfinished store’s interior. Building anticipation for its grand opening slated for December 1, 2023, at The Design District, 9 Keyes Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg.
In addition, a caption that resonates with inspiration, K.O urged aspiring dream-chasers. Addressing them as “black kings and queens,” never to lose steam in pursuit of their dreams. His declaration, “All is possible through the Almighty! Meet you there!” serves as both an invitation and a testament to his unwavering faith in achieving one’s aspirations.
The announcement stirred a wave of pride and congratulations from fans and followers in the comments section. One supporter hailed K.O as the conqueror, exclaiming, “Mr. KO about to KO everything, big ups, man.” Another comment reflected on a previous conversation with the artist about diversifying beyond music. Expressing joy at witnessing this vision come to fruition. “Congratulations bro, I remember we spoke about venturing out of music when you were doing Q&A’s. So happy to see this come to life. All the best.”
This exciting venture not only showcases K.O’s versatility but also symbolizes a significant step towards economic empowerment within the South African entertainment industry. As the rapper continues to break barriers and set new standards. His foray into the retail world adds another layer to the narrative of Black excellence in the creative and entrepreneurial spheres.


text:
Intel might be about to take yet another crushing blow to its processor business as Apple appears to be slowly (but surely) inching closer towards ditching its chips.
The Cupertino behemoth is planning to start selling computers with its own ARM-based processors as early as 2021, Bloomberg reports. The new chips will be based on the same designs underpinning the iPhone and the iPad, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Apple is developing three of its own processors — known as systems-on-a-chip — based on the A14 processors slated to power the next iPhone. At least one of these will be significantly snappier than those in the iPhone and the iPad, the report suggests.
The company hopes to roll out at least one Mac with its own processor next year, but the development of multiple models suggests Apple is planning to move away other devices in its Mac lineup away from Intel technology. The chips will rely on a 5-nanometer architecture (similar to what’s found inside the iPhone and the iPad pro), and will be manufactured by TSMC.
Apple’s processors will purportedly come as self-contained units, featuring both a CPU and a GPU. In some cases, they’re expected to double (and even quadruple) the amount of cores in its current Intel-powered Macs.
The technology is said to rely on a combination of high-performance processing units for intensive tasks, and more energy-efficient units for low-power tasks — similarly to how the iPhone chips are designed.
Rumors about Apple diving into the computer processor market have circulated for a few years now. Back in 2018, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first speculated the iPhone-maker could drop a Mac with an in-house chip as early as 2020.
Aside from reducing reliability on other companies, one of Apple’s main motivations behind developing its own processors is that Intel has struggled to deliver the yearly boost in performance it once did.
If that wasn’t enough, Intel has already been losing ground to competitor AMD, whose desktop CPU offerings deliver better performance for less money. More worryingly, AMD has also started catching up — and arguably even taking the lead — when it comes to mobile CPU performance.
While many laptop manufacturers continue to rely on Intel processors, more companies are making the switch to AMD, including Microsoft which released a Ryzen-powered Surface laptop earlier this year.
Even worse, Apple is also gearing up to leave behind Intel’s cellular modem technology used in the iPhone in favor of Qualcomm’s 5G alternative.
While Bloomberg suggests Apple’s inaugural processors won’t reach Intel-tier performance in higher-end models, the company remains confident it can leapfrog Intel’s technology in the long run. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.
One thing seems for certain, though: If Apple’s foray into computer processors succeeds, Intel’s business is destined to suffer.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Follow @thenextweb


text:
Joint Venture Jewelry celebrates two decades in business with a Roaring ’20s 20th anniversary party.
On Aug. 23, from 5-8 p.m. the Cary store will stoke the vintage vibe with live jazz from Carolina Jazz Girl, plus drinks and cocktails. Attendees also can see jewelry dating from the late-1800s to the 1940s from a visiting estate collection. The collection’s curator will tell the stories behind the gems.
The store will have several giveaways during the night, including a grand prize vintage 2-carat diamond buckle ring. Tickets are $5 and available at Joint Venture, by calling 919-678-0092 or at jointventurejewelry.com/articles/roaring-twenties-20th-anniversary-party.
Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes a spate of trunk shows with new looks for the coming season. Here’s this week’s lineup:
▪ Fine Feathers boutique in Chapel Hill will have jackets, sportswear and more from Nina McLemore, Aug. 21-28. McLemore’s line is designed for women to easily transition from the boardroom to cocktails and dinner. To schedule an appointment, call 919-942-3151.
▪ New styles from Mignonne Gavigan jewelry come to Vermillion in North Hills for a trunk show Aug. 22-25. New pieces for fall will be included, and the designer will be in the store Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more details, call 919-787-9780.
▪ Dovecote Style boutique in Pittsboro’s Fearrington Village kicks off its fall trunk show series with new goodies for women from Kinross and The Laundress. Kinross specializes in cashmere sweaters while The Laundress offers high-end laundry detergents and fabric care products. For more info, call 919-542-1145.
The early bird gets the worm — or in this case, the gift card — at Belk’s Charity Sale, Aug. 25, 6-10 a.m. Belk stores at Triangle Town Center and Cary Towne Center will host a private shopping event with discounts throughout the store, including on designer brands not ordinarily discounted.
The first 100 customers at each store will receive a Belk gift card ranging from $5 to $100. Admission to the sale is $5, and money raised benefits a number of local charities, including Rescues 4 Rescue, Charles T. Norwood American Legion Post 157, Johnston County Junior Civitan Club, Note in the Pocket and more. For details, visit belk.com.
Beauty product retailer Aillea celebrates its first North Carolina outpost with a grand opening celebration at the Raleigh location in Cameron Village, Aug. 25, 4-7 p.m. Shoppers can check out the store’s “clean” beauty products, score goodie bags, makeovers and gifts with purchase. To RSVP, email Raleigh@aillea.com.


text:
Tesla’s recAlling over 321,000 vehicles over a software Taillights not working on certain cars due to an error to Incorrectly illuminate (via Reuters). According to a filing This recall was issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for certain Model 3s in 2023. vehicles 2020 to 2023 Model Y vehicles.
Tesla Rear lights on one or both side of the vehicle could be a problem “intermittently illuminate” due to An issue “that may cause false fault detections during the vehicle wake up process.” This is according to NHTSA. “increase the risk of a collision” In dark conditions, but Tesla hasn’t received any reports of injuries or accidents related to This is the problem. As with most Tesla recalls (except this one affecting the Model 3’s seat belt buckles), the company’s addressing the issue With an over-the-air (OTA) software update.
This is the 19th recall of electric vehicle makers this year. Last week Tesla recalled almost 30,000 Model X vehicles over An issue This could result in the front passenger airbag being activated. to Incorrectly deployed in “low-speed” If a child is in front, collisions can cause injury. It can also recalled more than 40,000 Model X and S cars A problem could result in the loss of power steering during driving over Bumpy roads or hitting a pothole.


text:
Notes: Some 62% of brand and agency representatives around the world are satisfied (top-2 box score on a 5-point scale) with how well their current marketing technology is meeting their expectations, and 57% plan to make new technology investments. That's according to a survey of 255 executives across a range of industries and functions, who rated social marketing capabilities the most critical ones of digital marketing technology solutions.
Notes: Almost two-thirds of 18-29-year-olds in the US prefer saving money (66%) as opposed to spending (33%) it, based on a Gallup review of surveys conducted from 2014 through 2016. That represents a significant change from the 2001-2006 period, when an average of 54% of Millennials reported a preference for spending as opposed to saving (43%).
Almost 1 in 5 AM/FM radio listeners report spending more time listening to the radio this year than last, close to twice the proportion of listeners who are tuning in less, according to the latest annual Jacobs Media Techsurvey [download page]. The study, which is based on a survey of 39,503 listeners in the US and Canada (almost entirely the US), finds that hearing their favorite songs remains the primary motivation for listeners.
Some 57% of global consumers say they are either much more (31%) or somewhat more (26%) concerned with their online privacy compared to a year ago, find the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Ipsos in a survey of more than 24,000 internet users aged 16-64 across 24 countries (18-64 in the US and Canada). Indeed, at least half of internet users in each region said that their privacy concerns have grown.
Notes: Some 84% of digital consumers aged 14 and up around the world agree that advertising interruptions while reading text or watching videos are too frequent, and that figure holds steady across age groups. That's according to recently-released data from Accenture, which also found that more than 6 in 10 (including 73% of those aged 14-17) are aware of alternatives that exist to block advertising interruptions.
Notes: Non-profits' email lists and messaging volume both grew in 2015, though response rates declined, per M+R's 10th annual Benchmarks report, which surveyed 105 participants across 8 sectors. Non-profits sent their subscribers a median average of 49 messages per year, with the largest number (19) of those being fundraising messages (which unsurprisingly sported the lowest open and click rates). Rights organizations were the most active mailers, sending their subscribers an average of 61 emails per year, per the report.


text:
In response to our Consumer Alert exposing the Prop 33 campaign for using paid campaign employees in their TV ads, the insurance industry-backed Proposition 33 campaign issued a statement to the LA Times Opinion blog – excerpts below – stating that “the two women in their ads were simply volunteering their stories in support of the effort to pass Proposition 33.” That disingenuous response begs the question:
Is a Paid Employee a Volunteer? I guess if you can call charging people more for their auto insurance simply for not driving a “discount,” then why not call an employee a volunteer?
California election law requires campaigns that use paid spokespeople in their ads disclose this within the ad. Nowhere in these ads do the proponents disclose that the two women work for the PR firm that is being paid over half a million dollars to run the Yes on 33 campaign. That is why we filed an official complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission asking them to investigate the ads for violating election law.
If you feel that the public has a right to know when the people in campaign ads are being paid for their opinions, then watch our Consumer Alert and share with your friends and networks to help us combat these insurance-industry lies.
October 3, 2012
“Marketplace argues that it didn’t violate the law, and that may be technically correct. But the campaign misleads the public by presenting employees of its political consultant as disinterested consumers who just want a break on their insurance premiums…That seems par for the course for backers of Proposition 33, the latest in a long series of efforts by Mercury Insurance founder George Joseph to undo part of 1988’s Proposition 103.”
“In its response Tuesday, Marketplace said: ‘We encourage Consumer Watchdog to continue drawing attention to the ads because the message they deliver is both honest and direct.'”
“…The message is direct, all right, but it isn’t honest.”
Posted by Daniel Palay, New Media Director of Consumer Watchdog Campaign and supporter of StopProp33.com. For more information on the campaign visit us on Facebook and Twitter


text:
NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings, reports it has hired Charles Harris as the director of automotive aftermarket sales and appointed Ed Magruder to the role of director of special market sales.
Distributors and suppliers who participated in the most recent Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) Business and Education Conference, and accepted the AWDA Challenge, together contributed more than $92,000 to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation.
Winners of Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper’s Orlando Experience technician sweepstakes, which ran from Sept. 1-Nov. 30, 2018, are now enjoying a week in Central Florida.
In its early years, Perfect Equipment focused wholly on a single product — the wheel weight — for a single market — the U.S. Eighty years after its founding, the brand has grown into a diversified product line sold in 35 countries around the world.
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance has named Denso Products and Services Americas Inc. the winner of the 2019 Receiver’s Choice Award, presented at the Auto Care Association’s Automotive Content Professionals Network Knowledge Exchange Conference in Tampa, Fla.
Winhere Brake Parts Inc. has named aftermarket industry veteran Russ Barker its director of sales.
Arnie Fox and Steve Durning have partnered to form a new marketing services firm, Gain Aftermarket, which offers manufacturers, remanufacturers, WDs and retailers extra marketing talent on a contract basis without the high cost and commitment of hiring additional permanent staff.
Federated Auto Parts and Fisher Auto Parts have established a memorial fund to honor the late Francis “Frank” Berrodin, former chairman of Berrodin Parts Warehouse, who died on April 24, 2019, at the age of 92.
A record number of technicians – nearly 200,000 -- entered Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper’s Ultimate Outdoor Adventure sweepstakes, which officially ended April 30. The second and final drawing for the sweepstakes will take place May 16, 2019.
The nonprofit TechForce Foundation has named 10 automotive, diesel, motorcycle and collision repair technician students as winners of its 2019 FutureTechs Rock Awards, with the grand prize going to an Ohio student.
Sign up for a FREE subscription to Auto Service Professional magazineSubscribe


text:
Tea exports soar 15 percent in 2019
Local growers shipped 4,000 tons of tea to 110 countries last year to generate $15.3 million in export revenues, Anadolu Agency has reported, citing data from the Eastern Black Sea Exporters’ Association (DKİB).
Last year’s exports marked a 15 percent increase compared with 2018 when tea exports stood at around 3,600 tons.
Belgium, which purchased some 1,600 tons of tea, was the main export market for local tea producers, with $5.8 million. In terms of volume exports to this country, it soared 124 percent on an annual basis, while in terms of value the increase was 85 percent.
Germany was the second-largest buyer with $2 million followed by North Cyprus with $1.7 million.
Companies operating from the eastern Black Sea region exported 2,800 tons of tea, bagging a total of $8.5 million in revenues in 2019, up from 2,400 tons of tea shipments and $6.5 million of revenues collected in 2018.
The main export market for the region’s growers was Belgium which absorbed $5.8 million worth of tea produced in the area. The U.S. came second with $694,000, followed by North Cyprus with $ 544,000.
Turkish tea has gained more international recognition which helped to boost exports, said Şaban Turgut, the head of DKİB.
“Çaykur’s [General Directorate of Tea Enterprises] participation in international food fairs and promotion of locally produced tea help us a great deal. We can boost exports further if private companies take part in global food exhibitions. This year we are expecting higher export revenues,” he said.


text:
Microsoft has just released there Xbox 360 and Halo 3 sales figures and I have to say they are quite impressive.
Obviously Microsoft isn’t the most unbiased source but they haven’t been caught lying about sales figures (yet) as far as I know so I am giving them the benefit of the doubt here.
Microsoft has sold 17.7 million Xbox 360’s and over 8.1 million copies of Halo 3.
8.1 million copies.. that is an astronomical amount and really does show how important that franchise is to Microsoft.
However what is even more impressive is that according to the official NPD (American) numbers the software attachment rate of the 360 is 6.9:1, which means the average 360 owner has 6.9 games…. Which is way higher than the competition.
Mass Effect has also managed to shift 1.6 million copies in its first 6 weeks of life.
Latest Xbox 360, Halo 3 Sales Figures Are Astounding – Xbox
Last Updated: January 4, 2008


text:
British fashion legend George Davies is introducing his latest brand, called GWD, to the UK market later this month at trade show Pure London.
The brand - an abbreviation of Davies’ full name - was launched two years ago in the Middle East, initially debuting exclusively with womenswear before expanding into childrenswear.
It marks a return to the UK fashion scene for Davies, who is the mind behind some of the nation’s best-known fashion labels including Next, George at Asda, and Per Una at Marks & Spencer.
GWD said “triumphant sales and worldwide demand” have led it to enter the UK market with “a fresh and edited range for the British customer”. A UK website will also be launched soon.
The collection showcasing at Pure London will feature Davies’ “signature mix of occasionwear and smart-casual attire”, and will include embellishments, intricate lace designs, bold prints, and vibrant colours.
GWD director Clare Holmes said in a statement: “Travelling around the world has been key to the success of George’s brands, both in terms of sourcing manufacturers and design inspiration.
“Spending time in European countries, particularly Italy, combines his passion for travel and adoration of fashion.”
The upcoming edition of Pure London will take place from February 12 to 14 at London Olympia.
Holmes said the GWD collection showcasing at the event “encapsulates everything that the brand is and more”, and will comprise “beautiful satin maxi dresses, luxurious velvet jumpsuits, florals, laces, embellishments, feathers and more”.
Gloria Sandrucci, event director at Pure London, commented: “Created by such a fashion and retail visionary, GWD is set to be a resounding success and we are incredibly excited to include the brand in our impressive and diverse exhibitor presentation.”
GWD joins a line-up of over 250 brands attending Pure London this month, including Beaumont, Bl-nk, Camper, Cotswold Knit, Critically Endangered, Fika, La Fee Maraboutee, Landa Bags, Moss Copenhagen, Pamela Mann, POM Amsterdam, Pretty Vacant, Queens of Archive, and Yerse.


text:
SoftBank Group Corporation had announced a 97% drop in quarterly profit after the Arms deal worth up to $80 billion to sell chip architect Arm collapsed, adding to the strain on the Japanese company to help its hanging shares.
Masayoshi Son’s investment giant detailed a net benefit of $251 million (29 billion yen) in the October-December quarter compared to 1.2 trillion yen a year earlier when its tech portfolio energized.
After tech unicorns pushed into the “valley of the Covid” at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son rode a recuperation in valuations as new companies, for example, online business firm Coupang came to market.
Presently valuations are again under tension as financial backers cast a doubtful eye over tech firms promising future benefits and national banks move towards paring pandemic stimulus.
The Vision Fund unit posted a speculation gain of 111.45 billion yen during the quarter.
Numerous portfolio organizations are exchanging beneath their listing price, with office-sharing firm WeWork, ridehailer Grab and trade-in vehicle platform Auto1 all falling during the quarter.
Vision Fund 2, which had $51 billion in submitted capital at Dec-end, has invested $43.1 billion in over 200 startups.
SoftBank said its arrangement to sell chip creator Arm to Nvidia had fallen through in the midst of administrative obstacles.


text:
IF YOU LIVE for the little notification telling you a new version of iOS is available, then Apple really is making sure you live your best life. Apple says it will follow in an over-the-air software update, but it's probably already the iPhone 11's most interesting feature. Now, the Deep Fusion feature has arrived in developer beta mode of iOS 13 which is a big hint of it arriving for general users as well.
The initial release of iOS 13 was on September 19.
Apple has just released its third update for iOS 13, with iOS 13.1.2 being rolled out for customers.
As per the official changelog provided by Apple, iOS 13.1.2 addresses an issue that could continue to show the progress bar for iCloud Backup after a successful backup.
Additionally, they address an issue where Bluetooth may disconnect on certain vehicles and a bug where the flashlight may not activate.
GM, union spar over health care, revealing tension in talks
Workers can take vacation time or they'll get an unspecified portion of their pay, GM said. The union's strike fund was covering the cost of premiums and copays for its members.
Unfortunately, it's unclear whether the latest software solves the battery issues that some Watch owners have been complaining about since the release of watchOS 6. This was somewhat ironic considering that watchOS 6 introduced the ability for users to hear Siri speak the time on all watch faces, although of course Mickey and Minnie do so in a far more distinctive way.
The new watchOS release also includes a bug fix for the issue that could result in a loss of display calibration data.
The US company has pushed-out an operating system update to the smartwatch created to fix performance, quash bugs, and improve security.
You can download watchOS 6.0.1 to any Apple Watch model that's compatible with watchOS 6.0. It notably emerged following the arrival of watchOS 6.0 earlier this month.
Despite the rapid updates to iPhone's and iPad's software, there are still things that remain broken for developers.
The Apple Watch should restart twice before the update is completely installed.


text:
Cisco is cutting 4,000 jobs, or 5%f its workforce, as it makes a fresh attempt to reduce costs and refocus on growth areas in the face of uncertain demand for its network equipment.
Shares in the world's biggest network equipment maker, known for providing phone systems in offices across the world, fell more than 9 percent after hours, their biggest drop in more than a year.
A lukewarm revenue forecast dashed expectations that Cisco could overcome muted demand for tech infrastructure. Its shares had been up more than 50 percent in the past 12 months.
Cisco, which has offices in London and was one of the sponsors of the 2012 Games, has been whittling away at its workforce and selling off consumer businesses such as home networking, in a turnaround that begun in 2010, when it started losing ground to nimbler rivals like Juniper Networks and Palo Alto Networks.
The company that once specialized in providing the backbone of the Internet now sees software and equipment for datacenters and corporate cloud networking as its keys to growth. But Wednesday's results suggest the pace of expansion has been slower than anticipated, analysts said.
"The environment in terms of our business is improving slightly but nowhere near the pace that we want," said Chief Executive John Chambers on a conference call following quarterly earnings. "We have to very quickly reallocate the resources."
Cisco said last month it plans to buy cybersecurity company Sourcefire for $2.7 billion. The company has made it a priority to improve security across its hardware, software and cloud products.
Chambers also said the current business environment was underperforming his expectations. Despite strength in the United States, weakness in Asia and mixed results from Europe continued to dog its business.
Cisco is regarded a strong indicator of the general health of the technology industry because of its broad customer base.
Shares of Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Hewlett-Packard all fell slightly in after hours trading.Reuse content


text:
One of the keys to fast growth among Missouri companies is corporate volunteerism, according to a survey released at the 53rd annual Governor’s Conference on Economic Development, held Sept. 21–23 at University Plaza and Convention Center.
Results of the survey – collected by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center and the Business Research and Development Group at the University of Missouri – were shared with roughly 30 attendees of the Cheetahs Continue conference breakout session.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development previously defined “cheetah firms” as those that doubled employment between 2001 and 2006. State officials have conducted a follow-up survey with Missouri’s 6,200 cheetah firms and found that 1,630, or roughly 26 percent, added employees between 2006 and 2009, despite difficult economic conditions.
MU researchers conducted 593 telephone interviews with those companies to glean reasons for success.
Highlights in the statewide survey include:
- 58 percent of respondents serve in a volunteer capacity for committees or boards in their communities;
- 60 percent of cheetahs believe customers choose them because of internal factors, such as quality of service, which easily outpaced external factors such as low price (9 percent);
- 55 percent of the businesses buy at least two-thirds of their goods and services from firms within 100 miles of their location; and
- 27 percent of those surveyed said strategic planning enabled employment growth, while 23 percent said demand caused the need to hire.
More than 200 of the companies interviewed operate in the 26-county southwest Missouri region, and among them is Bolivar-based construction equipment rental company Superior Rents Inc.
Co-owner Steve Wohnoutka said he and his brother, Dan, started Superior Rents in 2005 to meet a need in the Bolivar area, and the duo watched revenues jumped nearly tenfold to $700,000 in its second year. The fast growth posed a bit of a problem – the brothers were working 110 hours a week to keep up.
“Our industry peaked in 2006, so our timing was a liability we had to overcome through hard work,” Steve Wohnoutka said.
Superior Rents peaked in 2008, with $1.74 million in revenues, before dropping 45 percent to $1.2 million in 2009. The company also operates retail centers in Springfield and Joplin.
The business has since operated in recovery mode, and Wohnoutka says this year could bounce back to 2008 levels.
The survey found that 44 percent of cheetahs relied on bank loans or lines of credit to finance their businesses, while roughly 30 percent relied on earnings.
Wohnoutka said a good relationship with Bank of Bolivar helped to grow the company in its early days, and despite opening a Republic store that ultimately closed, an aggressive attitude toward sales and expansion has kept the company afloat.
Wohnoutka said he didn’t utilize tax credits or government-backed financing to start Superior Rents, and he believes there is little economic development types can do to jump-start the economy.
“Capitalism should be done by capitalists,” Wohnoutka said. “The best thing the government can do is creating a stable and secure environment that allows capitalists to do what they do.”
The fast growth at Springfield medical records company Intuitive Medical Software LLC has led to its buyout by Newark, Del.-based health care solutions firm Endo Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ENDP).
Craig Frazier, co-founder of the company that writes software for urologists, said the sale closed Sept. 1, and a name change to Healthtronics Information Technology Services is forthcoming. Intuitive Medical Software was among the cheetah firms interviewed.
Frazier said early growth was built on a strong knowledge of the urology and ophthalmology niches, in large part due to co-founder Dr. Howard Follis.
“About seven years ago, (Follis) identified a need for specialty-specific, easy-to-use medical records. He didn’t find any when he went looking, so he decided to build one himself,” Frazier said, adding that he helped Follis develop a business plan and secure investors as they prepared to enter the market.
Conference presenter David Schmidt, director of MU’s Business Research & Information Development Group, said most cheetah firms followed a similar path. He said 43 percent of those who started cheetah companies recognized a need in the marketplace, and 21 percent cited industry experience in determining a viable opportunity.
“It’s an issue of confidence. The more someone does something and is successful, the more they tend to gain confidence,” Schmidt said.
Intuitive Medical Software started with seven employees in 2007 and currently employs 49. While Frazier declined to disclose revenues, he said sales have paralleled employee growth, and the company plans to roughly double its staff in the next year to meet the needs of its 800 clients nationwide.
Being picky in the hiring process, Frazier said, and focusing on those who could provide quality customer service played an important part in the company’s growth, which falls in line with the study’s results on internal factors.
“We compete with companies that are in New Jersey, Chicago, New York, … and the population that we draw from here has some very real advantages,” he said, adding that high community values foster quality employees, which only helps in growth mode.
As to government policies that helped or hindered growth, 77 percent of survey participants said “nothing.”
“The No. 1 thing that the government can do is to get out of it – totally do nothing,” Frazier said. “Everything the government does makes running a business harder. Every tax they increase to make up some program that they think is going to help, makes it worse.”
Of those who said their success had been impacted by the government, 38 percent said regulations hindered growth, while 27 percent said tax credits helped.
Two out of three cheetahs said they incorporated a new process or technology that contributed to its growth. Eighty percent said they had a Web presence, but 68 percent said none of their business comes from online sales.
The full survey results are available at MissouriBusiness.net/bridg
, under the Research Reports tab.[[In-content Ad]]


text:
Beverly Hills-based Premier Pet Supply is planning to open the first full-service pet supply store in downtown Detroit this summer when it launches on the first floor of the newly constructed City Club Apartments CBD Detroit.
Premier Pet Supply’s downtown Detroit store will be located on the ground floor of the seven-story City Club Apartments CBD Detroit at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Park Avenue. The approximately 2,500-square-foot store will face Grand Circus Park and carry a full line of national products, specialty items, and holistic goods.
It will cater to the needs of a wide customer base with a special focus on smaller living environments and the urban pet. From fish and small animals to cats and dogs, the Detroit store will have a broad selection of food, supplements, pet care, toys, and other items. It will carry more than 25 brands from Michigan-based companies, will have a do-it-yourself dog wash, and is considering local delivery services.
“For many years, my grandfather owned and operated Hamway Market, a neighborhood grocery store in Detroit near Olympia Stadium,” says Michael Palmer, CEO of Premier Pet Supply. “His store burned to the ground during the 1967 riots and he never rebuilt it. It broke his heart. He loved his store, customers, neighbors, and community. More than 50 years later, I am bringing my family business back to the city. It’s highly gratifying.”
Palmer, who started working for his uncle in the company’s first store in Beverly Hills while in high school, now owns six stores with a partner operator in each location.
“Our store operators are owners in the business,” says Palmer. “Our goal is to be immersed, engaged, and connected to our communities — never corporate. Our ownership formula ensures and reinforces that philosophy. My partners in our other stores, Jeff Nagarah, Steve Shamou, and Brandon Thorne, will all be partners in Detroit.”
City Club Apartments CEO Jonathan Holtzman, a long-time customer of Premier Pet Supply, approached Palmer five years ago and told him that he had tied up a great piece of property in Detroit’s CBD and was going to be building a best-in-class mixed-use apartment and penthouse community.
“He told me ‘you are going to be in it,’” recalls Palmer. Holtzman, who is known for his pet friendly urban apartment communities and his Holtzman Wildlife Foundation, has been a life-long animal advocate.
“We became fast friends and kept in close contact as the vision for City Club CBD Detroit took shape,” Palmer says. “When crunch time came, he told me that he would not take no for an answer. ‘You’re my guy. Let’s get this deal done.’” City Club Apartments CBD Detroit began pre-leasing its apartments and penthouse last week.
Palmer and Holtzman say they plan to host events, support local dog parks, rescue efforts, and leverage their combined experience, resources, and talents to make a difference in the city.
Premier Pet Supply’s downtown location is expected to open in the third quarter of this year when City Club Apartment CBD Detroit residents begin moving into the new community.


text:
iTunes Stories May 23
iTunes Stories May 15
[Update: OS News reports that what Fraunhofer IIS fails to mention is that the last of the patents expired, and this is the reason that it is no longer licensing the format.]
More than 25 years after it was first developed, the mp3 format for digital music has been officially discontinued. The Fraunhofer Institute, the main organization responsible for licensing the encoders and decoders, has today announced that it ceased doing so late last month.
Apple was of course in large part responsible for popularizing the format, but also played a role in its demise …
iTunes Stories May 11
Last week Microsoft revealed a new version of its operating system called Windows 10 S that only runs software from the Windows Store — which means apps like Apple’s iTunes and Google’s Chrome won’t work. Today at Microsoft’s Build conference for developers, however, the company announced that Apple is working on bringing iTunes to the Windows Store after all.
The best 4K & 5K displays for Mac
iTunes Stories April 19
iTunes Stories March 22
Late last year, it was rumored that Apple was in talks with movie studios to offer home rentals of movies that were still in theaters. A new report from Variety offers more details on this industry push, noting how much studios are considering charging for in-home movie rentals…


text:
Clarios, the world's largest manufacturer of automotive batteries, has appointed Dr. Werner Benade as Vice President and General Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) effective January 4.
Benade brings more than 25 years of management experience in the automotive aftermarket and manufacturing industry to lead the region's focus on providing battery technology solutions for tomorrow's vehicles.
“I’m excited to join Clarios, a world leading organization committed to delivering next-generation battery technologies that meet the evolving needs of tomorrow’s vehicles in the most sustainable way,” said Benade. “The European business has a strong foundation built on a century of innovation, sustainability and manufacturing excellence. I look forward to leading the next chapter of this successful business.”
Benade joins Clarios from HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA in Lippstadt, Germany, where he led the Aftermarket and Special Applications divisions. Prior to his time at HELLA, he spent more than 20 years at Robert Bosch, ultimately serving as CEO and President of Power Tools Accessories in Solothurn, Switzerland.
Benade earned his Doctorate at the Chair of Applied Thermodynamics and A/C Technology Certification from the University GHS Essen and his Mechanical Engineering degree from Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Clarios' EMEA region consists of more than 3,800 employees in 11 production facilities, including its headquarters in Hannover, Germany. Clarios manufactures and supplies batteries for all major automotive manufacturers. In the automotive aftermarket, its VARTA® product is one of the most well-known and trusted brands in Europe and throughout the world.


text:
Arbor Aesthetics founders Jeff and Amy Grewe have seen much growth since they started the business in 2005, and not just the botanical kind. The company and its team of certified arborists dedicated to the health, beauty, and safety of trees are thriving.
“As our company has grown, Amy and I have stepped out of our roles in operations and more into visionary roles, which has created opportunities for our team to fill that void and create leaders,” Jeff said.
The company started out with a focus on residential clientele. Arbor Aesthetics is continuing in that niche, but the company’s services are also expanding into another sector.
“We’re starting to move more into a commercial space, working for apartment complexes, business complexes, and other class-A commercial and retail businesses,” Amy said. “We’ve really honed in on what makes us Omaha’s premier residential provider, and now we want more commercial clients to discover the high level of service that’s available to them when they invest in a professional, reliable outfit.”


text:
Fans of Pizza Hut and fans of Cheez-It were finally united on Thursday after the companies announced an epic partnership to create a limited-time masterpiece — but many questioned if the cheesy treat was worth spending any cheddar on.
According to a press release from Pizza Hut and Kellog’s, the Stuffed Cheez-It Pizza features:
“Four baked jumbo squares topped with that distinctly sharp, real cheese taste you know and love from Cheez-It baked to toasty perfection. Each crispy square is stuffed in true Pizza Hut style with either cheese or pepperoni and cheese, served up with a side of marinara dipping sauce to create the ultimate, craveable mash-up that America’s been waiting for.”
The snack food mashup went live on Thursday, and some Twitter users immediately took to social media with real-life pics of the product, as well as a tasty review.
“Presentation 10/10 The smell has that distinctive cheez-it smell with the classic aroma of Pizza hit pizza Texture is a little softer than I expected,” one online critic wrote.
He admitted, “truthfully the taste starts out kinda meh but the more you eat the better it gets. Plus the marinara helps.”
The pizza earned an initial score of 6.8/10 in the review … but after the customer was unable to finish the box, he amended his score to 4.8/10.
Someone else who was able to score the pizza gave a more favorable review, tweeting out that, “Couldn’t resist taking a bite $$YUM.”
Starting Thursday, the Stuffed Cheez-It Pizza is available exclusively at Pizza Hut at the regular menu price of $6.49.
However, cheese lovers will have even more reason to celebrate on Sept. 24 when it’s moved to a special item on their value menu.
Something tells us these are going to do very well at locations near college campuses.


text:
Washington: The US today hit imports of food enhancer MSG from China with high duties, saying the country is dumping the product in the US market at below cost.
The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITC) said it would collect a 52 per cent anti-dumping duty on China-sourced monosodium glutamate.
MSG is used in many prepared foods to boost taste, and because it is widely found in Asian foods, it is often blamed for after-meal aches called Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.
The decision today hits trade that amounted to 26,600 tonnes of MSG bought from China last year, worth $33.5 million.
The action was a response to a petition by the US arm of Japanese food giant Ajinomoto, a leading global producer of MSG.
Two Chinese producer-exporters were singled out in the complaint: the Meihua Group and Shandong Linghua Monosodium Glutamate Inc.
The ITC also hit Indonesian MSG exporters, and specifically PT Cheil Jedang indonesia, with a 5.6 per cent anti-dumping duty. Indonesia shipped 4,500 tonnes of MSG to the US last year, worth $6 million.
The ITC decision is preliminary; a final ruling will be made in November.


text:
Stock Traders Purchase High Volume of Visa Put Options (V)
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock traders purchased 12,583 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 163% compared to the typical volume of 4,785 put options.
A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. BidaskClub raised shares of Visa from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $110.00 price target on shares of Visa in a report on Thursday, July 13th. Sandler O’Neill reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Visa in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. boosted their price target on shares of Visa from $100.00 to $106.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 18th. Finally, Vetr downgraded shares of Visa from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $100.12 price target on the stock. in a report on Monday, July 17th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-six have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $104.56.
Visa (V) opened at 102.51 on Monday. Visa has a 12-month low of $75.17 and a 12-month high of $103.93. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $98.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $92.76. The company has a market cap of $234.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.12 and a beta of 0.94.
Visa (NYSE:V) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The credit-card processor reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.05. Visa had a return on equity of 30.95% and a net margin of 36.53%. The firm had revenue of $4.57 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.36 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.69 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 25.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Visa will post $3.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 18th will be paid a $0.165 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 16th. This represents a $0.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.64%. Visa’s payout ratio is 24.54%.
In related news, EVP Tullier Kelly Mahon sold 29,772 shares of Visa stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.91, for a total value of $3,004,292.52. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 17,360 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,751,797.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Family Management Corp increased its stake in shares of Visa by 98.1% in the second quarter. Family Management Corp now owns 37,073 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $3,477,000 after buying an additional 18,362 shares during the last quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Visa during the second quarter worth approximately $215,000. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in shares of Visa by 79.0% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 9,298 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $872,000 after buying an additional 4,103 shares during the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Visa by 4.8% in the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 142,942 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $13,405,000 after buying an additional 6,514 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Beaton Management Co. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Visa during the second quarter worth approximately $370,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.29% of the company’s stock.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Stock Traders Purchase High Volume of Visa Put Options (V)” was originally published by Watch List News and is the property of of Watch List News. If you are viewing this news story on another domain, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of U.S. and international copyright & trademark laws. The legal version of this news story can be accessed at https://www.watchlistnews.com/stock-traders-purchase-high-volume-of-visa-put-options-v/1511868.html.
Visa Company Profile
Visa Inc (Visa) is a payments technology company that connects consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, strategic partners and government entities to electronic payments. The Company operates through payment services segment. The Company enables global commerce through the transfer of value and information among the participants.
Receive News & Ratings for Visa Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Visa Inc. and related companies with Analyst Ratings Network's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
LEO satellites promise big business opportunities. Credit: DIGITIMES
Cable maker Wonderful Hi-Tech has become a supplier of transmission cables used in ground receivers for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites thanks to its experience in making directly buried cable products, according to company CEO Paul Chang.
In addition, with the growth in the networking and automotive cable businesses, the company is aiming to achieve a 20-30% on-year increase in 2022 revenues and even higher percentage growth in profits.
Currently, Wonderful’s plant in Taiwan mainly handles the production of networking cables including CMP and CMR ones, while the plants in Thailand and Vietnam mainly manufacture automotive and IT cables for local automakers and home appliance makers. Its plant in China mainly produces cables for consumer electronics, medical care devices and home appliances.
Although 5G infrastructure is becoming popularized,…


text:
November 11, 2015 - Industry News
Class 6 GVW trucks now operating in commercial fleets now have an average 21.2-year lifespan due to their reliability, durability, and use in a variety of applications, IHS Automotive's commercial vehicle director told WorkTruckOnline.com.
Tags: Class 6, Truck Rental, Box Trucks, Medium-Duty Trucks, IHS Automotive
November 2, 2015 - Product News
Vehicle market analyst IHS Automotive has identified over 500,000 businesses operating fleets of up to 250 vehicles that are expected to purchase new commercial vehicle in the next 15 months.
Tags: Truck Orders, IHS Automotive, Small Fleets, Mid-Size Fleets
September 3, 2015 - Industry News
Commercial and government fleets added 350,837 trucks in classes 3-8 through the first half of 2015 for a 12.1 percent increase from the comparable period a year ago, according to IHS Automotive's second quarter commercial vehicle report.
Tags: Ford, Class 6, IHS Automotive, Medium-Duty Trucks, Vehicle Registration
December 11, 2014 - Industry News
New commercial vehicle registrations for Class 3 through Class 8 trucks increased nearly 14% for the first nine months of 2014 compared to the same time a year ago, according to a new report by the vehicle industry research firm IHS Automotive.
Tags: Research, Class 8, Medium-Duty Trucks, Trailers, Heavy-Duty Trucks, Vehicle Registration, IHS Automotive
November 5, 2014 - Industry News
Demand for commercial vehicles in the U.S. and Canada continues to strengthen, though used commercial vehicle registrations still outnumber new registrations.
Tags: Leasing, Class 6, Class 7, Research, Class 8, Medium-Duty Trucks, Heavy-Duty Trucks, Vehicle Registration, Class 5, IHS Automotive, Class 4
September 2, 2014 - Industry News
New registrations in the U.S. for Class 3 through Class 8 vehicles for the first half of 2014 totaled 310,718, an increase of 12.3% over the first half of 2013, according to a new report from Polk / IHS.
Tags: Canada, Vehicle Registration, IHS Automotive, Polk, Medium-Duty Trucks
June 2, 2014 - Industry News
While combined year-over-year commercial vehicle registrations rose from the first quarter of the 2013, the combined unit volume trend over the past 13 quarters has been relatively flat at an average unit volume of 312,000 units.
Tags: IHS Automotive
February 26, 2014 - Industry News
Combined new and used Class 3-8 vehicle registrations in the U.S. during 2013 increased to 1.25 million units, a 4.3% increase over 2012, according to newly released analysis from IHS Automotive, formerly known as Polk.
Tags: Vehicle Registration, R.L. Polk, IHS Automotive
January 31, 2014 - Industry News
Bob Phillips, chairman and CEO of Phillips Industries, was inducted into the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week.
Tags: Phillips Industries, Aftermarket, Polk, People, HDAW, IHS Automotive, HDAW 2014
November 25, 2013 - Industry News
New commercial vehicle registrations in classes 3-8 for the first nine months of the 2013 were 426,718 units, up 2.8% from the same period in the 2012, according to a new report from IHS Automotive/Polk.
Tags: R. L. Polk & Co., Vehicle Registration, IHS Automotive, Class 4, Class 5
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Rence Oliphant from Hendrickson, will answer your questions
Freedom Air Filters Pre-Filter for T660
EZ Oil Drain Valve Made for CAT Engines
Prolong Says New Oil Features Anti-Friction Metal Treatment
Peterbilt Seat-Integrated Rollover Protection in Production


text:
The running theme of E3 for the past couple of years has been, “Is E3 in trouble?” This question has always been floating around, despite all the hype and excitement for the legendary show. But when the ESA opened up the show floor to the public, the question seemed to get louder. Now, after two years of a more open, more pedestrian-friendly E3, things are actually, actively looking bad for the event. From several major publishers dropping out, participating companies electing to not rent booth space, and weird events that seem to just be there for content volume, it seems like things are pretty desperate. Is the magic of E3 finally fading in 2019, even for the eager fans happy to buy public admission?
Late last year, IGN’s Brian Altano posted a pretty funny gag mockup of the usual E3 floor plans, responding to crazy news such as Sony electing to drop out of the show entirely. You can take a look at it below. It includes things like a petting zoo, a giant booth dedicated solely to Fortnite, overpriced food space, and a phone store. It’s almost like an airport, save for the Konami booth. The funny thing is that, in the past couple of years, stores actually already popped up at E3, with companies like Hyperkin selling stuff. This is alongside a few booths dedicated to things like anime and game wearables, the PlayStation Gear tent, and even a dedicated Ubisoft store. As soon as E3 opened up to the public, buying stuff already started being a thing.
Speaking of buying stuff, the 2019 E3 floor plans were recently released for realsies, and there are still booth spaces marked as “available.” Yikes. The West Hall, previously the big boy room featuring the likes of Microsoft, Sony/PlayStation, and Nintendo, now just has Nintendo in it. The space normally taken up by the other big console companies is now occupied by things like “E3 Esports Zone” and “The Unreal Garden.” Oculus has a sizable booth, but otherwise the West Hall almost looks empty. As someone who has been to E3, looking at that floor plan is almost alien.
The South Hall floor plans almost look familiar. The big third-party publishers you’d expect to be there are still there. You can see Ubisoft, Square Enix, Warner Bros., Bethesda, and Capcom. There’s also 2K, Epic Games (it’s the Fortnite booth!), Bandai Namco, and even THQ Nordic. But there’s something big missing. Activision, which is still participating in the show, doesn’t have a booth. The Activision booth was one of the biggest of the whole show in past years, and now it’s gone entirely. That’s a huge loss for the show, especially since this year reportedly includes the return of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Microsoft will also be unloading some big guns at E3, but its space will all be outside of the convention center. Same deal with EA, which has its E3-adjacent event nearby, but separate.
So, unless you’re really into Nintendo or select third parties, the AAA experience at E3 2019 will be pretty lopsided. Even as a fan-centric event, it’s going to be pretty hard to get people excited about the actual games there, unless Ubisoft has something crazy under its sleeves. It seems like the ESA is banking on a lot of the side attractions, such as panels, to get the fans feeling like their time and effort to be there is worth it. In fact, it was even recently announced that writers and producers of The Simpsons will be having a panel, which totally has a lot to do with upcoming video games.
E3 isn’t going to drop dead tomorrow or anything. But this is the first year I find myself buying into the worry. Generally it has felt like kneejerk reactions to things like the public being present at the event. But now, it seems like publishers are dropping out left and right, and the ESA is struggling to fill space with attractions and community spaces. But the appeal of E3 has always been new game announcements and hands on demos for upcoming titles. If the shine fades away, and all that’s left are panels and smaller games, it’ll be hard for folks to justify the travel to LA on top of the pretty expensive admission. If publishers continue to drop out, and non-press/industry attendees get bored, what happens? Does E3 pivot to something else, or does it eventually become obsolete?


text:
New Delhi: Beating the Street estimates, Tata Motors Ltd, India’s largest truck and bus maker by sales revenue, posted an almost 4% jump in net profit for the December quarter due to a surge in sales at UK subsidiary Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR).
Net profit rose to Rs2,424 crore for the October-December quarter compared with Rs650 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.
A Bloomberg news poll of analysts had estimated consolidated third-quarter net profit at Rs2,162 crore.
Total revenues rose by 21.6% to Rs31,506 crore.
On a stand-alone basis, Tata Motors posted a net profit of Rs410 crore, up 2.5% from a year ago.