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A court in France has sided with Google, determining the company doesn't have to pay the $1.3 billion it was ordered to hand over in back taxes. According to the court's decision, Google doesn't have a "permanent establishment" within the country and therefore the amount can't be justified.
Though Google does indeed employ hundreds of people in France, all of the revenue associated with its digital business is processed by Google's Irish division. By sending its money through Ireland, it's been able to significantly reduce its tax burden, much like Apple and other companies.
When the lawsuit was filed, it came from Emmanuel Macron, the current president and former economy minister.


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(Crewe, Tuesday 21st June) Bentley Motors today rolled out the red carpet to welcome over a hundred members of the Bentley Drivers Club (BDC) – and their fifty Bentleys – to its headquarters in Crewe.
The visit is part of the Britain by Bentley tour which celebrates the club’s 75th anniversary by emulating the tradition of the grand tour and traversing some 3,000 miles of UK roads in a range of models that span 80 years of Bentley’s history.
Drivers have travelled from around the world to take part in the event: Syd and Nikki Reinhardt have travelled from Australia with their 1927 6 ½ litre Mulsanne whilst others like Jenny Ford and her Blower Bentley are already based in the UK.
The drivers arrived at Crewe Hall on Monday evening for a gala dinner with executive members from Bentley Motors. They then travelled to Bentley’s Pyms Lane site under an honorary police escort this morning for a tour of the factory where new models such as the Mulsanne and new Continental GT are now in full production.
Richard Charlesworth, Bentley’s Director of Royal and VIP Relations, who hosted the visit said: No grand tour of Britain by Bentley would be complete without a visit to our headquarters here in Crewe. We are delighted to welcome so many members of the Bentley Drivers Club and their vehicles today. It is a unique and very special occasion to have so many rare and historic Bentleys gathered here in Crewe.
Bentley and its drivers have always enjoyed a unique friendship which very few other motoring marques have been able to emulate. We hope that our visitors will also enjoy the factory tour and the opportunity to see the next generation of our cars which will create a new and exciting chapter for Bentley.
Jenny Ford, Chair of the Bentley Drivers Club said: The Bentley Drivers Club was set up 75 years ago by Bentley owners who revelled in driving their cars. We are proud to maintain that tradition today and have greatly enjoyed the warm welcome extended to us and the opportunity to see the Bentley factory flourishing.
Bentley Motors employs just under 4,000 people in Crewe which is home to all its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury vehicle manufacturers such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley exports over £500m worth of goods every year to established markets like the US, as well as emerging markets such as China and South America.

domain: news


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Unpicking the post-normal: shopping and entertainment
Updated: May 24, 2020
Since workers globally stand to lose between $860 billion and $3.4 trillion of income in 2020 due to the crisis[i], retailers everywhere will need to revisit strategy, messaging and value propositions. Consumer habits will be lost, and others will be gained.
The demands and restrictions of COVID have forced broad digital transformation onto retail, grocers, restaurants and beyond, but this alone will not be sufficient for building a sustainable future. Indeed, it will likely accelerate the convergence and hybridisation of conventional retail business models[ii]. Perhaps most prominently, 'Just Walk Out' shopping and other smart checkout tech pioneered by the likes of AmazonGo that minimise queuing could create a $45 billion market by 2023[iii], but this is not the only form of hybridisation. While retail volumes will likely bounce back in the mid-term, up to 100,000 stores are forecast to close in the US alone by 2025[iv]. New models are needed. For example, Lazada Singapore’s CMO believes that the future of e-commerce is in combining livestreaming and entertainment[v]. This could help entrench incipient change. 59 percent of consumers worldwide reported high levels of interaction with physical stores before COVID-19. In next 6–9 months, only 39 percent of consumers expect a high level of interaction with physical stores[vi]. Changes in habit formed now could last much longer.
Of equal import is that there are more points at which we can engage consumers (both physically and in hybrid forms), especially with forthcoming micro-GPS that can better contextualise data to within mere feet of our position, and the ambient passivity with which we will ‘interact,’ with technology. Emerging data sources and forms of personalisation will ultimately spawn new services and even industries, enabling retailers to add value in entirely new ways – perhaps by creating shopping lists for specific health conditions or personal life goals, for example.
However, while horizon 2 technologies such as VR and AR have the potential to rapidly rearrange the marketing environment, market moves by Google to abolish third-party cookies in its Chrome browser by 2022 could have significant impacts for retailers dependent on this form of ‘personalisation’ [vii]. Partly due to such moves, Gartner forecasts 80 percent of marketers who have ‘already invested in personalisation will abandon their efforts by 2025 because of a lack of ROI, the perils of customer data or both[viii]. A new consumer compact will likely be required that satisfies both the shifting regulations and capacity to personalise with a rising consumer demand for value. To this end, 52 percent of UK shoppers are happy to share their consumer data with retailers if they can save money, suggesting contextual and perhaps deeper relationships[ix].
In the broader consumer economy, changes in behaviour previously expected to take more than five years may have already happened in five weeks[xi].
Fluidity in consumer behaviors and attitudes are inevitable in the post-COVID world.
Retailers need to go beyond purpose led marketing to purpose led products and services[x].Key assumptions need revisiting.
For more, visit https://www.thegff.com/research-reports to access our latest Big Break report on what the post COVID environment could mean for over 40 different sectors.
[i] Source: Money Control, 2020 https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/coronavirus-pandemic-workers-may-lose-up-to-3-4-trillion-in-2020-income-over-covid-19-un-5048391.html [ii] Source: Brookings, 2020 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/03/24/covid-19-will-upend-retail-but-there-are-steps-we-can-take-to-save-it/ [iii] Source: juniper Research, 2018 https://www.juniperresearch.com/press/press-releases/just-walk-out-shopping-other-smart-checkout [iv] Source: Market Watch, 2020 https://www.marketwatch.com/story/neiman-marcus-is-just-the-start-analysts-expect-100000-stores-to-close-by-2025-2020-04-20 [v] Source: The Drum, 2020 https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/04/16/lazada-singapore-cmo-why-the-future-e-commerce-combining-livestreaming-entertainment [vi] Source: CapGemini, 2020 https://www.capgemini.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Covid-19-Consumer-Behaviour-in-CPR.pdf [vii] Source: Ad Exchanger, 2020 https://www.adexchanger.com/privacy/google-has-no-plans-to-postpone-killing-third-party-cookies-in-chrome/ [viii] Source: Gartner, via CMS Wire, 2020 https://www.cmswire.com/digital-marketing/why-gartner-thinks-most-marketers-will-abandon-personalization-by-2025/ [ix] Source: RLI, 2020 https://www.rli.uk.com/covid-19-retail-technology-shopping-more-hygienic/ [x] Source: MarTech Advisor, 2020 https://www.martechadvisor.com/articles/customer-experience-2/covid-19-marketing-strategy/ [xi] Source: Guardian, 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/apr/17/how-covid-19-turned-the-uk-news-and-entertainment-industry-upside-down


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A Kroger customer filed a lawsuit in Harris County against the grocery store for injuries suffered while shopping there. The lawsuit, filed on August 19, 2019, pertains to the customer's slip and fall incident that took place in July of 2018.
Posts tagged "grocery store injury"
A Kroger customer filed a lawsuit in the Galveston County District Court against the grocery store for injuries she suffered while shopping there. Filed on April 23, 2019, the lawsuit involves an accident that took place in May of 2017. Apart from suing Kroger, the customer also brought an action against the manager of the store where the incident occurred.


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Care worker, 20, is refused entry into Premier shop unless she changes out of her uniform because bosses have a 'duty of care' to staff and customers
- Emily Challinor, 20, from Stoke-on-Trent, refused entry into convenience store
- Was told by staff at Premier that she needed to change from her carer's uniform
- The store insisted that it had a 'duty of care' to all its employees and customers
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A care worker has revealed she was denied entry into a convenience store because she was wearing her uniform.
Emily Challinor, 20, from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, who had stopped to purchase a snack during her shift, described feeling 'appalled' and 'so upset' when she was told by staff at the Premier in Staffordshire, that she could not enter in her carer's uniform.
However the shop later insisted they had taken the precautionary measure due to the risk of Covid-19 seen in care homes and the 'duty of care' it had to all its employees and customers.
The care worker, who was asked to leave the store on May 1, said: 'I was on a five-minute break in my shift which started at 3.30pm and went on until 10pm when it happened.
Emily Challinor, 20, from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, was refused entry into a convenience store as she was wearing her carer's uniform
The care worker had visited the Premier store in, Chesterton, Staffordshire, when she was told she could not enter in her uniform
'I pulled into the local Premier to get a drink and some crisps to snack on.
'I went to go in and the lady asked me to wait until a customer had exited the shop.
'But then when I tried to go in again, she asked me what uniform I was in, to which I replied ''sorry what?''.
'She then said ''well are you a carer or the NHS?'. I said ''I'm a carer'', and that's when she said I wasn't allowed into the shop, stating ''no carers allowed''.
'I watched as they let every other person in, including five different people in work uniforms but apparently if you're in a carers' uniform you aren't allowed in. I ended up just leaving.'
The care worker went on to explain that she was 'not trying to hurt the business' but instead make others aware of the challenges they might face if entering the store in uniform.
Ms Challinor added: 'I've been in this shop plenty of times in my uniform, talking to the owners. Only last week I was laughing with the woman about her husband buying her a hoover and she was excited.
'It was a lady who I hadn't seen before behind the counter who refused me entry. I'm not trying to hurt the business.
'I just wanted to make people aware if you're in the area and working not to go into the shop to save the embarrassment.
'Having said that, I won't be going back there ever again. I've never felt so upset just doing my job!'
Ms Challinor explained that she had previously been in the store while wearing her uniform but on this occasion was told by a member of staff behind the counter she could not enter
The care worker later took to Facebook to explain she had stopped at the store to purchase a drink and snacks during her shift
The care worker later took to Facebook to write: 'I had a five minute gap between clients-I'm a community care worker- so I went to the shop. I cannot get changed to travel and and from work as I travel all day.
'I had my coat on over my tunic and this was still not enough for the staff member.'
The store has since explained that they offered Ms Challinor the option to return to the shop once she had changed, asked her friend who was in the car with her to come into the shop instead or said they could deliver the items to the car.
A spokesman for Premier said: 'I have asked my members of staff not to allow anyone in wearing a carers' uniform. I have a duty of care to all my employees and customers.
'We did give this young woman the option of coming back when she had changed, asking her friend who was in the car with her to come into the shop instead or we could deliver the items to the car.
'We are here for the interests of everybody. Unfortunately there have been a high number of cases in care homes so I was only taking the steps needed to protect people.
'From my understanding, care workers are being asked to change at work.
'We are all in this together and we are here to help people in any way we can.'
The store's policy come after shoppers queued up to pay for the groceries of two paramedics in uniform as the pair stopped off for food at a Sainsbury's store in Loughton, Essex, last month.
The two NHS workers were buying food at a store in Loughton, Essex, when they were met with a show of support from shoppers
However earlier this month the frozen food chain Iceland was criticised for telling NHS workers they must buy products if they touch them while browsing inside its supermarkets.
The company posted a message on its website that read: 'If NHS workers touch products they have to buy them, they can't put them back.'
The chain, which claimed this was to 'reduce the risk of contamination' and help protect staff working inside Iceland supermarkets', later deleted its message.
A spokesman for Iceland later said: 'This was an error and should not have been posted on our website. We sincerely apologise for the offence this has clearly caused, and have immediately withdrawn this guidance.
'We are deeply grateful to the NHS and all key workers for everything they are doing to keep the country running.'
Elsewhere a Booths supermarket in Fulwood, Lancashire, was seen turning away NHS staff and carers dressed in uniform over fears they would spread coronavirus.
Joe-Ann Whitaker, who works for Direct Health and visits elderly people in their homes, was refused entry when she tried to buy a sandwich on her half-an-hour lunch break.
She told the Lancashire Evening Post: 'It was embarrassing and upsetting. What was I supposed to do, get changed in the car park?
'We're working long hours at the moment in very difficult circumstances and we don't have the time to get changed.
'We only get a half hour break for lunch. And there's no way I'm taking my clothes off in a supermarket car park.'
Following the incident, Booths said it was following guidance issued by the Royal Preston and Fulwood Hall hospitals to prevent infection but said it could have done more for Mrs Whitaker.
A spokesperson said: 'It is hugely regrettable that the customer felt unappreciated at this time. Booths pride themselves on looking after all customers within their communities.
'We have now made practical arrangements in store to help accommodate similar situations in the future.
'These are stressful and unprecedented times for health care workers, customers and our colleagues working hard to provide food.
Iceland sparked outrage by saying once workers had touched items 'they can't put them back' to reduce the risk of contamination during the coronavirus outbreak
One care worker said she was wasn't allowed inside a store in Fulwood, Lancashire (pictured) this month
'Our amazing teams are adapting daily to meet the unprecedented multiple demands of this crisis and working night and day in very difficult circumstances to serve our customers safely.
'At Booths we value the enormous contribution of all health workers, particularly at this critical time. However, Booths do need to stress the vital importance of good hygiene practices and ask that all health workers wear civilian clothes when in store.
'Booths must prioritise the safety of all their colleagues and customers at all times.
'This policy is to protect colleagues and customers from possible infection and is part of a range of hygiene and social distancing measures in place as directed from Public Health England. Booths are respecting the guidance that has been provided.'
Government advice currently states it is best practice that NHS workers change into and out of uniforms at work and not wear them while travelling, however this does not apply to community health workers who are required to travel between patients.
Information provided by Public Health England and the NHS reads: 'It is best practice to change into and out of uniforms at work and not wear them when travelling; this is based on public perception rather than evidence of an infection risk.
'This does not apply to community health workers who are required to travel between patients in the same uniform.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Care workers and all other frontline staff are entirely entitled to go into any shop while wearing their uniform. This is in line with current government guidelines.'
To support the NHS please visit https://www.thanksamillionnhs.co.uk/
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Welcome to Polygon Minimap, a podcast about the biggest gaming, entertainment and pop culture news of the day.
Minimap is your daily audio tour through the world of video games, related technologies and pop culture like comics, movies and TV.
Here's what we're covering today:
THE BIG STORIES
- Xbox's Phil Spencer on the PS4: 'They have a huge lead'
- Minecraft streamer buys $4.5M Hollywood home, not far from Notch's mansion
- Dark Souls 3's beta test is on the PlayStation Store, but it's not playable yet
- Frank Miller confirms new Sin City
- Disney expands long list of live-action adaptations with Cruella
- Future Transformers games, comics and toys will tell unified storylines


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Puerto Rican startup Guardian Systems creates app to detect COVID-19 symptoms
Guardian Systems, a Puerto Rican startup dedicated to creating artificial intelligence and analytical video platforms, announced the launch of a new application, True Checkpoint, that enables companies to control access of employees and visitors who are potentially infected with COVID-19 or other contagious diseases.
The mobile app and web administrative platform takes a photo of an employee or visitor who wants to enter a business, which is verified to detect whether have a fever using infrared thermal analysis, and the person is then given a virtual medical questionnaire. In seconds, it is determined if that employee or visitor potentially has COVID-19 and access is denied.
“Improving hygiene and following social distancing rules are important now,” said Guardian Systems’ CEO Javier Rivera-Montes.
“However, the business sector has to grow and use its intellectual resources to develop technology that helps us bounce back quickly and effectively. With that philosophy in mind, we created True Checkpoint, to help businesses protect their employees and customers from this global crisis,” he said.
The app can be used by a manager who checks employees using a mobile phone or tablet installed in a kiosk, through verbal commands so that visitors can self-verify without having to touch the device. The app provides, among other things, the ability for managers or business owners to register all of the check-ups and keep real-time records.
“This feature is very important because it allows you to show the consumer and government agencies that the necessary precautionary measures are being taken as established by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization guidelines,” said Rivera-Montes.
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20th November 2023 By Bridget O'Connell | email@example.com | @foodtickernz
Innovation is working harder for manufacturers, according to Circana, which says that while new product development continues to fall, it is outperforming in terms of value growth.
Speaking at the firm’s annual State of the Industry presentation last week, Circana’s head of retail, solutions, and innovation, Debbie Simpson-Pudney, said there had been a 25% drop in NPD in “the recent market”.
“However, on the flip side, we have seen value growth of 30%. So this is a real positive story as it means it’s working harder,” she said.
The fall in NPD continued a decline that started in 2019 – according to last year’s presentation by the firm, then called IRI.
It found that in the year to the third quarter of 2022, just over 5,851 products were launched, down from 7,192 in the previous comparable year, and a drop from more than 10,000 in 2018.
The firm also ranked some of the best performing NPD of the period to 10 September 2023, looking at dollars sold by active week, noting it was new flavours, pack formats and convenience that helped to drive performance at the top eight brands.
Its list was topped by poultry brand Tegel on $13.3m, followed by chocolate brand Whittaker’s, which was also a 2022 shortlister.
“A regular participant on our slide, Whittaker’s has once again come out with some exciting and desirable new flavours that have resonated with consumers, and their bold and enduring approach to innovation has been one of the key components behind their success,” Simpson-Pudney said.
“And the launch of Tegel’s new Quick Cook range has helped reinvigorate the fakeaway occasion, providing time-poor parents a quick meal solution for kids in the family.”
She added that Kiwis were also “getting on the health train” helping to grow sales of healthier products.
“Low-carb beers are on the rise and this Export Ultra Low Carb Lager has driven great sales.
“Flavour category extension options always remain popular, so Nutella biscuits and Pascal Hokey Pokey lumps have also performed really well.”
14 Nov 2022 NPD revenue plummets – IRI


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MODIFI, a global business payments firm specialising in cross-border B2B transactions, has announced a new funding round. This fast-growing FinTech enterprise, established in 2018, is known for providing instant payment solutions to suppliers and offering payment deferment options to buyers for up to 180 days.
The firm has successfully secured a $100m debt facility in a deal struck with HSBC Innovation Banking UK. This financing agreement represents a significant milestone in MODIFI’s refinancing strategy, which seeks to diversify the firm’s funding sources by partnering with top-tier capital providers.
MODIFI’s innovative business model is built around facilitating international business for importers and exporters. The company’s digital platform removes traditional barriers to global trade, empowering small to midsize businesses with the tools they need to compete with larger corporations on an equal footing. Today, MODIFI’s platform serves over 1,500 buyers and sellers in more than 50 countries and maintains a presence in 11 major cities worldwide, including Amsterdam, Berlin, and New York.
The $100m raised will be used to further drive MODIFI’s growth. This comes as the company aims to continue its development as a leading provider of trade finance products, meeting the increasing demand for liquidity from its expanding customer base.
Alongside the HSBC facility, MODIFI recently secured another significant debt facility amounting to $75m from a leading global financial institution. This substantial financial backing further emphasises the firm’s commitment to its expansion plans and the ongoing improvement of its digital platform.
MODIFI CEO and co-founder Nelson Holzner expressed his excitement over the partnership with HSBC Innovation Banking UK, stating, “We are excited to partner with a top-notch financial institution like HSBC Innovation Banking to meet the growing demand of our customers for higher liquidity.”
Conor Sheehy, head of FinTech Warehouse Finance at HSBC Innovation Banking UK, echoed this sentiment, saying, “There is a growing need for innovative solutions that remove barriers, increase transparency and enable small and midsize businesses to trade on a par with larger corporates. We are incredibly excited at HSBC Innovation Banking to support MODIFI as it continues on its trajectory to become a leading provider of trade finance products.”
Keep up with all the latest FinTech news here
Copyright © 2023 FinTech Global


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Leading mobile racing game specialist Wolves Interactive selects AdInMo as it’s in-game advertising monetization partner
AdInMo, the in-game advertising platform, today announced a multi-title deal with Wolves Interactive to monetize their portfolio of hit racing titles with immersive InGamePlay ads and join AdInMo’s global programmatic in-game ad network. InGamePlay brand ads are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay of Wolves Interactive’s endless arcade game series Traffic Tour and Motor Tour as […]
Adverty AB (publ) has been granted its third patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its in-game ad viewability technology BrainImpression™; a ground-breaking method for determining ad viewability and impressions within complex gaming environments. The multi-patented invention is one of the core functionalities of Adverty’s leading in-game advertising platform and now covers every screen used in traditional gaming and the so-called ‘Metaverse’ - from mobile phones, tablets and TVs to next-generation devices used for virtual and augmented reality.
Adverty Wins Third US Patent For BrainImpression, Bringing Ad Viewability Technology To Gaming On Mobile, TV Screens And The Wider Metaverse
Adverty AB (publ) announces today a strategic positioning into Turkey with two new hires, to increase its presence in one of the largest, most exciting and fastest growing gaming communities in the world.
Adverty, the leading in-game platform for advertisers, media agencies and game developers, has established local presence in Istanbul, with two new hires, a Director of Programmatic Sales and a Director of Publisher Growth, as the city emerges as the largest gaming hub for Europe, boasting a wide collection of gaming studios and unicorns. Turkey is […]
- Gaming giant crowd-sourced ideas for items to be featured in the brand-new Town Hall 14 update. - Best fan ideas are featured in a rich 3D video showcasing Town Hall’s interior for the first time ever.
Supercell Welcomes Clash Of Clans Fans Into Town Hall, In New Crowd-Sourced Social Content Push From Waste
Liverpool footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain became the first to try out Three’s new Call of Duty 5G experience, playing the latest instalment of the gaming phenomenon, Call of Duty Modern Warfare which is released on Friday, October 25. Three gave the England international and avid ‘COD’ fan the exclusive chance to experience 5G through one of the most […]
Mobile gamers in the UK are spending, on average, more than £40 a year on in-app purchases, with males between 25 and 34 spending around three times as much as the average across all age groups. Deloitte analysed the smartphone habits of 4,150 people aged between 16 and 75 in the UK and found that mobile […]


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Ladbrokes Coral Group, a British betting company, has announced on Thursday a 7 percent rise in its profits from the first half of its operation, due to high online trading. The company reported operating profits for the six months till June 30 went up to $205.1 million (158.8 million pounds). The revenue grew by 1 percent reaching 1.19 billion pounds.
The company was formed in a $3.4 billion joint merger of Ladbrokes with Coral.
Online gambling company GVC recently discussed a takeover of the group last week, but that ended without seeing any deal.
There has been a sudden rise in companies signing the bulking up deals to cut down on the costs of strict regulations and higher taxation. Ladbrokes and Coral merger was one such number in the gaming sector, and Paddy Power and Betfair also joining the forces.
The company has been majorly focusing on its online revenue, which rose 17 percent to 374.5 million pounds with massive rises in Britain, Italy and Australia.


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SuperMax Grocery Store to Save $170,000 Annually with Lighting Retrofit
The SuperMax supermarket chain in Puerto Rico has decided on a total lighting makeover for its newly acquired and outdated grocery store in San Juan.
The lighting retrofit is projected to save the food retailer $170,000 annually thanks to reduced energy consumption and cooling loads, according to a press release.
SuperMax decided to replace all store lighting including the ceiling lights, lighting in prep areas as well as in all cooler, freezer and display cases to fix the store’s poor lighting and high energy consumption.
According to a recent white paper from Nualight, more than 35 percent of energy use at food retailers is consumed by refrigeration, including display cases, freezers, coolers, and beverage dispensers. In addition, fluorescent lighting contributes about a 25 to 50 percent increase in total power consumed in these applications, while studies show LED lighting in refrigerated glass door displays can cut energy consumption by up to 60 percent.
Redbird LED in partnership with Energy Integrated Solutions (EIS) replaced the grocery store’s lighting with more than 1,000 LED T8 tube lights.
With a service life of more than 50,000 hours, the LED tube lighting is expected to deliver a total savings of more than $1 million. EIS calls the project one of the largest complete LED retrofits in a U.S. territory retail store.
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Week of March 24, 2003
Snapshot from the Field
LOOKING FOR A PREVIOUS STORY? CHECK THE ARCHIVE.
Timken's Shanghai Expansions Belie Seeming Business Isolationismby JACK LYNE, Site Selection Executive Editor of Interactive Publishing
SHANGHAI With war's deepening toll and thunder dominating world headlines, isolationism may seem the business order of the day. The media's understandable Middle Eastern focus, however, obscures a quietly ongoing corporate globalization.
Case in point: Canton, Ohio-based Timken Company (www.timken.com). The bearings and alloy steel manufacturer recently opened a new distribution center in Shanghai (www.shanghai.gov.cn). And that new operation complements the company's already expanding Chinese manufacturing and sales presence, as Timken capitalizes on the Asian market.
"This distribution company is one of several initiatives The Timken Company is pursuing in China," explained Gordon Robinson, the company's president of emerging markets. "It is a logical next step in the company's evolution in Asia. Our goal is to provide a more efficient import and export mechanism to facilitate sales growth."
Located in Shanghai's Waigaoqiao Free Trade Area, the new center for Timken Engineered Products Shanghai Co. Ltd. is handling a wide range of industrial bearings and related components, primarily for the power transmission market. The operation has begun distributing Timken products, as well as those of other manufacturers, into China - a supremely ripe market for power transmission.
Timken chose a site located in the northeast corner of the Pudong New Area (http://pudong.shanghaichina.org), located some 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Shanghai's downtown center. With its industrial output increasing by almost 20 percent in 2002, the Pudong New Area has been an economic stalwart for Shanghai, China's emerging business center. Some 1,800 companies from 44 separate nations have set up area facilities.
Timken will join a long list of other major U.S.-based firms that have located in Pudong. Those American companies include Allied Signal, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Delphi Automotive Systems, Dupont, Ford, General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Merrill Lynch, Motorola and Whirlpool.
Locating in the 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) Waigaoqiao Free Trade Area further boosts Timken's globalization drive. Non-Chinese companies that locate in the area can establish trade companies as independent legal entities, obtain licenses for import and export trade, and act as trade agents.
Distribution Center Complements Timken's
Then, last year, Timken formed a joint venture with NSK Ltd. to build a bearings plant in the Shanghai area. Ground for the plant was broken in December 2002, with production projected to begin in first-quarter 2004.
Timken actually entered the Chinese manufacturing sector seven years earlier. In 1996, the company formed a joint venture, Yantai Timken Company Ltd., to produce bearings in Yantai, a city of 1.5 million residents in eastern Shandong Peninsula on the coast of the Bohai and Yellow seas. Yantai Timken in 2001 became a wholly owned Timken subsidiary. The Yantai plant, which makes bearings for automotive and industrial applications, also continues to expand. By mid-2004 the production operation will enlarge its capacity to 5 million bearing sets per year.
"Strategic export and import operations maximize the value of our production in the region," Vivian Ling, Timken's manager of distribution management and new business development in China, said of the company's newest operation in Waigaoqiao Free Trade Area. "This distribution center will help us facilitate manufacturing growth by speeding products to market both in China and globally."
The new Shanghai facility will also offer customer service functions, Ling added.
Manufacturing Shift Bad News for UK PlantThe Shanghai distribution operation is the latest step in a major strategic shift Timken initiated three years ago to make its plants more cost-competitive. The new manufacturing strategy will reduce costs by US$120 million a year by the end of 2004, the company is projecting.
However, as is usually the case in such shifts, that change has translated into different shades of news in different areas.
In Darlington, England, for example, Timken's change has made for bad news. The company on March 20 announced that it was closing down the plant first opened in Darlington in 1964. The facility will be phased out over the next eight to 12 months, company officials said. The Darlington plant currently employs 104 workers. Timken had twice earlier reduced the work force, trying to make the plant-cost effective. But the cuts didn't work, company officials explained.
"We have challenged all of the plants in our manufacturing network to achieve lowest total costs in their product lines," Michael Hill, vice president of manufacturing for Timken's Industrial Group, said in announcing the phase-out. "In early 2000, we began a process to transform The Timken Company. A fundamental goal of the transformation . . . is to make The Timken Company more profitable, more customer-centric and better able to grow. For that to happen, each plant must be competitive globally in the products that it manufactures. We'll continue to monitor the progress of our plants toward meeting this goal.
"Darlington has been an important part of the company for nearly four decades," Hill continued. "The decision to close it did not come easily and only after careful study. We very much regret the impact this action will have on the lives of our associates who work at Darlington."
©2003 Conway Data, Inc. All rights reserved. Data is from many sources and is not warranted to be accurate or current.


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Vegan leather's new darling -veganjean
Driven by demand and an industry-wide call for more ethical manufacturing, fashion brands are moving veganism out of the kitchen and into the closets of conscious consumers with animal-free apparel and accessories.
Though momentum for vegan fashion has been mounting since 2018—a year that saw Helsinki Fashion Week ban leather, and luxury giants like Gucci, Chanel and Versace eliminate the use of real fur in their collections—the category has recently exploded partly in response to Covid-19, which has led to the growing concern about infectious diseases that originate from animals. The pandemic, coupled with the overall shift toward healthier plant-based lifestyles, are motivating brands and consumers alike to reconsider their fabric choices.
More than 580,000 people took the pledge during the 2021 campaign, adding to the more than one million people who have already completed it since 2014. Veganuary reports that one million people going vegan for 31 days has resulted in the lives of 3.4 million animals spared, 1.6 million gallons on water saved and more than 103,000 metric ton of CO2EQ saved from contributing to the planet’s global warming crisis.
Veganism is proving to go beyond consumers’ dietary choices. In its 2020 Conscious Fashion Report, fashion search platform Lyst reported that searches for “vegan leather” increased 69 percent year-on-year, averaging 33,100 online monthly searches, and searches for “faux leather” remained constant. Meanwhile, searches for “leather” decreased 3.5 percent year-on-year. Likewise, searches for “fur” declined 8 percent year-on-year.
Stylish vegan fashion is certainly more available. Retail market intelligence platform Edited reported that by the end of January 2021, there was a 75 percent year-over-year increase in products described as “vegan” stocked in the U.S. and U.K. versus 2018. Accessories and footwear make up the majority of these products as influential labels like Adidas, Allbirds and Stella McCartney continue to innovate in this space with plant leather, upcycled marine plastic waste and 3D-printed materials.
Though the denim industry has been proactive in developing alternatives for water-intensive crops and chemical-powered washing processes, as it continues its sustainable journey, every component that makes up a pair of jeans—down to the three-inch by two-inch leather back patch—is being scrutinized.


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This is to announce that we will be implementing the renewal of Eternal Wallet.
Services will be suspended during the system migration, from 1200 AM JST, 26th March to 1200PM JST, 28th March.
The services are scheduled to resume on 1200PM JST, 28th March.
・ Improvement of UI
・ Implementation of currency exchange function (EVOR)
・ Bugs fixed
Trading experience will be enhanced under the full UI improvements.
Finally, the implementation of currency exchange (EVOR), the world's lowest overseas remittance has come to live.
We will continue to work on adding new features and improving the user's experience.


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Amazon app quiz April 8, 2021: Get answers to these five questions to win Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant cameraResult of today’s quiz will be announced on April 9.
- Italy has prevented Chinese company Shenzhen Investment Holdings Co from buying a controlling stake in a Milan-based firm producing semiconductor equipment, two Italian government officials said, signalling a renewed commitment to shield strategic assets from foreign takeovers.
- Instagram Music is a great way to share interesting stories with your followers. Here's our step-by-step guide on how to use it.
- Three new astronauts arrived at the ISS yesterday, and it'll be a tight squeeze for a few days as there are 10 people now on the station.
- GPT-3 is best known as a text-generating system, but now that it's out in the wild, it's being used for far more than just written words.
- Astronomers have identified three brown dwarfs which are spinning ten times as fast as a typical planet, so fast that they are on the verge of being torn apart.
- This week marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which has been in orbit around Mars since 2002.
- With an 8-core processor and a brilliant OLED screen, do laptops get any better than the ZenBook 13 OLED?
- Tiny helicopter Ingenuity is set to make history this weekend, as it is about to become the first aircraft to be flown on another planet.
- Clubhouse is being lapped up by people in the Middle East. More than 970,000 people from the Middle East have downloaded the new platform since it launched outside the US in January. It has offered space for in-person conversations in an age where direct contact is at the mercy of the pandemic and it’s brought together those at home and the many in exile or abroad.
- As part of the campaign, students and educators can avail additional discount of up to 10 per cent on Galaxy Tab S7+, Galaxy Tab S7, Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Galaxy Tab A7 purchased via Samsung Student Advantage on Samsung.com.
Airtel Payments Bank announces 'Rewards123' savings account; offers benefits on digital transactionsCustomers can get 'Rewards123' at an annual fee of Rs 299 and avail benefits ranging from certain cashback per month on payments for prepaid recharges, post-paid, broadband, landline, and DTH bill payments, load money benefits and shopping rewards.
- Are you making any compromises by choosing the ultra-affordable Wyze Home Monitoring over other systems?
- Realme 8 5G launch date is set for April 21, the Chinese company revealed on social media. The Realme 8 5G will debut in India — apart from other global markets.
- NASA helicopter, dubbed the Ingenuity, placed on Mars could take its first flight over the Red Planet within two days after a successful initial test of its rotors, the US space agency said Friday. This will be the first-ever attempt at a powered, controlled flight on another planet.
- Ambient computing refers to the smart devices all around us, and how they can make life easier without human intervention. Here's what everyone should know.
- HP Chromebook x360 14c (2021) has debuted as the latest model in the Chromebook x360 14c family. The new offering comes with 11th-generation Intel Core processors.
- Facebook has announced that it’s converting a part of its Menlo Park headquarters into a vaccination site to help government speed up the vaccination drive in the US.
- Apple iPhone 12 has emerged as the best-selling smartphone globally in January 2021, Counterpoint said in its Market Pulse report. The iPhone 12 Pro, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the iPhone 12 mini also made it to the top 10 best-selling smartphone list.
- Computer peripheral maker Logitech has decided to discontinue its Harmony range of universal remotes, the company announced in a post on its support forum.
- Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars to provide drivers with access to COVID-19 vaccines and offering free or discounted rides to vaccination sites for customers in a bid to increase engagement on their platforms.
- Apple Criticised by US Senators for Refusing to Testify on Antitrust Concerns Gadgets 360
- Apple is drawing criticism from US senators for refusing to testify at an upcoming US Senate subcommittee hearing on competition issues related to mobile app stores.Google has agreed to testify at the hearing.
- Logitech won’t be making this product anymore Gadgets Now
Google Pixel 5a 5G Confirmed After Rumours of Cancellation, Launch Limited to US and Japan - Gadgets 360Google Pixel 5a 5G Confirmed After Rumours of Cancellation, Launch Limited to US and Japan Gadgets 360
- Google Pixel 5a 5G has been officially announced as the company’s new mid-range 5G phone. The latest development is in contrast with some recent rumours suggesting its cancellation.
- More than 500 employees have sent an open letter to Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, demanding that the company stop protecting the harassers and provide workers an environment free from their abusers.
- The White House meeting is billed as the "CEO Summit on Semiconductor and Supply Chain Resilience" and will include White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese. As of midday Friday, 19 major companies had agreed to send executives.
- Biotech startup Vaccitech Plc, which owns the technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc, filed for a US initial public offering.
- Facebook is showing different job ads to women and men in a way that might run afoul of anti-discrimination laws, according to a new study.
Follow @Gadgets_Newsl on Twitter!


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The sun constantly bathes half the planet with energy. The energy may be free, but the methods for converting it to electricity cost money. Last year, the Chinese government cut subsidies to their solar panel manufacturers to shrink the industry which was perceived as bloated. This forced Chinese solar panel makers to cut prices to clear inventory. This drove down prices about 30%, making solar power cheaper than ever.
Reuters is reporting that Eric Luo, president of one of the largest solar panel makers in China, predicts that “the party is definitely over.” Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Luo said that prices have quit dropping and he expected industry consolidation to cause prices to rise by as much as 15% over the next two years.
The Moon is a desolate rock, completely incapable of harboring life as we know it. Despite being our closest celestial neighbor, conditions on the surface couldn’t be more different from the warm and wet world we call home. Variations in surface temperature are so extreme, from a blistering 106 C (223 F) during the lunar day to a frigid -183 C (-297 F) at night, that even robotic probes struggle to survive. The Moon’s atmosphere, if one is willing to call the wispy collection of oddball gasses including argon, helium, and neon at nearly negligible concentrations an atmosphere, does nothing to protect the lunar surface from being bombarded with cosmic radiation.
Yet for a brief time, very recently, life flourished on the Moon. Of course, it did have a little help. China’s Chang’e 4 lander, which made a historic touchdown in the Von Kármán crater on January 3rd, brought with it an experiment designed to test if plants could actually grow on the lunar surface. The device, known as the Lunar Micro Ecosystem (LME), contained air, soil, water, and a collection of seeds. When it received the appropriate signal, LME watered the seeds and carefully monitored their response. Not long after, Chinese media proudly announced that the cotton seeds within the LME had sprouted and were doing well.
Unfortunately, the success was exceptionally short-lived. Just a few days after announcing the success of the LME experiment, it was revealed that all the plants which sprouted had died. The timeline here is a bit hazy. It was not even immediately clear if the abrupt end of the LME experiment was intentional, or due to some hardware failure.
So what exactly do we know about Chang’e 4’s Lunar Micro Ecosystem, and the lifeforms it held? Why did the plants die? But perhaps most importantly, what does all this have to do with potential future human missions to that inhospitable rock floating just a few hundred thousand kilometers away from us?
Despite the fact that the United States and China are currently in the middle of a 90-day “cease fire” in their ongoing trade war, with new tariffs on hold until March 2019 while the two countries try to reach agreement, not everyone is waiting around to see who comes out on top. In a recent press release, action camera manufacturer GoPro has announced their intention to move some production out of China in the face of potential tariff expansions; which many analysts fear will be the result of the current stalemate. That’s right, only some of their production is moving.
“We’re proactively addressing tariff concerns by moving most of our US-bound camera production out of China,” says GoPro CFO Brian McGee. “We believe this diversified approach to production can benefit our business regardless of tariff implications.” Reading his words carefully, the key phrase here is “diversified approach”. GoPro doesn’t intend to move their entire production capability out of China, but only the production of the cameras which are designated for importation into the United States. GoPro models which are to be sold to other parts of the world will still be made in China.
This might seem an extravagant move just to avoid US tariffs, but with better than 40% of GoPro’s revenue for the third quarter of 2018 coming from the Americas, the company stands to be hit hard by the proposed 25% tax. Combined with the fact they shuttered their drone division last year citing “an extremely competitive aerial market”, and the proliferation of “GoPro clones” available for pennies on the dollar, it seems pretty clear that belt-tightening is the name of the game for the company that was once synonymous with action cameras.
Many readers will be familiar with [Naomi Wu], the prolific hardware hacker who has shown us so much of the epicentre of Chinese tech in her native Shenzhen through a lens that most outsiders would struggle to achieve. We’ve seen her touring factories and electronics marts, building a load of interesting projects, and achieving the first open source hardware certifications in China.
We’ve seen a lot of [Naomi] speaking to us in English as an audience outside her country, so it is extremely interesting to see her latest video posting in which she makes her case for open source hardware in Chinese to a Chinese audience (Chinese audio with English subtitles). She’s speaking at the recent China open source conference, and her description starts with “**THIS IS VERY BORING UNLESS YOU ARE INTO OPEN SOURCE**”, which we think is a little unfair as it should appeal to anyone with an interest in the Chinese tech business.
In the talk she takes us through the potential benefits of open source to Chinese business by using her projects as case studies. In particular she concentrates on how the arguments for open source in a commercial arena have to be made differently for a Chinese business to those used in the rest of the world. Using the analogy of a college dorm hotpot party, she outlines the importance of a community in open-source development, then we get a blow-by blow account of her work with Elecrow and Creality on the Sino:bit (a single-board computer targeting education in China) and the 3D printers.
The software support for the Sino:bit in particular demonstrates the added value of open source to a business, with significant tutorial and curriculum material coming from Adafruit Industries, Hindi language and character set support from developers in India, and a Chinese developer painstakingly transcribing all the Chinese character set for the device. That last step alone would have cost a non open-source developer a significant sum.
During her talk we are shown the commercial benefits to all three devices, for example one of the Creality 3D printers rapidly becoming Amazon’s top seller despite an array of knock-off machines appearing. We’ve embedded the video below the break, and we think it should be required viewing for anyone with an interest in open source or the Chinese tech industry.
Overseas factories can be sort of a mythical topic. News articles remind us that Flex (née Flextronics) employs nearly 200 thousand employees worldwide or that Foxconn is up to nearly a million. It must take an Apple-level of insider knowledge and capital to organize such a behemoth workforce, certainly something well past the level of cottage hardware manufacturing. And the manufacturing floor itself must be a temple to bead blasted aluminum and 20 axis robotic arms gleefully tossing products together. Right?
Well… the reality is a little different. The special sauce turns out to be people who are well trained for the task at hand and it doesn’t require a $1,000,000,000,000 market cap to get there.
[Adam leeb] was recently overseas to help out with the production ramp for one of his products and took a set of fantastic videos that walk us through an archetypical asian factory.
I’ve been to several factories and for me the weirdest part of the archetype is the soul crushing windowless conference room which is where every tour begins. Check out this one on the left. If you ever find yourself in a factory you will also find a room like this. It will have weird snacks and bottles of water and a shiny wood-esque table. It will be your home for many, many more hours than you ever dreamed. It’s actually possible there’s just one conference room in the universe and in the slice of spacetime where you visit it happens to be in your factory.
Ok, less metaphysics. It’s amazing to watch the myriad steps and people involved in taking one product from zero to retail-ready. [adam] gives us a well narrated overview of the steps to go from a single bare board to the fully assembled product. From The Conference Room he travels to The Floor and walks us through rows of operators performing their various tasks. If you’ve been reading for a while you will recognize the pick and place machines, the ovens, and the pogo pin test fixtures. But it’s a treat to go beyond that to see the physical product that houses the boards come together as well.
Check out [adam]’s videos after the break. The first deals with the assembly and test of his product, and the second covers the assembly of the circuit boards inside which is broadly referred to as SMT. Watching the second video you may notice the funny (and typical) contrast between the extremely automated SMT process and everything else.
[Diode Gone Wild] and his cat decided to see how a $3 meter worked inside. The meter was marked as a DT-830B and he already had an older one of the same model, and he wondered how they could afford to sell it — including shipping — for $3. You can see a video of his testing, teardown, and reverse engineering below.
What was odd is that despite having the same model number, the size of the meter was a bit different. When he opened the case to install a battery, he noticed the board didn’t look like it had fuses or components appropriate for the rated voltages. He decided the missing parts might be under the board and tested the meter.
The United States has announced plans to withdraw from a 144-year postal treaty that sets lower international shipping rates. The US claims this treaty gives countries like China and Singapore an unfair advantage that floods the US market with cheap packages. The BBC reports the withdraw of this treaty will increase shipping costs from China by between 40% and 70%.
The treaty in question is the Universal Postal Union, which established that each country should retain all money it has collected for international postage. The US Chamber of Commerce has said this treaty, ‘leads to the United States essentially paying for Chinese shipping’. This is especially true since 2010, when the US Postal Service entered an agreement with eBay Greater China & Southeast Asia and the China Post Express & Logistics Corporation. This agreement established e-packet delivery where packages weighing up to 2 kg would be delivered at lower prices. If you have ordered inexpensive products shipped from abroad, it is likely the e-packet price that made this possible.
This will affect businesses that capitalize on imports and exports; the storefronts on Amazon and eBay that resell Chinese goods rely on cheap shipping from China. It will also affect companies based outside of the United States that ship to US customers. Small businesses within the US who manufacture at low enough quantities to get their components/raw-materials shipped under the e-packet rates will also see a hit. An increase in shipping costs will mean higher prices for all of these products.
The move is also being justified as a way to even the playing field for US manufacturers who are shipping from within the US and may be paying higher rates to ship to the same customers as foreign-bought goods. It is the latest development in a growing trade war between the US and China which has already seen several rounds of tarrifs on goods like electronics, and even 3D printing filament. It’s hard to see how the compounding effect of these will be anything but higher prices for consumers. Manufacturers seeing the pinch on raw materials and components will pass this on to customers who will also soon see higher shipping prices than they are used to.


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EBRSO looking for phone store looter
BATON ROUGE – Deputies are looking for a man who they say shattered the front door of a Baton Rouge phone store and looted four display phones Thursday night.
According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the looting happened at 11:12 p.m. Thursday at the Metro PCS store located on Coursey Blvd.
Security cameras captured the man throwing a brick through the front door then stealing four display phones, a Samsung Galaxy phone and a pair of headphones before exiting the store. Deputies said he then fled the store on foot headed east.
Deputies say the black male suspect was wearing a short blue or dark colored hooded jacket and “very baggy” blue jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the EBRSO Burglary Division at 389-5000.
Desktop NewsClick to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Contractor accused of scamming flood victims arrested again
Man arrested for contractor fraud in Baker
Woman who helped save BRPD officer honored for heroic action
Homeowner sick of speeders, speed bumps no use
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: High ranking captain under investigation accused of payroll fraud


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SRS Labs signed a licensing agreement with the mobile division of Samsung, the second largest mobile phone provider.
“The strategic deal grants Samsung Mobile Communications Division the use of numerous SRS audio and voice technologies, including SRS Circle Surround Headphone, SRS WOW HD and SRS VIP+, in mobiles phones worldwide,” the companies stated.
The two already work together in other areas; they said this agreement broadens the use of SRS audio and voice technologies in Samsung multimedia and high-end mobile phones.
SRS said consumers have become savvier about the experience of media on mobile phones.
“To address the growing mobile video market, Samsung phones will provide consumers with compelling 5.1 surround sound over headphones enabling users to take full advantage of the increasing amounts of ‘on-the-go’ multichannel video content. Phone users will better enjoy the mobile multimedia experience as better audio translates to a superior video experience.”
Samsung also licensed SRS voice solutions to help handset users better discern what a caller is saying, particularly in noisy environments.


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The most important detail in this Wall Street Journal story is that Apple has been attempting to put together a slimmed down streaming bundle for years. The proposal went nowhere because it was “considered radical and failed to bear fruit.” Now it looks as though it could happen as early as September after a June announcement.
Through Apple TV, the idea is to offer a streaming bundle of popular cable channels for $30 – $40 per month. This sounds similar to Dish Network’s $20 per month Sling TV; except there would be more channels. Apple is talking to all the major content providers in the hopes that the “skinny bundle” contains the three big networks, ESPN, FX, etc.
Other than the monthly fee, there are other consumer benefits. You would need no DVR. Everything you wanted saved would be done so in the Cloud. Apple is hoping to offer full seasons of current shows on demand (though existing agreements with Hulu could stall that). There is also the matter of no cable box rental. One of the great cable TV scams of the last five years was forcing customers to rent a box for every television. Once you purchase the Apple TV device, you are done paying for it.
If this catches on, the big losers here will be the dozens of channels no one watches. The whole idea behind Sling TV and this Apple venture is to bring down the cost. The more channels, the more expensive the package. Why add MTV and MSNBC when less than 1% of the population tunes in? Why add Discovery Channel 19 and HGTV 4?
The likely reason content providers are coming around is the simple reality of what’s happening to the bundled cable and satellite market. For the fifth month in a row, when compared to last year, cable ratings are down by double digits. This is obviously due to the fact that upwards of 40% of homes now subscribe to a Netflix, or some other streaming service. Moreover, unlike the population, the cable and satellite business has stopped growing. Young people stream and are unlikely to grow into cable customers.
Whether the “skinny bundle” is Sling TV or this Apple scheme, the idea is now attractive to content providers because the good is better than the awful. Bundled cable as we know it is the perfect. Hollywood billionaires are making even more billions off a scheme where more than a hundred million Americans subsidize dozens of channel they never watch.
A smaller bundler that streams is still a bundle — therefore it’s good. It won’t be as lucrative as the current racket, but it is still a way to muscle customers into subsidizing channels they don’t watch. And you can bet the house that the idea is to apply the same boiling frog theory to the “skinny bundle” as was applied to cable. In 5 years it won’t be so skinny or cheap. We’ll be right back to paying $150 for a bunch of channels we never watch.
Hopefully, the bundled business model crashes and burns in the streaming era.
John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC


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On Dec 25, Zacks Investment Research downgraded Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (ZMH) to a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) from Zacks Rank #3 (Neutral).
Why the Downgrade?
Zimmer Holdings has witnessed downward estimate revisions despite marginally surpassing our earnings estimates for third-quarter 2013. The sluggish European economy poses a threat to growth prospects and the pricing pressure is also a major headwind for the company going forward.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 decreased 0.7% to $5.70 per share over the last 90 days. Likewise, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2014 dropped to $6.19 from $6.24 over a 90-day period, a fall of 0.8%.
On Oct 24, Zimmer had reported third-quarter 2013 adjusted earnings per share of $1.25, up 8.7% year over year, and a penny higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Though the company registered modest growth, the continuing global challenges remain an area of concern. Moreover, a decline of 160 basis points in gross margin in the third quarter due to higher mix of lower-margin product and geographic revenues, as well as manufacturing-related charges warrant attention.
A consistent fall in Spine sales for the last two years, mostly from the Americas, due to reimbursement and pricing pressure, shows that Zimmer needs to ramp up its portfolio to offset some of the lost sales. Additionally, the huge competition in the medical devices market continues to pose a serious challenge as the company constantly needs to invest in research and development to introduce new products and garner market share.
Zimmer also revised its adjusted EPS for FY13 outlook to $5.70, which coincides with the lower end of the earlier guided range of $5.70−$5.80. The company reaffirmed its revenue outlook at 4.5% at CER. The currency movement is expected to lower revenues by 1.5% to 2.0% (earlier 2.0%), which in turn would lead to 2.5% to 3% revenue growth on a reported basis (earlier 2% to 3%).
Other Stocks to Consider
Investors interested in the medical devices industry can consider stocks like NuVasive, Inc. (NUVA) carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (HRC) and Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) each sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).


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HYPEBEAST 100: The innovators from all realms of creativity in the spotlight.
With in-depth interviews, focused features and fashion-forward editorials, our print publication features long-form coverage of the topics valued by readers.
Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.
Last year at the start of August, we were treated to a brand new commercial series and internet
Again re-envisioning classic colorways using their Air Max 24/7 model, Nike have just released
Following yesterday’s preview of the Neon colorway, Nike unveils the second drop in its new Air
Nike continues the hybrid tip as we see a new colorway in its Air Max 24-7 model. The kicks
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Audi boss says Chevy Volt is for idiots
In a potential public-relations disaster for Audi, the president of the German company’s U.S. operations, Johan de Nysschen, has been quoted as saying that the upcoming all-electric Chevrolet Volt is “a car for idiots.”
According to Autoblog, in a recent talk with auto journalist Lawrence Ulrich, the Audi boss said that the Chevrolet Volt is too expensive and “no one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.” He predicted that Volt sales will fail, which will cause the U.S. government to subsidize the electric car in order to save face and boost sales.
The man then said that electric cars are “for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are.” The hilarious part is he overlooked the fact that Audi’s German operation will be launching an electric concept car, possibly in R8 guise, at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show this September!
who in uae will pay usd 35-40k (120kdhs to 150kdhs) for a volt 🙂 wait a minute i know some “IDIOTS” who will 😉 anyways if tesla can come up with the model S @ usd50k in time then im sure the general will lose big time.
The new open top Audi A6. http://www.emailvirals.com/data/media/1/audi_a6.jpg
I think he is right about it. But in the UAE if some idiots going to pay a Pardo for 170K fully loaded or LC starting price for 190K and fully loaded for 260K anything is possiable but with a Toyota name 😀
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
It is not about the Volt. The tech will trickle down to cheaper cars later. Even the Nissan Leaf will be cheaper. But the man dissed ALL electric cars, even while his company is rushing to get into the game.
first of all, congrats to mashfique bhai , the new look of the site looking very nice!
and yea, i guess the technology is new, thus the price premium. As soon as more and more cars are produced, Chevrolet (and all other companies) can reap the economies of higher scale production and prices will go down.(hopefully)
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Thanks, buddy. I just got bored yesterday and decided to change it.
Volt is for idiots…so who’ll buy the Audi now??? 😀 😀 😀
I don’t think the Audi boss overlooked the R8, its an R8, its a $100K supercar, its not a car to compete in the ‘cheap hybrid’ market. Its a testing platform for future electric technologies. Its the same as the new Porsche hybrid supercar, its a SUPERCAR! not a ‘everyday car’. The Audi boss is correct, the Volt is for idiots, its the same for all those who bought the first 3D TV’s with the glass.. Toshiba has now already debuted a ‘no-glasses’ 3D TV… though, we need all those suckers to buy these things first to get the ball rolling for cheaper models to come down the road.
“for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are.”
Sumg middle aged men with a midlife crisis and cannot get laid from their wives that is.. I’d forgive him if he says idiots..


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Samsung wanted the court to stay a damages retrial pending reexamination of an Apple patent, but a judge said no.
After three days of deliberations, a jury came back with the figure on what Samsung needs to pay Apple for infringing on several of its patents.
It doesn’t take much to bring lawyers and reporters scurrying to the courtroom in the Apple-Samsung trial.
Judge Lucy Koh, apparently keen to avoid a re-do of the trial, denied the Samsung request.
Jurors will now decide how much Samsung must pay Apple for infringing on several patents with its smartphones.
The two companies have been arguing in front of a jury for four days over the amount of money Samsung should pay to Apple for infringement of five of Apple's patents.
The two sides will start jury selection Nov. 12 in San Jose, California. The trial will begin immediately after the jury selection.


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Holidaymakers shrugging off the recession
Travel giant Thomas Cook today said holidaymakers were determined to take their summer break despite the recession as the firm posted better than expected results.
Bookings for next summer are currently on track and the firm expects "continued strong growth" from destinations such as Turkey and Egypt as customers shun Eurozone countries due to the weakness of the pound.
Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said: "Recent customer research shows that UK holidaymakers remain intent on taking their holidays abroad next summer."
Underlying pre-tax profits came in at £308.2 million for the year to September, broadly level with last year despite City predictions of a 3 per cent fall.
Mr Fontenla-Novoa said the results were "particularly pleasing" against the backdrop of recession and the swine flu outbreak, which cost it an estimated £8 million in the UK.
Thomas Cook carries around six million UK holidaymakers a year.
Despite customers booking later, the firm said winter bookings had "strengthened in our major markets".
The travel agent's average UK selling prices are up 6 per cent, mainly due to the pound's weakness against the euro and fuel costs - although it is looking to counter this by driving better deals with hoteliers as well as cutting capacity, which means it has to give away fewer trips at discount prices.
Thomas Cook has also cut its lower-margin short-haul capacity in favour of more medium-haul destinations to match demand for non-euro resorts. Selling prices for medium- and long-haul holidays are up 7 per cent overall.
Thomas Cook merged with the former Airtours business MyTravel in 2007 and said cost savings from the deal had been a higher-than- expected £215 million.
Thomson owner TUI also tied up with First Choice two years ago, before the recession struck, to combat declining package tour business due to competition from low-budget airlines.
Mr Fontenla-Novoa added: "I actually think that, had there been four (travel agents) going into this recession, one player and maybe two would have gone bust."
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July 24 - Facebook reports it's full-year results after the bell and Apple shares soar in the premarket after reporting strong iPhone sales.
Let's kick off your Wednesday morning call with results from bowing out just minutes ago no one is -- after another. But don't looks like it's holding its ground it reports strong second quarter result and raise -- -- thirteen earnings per share guidance. It also seized a full year revenue for 2013. Coming in between 83 million to 86. Billion dollars shares of Boeing closed near 107 dollars on Tuesday and they're up two and a half percent. In the premarket. F 150 pickup trucks the secret to Ford's success this corner. Detroit's second largest automaker reported better than expected profit in the second quarter. You're an authority and Ford's side for a while but now it expects losses in the region totaled one point eight million dollars. On par 2012 levels lower than two billion dollar loss previously predicted. Shares of -- up just over 2% in the premarket. And up 22% since January. We'll be talking to -- CFO later today you can catch that interview here on insider. And Facebook's latest report card due out after the bell. This will be the first full year as a public company for FaceBook all eyes of course on mobile growth. Which analysts estimate it will account for 33% of Facebook's total ad revenue for the quarter. That's pretty important since the ad industry is shifting and -- of course it's expected to account. For nearly half of all digital ad spending by 22 team. That 38 dollar IPO price does still remains elusive -- 26 dollars that's where -- act in the premarket. Stocks to watch time apple shares up something we haven't heard while 4% premarket. Don't get used to it. Okay isn't Tim Cook finally -- investors by announcing eight after buyback program and getting an eye on sales that topped estimates. By soaring 1% in the quarter. But make no mistake. Well on Cupertino just yet. Profit fell 22%. As gross margins slid below 37%. And it looks like apple -- starting to have a China problem. Revenue from apple products -- fell 43%. From the previous quarter. Apple's average selling price during the quarter was 581. Dollars which is about 4% lower than the previous year. All that has analysts predicting this morning's premarket rally quickly lose steam. Delta shareholders vote on CEO Michael Dell's 24 point four billion dollar buyout shops are again. -- today. The -- was postponed last week and many in the market expected it would buy time from Michael Dell. To win over the shareholders who are backing an offer made by Carl Icahn. And Google+ a press event in San Francisco today what choice does have in store. Analysts say perhaps a new version of Google's nexus tablet or even an urgent. Of the nexus -- media streaming device remember that which Larry Page on the shelf after it was savaged by the tech press in 22 well. Wrapping up with a look at US stock futures and they are off to a higher start today following on earnings. The thirty year mortgage rate easing up just a little at four point 58%. For the first time since day. Comments from Ben Bernanke last week act as a bomb that's when he's at the timeline for winding down the central bank's bond buying program was not sentenced down. After Wednesday morning call remembered -- follow us on Twitter at Reuters Insider and get more great ideas at Reuters dot com slash it. -- -- --


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Jamie cooks up another £2 million deal
By CLEMMIE MOODIE
Last updated at 15:00 26 April 2007
But after securing a new £2 million advertising deal, fame, it seems, is not quite finished with the 31-year-old Naked Chef.
scroll down for more
Following several weeks of negotiation, the charismatic celebrity chef has renewed, and almost doubled, his seven figure deal with Sainsbury's.
Under terms of the improved one year contract, Oliver will film a new TV and poster campaign, as well as becoming increasingly involved in the supermarket chain's behind the scenes, day to day decision making.
It is understood that Oliver hopes to play a particularly key role in continuing to boost the supermarket's organic food range as well as nurturing Britain's grassroots farming industry.
The move means that the father-of-two, whose televised campaign to improve school lunches earned him a Bafta award, is likely to spend more time away from the family home as he travels nationwide to source fresh ingredients and work in product development.
"Jamie is so passionate about fresh foods and encouraging Britons to eat more healthily that he wanted to start using his association with Sainsbury's to do just this," said a source close to the chef.
"It basically means that Jamie could be on a free range chicken range in Somerset one minute and a supplier in Newcastle the next, and really putting in the hours to try and find the best, grassroots ingredients and organic farms.
"Jamie is probably the first to admit that he's a workaholic so for him, this is the perfect deal. It may well mean that he's working longer hours than ever but this is what he is being handsomely paid to do."
Since first signing up with the retailer in 2000 for a reported fee of £250,000, the so-called 'Jamie Oliver effect' has dramatically boosted the supermarket's profile - and its profits.
Indeed, at the end of last year, the store revealed a 60 per cent increase in profits, with a focus on fresh and healthy food - the subject of an advertising campaign fronted by Oliver - said to have returned the store to favour with customers.
With seven cookbooks to his name and several television cookery series', sales of more unusual ingredients featured in his recipes, such as vanilla pods and truffle butter, have soared.
Indeed, his first campaign for Sainsbury's, the Pukka Tukka adverts which featured him cooking a prawn curry for friends, saw sales of the ingredients rise by 900 per cent.
But just two years ago, Oliver, who married his childhood sweetheart Jools in 2000, insisted that he wanted to reduce his work load, saying that he was 'looking to wind it down in the next three years'.
And earlier this year the Essex-born star claimed that he had started to spend more time in the family home at the insistence of his wife, a former model.
"I don't take problems home and I've changed quite a bit since we had the kids," he said.
"I have seven weeks' holiday a year and I'm off every weekend, which isn't bad for a chef. She [Jools] always says she wants me to take more time off, but I know for a fact that if I was hanging around the house more I'd drive her insane because I'm so hyper.
"If I get a recipe idea, I'll be up till 2am working on it. I've got things in my head all the time. I have to be doing things."
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2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Panoramic Sunroof Spied
Kia Seltos facelift will inherit the same 1.5L NA petrol and 1.5L turbo diesel from current model and get new 1.5L turbo petrol from Carens
Kia made its India debut with the launch of Seltos in 2019. Since then, it has not received any major updates. Fast forwarding to 2023, Kia is getting ready to launch facelifted Seltos. It has already been spied on test in India multiple times. But as it has been wearing camouflage, design details of India-spec Seltos facelift are still under the wraps.
Yes, Seltos facelift has been launched in South Korea and the USA. But Indian Seltos facelift will wear a different design, as has been noticed in the spy shots. Now, yet another set of 2023 Seltos spy shots confirm a new detail, one which has been most awaited. Panoramic Sunroof.
2023 Kia Seltos Panoramic Sunroof Confirmed – Spied
Yes. 2023 Kia Seltos facelift will get Panoramic Sunroof in India. This has now been confirmed via exclusive spy shots shared by automotive enthusiast Anvish. Ever since its launch in 2019, Seltos buyers have been wanting a panoramic sunroof. But all these years, it only came with a single pane sunroof.
Kia Seltos not getting a panoramic sunroof was even more surprising when you consider the fact that its sibling, Hyundai Creta comes with a panoramic sunroof. With the launch of panoramic sunroof option with Seltos, Kia is likely to see a boost in their Seltos sales figures. This was much needed as Maruti Grand Vitara has been eating into their market share.
Upgraded and more premium design, overhauled features list and rejigged variants lineup are expected from Seltos facelift. Kia will retain the overall silhouette. Changes are likely to be evolutionary. In this sense, the new design elements will not redefine Seltos. Instead, they will establish iterative changes that will still be recognisable as Seltos.
Design Updates, New Features, More Power
Front grille will be larger and slightly redesigned. India-spec Seltos will get ADAS as recent test mules in Hyderabad donned a bumper-mounted radar module. At the rear, it will get a different tail light as opposed to global model. 2023 Seltos top variants with 1.5L turbo petrol will get dual exhausts. Recent spy shots reveal cameras on ORVMs enabling 360-degree camera and blindspot assistance with feed on driver’s display.
Speaking of the 1.5L turbo petrol, Kia is currently offering it in Carens alone. This engine promises exhilarating performance with 160 PS of power and 253 Nm of torque. This engine will also make its way to Seltos 2023 facelift. It could be offered with 7 DCT auto as well as 6 speed MT. Other powertrain options include 1.5L NA petrol and the good ol’ 1.5L diesel.
Kia will overhaul Seltos’ features list to make it more premium. For starters, it will get a 10.25” infotainment screen, automatic climate control, cruise control, LED headlights, powered and ventilated front seats, rear AC vents, a digital driver’s screen, 360-degree camera, ADAS, panoramic sunroof and more. When launched, it will take on Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Hyundai Creta and MG Astor. Kia is likely to launch 2023 Seltos around the festive season. Prices of 2023 Kia Seltos facelift will be in a similar range as current Seltos. Top end variants might get more expensive, thanks to features like ADAS and panoramic sunroof.
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May 28, 2012
-- Support Real were interested today to hear that an Irish village has taken its lead from a town in Spain whose shops accept pesetas by allowing customers to use the pre-euro currency. In Clones, in Co Monaghan, a village in the Republic of Ireland and close to the Ulster border, shops and restaurants display signs stating that they will take Irish pounds as payment. Petrol station Tony Morgan explains that his son, Ciaran, was the brains behind the move, which now includes 42 retailers in Clones.
Ciaran Morgan told his father about the idea when he heard that around 60 shops and bars in the fishing village of Mugardos (A Coruña) in Galicia had begun to accept pesetas as well as euros. Since Clones' traders began taking their old currency again, Tony says he has already netted 1,000 Irish pounds (about 1,269 euros) in two months.
“It's a great idea,” said our source from Support Real, a Spanish sales and marketing company, “There's a ton of old currency that people have just lying around the house, and this allows them to actually use it.”
Rather like in Mugardos, the publicity generated by the idea has increased trade as visitors come from far and wide – and an added bonus in the case of Clones is that they also accept British pounds, meaning those popping over the border from Northern Ireland do not have to change their currency before spending.
Our source at Support Real said, “It's always pleasing to see people taking the initiative to do something interesting and new in business. This is something that helps both the customers and the businesses, so you can't say much bad about it.”
In 2010, the Irish Central Bank (ICB) changed a total of 1.8 million Irish pounds for euros, at a rate of 0.90 Irish pounds to the euro, and in 2011 a further 313,577 euros' worth of Irish pounds were exchanged. This said, at the end of 2010, the ICB estimated that there were still around 238 million Irish pounds in notes and 125.5 million in coins stuffed into drawers and down the back of sofas in homes throughout the country.


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As a result, consumers could save substantially on their household energy bills, as online energy plans are where suppliers are already offering their cheapest prices and most competitive deals.
The move brings the average online price down to £1072 – £180 a year cheaper than suppliers’ standard plans. It also means that British Gas has the most competitive online plan on the market again.
Households stuck on the most expensive standard plan on the market will now be paying £328 a year more on average for their energy than those on British Gas’s online plan. These households can cut their energy bills immediately, just by moving to dual fuel, paying by direct debit and signing up to an online plan.
Will Marples, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said: "An online price war is exactly what consumers need – suppliers will want to shake up the energy market and gain market share, but households will be winners too. Suppliers are already offering their most competitive prices online, so any move to cut these further can only be to consumers’ advantage.
"Households only have to take three simple steps to lower energy bills: move to dual fuel, pay by direct debit and sign up to an online plan. If they ditch their expensive standard plans today and sign up to a competitive online plan they will be quids in."
Have your say on this story using the comment section below


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Apple Watch Series 8, expected to be launched later this year, has seen a lot of buzz around its upcoming features. Previous reports hinted at Apple working to include a feature to measure body temperature in the series. The rumours were first addressed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who suggested that Apple might not bring the body temperature feature in Watch Series 8. However, in a series of recent tweet, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the company might be working on an algorithm to support the temperature sensing feature in the upcoming smartwatch.
Kuo took to Twitter to explain why the body temperature feature didn't make it to Apple Watch Series 7. He stated that as the algorithm didn't support its qualification before reaching the Engineering Validation Testing stage, the feature couldn't be made to work on the watch. However, the company is planning to introduce the temperature measurement feature this year with the Apple Watch Series 8, if algorithm ends up supporting the requirement. The feature will enable the smartwatch to act as a thermometer and can help detect fever.
Kuo also addressed the key issue that makes it difficult for smartwatches to ensure inclusion of body temperature sensing. “The challenge in implementing precise body temperature measurement is that skin temperature quickly varies depending on outside environments,” he explained. He added smartwatches fail to calculate core temperature measurement with its hardware alone. Hence, an excellent algorithm is required for smartwatches to include temperature sensing feature.
Samsung, in Kuo's opinion, is facing a similar challenge, making it tough for them to introduce the feature. Kuo also refuted the rumours suggesting the support for body temperature measurement in Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 this year.
Kuo's tweet has contradicted the report shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, where he mentioned that while the Cupertino-based company may add support for checking blood glucose levels and blood pressure levels, it will not be possible for Apple to add the body temperature feature in Apple Watch Series 8.
However, Kuo's previous report from September last year also hinted at Apple's progress to offer new health management features.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to arrive mid-September this year, along with the launch of the iPhone 14 series.
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Ahold on Thursday said it U.S. sales, operating income and margins decreased during the fiscal second quarter, reflecting a decision to absorb some of its commodity price increases while making price investments as part of its ongoing Reshaping Retail program.
A calendar shift moving Easter sales to the first quarter this year also negatively impacted sales, which declined by 1.7% at constant exchange rates to $5.8 billion (U.S.). Identical-store sales excluding gasoline declined by 1.8% and overall market share was down, particularly in New England and at Giant-Landover, the company said.
Underlying operating margin of 3.7% was 0.5% lower than the same period last year, reflecting investment in stores and the effect of absorbing some price increases in meat and dairy rather than passing them along to customers.
Ahold's worldwide sales of $9.8 billion (U.S.) were down by 1.1%.
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As part of their ongoing #turtletuesday reveal, NECA has revealed new teaser images for their upcoming Turtles in Disguise 4-pack coming this spring!
This new Target exclusive 4-pack is LOADED with accessories (Pigeon Pete anyone?), updated articulation and newly tooled heads featuring interchangeable parts similar to their newly released quarter scale cartoon Ralph.
NECA has done an outstanding job with their cartoon TMNT line and this set knocks it out of the park by offering collectors something new with their creepy Uncle Fester “human” masks and more cartoon style accuracy.
While the listing for this set isn’t available yet, it’s said to have the DCPI #323-07-1797 and is priced at $124.99.
UPDATED 2/17: The listing has been found in Target systems


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Heather Morris, a cheerleader and singer on the popular Fox TV series Glee has been named as the global ambassador for Flirt! Cosmetics.
Known for her role as the ditsy Brittany Pierce on the hit series, she will tout the product line on a worldwide basis. According to Julie Howard, a Senior Vice-President of Global Marketing and Brand Development for the company:
“Brittany is the biggest flirt on ‘Glee’ so theres that – not to mention I’m obsessed with the Flirt makeup.”
You’ll be able to find Heather in various store appearances and during an online talent search for All That Lash, Flirt’s most recent scent which will reach stores in April 2011.


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These days, using social media to build your small business may seem like a no-brainer, but there are reasons for owners to be cautious. After all, social networking snafus have caused many people to lose their jobs. What’s to say similar hiccups won’t hurt your business?
In fact, there are already examples where mismanagement of social media has afforded businesses some decidedly negative attention. Earlier this month, Amy’s Baking Company, a restaurant in Scotsdale, Ariz., received a wave of negative PR when owner Amy Bouzalgo responded to an unfavorable Yelp! review by calling the writer, among other things, a “tramp,” “loser” and “moron” in her own Yelp review.
Big brand Coca-Cola (Stock Quote: KO) received its own basket of bad press in July when a misguided Dr Pepper promotion unwittingly made direct reference to a hardcore pornographic film … on a 14-year-old girl’s Facebook wall. And the New York Times certainly had some explaining to do when a hack of one of its blogs’ Twitter account advertised some affordable naked webcam action back in May.
But these potential drawbacks shouldn’t dissuade small businesses from launching a social media campaign. After all, it can be one of the most cost-effective ways to both promote and build your business. However, there are some things you need to consider before attempting to go viral.
“Social media and customer service go hand in hand,” Nathaniel Perez, who heads social marketing for customer experience company SapientNitro, tells MainStreet. “Being on a social network does not solve a product problem.”
Perez explains that businesses need to understand the types of exposure big networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Myspace, provide. Nestle, for example, was probably reconsidering the creation of its Facebook page after news broke that one of its palm oil suppliers Sinar Mas was destroying protected Indonesian rainforests. The retailer was subsequently bombarded with complaints and criticism via both of its pages that lasted well beyond the readily-issued March apology.