IVECO's New China Daily wins title in China's first 'Van of the Year' awards

January 26, 2018, 1:00 am

≫ Next: Ulferts Share Offering Draws Strong Investor Interest with Public Offer 1,639 Times Subscribed

≪ Previous: AIR Worldwide Estimates Industry Insured Losses for Winter Storm Friederike Will be Between EUR 1.3 Billion and EUR 2.6 Billion

Ms. Yu Jing, Chairwoman of the VOY China jury (center) with Federico Bullo Vice President IVECO APAC (right)

The first edition of the 'Van of the Year China' awards series saw IVECO's Daily light commercial vehicle crowned. Acknowledged for its exceptional quality and performance, this recognition is the result of rigorous testing and a visit to the NAVECO Qiaolin plant where the product is locally manufactured for the Chinese market and other export markets.

LONDON, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - IVECO, the commercial vehicles brand of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI), announces the latest victory for its light duty Daily model family. The IVECO New China Daily has been voted as the first ever 'Van of the Year China 2018' by a panel of senior commercial vehicle journalists. The vehicle's European counterpart, the IVECO Daily Blue Power, was recently named as the 2018 International Van of the Year (IVOY) in November 2017. IVOY, which has taken place in Europe for over 25 years, sees its rigorous test standards implemented into the criteria of the Chinese judging.

Federico Bullo, Vice President IVECO APAC, received the award at a ceremony held in Beijing on January 14 in the presence of Yu Jing, President of Commercial Vehicle magazine and Chairwoman of the 'Van of the Year China' Jury and representatives from the media and industry experts. The 'Van of the Year China' jury panel is made up of journalists from authoritative trade publications, industry experts and commercial vehicle operator representatives. They based their evaluation on the IVOY standard test system and carried out a three-day dynamic and static assessment of the vehicle. The New China Daily stood out from the competition by combining the latest European design and technologies with the real needs of Chinese customers, resulting in a versatile van that leads the industry in terms of its bodywork, technology, loading capacity, sustainability, safety and comfort.

The jurors also visited the new world-class plant in Qiaolin (Nanjing), where the New China Daily range is manufactured by NAVECO, IVECO's joint-venture company in China. The vehicle is tailor-made for the needs of Chinese and Asian customers. The manufacturing complex is one of the most advanced and environmentally-friendly commercial vehicles production sites in the country. It follows the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) standards, putting quality and sustainability at the heart of its operation and setting new goals for the Chinese automotive industry. WCM is one of the global manufacturing industry's highest standards for the integrated management of manufacturing plants and processes.

The New China Daily first entered production in July 2017. It is the latest in a long line of IVECO commercial vehicles that have become synonymous with safe and efficient transport. It is sold and supported in China by NAVECO's network of eight regional centers, 119 dealer outlets and 349 service points. IVECO's joint-venture holds a 25.9% share of the "European style" light bus and van sub-segment, which has seen growth that is driven by customer demand for higher levels of efficiency and comfort.

Photo caption: Ms. Yu Jing, Chairwoman of the VOY China jury (center) with Federico Bullo Vice President IVECO APAC (right)

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com

Sign up for corporate news alerts from the CNH Industrial Newsroom: bit.ly/media-cnhindustrial-subscribe

Media contacts:
Asia Pacific Press Office
E-mail: media.apac@cnhind.com

VOY_CHINA_IVECO_APAC http://hugin.info/163950/R/2163901/832465.jpg
20180126_PR_CNH_Industrial_IVECO_VOY_CHINA_final http://hugin.info/163950/R/2163901/832464.pdf

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This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: CNH Industrial N.V. via Globenewswire

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Ulferts Share Offering Draws Strong Investor Interest with Public Offer 1,639 Times Subscribed

January 26, 2018, 1:40 am

≫ Next: The Executive Talk: Muangthai Leasing PCL (SET:MTLS)

≪ Previous: IVECO's New China Daily wins title in China's first 'Van of the Year' awards

Offer Price Fixed at HK$0.56 per Share

HONG KONG, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Ulferts International Limited ("Ulferts" or "the Group", Stock Code: 1711.HK), a well-known furniture retailer in Hong Kong, today announced the allotment results of its share offering (the "Share Offering").

Ulferts offered a total of 200 million new shares, initially comprising 180 million shares for share placing and 20 million shares for Hong Kong public offering. Due to significant over-subscription of 1,639 times in the public offering, a total of 80 million shares have been re-allocated from the share placing to the public offering. As a result of such re-allocation, 100 million shares, or 50% of the total offer shares, were allocated to the public offering. The tranche for share placing was also heavily covered.

The offer price has been fixed at HK$0.56 per share, within an upper band of the indicative offer price range. As such, the net proceeds from the Share Offering after deducting underwriting fees and other listing related expenses is estimated to be approximately HK$92.9 million.

Mr. Ricky Ng, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Ulferts, said, "The overwhelming response to our Share Offering has demonstrated investors' confidence about Ulferts' growth strategies and long-term prospects. We aim to solidify our market position by continuously expanding our presence in Hong Kong and diversifying into mid-end segment, and ultimately bringing good returns to our shareholders."

Ulferts will be listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on Monday, January 29, 2018 under the stock code of 1711. Its share will be traded in board lots of 10,000 shares each.

Emperor Capital Limited and OCTAL Capital Limited are the Joint Sponsors of the Group's Share Offering. Emperor Securities Limited is the Sole Bookrunner and Lead Manager. The Bank of East Asia, Limited and Taiping Securities (HK) Company Limited are the Co-Lead Managers.

About Ulferts International Limited
Established for over 40 years, Ulferts is a well-known furniture retailer and currently operates "Ulferts", "Eurodecor" and "Dormire" retail stores in Hong Kong. Dedicated to supply high quality and affordable luxury furniture for its customers to build their ideal home, Ulferts carries around 50 furniture brands (some of which are international brands) imported from different suppliers in Europe and Asia. It offers a wide variety of contemporary style furniture products targeted for middle to high income group. Meanwhile, its self-owned brand, "Ulfenbo", mainly offers mattresses and sofas through wholesaling to dealers and retailing under "Dormire" retail stores. In recognition of Ulferts' commitment to service excellence, its staff was awarded with "Outstanding Performance Awards" in 2017 Service & Courtesy Award programme organised by Hong Kong Retail Management Association. For more information, please visit its website: www.ulfertsintl.com .

Investor/ Financial Media Enquiries
Ms. Anna Luk
Investor Relations Director
Emperor Group
Tel: +852 2835 6783
Email: annaluk@emperorgroup.com

Ms. Winnie Kwong
Investor Relations Manager
Emperor Group
Tel: +852 2835 6791
Email: winniekwong@emperorgroup.com

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The Executive Talk: Muangthai Leasing PCL (SET:MTLS)

January 25, 2018, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: China Success Finance Announces Issuance of HK$154 Million Convertible Bonds

≪ Previous: Ulferts Share Offering Draws Strong Investor Interest with Public Offer 1,639 Times Subscribed

BANGKOK, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Muangthai Leasing PCL (SET:MTLS) Chairman of the Executive Committee, Mr. Chuchat Petaumpai discusses the company's strategy and outlook in The Executive Talk (TET) by ShareInvestor.com.

TET: How has MTLS successfully expanded throughout the country?

We were listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2014, and grew 50% and 80% in 2015 and 2016 respectively. This year our target was to grow by 50% and in the first nine months of the year we have already grown by 55% thus we are expecting to be able to achieve this growth target. For the next two years we aim to grow by 40% per year and by 30% in 2020. The figures that we have achieved since being listed are across the board in terms of new loan growth, account receivable growth and profit growth, all whilst maintaining our Non-Performing Loans ratio (NPL's) at 1.5%. We were able to achieve this because with the funds raised from IPO (Initial Public Offering), we expanded from 506 branches in 2014 predominately in Central and Northern Thailand to 2,294 branches today via branch expansion in Bangkok, Eastern and Southern Thailand.

TET: What type of loans does MTLS offer to its customers?

Our customers are farmers, constructions workers, company workers, small business owners and civil servants and we offer five core products, 1) secured loans for motorcycles, 2) secured loans for automotives which includes both personal vehicles and tractors, 3) Secured loans for land, 4) unsecured loans for personal loans and; 5) nano financing. Currently, our 39% of the loan receivables is from motorcycles, 33% from cars, 14% from land, and the remaining from personal loans, tractors, and nano financing and we aim to maintain this ratio for the next few years. Today we have a total of 1.3 million customers from 1.6 million contracts.

TET: How is MTLS able to manage its growth and NPL's so effectively?

Focus and great team work. As founders, we have been focused purely on this business for the past 25 years and understand the ins and outs of the business, the industry, our customers, our competitors and how to ensure that our company can succeed. And it is the team work that allows us to grow successfully and manage the NPL's well. Our five core values are; 1) Work Honestly, 2) Work Hard, 3) Positive Attitude, 4) Teamwork, and 5) Discipline. It is ingrained within the structure of the organisation that each person is responsible for their own, their teams, and the company's performance.

TET: Given the issues in the bill of exchange market, is financing an issue for MTLS?

Financing has not been an issue for us, despite the events that occurred with a few publicly listed companies in Thailand, we were able to successfully issue Bill of Exchanges, bonds or receive loans from the commercial banks in Thailand. Currently our debt to equity ratio is at 3x and our commercial bank partners are satisfied and comfortable with us. Even with our current expansion plans we hope to be able to maintain this satisfactory in the next few years because we maintain our dividend policy below 50% allowing us to grow our equity base.

TET: What differentiates MTLS from its competitors?

When one initially walks into one of our branches there is no tangible difference between us and our competitors. But once a customer experiences the full service of borrowing and repaying a loan, then they will find a difference. When we refer to our service, it may be something as simple as the service of providing a glass of cold water to a customer that walks into a branch which one does not find at other companies or financial institutions, or the fact that we offer the lowest rate of service fee at 8% and interest charge 15% annum. And it is the impression of the company that is important because after a customer is pleased with our services then through word of mouth we can continue growing our customer base. Also, when we talk about competition, it is not necessarily being the banks or other financial services companies. Our competitors, however, are the local players within each town, city, province. These are typically the gold shops, dealers, lawyers and so forth, because they do know the community, however, they do not necessarily treat their customers well and do charge very high rates of 3-5% per month. So, when MTLS expands into a new location, we bring professionalism, we focus on serving our customers and this separates us from our competitors.

TET: Would MTLS consider expanding outside of Thailand or expanding into new products and services?

The CLMV region is an interesting option for us and we have visited the countries and met with potential partners but now is not the right time to expand given the current development of each country's infrastructure, banking systems, regulations and laws. With the upcoming elections and continued government spending of 2.2 trillion baht on the infrastructure projects throughout the country this provides us with visibility our customers will be gainfully employed. For new products or services, we have our experience in our five core products and will focus on what we know until the market potential is fulfilled. However with 1 million customers we do have the possibility introducing a new product whether it be hire-purchase or something else, but for now we will focus on our five core products and focus within Thailand.

TET: What are the biggest risks facing your business?

In Thailand there are two risk factors to worry about, first are the natural disasters and second is political instability.

With natural disasters we do have to monitor the periods during which there are floods or droughts throughout the country as these events may impact the livelihood of our customers and impact their ability to service the loans from MTLS. This year even though there were some floods, thankfully we had the experience to know how to deal with this and manage the situation well, also with the levels in the water dams at 50% we do not have to worry about a potential drought on the horizon.

With regards to political instability, in the past there was instability with the riots and different political factions but since the military government there has been stability. Other than these two factors we look at potential disruptions such as the growing adoption of technology and we have been pro-active by developing our own systems that will allow customers to easily pay loans or borrow more via their phones in the future. Until we can launch this system we have ensured that there are multiple avenues of repayment via our branches, 7-11's and other modern retail trade channels.

TET: Where do you expect to see MTLS in five years from now?

Today we are the largest in assets, new loans, account receivables and profitability. Our business plan for the next three years is to expand to 4,000 branches by opening 600 new branches per year and maintain the existing proportion of loans. With 4,000 branches, we will cover the entire country, widen the distance between MTLS and other competitors, and our number of branches will be equal to 50% of all the commercial bank branches in Thailand combined. Because of our experience, focus and teamwork we are confident in our ability to achieve this.

About The Executive Talk Interview Series

The Executive Talk Interview Series is presented by ShareInvestor, Asia's leading financial internet media and technology company, the largest investor relations network in the region. Please visit www.ShareInvestorThailand.com. For more information, email admin.th@shareinvestor.com.

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China Success Finance Announces Issuance of HK$154 Million Convertible Bonds

January 26, 2018, 12:20 am

≫ Next: Aldebaran5, Next Generation Autonomous Vehicle Computing Platform in a Single Chip

≪ Previous: The Executive Talk: Muangthai Leasing PCL (SET:MTLS)

Enters into Subscription Agreement with CCB International to strengthen leadership position

HONG KONG, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - China Success Finance Group Holdings ("China Success Finance"; HK:3623) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a subscription agreement with Chance Talent Management Limited, an wholly-owned subsidiary of CCB International (Holdings) Limited ("CCB International"), for the issuance of 2-year 6% Convertible Bonds with an aggregate principle amount of HK$154,000,000.

According to the subscription agreement, the Convertible Bonds are convertible into shares at the initial conversion price of HK$2.20 per conversion share, which represents a premium of approximately 50% over the closing price of HK$1.47 per share as quoted on the HKEx on 25 January 2018. Assuming full conversion of the bonds, the bonds are to be convertible into approximately 70,000,000 Shares, accounting for 11.65% of the fully diluted share base.

Mr. Zhang Tiewai, Chairman and Executive Director of China Success Finance said, "The issuance of convertible bonds provides strategic support for our future development. It not only broadens channels of funding and strengthens business expansion, but will raise our corporate position in the capital markets. By integrating support from government, institutions, media and market, we will embrace business entities and infrastructures opportunities which can merge into and enhance our traditional business. Moreover, we are exploring the Hong Kong-Macau new cooperation model in order to take the vital practitioner role in the Greater Bay Area."

About China Success Finance

China Success Finance Group Holdings Limited ("China Success Finance") is a leading financial group and the first financial guarantee service provider in China listed on the HKEx. Our main businesses have evolved from guarantee and micro lending into asset management, fund management, investment and acquisition, financial leasing, finance guarantee, overseas capital, real estate finance and micro credit, allowing the Company to develop as a multi-services financial platform. Rooted in Foshan, the center of the Greater Bay Area, China Success Finance is committed to offering integrated and professional financial services in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay Area. http://www.chinasuccessfinance.com/en/

Media enquiries:
Anli Financial Communications Limited
Crystal Chan, +852 3956 1640, crystal.chan@anli.com.hk
Joy Kan, +852 3956 1646, joy.kan@anli.com.hk

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Aldebaran5, Next Generation Autonomous Vehicle Computing Platform in a Single Chip

January 26, 2018, 12:30 am

≫ Next: Lubrizol Highlights Unique Technologies at ISPO 2018

≪ Previous: China Success Finance Announces Issuance of HK$154 Million Convertible Bonds

Aldebaran5, Self-Driving Car Processor (Copyright: ETRI)

Daejeon, KOREA, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The Processor Research Group at ETRI has announced the development of Aldebaran5, a processor for self-driving cars. Aldebaran5 features 9 cores to provide high computing power as well as safety mechanisms to ensure reliability for automotive applications, while exhibiting industry leading power efficiency (~1 watt) and a tiny form factor (smaller than the size of a nail head.)

Codenamed Aldebaran5 after the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus, the chip is a significantly upgraded version of its predecessor. Nine cores provide ample computing power, 4 of which are dynamically programmable to operate for performance or for reliability. Safety features adhering to international standards ensure reliability with 99% detection coverage of faults and malfunctions and includes recovery mechanisms to mitigate potential negative effects.

Dedicated custom-designed acceleration circuitry for image recognition and HEVC (high efficiency video coding) as well as CAN bus communication hardware and an image signal processor (ISP) are integrated into the SoC, all combining to provide a robust and streamlined computing platform designed for autonomous vehicle applications.

A wide range of applications have been demonstrated on Aldebaran5 attesting to a powerful, efficient, robust, yet reliable computing platform tailor-made for autonomous vehicle applications. These include real time pedestrian and vehicle recognition, lane detection/warning/keeping system, ultra high definition black box functionality (dash cam), interfacing and processing of various sensor data (radar, GPS, etc) and vehicle maneuvering via CAN bus control, among others.

Research and development to integrate neural network acceleration hardware in order to provide artificial intelligence capabilities are near completion and expected to be announced within the year.

Please contact:
ETRI
Dr Youngsu Kwon
E: yskwon@etri.re.kr
T: +82-42-860-5244

About ETRI - the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
Established in 1976, ETRI is a non-profit Korean government-funded research organization that has been at the forefront of technological excellence for about 41 years. In the 1980s, ETRI developed TDX (Time Division Exchange) and 4M DRAM. In the 1990s, ETRI commercialized CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) for the first time in the world. In the 2000s, ETRI developed Terrestrial DMB, WiBro, and 4G LTE Advanced, which became the foundation of mobile communications. As a global ICT leader, ETRI has been advancing communication and convergence by developing SAN (Ship Area Network) technology, Genie Talk (world class portable automatic interpretation; Korean-English/Japanese/Chinese), and automated valet parking technology. As of 2017, ETRI has about 2,000 employees where about 1,800 of them are researchers. Please visit https://www.etri.re.kr/eng/main/main.etri.

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Lubrizol Highlights Unique Technologies at ISPO 2018

January 26, 2018, 3:30 am

≫ Next: Double Podium for the Toyota Yaris WRC in Monte Carlo

≪ Previous: Aldebaran5, Next Generation Autonomous Vehicle Computing Platform in a Single Chip

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Jan 26, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The Lubrizol Corporation announces that it will showcase its broad range of performance apparel solutions in Hall C4, Booth #300 at ISPO 2018 in Munich, Germany, January 28-31, 2018. The show comprises over 2,700 exhibitors presenting the latest sports-related products from segments such as Snowsports, Outdoor, Health & Fitness, Urban and Teamsports.

Lubrizol will feature its revolutionary elastomeric fiber, X4zol(TM)-J, that brings innovation to the performance apparel industry. X4zol-J is made from a proprietary thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin and is available exclusively from Lubrizol and its Innovation Alliance network for circular, warp knit and denim fabrics, and seamless garments. This Innovation Alliance includes visionary industry leaders who are expert in fabric development, including Ruey Tay, Schoeller, Olah, Inc., Tefron, ChangYuan Elastan, MAS, Stretchline, Premiere Fibers, Hornwood Inc., Polartec, and Filix Creative Solutions.

Innovation Alliance members will join Lubrizol at ISPO 2018 to promote X4zol-J to the global market, demonstrate novel fabrics and garments containing X4zol-J, and help accelerate apparel innovation for leading brands. Fabrics and garments made with X4zol-J offer balanced stretch and recovery, comfortable compression and breathability, and provide exceptional wearer fit and comfort. Exemplary applications include athletic apparel, base layer, athleisure, intimate apparel, shapewear, socks and stretch denim.

Lubrizol will also help pioneering brands and designers to explore the potential synergy of skin care actives delivered through fabric with its Quiospheres(R) technology, developed by Lubrizol-owned Lipotec(R), a scientific leader in clinically proven skin care active ingredients.

Additionally, Lubrizol will highlight its performance textile coating solutions designed to help ordinary fabrics do extraordinary things. These advanced technologies - including resins, polymers, additives and formulated solutions - can work together to improve many functional and aesthetic properties such as durability, flame retardancy, abrasion resistance, water repellency, breathability and cooling.

"Lubrizol collaborates with key brands, designers and industry experts to provide superior performance apparel solutions. ISPO is an ideal venue for promoting our fabric innovation and provides a convenient meeting place to work with customers, prospects and other innovators to help brands accelerate innovation and drive differentiated performance in the fast-moving apparel industry", says Rob Richardson, Global Business Director, Performance Apparel/Fibers at Lubrizol.

Visit Lubrizol Hall C4, Booth #300 at ISPO 2018 in Munich (Germany), January 28-31 to learn more about Lubrizol's range of innovative performance apparel solutions.

About Lubrizol Engineered Polymers

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers offers one of the broadest portfolios of engineered polymers available today including resins that are bio-based*, recyclable**, light stable, flame retardant, adhesive, chemically resistant, optically clear and fast cycling. Our technology crosses many industries and applications, including surface protection, power and fluid systems, sports and recreation, wearable devices, electronics and automotive. For more information, visit www.lubrizol.com/engineeredpolymers or contact engineeredpolymers@lubrizol.com.

About Lubrizol Performance Coatings

Lubrizol is a market-driven innovator of specialty chemicals that solve today's challenges in the paints and coatings, printing and packaging, paper and textiles, plastics and composites, and digital print markets. More than just a supplier, we are a collaborator with extensive experience in surface protection, dispersion, adhesion, and barrier properties that enables us to enhance the performance, simplicity, and sustainability benefits of our customers' products. With a commitment to collaboration, applied science, and demonstrated value, our team of experts is dedicated to exceeding customer expectations for both the simplest and toughest requirements. Count on Lubrizol to make the difference.

About The Lubrizol Corporation

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a market-driven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their environmental impact. It is a leader at combining market insights with chemistry and application capabilities to deliver valuable solutions to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol improves lives by acting as an essential partner in our customers' success, delivering efficiency, reliability or wellness to their end users. Technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care, personal care and skin care products and specialty materials encompassing polymer and coatings technologies, along with polymer-based pharmaceutical and medical device solutions.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,300 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2016 were $6.5 billion. For more information, visit Lubrizol.com.

*Bio-based content as certified in accordance with ASTM D-6866.
**Recyclability is based on access to a readily available standard recycling program that supports such materials. Products may not be available in all areas.

All marks are owned by The Lubrizol Corporation.

Media Contacts
Michael Priola
+1-216-447-5697
Engineered Polymers

Mike Heil
+1-216-447-5176
Performance Coatings

Websites
www.lubrizol.com
www.x4jfiber.com
www.lubrizol.com/engineered-polymers
www.lubrizol.com/Coatings

###

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Lubrizol via Globenewswire

↧

Double Podium for the Toyota Yaris WRC in Monte Carlo

January 29, 2018, 2:10 am

≫ Next: DENSO Develops New Vision Sensor for Improved Night Driving Safety

≪ Previous: Lubrizol Highlights Unique Technologies at ISPO 2018

Toyota City, Japan, Jan 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team has begun the 2018 season with a superb team performance on Rallye Monte-Carlo. Two of the Toyota Yaris WRCs finished the famous event on the podium, with Ott Tanak second and Jari-Matti Latvala third.

Tanak impressed throughout his debut rally with TOYOTA, quickly adapting to the Yaris WRC to set four fastest times as he challenged for the victory in typically demanding conditions. He took a careful approach through the four stages that made up the final day as he secured second overall: a fantastic start to his time with the team. Latvala also played it safe to complete a double podium for the squad. Esapekka Lappi ended up seventh (less than 15 seconds away from fourth) after a small mistake on the final stage, but can still look back at a strong performance in his first Rallye Monte-Carlo driving a World Rally Car.

Quotes

Akio Toyoda (Team Chairman)
"Having developed the Yaris WRC on different roads all over the world last year, all of us at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team made it even better during the short off-season and put an improved Yaris on the start ramp for Rallye Monte-Carlo. Although I couldn't be there, my heart was with the team and I saw many messages on our social networks from fans not only in Japan but all over the world. I would also like to thank Tommi and the other team members, as well as our six drivers and co-drivers who finished the rally reliably despite such challenging asphalt conditions with rain, snow, ice and mud. Toyota is a big family united by the same goal of making ever-better cars. Juho Hanninen and Kaj Lindstrom, who were competing in the number 11 Yaris WRC last year, continue in vital roles: Juho as part of the safety crew and Kaj as sporting director. As the new season goes on we will face even bigger challenges: extreme cold, high altitude, intense heat and increasingly stronger rivals. But together with our colleagues and fans, we are focussed on making an ever-better Yaris thanks to the valuable lessons learned from the world's most demanding stages. Thank you for your continuing support: we appreciate it so much."

Tommi Makinen (Team Principal)
"This has been a really brilliant way to start the season. I believe this is the strongest our team has been since we started. I'm very happy to see the effort put in by the whole team. I am also very impressed by the way that Ott has fitted into the team so quickly, how professional he is and how soon he has learned everything. It would be great to continue like this. We are looking forward to Sweden."

Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 7)
"Rallye Monte-Carlo is never easy. We had difficult conditions once again today, particularly with the ice on the Col du Turini that came since the recce. I'm really relieved to get to the finish and to be on the podium. The team has done an excellent job and the car is performing really well so I'm excited for the season ahead. It's going to be about staying cool and to think about the championship and about the points. This has been a good start."

Ott Tanak (Driver car 8)
"It's really nice to start the season like this. It looks like I have joined a very strong team! The car has been amazing and I've felt really comfortable in it since the start of the rally. It was an extremely tough rally with such difficult conditions, but we managed to get through without any serious problems. We were expecting easier conditions today, but it was still really icy. We were able to take it steady because we were in a strong position. I'm now really looking forward to the coming rallies."

Esapekka Lappi (Driver car 9)
"Today started really well with some good speed and the plan was to keep up the rhythm, including on the Power Stage. Unfortunately, I went wide on one corner and then I couldn't get reverse, so we lost a lot of time and three positions. At the moment I am quite disappointed but at least I completed every kilometre, gaining experience and learning many things, so there are also a lot of positives. It has been a good rally for the team and Sweden should suit me better."

About Toyota

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

↧

DENSO Develops New Vision Sensor for Improved Night Driving Safety

January 28, 2018, 8:38 pm

≫ Next: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Clears 100,000 Sales Milestone in Europe

≪ Previous: Double Podium for the Toyota Yaris WRC in Monte Carlo

- Sensor reduces accidents by detecting pedestrians and other road users in low-light situations -

TOKYO, Jan 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO Corporation, one of the world's largest automotive suppliers, today announced it has developed a new standard vision sensor that detects pedestrians at night, cyclists, road signs, driving lanes and other road users. Working in conjunction with a millimeter-wave radar sensor, the new vision sensor allows automobiles to automatically activate emergency braking when obstacles are identified, helping reduce accidents and improve overall vehicle safety. It is featured in the 2018 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire, which were released in January this year.

The new sensor illustrates how DENSO supports the widespread adoption of safety technologies that will play a critical role in the advancement of future mobility. It improves night vision by using a unique lens specifically designed for low-light use, and a solid-state imaging device with higher sensitivity. These innovations help the sensor better identify other road users and different-shaped road signs, such as triangular, rectangular, and octagonal signs used in Japan, Europe, and the United States. An improved white-line detection algorithm and road-edge detection algorithm also broaden the operating range of lane-keeping assistance and lane departure alert functions, while a 40% size reduction from previous models reduces costs and makes installation easier.

DENSO has been developing technologies and products to help create a society free from traffic accidents. These technologies support DENSO's continued pursuit to deliver a safe and secure automotive society for all people around the world.

About Denso

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 38 countries and regions and employs nearly 140,000 people. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, totaled US$39.8 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 9 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.

Contact:
Sadayoshi Yokoyama, Toshiko Watanabe 
DENSO CORPORATION 
Phone: 81-566-25-5594 
Fax: 81-566-25-4509 
sadayoshi_yokoyama@denso.co.jp 
toshiko_watanabe@denso.co.jp

↧

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Clears 100,000 Sales Milestone in Europe

January 28, 2018, 8:54 pm

≫ Next: Voice is branding's new frontier - WARC Toolkit 2018

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TOKYO, Jan 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Barely four years after its launch, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announces that Outlander PHEV, its clean fuel technology flagship, has passed the milestone of 100,000 sales in Europe. Today, the Outlander PHEV accounts for more than 10% of the European sales in Mitsubishi Motors.

When it made its debut, initially in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, Outlander PHEV brought a new dimension to the European SUV segment. It was the best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle in the region in each of the past three years (2015-2017)(1).

Despite an ever-growing number of competitors, Outlander PHEV has stayed ahead of the pack thanks to constant evolution of the model. In 2017, Outlander PHEV retained the number one position in the UK, Norway, and Spain(1).

Technology Flagship

Outlander PHEV has become Mitsubishi Motors' technology flagship, its plug-in hybrid electric architecture a core element of the company's product strategy.

Outlander PHEV is in the tradition of other engineering breakthroughs from Mitsubishi Motors, such as four-wheel drive (4WD) in 1936, electric powertrains in 1966 and SUVs in 1982. The Outlander PHEV is a mid-size SUV that offers an attractive combination of low environmental impact, 'Super-All Wheel Control' active safety, excellent reliability and low running costs.

Developed from a fully electric vehicle, Outlander PHEV has a unique architecture consisting of a front electric motor, a rear electric motor and no gearbox. This translates into benefits for drivers that include much lower weight (good for energy efficiency), a simpler layout and absolutely smooth operation, while being able to cover long distances fully loaded with reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The Outlander PHEV was used by the Japanese delegation attending the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change ('COP21') in Paris. It was the most ecological Compact-SUV in Germany ("Auto Test Sieger in Gruen") for Auto Test and Oekotrend magazines in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

In 2014, one Swiss driver, Felix Egolf, managed to cover 700km in an Outlander PHEV, including 133km on highways, while using only 40.55 liters of petrol. A shepherd in Wales used the car to check on his flock as they were lambing - because it was so quiet that it didn't upset the pregnant ewes.

Amid heated debates in Europe about the future of diesel and the place of the automobile in society, the achievement of this milestone vindicates Mitsubishi Motors' ambition to offer new propositions for those who wish to embrace change.

(1) Source: JATO Dynamics

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is the sixth largest automaker in Japan and the sixteenth largest in the world. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. From October 2016, Mitsubishi is one-third owned by Nissan, and a part of the Renault - Nissan - Mitsubishi Alliance. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/index.html.

Contact:
Mitsubishi Motors
Public Relations Department
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com
+81-3-6852-4275

↧

Voice is branding's new frontier - WARC Toolkit 2018

January 28, 2018, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: HKIRA 4th IR Awards 2018 Are Now Open for Nomination

≪ Previous: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Clears 100,000 Sales Milestone in Europe

24% of brands and 24% of agencies surveyed expect voice interfaces to be important to their business

LONDON, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Voice-enabled technology, from smart speakers to virtual assistants, is opening an entirely new interface through which brands and consumers will engage and communicate in 2018, according to WARC, the global marketing intelligence service, following a survey with more than 600 marketing and advertising professionals around the world for its Toolkit 2018 report.

Voice is swiftly becoming a crowded space, as manufacturers and technology companies vie for consumers' attention. Google recently launched its own smart speaker, called Home, and Apple has released its own product, HomePod. In Asia, meanwhile, China's Baidu is winning market share with its Little Fish device.

For now, usage of voice technology is largely restricted to 'private' spaces such as the home and in cars, with many consumers too self-conscious to address AI assistants in public. However, the development of technology, such as smart earbuds incorporating microphones, may change consumer attitudes.

Take-up of voice is likely to be faster in Asia than Western markets, such as in China, where typing on smartphones is an onerous task due to the multitude of characters in the language.

Ida Siow, head of planning, South-East Asia, J. Walter Thompson, says: "In China, which is the biggest market with the most sophisticated use of voice and devices, you have close to 30% of smartphone users using voice tech at least once a week.

"Based on our ['Speak Easy'] survey, we also see much higher numbers of people in Asia than the global average, saying they look forward to voice assistants anticipating their needs, being more human, and co-ordinating their lives. So I think there is an appetite for voice technology to make life better, simpler, more fruitful and easier for Chinese consumers."

David Tiltman, head of content, WARC, comments: "Penetration of voice-enabled devices is rising rapidly, creating potential new opportunities for consumers to search, engage and purchase. The Toolkit survey shows that a lot of brands will start experimenting with voice this year - for example, by developing their audio brand characteristics."

Simon Gosling, futurist, Unruly, concludes: "The way we word something vocally and the way we type the same phrase is significantly different. It raises the threat of 'brand bypass', where brands become anonymised in generic category purchases and enquiries."

Other key findings from WARC's Toolkit survey show that:

- 56% of brands and 50% of agencies cite the potential of AI to their business over the coming 12 months.
- 52% of agencies compared to 46% of brands and are excited about the possibilities offered by chatbots and messenger apps
- 17% of brands have audio guidelines versus 86% who have visual ones

Voice-enabled technology is one of five key brand challenges for the year ahead, together with digital transparency, customer experience, data management and redefining purpose, outlined in Toolkit 2018, which also includes a guide to best practice, potential pitfalls and video interviews with industry leaders to help overcome the issues.

On 12 February, WARC will be running a webinar: 'Toolkit 2018 - How brands can respond to the year's biggest challenges' with key priorities, opportunities and obstacles that marketers have highlighted for the year ahead, and how to tackle them, being discussed. Register at content.warc.com/register-for-the-warc-webinar-toolkit-2018-marketing-trends.

About WARC

- your global authority on advertising and media effectiveness

warc.com is an online service offering advertising best practice, evidence and insights from the world's leading brands. WARC helps clients grow their businesses by using proven approaches to maximise advertising effectiveness. WARC's clients include the world's largest advertising and media agencies, research companies, universities and advertisers.

WARC hosts four global and two regional case study competitions: WARC Awards, WARC Innovation Awards, WARC Media Awards, The Admap prize, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy and WARC Prize for MENA Strategy.

WARC also publishes leading journals including Admap, Market Leader, the Journal of Advertising Research and the International Journal of Market Research. In addition to its own content, WARC features advertising case studies and best practices from more than 50 respected industry sources, including: ARF, Effies, Cannes Lions, ESOMAR and IPA.

Founded in 1985, WARC is privately owned and has offices in the UK, U.S. and Singapore.

Contact:
Amanda Benfell
PR Manager
+44 20 7467 8125
amanda.benfell@warc.com

↧

HKIRA 4th IR Awards 2018 Are Now Open for Nomination

January 28, 2018, 10:32 pm

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Further from the left - Professor Louis Cheng, Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance of Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Ms. Anna Luk, Group Investor Relations Director of Emperor Group; Dr Eva Chan, Founding Chairman of HKIRA; and Mr Vincent Tse, Head of Investor Relations of China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited.

HONG KONG, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is pleased to announce that public nomination is now open for the HKIRA 4th IR Awards 2018 (the Awards). Held for the fourth consecutive year, the annual Awards recognise and honour investor relations excellence and best practices among Hong Kong-listed companies and IR professionals.

Dr Eva Chan, Founding Chairman of HKIRA, said, "Building on the success over the past three years, we proudly present the 4th IR Awards 2018 to recognise the outstanding IR efforts of companies and individual professionals alike and to encourage best IR practices. Continuing our commitment to excellence in IR practices and setting world-class IR standards for companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, we are happy to see the Awards are attracting more listed companies and market practitioners who appreciate the strategic value of IR and are striving to implement best IR practices in Hong Kong stock markets which has ranked among the world's largest."

Dr Chan continued, "To honour excellence across a broader range of IR aspects, this year, we have expanded the Best IR Presentation Collaterals across three categories, "Best Digital IR," "Best Investor Presentation Materials" and "Best Annual Reports" to recognize expertise of candidate companies in these specific areas. As in previous years, all listed companies, service providers, as well as those in the domestic and international investment communities are invited to nominate worthy Hong Kong-listed companies and local IR professionals for their outstanding investor relations efforts. "

Last year, the Awards enjoyed widespread support from the investment community with 165 listed companies participating. In addition, over 640 eligible voters cast a total of more than 8,400 votes for 54 listed companies winning awards in different categories. The volume of polling testifies to the wide recognition of the IR Awards and appreciation of their role among listed companies and within the investment community. Among the winners, Tencent Holdings Limited (stock code: 700), Tongda Group Holdings Limited (stock code: 698) and Canvest Environmental Protection Group Company Limited (stock code: 1381) were awarded the Overall Best IR Company by company size - Large Cap, Mid Cap, and Small Cap - respectively.

In another highlight at today's HKIRA IR Awards media event, China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited (CR Beer; stock code: 291) and Emperor Watch & Jewellery Limited (Emperor W&J; stock code: 887), both winners of HKIRA Awards for three consecutive years, shared their insights on investor relations.

"We are honored to be recognised by the HKIRA IR Awards three years in a row for our IR efforts," said Mr Vincent Tse, Head of Investor Relations of China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited. "This success would not be possible without the support of our Board and senior management. They have always realised the importance of IR, which has spurred the IR team to aim to achieve more for CR Beer. Looking forward, we hope to maintain constructive dialogues with investors."

"IR work for small caps is never easy, and it is encouraging that our work on Emperor Watch & Jewellery had been recognised by the HKIRA IR Awards in the past three years," Ms. Anna Luk, Group Investor Relations Director of Emperor Group. "We strive to build investor confidence in the company's vision to deliver shareholder value. Being voted by the investment community and awarded as Best IR Company and Best IRO is certainly a sign that we are on the right track."

Ms Catherine Chan, Head of Investor Relations and Global Communications of Tencent Holdings Limited, also shared her insights earlier. "We communicate proactively to the capital market through thick and thin, and aim to build a long-lasting relationship with analysts and investors based on trust. We felt encouraged by the recognition we earned in 2017, and will continue to uphold high standards in IR and corporate governance practices."

Once again, the HKIRA 4th IR Awards 2018 are honoured to have Professor Louis Cheng, Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as the Chairman of the Judging Panel. During the past years serving as a judge, Professor Cheng has conducted research based on the past award results, with the findings also revealed at today's media event.

Public nomination is now open to Hong Kong listed companies. Nominated individuals and companies are required to participate in an online award survey upon confirmation of their participation. As for polling, the investment community, including buy-side and sell-side analysts and fund managers, are eligible to vote. Nominees with the highest votes (weighted) in each award category become the award winners. They then undergo a final assessment by the judging panel for the Most Progress in IR and the Overall Best IR Company Awards. For a fair and balanced evaluation, the judging panel comprises academics, representatives from professional associations, the investment community and compliance and financial reporting experts.

The HKIRA 4th IR Awards 2018 scheme has a total of 12 awards honouring best IR practices of individuals and companies. The awards winners are to be announced at a ceremony to be held in Hong Kong in May/June 2018. For more information, please visit www.hkira.com/awards.

Strategic Public Relations Group is once again proud to be the Official Public Relations Partner and sponsor for the HKIRA IR Awards. Please find key dates relating to the HKIRA IR Awards 2018 with its categories and criteria for selection listed in the Appendix.

About HKIRA
Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is a professional association comprising investor relations practitioners and corporate officers responsible for communication between corporate management and the investment community. HKIRA advocates the setting of international standards in IR education, advances best IR practices and meets the professional development needs of those interested in pursuing the investor relations profession.

HKIRA is dedicated to advance the practice of IR as well as the professional competency and status of its members. To date, HKIRA has over 650 members most of whom are working for companies primarily listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. HKIRA's members are from a wide spectrum of professions including IR, finance, accounting and company secretarial to corporate investment and hold positions at different corporate levels, including top executives responsible for IR and management of listed companies.

For more information about HKIRA, please visit www.hkira.com.

About the IR Awards
Inaugurated in 2015, the Investor Relations Awards (IR Awards) celebrates excellence in the local IR industry through the annual presentation of awards to the many diverse professionals that make up the dynamic IR and finance industries in Hong Kong. HKIRA aims to initiate the IR Awards as the industry benchmark for high standard of excellence in investor relations by individuals and companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

The Awards ceremony is a spectacular gathering of IR specialists and industry professionals that applauds and publicises the year's achievements in investor relations.

For details of the Awards and online nomination, please visit www.hkira.com/awards.

Media enquiries:
Strategic Public Relations Group
Cindy Lung / Jessica Siu / Adrianna Lau
Tel: +852 2864 4867 / +852 2114 2820 / +852 2114 4987
Email: cindy.lung@sprg.com.hk / jessica.siu@sprg.com.hk / adrianna.lau@sprg.com.hk
Website: www.sprg.asia

Hong Kong Investor Relations Association
Selina Li
Tel: +852 21171846
Email: irawards@hkira.com
Website: www.hkira.com

Appendix

Key Dates (Subject to final changes.)
Nomination period: 29 January - 3 March 2018
Online voting period: 11 March - 14 April 2018
Judging Panel Meeting: Late April 2018
Award Conference cum Presentation Luncheon: May/June 2018

Award Categories
Award Categories / Recognition / Selection Method
Best IR Company / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best IR in Corporate Transaction / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best Investor Meeting / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best Investor Presentation Material / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best Annual Report / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best Digital IR / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best IR Company for an IPO / Company's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best IR by Chairman/CEO / Individual's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best IR by CFO / Individual's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer) / Individual's achievement / Open for nomination and online voting
Most Progress in IR / Demonstration of the most progress in IR in the above areas over the year of 2017 / Selected by Judging Panel
Overall Best IR Company Awards / Outstanding and all-rounded excellence in the above areas / Selected by Judging Panel

1. Companies which were listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2017 are eligible to be nominated for this award.
2. All awards will be further categorized by company market capitalization into Large Cap, Mid Cap, and Small Cap (see classification below), except Best IR Company for an IPO and Most Progress in IR Awards.

Judging Panel (Arranged in alphabetical order of last name)
Name / Title / Firms / Organisations
Professor Louis Cheng(Chairman of Judging Panel) / Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance / The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Mrs Amy Donati / Chief Executive Director / EDICO Financial Press Services Limited
Ms Ashley Khoo, CFA, CPA / President / The Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts
Ms Victoria Mio / Chief Investment Officer China, Co-Head Asia Pacific Equities & Fund Manager Chinese Equities / Robeco Asia Pacific
Mr Marcus Sultzer / International Managing Director / EQS Group AG
Mr Andrew Weir / Senior Regional Partner, Hong Kong / KPMG
Ms Helen Zee / General Committee Member / The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies

↧

LY Corporation Limited to debut as the first IPO on SGX-ST in 2018

January 28, 2018, 11:30 pm

≫ Next: Prime Intelligence Solutions Group Limited Announces Details of the Proposed Listing on the GEM of SEHK

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- Trading on Catalist at 9.00am, 31 Jan. 2018; Net proceeds S$13.0mil attributable to Company

SINGAPORE, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - LY Corporation Limited ("LY Corporation"; SGX:1H8), one of Malaysia's leading manufacturers and exporters of wooden bedroom furniture, announced today that the placement for its initial public offering (the "IPO" or the "Placement") of 75,848,000 placement shares ("Placement Shares") priced at S$0.26 per share has received strong investor demand.

At the close of the application list at 12.00 noon on 29 January 2018, the Group received valid applications for all 75,848,000 Placement Shares, and gross proceeds received amounted to approximately S$19.7 million.

Some of the notable investors included Mr Heah Theare Haw and Pheim Asset Management.

"We are encouraged by the strong investor interest in the IPO, which reflects confidence in LY Corporation's track record and growth prospects. We believe that a listing on the Catalist board of the SGX-ST will allow us to tap the capital markets that will offer us significant impetus to expand our business," said Mr Tan Yong Chuan, LY Corporation's Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.

With the completion of the Placement, LY Corporation's total issued share capital now comprises approximately S$23.0 million comprising 489.1 million shares, and its market capitalisation is approximately S$127.2 million based on S$0.26 per Placement Share.

Of the net proceeds from the issue of new shares in the Placement of approximately S$13.0 million, S$1.0 million will be used for the expansion of sales network in the People's Republic of China (PRC), S$5.0 million for the upgrading of machinery and equipment and acquiring new technology, S$4.0 million for the construction of additional facilities, and S$3.0 million for general working capital purposes.

Trading in the Company's shares on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX:1H8) is expected to commence at 9.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 31 January 2018.

About LY Corporation Limited

LY Corporation Limited (SGX:1H8) is one of Malaysia's leading manufacturers and exporters of wooden bedroom furniture. With an established track record of approximately 40 years in the furniture industry, the Group is an established original design manufacturer ("ODM") principally engaged in the design and manufacture of custom wooden bedroom furniture, and the manufacture of custom wooden bedroom furniture which may be tailored to customers' specifications and requirements on an original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") basis.

As at 15 December 2017, the Group operates from 15 factories and warehouses, occupying a combined built-up area of approximately 1.4 million sq ft. Its products are sold mainly to overseas dealers such as furniture wholesalers and retailers who generally resell the products to end-users through their respective retail networks and domestic customers who are primarily third party agents who typically export and resell its products outside Malaysia, such as to the U.S.

Issued for LY Corporation Limited by:
Waterbrooks Consultants Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 6100 2228

Mr Wayne Koo
(M): +65 93388166
wayne@waterbrooks.com.sg

Ms Jean Yang
(M): +65 93636369
jean@waterbrooks.com.sg

↧

Prime Intelligence Solutions Group Limited Announces Details of the Proposed Listing on the GEM of SEHK

January 29, 2018, 12:59 am

≫ Next: Pixlr Creator Joins Inmagine Group to Further Refine and Extend the Popular Image Editing Suite

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Offering of 200,000,000 Shares;
Offer Price Ranges from HK$0.27 to HK$0.35 per Share

HONG KONG, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Prime Intelligence Solutions Group Limited ("Prime Intelligence" or the "Group"), a provider of biometrics identification solutions in Hong Kong, Macau and the PRC, today announced the details of the proposed listing of its shares (the "Listing") on the Growth Enterprise Market ("GEM") of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK").

Offering Details
The Group proposes to issue a total of 200,000,000 Shares (the "Offer Shares"), of which 90% or 180,000,000 Shares (subject to reallocation and the Offer Size Adjustment Option) are for Placing and the remaining 10% or 20,000,000 Shares (subject to reallocation) will be offered to public in Hong Kong under Public Offer (collectively the "Share Offer"). The indicative Offer Price range is between HK$0.27 and HK$0.35 per Share. Net proceeds to be received by the Group from the Share Offer are estimated to be approximately HK$40.2 million, assuming an Offer Price of HK$0.31, being the mid-point of the indicative Offer Price range.

The Public Offer will commence from 9:00am on 30 January 2018 (Tuesday), and end at 12:00nn on 2 February 2018 (Friday). The final Offer Price and results of allocation are expected to be announced on 13 February 2018 (Tuesday). Dealing of Shares on the GEM is expected to commence on 14 February 2018 (Wednesday) under the stock code 8379. The Shares are to be traded in board lots of 10,000 Shares.

Ample Capital Limited is the Sole Sponsor of the Listing, Ample Orient Capital Limited and Pacific Foundation Securities Limited are the Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers. AFG Securities Limited and HF Securities and Futures Limited are the Co-Lead Managers.

Investment Highlights

Various functions of biometrics identification devices to meet the needs of different customers
The Group's team comprises staff with extensive experience and knowledge in software development and product knowledge. The professional software development department is able to provide solutions to customers, such as tailor-made software programming, technical assistance and software system integration with the customer's existing system. The Group's biometrics identification devices possess different functions, such as face identification, fingerprint identification, finger vein identification, hand geometry identification and iris identification, that have enabled the Group to successfully capture customers from different industries.

Leading position in Hong Kong and Macau markets particularly in the construction industry segment
The revenue the Group generated from Hong Kong and Macau market in 2016 amounted to approximately HK$52.2 million. According to the Ipsos Report, the Group's revenue from Hong Kong and Macau markets accounted for approximately 11.0% of the biometrics identification device distribution industry in Hong Kong and Macau. The Group's leading position in Hong Kong and Macau markets and in the construction industry segment enables it to capture more sizable customers who require high quality and tailored-made functions. Given its leading position in the market, the Group considers that it has established a reputation in the market, that such reputation has helped the Group to expand its business with existing customers and to market its products to potential customers. The Group can leverage its established relationship with the customers in the construction industry to increase its chance of receiving tender invitations from them for future projects.

Extensive customer base with a variety of industries
The Group has an extensive customer base of around 780 customers during the Track Record Period with a variety of industries such as casino, construction, hotel and catering, financial service, manufacturing, property management and office leasing. The diversified applicability of products will enable the Group to capture more customers from different industries after Listing.

Established long business relationship with major customers
Comprehensive solutions, dedication to understanding the needs of its customers and the ability to respond to their requests have fostered the customers' ongoing trust and confidence in its products and services. As the Group is able to offer biometrics identification devices with a wide range of functions, customers can source suitable biometrics identification devices that suit their different needs for different projects or sites. Customers' confidence in its services and products is demonstrated by the Group's continuous ability to secure business from a number of repeated customers over the years.

Business Strategies
The Group's business objectives are to further its growth in existing business by strengthening marketing capabilities and expanding product portfolio through enhancing software development, in order to further enlarge its market share in Hong Kong and Macau and to become one of the active biometrics identification solutions providers in the PRC.

As such, the Group intends to expand its business in the Southern China region. The Group plans to make use of its competitive advantages, experience and network with overseas suppliers to expand its business in the PRC market by launching affordable locally manufactured fingerprint identification devices in the PRC. Besides, the Group plans to enhance the quality of after-sales services and strengthen the operation support by setting up three customer services centers in Changning district of Shanghai, Furong district of Changsha and Huli district of Xiamen respectively, and to hire technicians and purchase motor vehicles. The advantages of the well-developed transportation infrastructures in these regions will help the Group widen its sales network in Southern China.

Furthermore, the Group plans to improve the information technology system. Through investing in an ERP system with RFID technology, recruiting suitable personnel to operate, purchasing computer equipment and server and integrating the ERP system into operation, the Group will benefit from the higher efficiency, flexibility, accuracy and timeliness in budgeting, inventory control, order processing and financial reporting. The Group will also develop a customer relation management (CRM) system in order to provide more instant and effective communication with customers and enhance internal efficiency by instantly report to or record in ERP system after delivery, installation or maintenance services by using the CRM system.

Additionally, the Group intends to set up a new and separate software development center in Zhuhai, the PRC to further enhance and develop the Group's software. Besides, in order to meet the future challenges, the Group plans to increase the manpower for the three software development teams. The new centre will be operated by three software development teams with different functions and will be separately responsible for satisfying customers requests from Hong Kong, Macau and the PRC for tailor-made modification of "Time Expert" and other software development, developing more functions and modules of "Time Expert", and researching and expanding the application of its biometrics devices/solutions for different industries in order to enrich and diversify the Group's solution portfolio.

Use of Net Proceeds from the Share Offer

The Group proposes to use the net proceeds from the Share Offer in the following:

Items / Percentage (%)
Launch of affordable locally manufactured fingerprint identification devices as part of the expansion plan of the business in Southern China: 35.6
Enhancing the quality of after-sales services and strengthening of the operation support as part of the expansion plan of the business in Southern China: 11.4
Improving the information technology system: 11.2
Setting up a new and separate software development center in the PRC to further enhance and develop the Group's software: 34.1
Working capital: 7.7
Total: 100%

Financial Highlights

For the year ended 31 March For the four months ended 31 July
(HK$'000) 2016 2017 Change 2016(unaudited) 2017 Change
Revenue 59,065 63,522 +7.5% 20,102 24,398 +21.4%
Gross profit 35,688 38,017 +6.5% 11,098 15,228 +37.2%
Gross profit margin 60.4% 59.8% - 0.6ppt 55.2% 62.4% +7.2ppt
Total comprehensive income for the
year/period attributable to the
owners of the Company 12,835 13,124 +2.3% 3,148 4,788 +52.1%
Net profit margin 22.1% 21.3% -0.8ppt 16.5% 18.9% +2.4ppt
Net profit margin is calculated as the profit for the year/period divided by revenue.

About Prime Intelligence Solutions Group Limited
Prime Intelligence is a provider of biometrics identification solutions in Hong Kong, Macau and the PRC. The Group provides biometrics identification solutions which generally comprise one or one group of biometrics identification devices with certain other devices and accessories supported by certain software provided by the Group depending on the requirements of customers. According to the Ipsos Report, the Group is the top biometrics identification device distributor in Hong Kong and Macau in terms of the biometrics identification device distribution value in 2016.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel: (852) 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Davis Li Tel: (852) 2864 4892 Email: davis.li@sprg.com.hk
Tika Lum Tel: (852) 2864 4806 Email: tika.lum@sprg.com.hk
Fax: (852) 2527 1196
Website: www.sprg.com.hk

↧

Pixlr Creator Joins Inmagine Group to Further Refine and Extend the Popular Image Editing Suite

January 29, 2018, 2:00 am

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HONG KONG, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Pixlr creator and founder Ola Sevandersson has joined Inmagine Group to spearhead ongoing enhancements to the powerful Pixlr image editing suite.

Inmagine acquired Pixlr, one of the world's most widely used cloud and mobile photo editors, last year. In his new role as Pixlr's CEO, Mr. Sevandersson will lead the development and introduction of new features and functions to support the growing Pixlr community. He will be based in Sweden.

Mr. Sevandersson began creating Pixlr in 2007, personally writing and refining the software's code while also working full-time as the development manager of a web community in Sweden. He released the first version of his online image editor in 2008. Pixlr's soaring global popularity saw the company acquired by Autodesk Inc. in 2011.

As part of Inmagine Group, Pixlr now offers a suite of cloud-based image tools and utilities, including Pixlr Editor, Pixlr Express, Pixlr iOS/Android App and Pixlr-O-Matic.

"Ola's Pixlr expertise is unrivalled and we are thrilled that he is bringing all of his experience and knowledge to Inmagine Group," said Stephanie Sitt, CEO of Inmagine Group. "The Inmagine ecosystem empowers millions of creatives across the world with seamless access to free and affordable content and the best free image editing tools. With Ola's support, we will be rolling out new design tools and content to encourage and delight the expanding Pixlr community."

Mr. Sevandersson added, "My dream was always to make Pixlr an easy-to-use tool that would inspire photo enthusiasts and satisfy all their photo editing needs. I'm delighted that Inmagine is investing in Pixlr to make it even more relevant and engaging, and accessible to more people around the world."

Inmagine Group is creating a holistic creative ecosystem that makes great design accessible to all. Pixlr joins a stable of market-leading creative companies including 123RF, the world's largest royalty-free digital stock agency; design marketplace TheHungryJPEG.com; and the Story & Heart video licensing platform, among others.

ABOUT PIXLR
Pixlr was started in Sweden in August 2008 and offers a suite of cloud-based image editing tools and utilities (web and mobile) such as Pixlr Editor, Pixlr-O-Matic and Pixlr Express. Pixlr's tools are built to enable non-professionals and professionals alike to create and edit images, and share them online via social networking services or utilize them in various creative works. www.pixlr.com.

ABOUT INMAGINE GROUP
Inmagine Group has over 350 staff in 40 offices around the globe. It was founded in 2000 as Inmagine.com and, despite being fully bootstrapped, has quickly expanded its reach with sites like 123RF.com, Pixlr.com, TheHungryJPEG.com, Craftbundles.com, StockUnlimited.com, Designs.net, Story & Heart and Vectr. Inmagine Group has one of the world's largest content libraries across the creative ecosystem and draws over 40 million visitors a month to its various online properties. www.inmaginegroup.com.

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Lubrizol Exhibits at Northwest Materials Show

January 29, 2018, 2:30 am

≫ Next: Mazda Production and Sales Results for December 2017 and for January through December 2017

≪ Previous: Pixlr Creator Joins Inmagine Group to Further Refine and Extend the Popular Image Editing Suite

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Jan 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The Lubrizol Corporation's Engineered Polymers business announces it will exhibit at the 2018 Northwest Materials Show in Portland, OR from February 7-8, at booth #901.

Lubrizol will feature its innovative lineup of polymer solutions including Estane(R) TPU, Estane(R) TRX, BounCell-X(TM) TPU, Pearlbond(TM) TPU, Pearlthane(TM) ECO TPU, Estane(R) VSN TPU, Esdex(R) TPU and X4zol-J(TM) fiber technology. This broad product offering represents a single, convenient and reliable source with multiple products and technologies working together to solve the toughest application challenges in apparel (fibers, breathable films, seam tapes); footwear (hot melt adhesives, textile coatings, midsoles, outsoles, coated yarns); and eyewear (frames, lenses).

Estane TRX TPU is an innovative rubber replacement for footwear outsoles. Rubber compounds have been the traditional choice for athletic footwear outsoles based on its well-balanced traction on dry and wet ground conditions and abrasion resistance. However, the interest in alternative options has increased due to the labor and energy intensive, multiple step rubber process and high scrap rate. Estane TRX TPU combines the benefits of rubber-like traction properties with improved processing via the thermoplastic injection molding process. In addition, Estane TRX TPU offers superior abrasion resistance and clarity in comparison to rubber compounds.

Lubrizol is also offering other innovative technologies for footwear based on its industry leading TPU-chemistry, including BounCell-X TPU, the high performance TPU foam technology for footwear cushioning, Pearlbond TPU, the solvent-free TPU hot melt adhesive technology for component assembly, Pearlthane ECO* TPU, the renewable-source based (non-food competing) TPU for footwear components, and Esdex TPU resins and X4zol-J fibers for footwear upper constructions. With footwear relevant innovations covering upper, cushion, outsole and assembly process, Lubrizol has become a total footwear solutions provider.

For apparel, Lubrizol will showcase a revolutionary elastomeric fiber, X4zol-J, bringing innovation to the performance apparel industry. X4zol-J fiber is made from a proprietary thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin and is available exclusively from Lubrizol and its Innovation Alliance Network for circular, warp knit and denim fabrics, and seamless garments. Fabrics with X4zol-J offer balanced stretch and recovery, comfortable compression and breathability, for exceptional wearer fit and comfort. Applications for fabrics with X4zol-J include athletic apparel, base layer, athleisure, intimate apparel, shapewear, socks and stretch denim.

"The Northwest Apparel and Footwear Materials show is an ideal venue for us to meet with clients across the industry," notes Justin Park, Lubrizol global footwear business manager. "We collaborate with brands and supply chain participants to understand their needs. We're looking at markets and applications in new ways, from materials to the combination of properties and design needed to deliver differentiated performance and aesthetic appeal. We're studying how and where products are produced, consumed, and also considering end-of-life issues. By looking throughout the value chain for opportunities to innovate for customers' enhanced automation, performance and sustainability, we're focused on adding real value and helping our customers with the issues that matter most. We believe this more holistic approach to innovation will yield many more significant developments. We continue to develop the people, capabilities, technologies, partnerships and operations needed to make that a reality."

About Lubrizol Engineered Polymers

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers offers one of the broadest portfolios of engineered polymers available today including resins that are bio-based*, recyclable**, light stable, flame retardant, adhesive, chemically resistant, optically clear and fast cycling. Our technology crosses many industries and applications, including surface protection, power and fluid systems, sports and recreation, wearable devices, electronics and automotive. For more information, visit www.lubrizol.com/engineeredpolymers or contact engineeredpolymers@lubrizol.com.

About The Lubrizol Corporation

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a market-driven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their environmental impact. It is a leader at combining market insights with chemistry and application capabilities to deliver valuable solutions to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol improves lives by acting as an essential partner in our customers' success, delivering efficiency, reliability or wellness to their end users. Technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care, personal care and skin care products and specialty materials encompassing polymer and coatings technologies, along with polymer-based pharmaceutical and medical device solutions.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,300 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2016 were $6.5 billion. For more information, visit Lubrizol.com.

* Bio-based content as certified in accordance with ASTM D-6866.
** Recyclability is based on access to a readily available standard recycling program that supports such materials. Products may not be available in all areas.

All marks are owned by The Lubrizol Corporation.

Media Contact
Michael Priola
+1-216-447-5697
The Lubrizol Corporation

Websites
www.lubrizol.com/engineered-polymers
www.lubrizol.com

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This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Lubrizol via Globenewswire

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Mazda Production and Sales Results for December 2017 and for January through December 2017

January 30, 2018, 3:37 am

≫ Next: Colt ramps up global connectivity by expanding its On Demand services

≪ Previous: Lubrizol Exhibits at Northwest Materials Show

TOKYO, Jan 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for December 2017 and for January through December 2017 are summarized below.

I. Production

1. Domestic Production

(1) December 2017
Mazda's domestic production volume in December 2017 increased 8.3% year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.

[Domestic production of key models in December 2017]
CX-5: 36,388 units (up 35.8% year on year)
Mazda3 (Axela): 11,276 units (down 22.6% year on year)
CX-3: 10,154 units (up 36.7% year on year)

(2) January through December 2017
Mazda's total domestic production volume in the period from January through December 2017 decreased 0.6% year on year due to decreased production of passenger vehicles.

[Domestic production of key models in the period from January through December 2017]
CX-5: 381,567 units (up 14.0% year on year)
Mazda3 (Axela): 176,072 units (down 17.7% year on year)
CX-3: 137,094 units (up 20.3% year on year)

2. Overseas Production

(1) December 2017
Mazda's overseas production volume in December 2017 decreased 1.5% year on year, reflecting decreased production of commercial vehicles.

[Overseas production of key models in December 2017]
Mazda3: 22,277 units (up 10.0% year on year)
CX-4: 7,669 units (up 6.5% year on year)
Mazda2: 6,517 units (down 1.9% year on year)

(2) January through December 2017
Mazda's total overseas production volume in the period from January through December 2017 increased 4.5% year on year due to increased production of both passenger and commercial vehicles.

[Overseas production of key models in the period from January through December 2017]
Mazda3: 255,080 units (down 1.1% year on year)
Mazda2: 98,865 units (down 3.7% year on year)
CX-4: 70,553 units (up 68.7% year on year)

II. Domestic sales

(1) December 2017
Mazda's domestic sales volume in December 2017 increased 49.5% year on year due to increased sales of both passenger and commercial vehicles. Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 5.2% (up 2.0 points year on year), with a 1.8% share of the micro-mini segment (up 0.2 points year on year) and a 4.1% total market share (up 1.4 points year on year).

[Domestic sales of key models in December 2017]
Mazda2 (Demio): 5,160 units (up 40.1% year on year)
CX-5: 2,091 units (up 210.2% year on year)
CX-8: 2,083 units

(2) January through December 2017
Mazda's total domestic sales volume in the period from January through December 2017 increased 4.1% year on year due to increased sales of both passenger and commercial vehicles. Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 5.0% (unchanged year on year), with a 2.2% share of the micro-mini segment (down 0.1 points year on year) and a 4.0% total market share (down 0.1 points year on year).

[Domestic sales of key models in the period from January through December 2017]
Mazda2 (Demio): 49,299units (down 14% year on year)
CX-5: 41,600 units (up 105.7% year on year)
Mazda3 (Axela): 25,837 units (down 1.8% year on year)

III. Exports

(1) December 2017
Mazda's export volume in December 2017 decreased 5.2% year on year due to decreased shipments to North America, Europe and other regions.

[Exports of key models in December 2017]
CX-5: 34,019 units (up 17.9% year on year)
Mazda3: 10,999 units (down 28.5% year on year)
CX-3: 10,227 units (up 44.6% year on year)

(2) January through December 2017
Mazda's total export volume for the period from January through December 2017 decreased 2.9% year on year, reflecting decreased shipments to North America, Oceania and other regions.

[Exports of key models in the period from January through December 2017]
CX-5: 335,421 units (up 7.1% year on year)
Mazda3: 149,844 units (down 20.5% year on year)
CX-3: 120,342 units (up 27.1% year on year)

About Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation (TSE: 7261) started manufacturing tools in 1929 and soon branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. In the early 1960s, Mazda launched its first passenger car models and began developing rotary engines. Still headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan, Mazda today ranks as one of Japan's leading automakers, and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. For more information, please visit www.mazda.com

Contact:
Corporate Communications Division
Mazda Motor Corporation, Japan
+81-3-3508-5056 [Tokyo]
+81-82-282-5253 [Hiroshima]
mailto: media@mazda.co.jp

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Colt ramps up global connectivity by expanding its On Demand services

January 30, 2018, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Production Records for Automobile Production, Worldwide, Overseas, in Asia and China

≪ Previous: Mazda Production and Sales Results for December 2017 and for January through December 2017

LONDON, Jan 30, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Colt Technology Services has announced today that it will bolster its On Demand SDN service by expanding further into the Asia Pacific region, with the end goal being to deliver a truly global service.

Connectivity is an important part of Colt's expansion strategy, which extends to ensuring customers are provided with a superior customer experience, through agile and on-demand high bandwidth solutions.

Colt's On Demand SDN services are powered by the Colt IQ Network and enable businesses to take full control over their network, scaling high bandwidth requirements up and down in real-time, creating flexibility, agility and driving cost efficiencies.

Following the successful launch of Colt's On Demand SDN services in Japan, the company plans to launch these services both in Singapore and Hong Kong in Q2 2018.

Colt's global expansion strategy centres on ensuring that Colt is the driving force behind the critical connections needed to drive businesses forward. The Colt IQ Network currently reaches all the key business hubs across Europe, Asia and North America, connecting to more than 25,000 buildings and over 800 data centres worldwide. The planned activity in 2018 will further cement Colt's dense fibre connectivity in key areas, so that wherever a company does business, or hopes to do business, Colt is present.

Carl Grivner, CEO at Colt commented: "Being better connected in 2018 is something that Colt wants to ensure is part of its entire DNA - from the services and infrastructure we invest in, to the customer experience we offer. We understand connectivity matters and the expansion pipeline of our Colt IQ Network and On Demand SDN services is the perfect example of how Colt is fully embracing this vision."

"As the digital transformation journey continues in the APAC region, Colt wants to make sure that we are comprehensively set up in the area to guarantee Colt is front of mind when businesses are thinking about future proofing or expanding their technical and business operations," Grivner added.

This announcement comes during the 40th anniversary of the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference, which is taking place in Hawaii, 21-24 January 2018.

About Colt

Colt aims to be the leader in enabling customers' digital transformation through agile and on-demand, high bandwidth solutions. The Colt IQ Network connects over 800 data centres across Europe, Asia and North America's largest business hubs, with over 25,000 on net buildings and growing.

Colt has built its reputation on putting customers first. Customers include data intensive organisations spanning over 200 cities in nearly 30 countries. Colt is a recognised innovator and pioneer in software defined networks (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV). Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in its industry and able to provide the best customer experience at a competitive price. For more information, please visit www.colt.net.

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Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Production Records for Automobile Production, Worldwide, Overseas, in Asia and China

January 29, 2018, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: Congratulations to two of our clients for winning at the BDO ESG Awards 2017

≪ Previous: Colt ramps up global connectivity by expanding its On Demand services

TOKYO, Jan 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the calendar year 2017 as well as for the month of December 2017.

Calendar Year of 2017

Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in two years (since 2015).

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive year (since 2012), setting an all-time record for calendar year production. This includes all-time records for calendar year production in Asia, and China.

Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive year (since 2012), setting an all-time record for calendar year production.

December 2017

Production in Japan for the month of December 2017 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the fourth consecutive month (since September 2017).

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the eighth consecutive month (since May 2017), setting record high production for the month of December. This includes record high production for the month of December in Asia and China.

Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year increase for the eighth consecutive month (since May 2017), also setting record high production for the month of December.

Sales in the Japanese Market

Calendar Year of 2017

Total domestic automobile sales in the calendar year 2017 experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in three years (since 2014).

Sales of new vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in two years (since 2015).

Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in four years (since 2013).

Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles
FREED was the industry's fifth best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the calendar year 2017 with sales of 104,402 units. FIT was the industry's sixth best-selling car with sales of 97,938 units.

Mini-vehicles - under 660cc
N-BOX was the industry's Top-selling car among mini-vehicles for the calendar year 2017 with sales of 218,485 units. N-WGN was the industry's eighth best-selling car with sales of 75,592 units.

December 2017
Total domestic automobile sales in the Japanese market for the month of December 2017 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in six months (since June 2017).

New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year decrease for the fourth consecutive month (since September 2017).

Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the fourth consecutive month (since September 2017).

Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles
FIT was the industry's sixth best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the month of December 2017 with sales of 7,104 units.

Mini-vehicles - under 660cc
N-BOX was the industry's top-selling car in the mini-vehicle category for the month of December 2017 with sales of 18,458 units. N-WGN was the industry's eighth best-selling car with sales of 4,949 units.

Exports from Japan

Calendar Year of 2017
Total exports from Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in three years (since 2014).

December 2017
Total exports from Japan in December 2017 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the seventh consecutive month (since June 2017).

About Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267 / NYSE:HMC / LSE:HNDA) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually. For more information, please visit http://world.honda.com.

Contact:
Honda
Media Inquiries
corporate_pr@hm.honda.co.jp
+81-3-5412-1512

↧

Congratulations to two of our clients for winning at the BDO ESG Awards 2017

January 29, 2018, 6:48 pm

≫ Next: Mitsubishi Motors Continues Recovery with Strong Volumes in 2017

≪ Previous: Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Production Records for Automobile Production, Worldwide, Overseas, in Asia and China

HONG KONG, Jan 30, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Alaya Consulting, an ESG consultancy based in Hong Kong, is delighted to congratulate our award-winning clients on the recognition of their works at the inaugural BDO ESG Awards 2017. AAC Technologies Holdings Inc. won the Best in ESG and Best in Reporting (Large-cap) Awards. Panda Green Energy Group Limited is the recipient of the ESG Report of the Year (Small-cap), as well as the Best in ESG and Best in Reporting Awards (Small-cap).

Tony Wong, Founder of Alaya Consulting, stated: "We'd like to congratulate both organisations. We are honored that they trust us to make ESG reporting critical to their success and are proud to be their ESG reporting partner."

The awards were organized by BDO Limited. The winners were announced on 25 January 2017.

For media enquires:
Eric Khoo
Marketing
T: +852 9852 9511
E: erickhoo@alayaconsulting.com.hk

Regina Tai
Consultant
T: +852 3990 0792
E: reginatai@alayaconsulting.com.hk

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Mitsubishi Motors Continues Recovery with Strong Volumes in 2017

January 29, 2018, 9:26 pm

≫ Next: HONMA and ITOCHU Corporation In A Strategic Alliance

≪ Previous: Congratulations to two of our clients for winning at the BDO ESG Awards 2017

- Annual volumes up 10% to 1.03 million in calendar 2017
- Sales in final quarter up 18%
- Strong growth makes China the group's largest single market with annual unit sales of more than 100,000
- Key ASEAN markets of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines also contributed strongly

TOKYO, Jan 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced that it has maintained the momentum behind its V-shaped recovery, with a 10% increase in retail sales volumes in calendar 2017(1).

Mitsubishi Motors sold 1,030,000 vehicles in the calendar year, up from 934,000 in 2016. The final quarter of 2017 was particularly strong with retail volumes of 279,000, a 18% improvement from the 237,000 sold in the same period in the previous year.

The increase in sales volumes was led by China, a key market for Mitsubishi Motors' recently announced three-year strategic plan, DRIVE FOR GROWTH. In calendar 2017, sales in China rose by 56% to 129,000, and it became the group's largest market thanks to the strong demand for the locally produced Outlander.

The company's business in the United States also turned in a strong performance with sales of 104,000 for the year, an 8% increase on 2016 and the first time the company has surpassed 100,000 units since 2007.

Mitsubishi Motors' strong ASEAN business also contributed well, supported by the launch of the XPANDER compact multi-purpose vehicle in Indonesia. Annual volumes in Indonesia, where the company opened a new assembly plant last year, grew by 19% to 80,000.

Other strong performances came from Thailand (annual sales up 26% to 70,000), the Philippines (up 20% to 71,000) and Australia (up 10% to 81,000). Mitsubishi Motors has a market share of more than 5% in each of the markets of Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia.

Across the ASEAN business as a whole, annual sales grew by 17% to 242,000.

Elsewhere, sales in Germany increased by 16% to 45,000. The company also benefited from the recovery in the Russian economy, where annual volumes increased by 45% to 24,000. In contrast, there was a decline in sales by 18% to 24,000 in the United Arab Emirates partly because of regional tensions.

The company's Japanese business also made progress, increasing sales by 7% to 92,000 in the calendar year as the marketing of kei-cars resumed after the interruption of 2016.

Trevor Mann, chief operating officer of Mitsubishi Motors, said: "Mitsubishi Motors had a good 2017, with strong performances led by our businesses in China and the ASEAN region. It was also encouraging to see our domestic business in Japan take its first steps on the road to recovery."

(1) Mitsubishi Motors' fiscal year runs until March 31. For the current fiscal year, ending March 31, 2018, the company has forecast annual sales of 1,029,000 units and revenues of 2 trillion yen.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is the sixth largest automaker in Japan and the sixteenth largest in the world. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. From October 2016, Mitsubishi is one-third owned by Nissan, and a part of the Renault - Nissan - Mitsubishi Alliance. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/index.html.

Contact:
Mitsubishi Motors
Public Relations Department
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com
+81-3-6852-4275

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