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Toyota and Suzuki Reach Basic Agreement toward Mutual Supply of Hybrid and Other Vehicles in India

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Toyota City, Japan, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation have concluded a basic agreement toward the mutual supply of hybrid and other vehicles between the two companies for the Indian market.

Specifically, Suzuki will supply the Baleno and Vitara Brezza vehicle models to Toyota, while Toyota will supply the Corolla vehicle model to Suzuki. Details on each model, such as the schedule of the start of supply, number of supplied units, vehicle specifications, and supply pricing, will be considered at a later stage. The vehicles will be sold by respective subsidiaries of Toyota and Suzuki based in India through their sales networks. By challenging and competing with each other with the goal of mutual improvement, Toyota and Suzuki aim to invigorate the Indian automotive market to further enhance their respective products and services to be offered to customers.

Since February 6, 2017, when Toyota and Suzuki concluded a memorandum toward business partnership, the two companies have been exploring concrete projects for collaboration in areas including environmental technology, safety technology, information technology, and the mutual supply of products and components. The November 2017 announcement of a memorandum of understanding between Toyota and Suzuki to consider a cooperative structure for introducing battery electric vehicles in the Indian market in around 2020 was one outcome of the joint exploration into the partnership. Today's announcement is another outcome and underscores the progress Toyota and Suzuki have together made, and it aims to bolster both companies' product lineups and encourage competition in the Indian automotive market.

For the vehicle models covered by the basic agreement, the two companies will enhance their efforts to procure components locally to the extent possible toward the achievement of the "Make in India" initiative promoted by the Indian government. Toyota and Suzuki remain committed to the widespread acceptance and use of less fuel-consuming vehicles to help India reduce its environmental footprint and enhance energy security.

Pursuant to the agreement announced on February 6, 2017, the two companies will continue to explore other collaborative projects that will contribute to the attainment of a sustainable mobile society in a manner that ensures fair and free competition.

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

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Asian Tobacco Growers gather in Lombok, Indonesia to Debate Latest Industry Challenges

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The tobacco farmers from Azerbaijan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam gather in the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) forum to declare their commitments on Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)
Lombok, INDONESIA, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Members of the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) in Asia held a conference in Lombok, Indonesia to discuss the ever-increasing challenges facing tobacco agriculture and the tobacco industry.

The Tobacco Growers emphasized their commitment to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in an effort to produce an agricultural commodity that meets legal market standards for the over 900 million consumers spread across the world and ensures that the agricultural activity provides a proper livelihood for millions of the world's farmers, farm workers and their families.

During the conference, delegates from countries such as Azerbaijan, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as representatives of other stakeholders, government officials and delegates from the United Nations, discussed several important issues related to tobacco agriculture and the industry.

ITGA Chief Executive Officer Antonio Abrunhosa said the tobacco market has changed its direction. Therefore, this transition to the future must become the industry's main agenda.

"It will be difficult to implement this strategy if we refuse to become part of the programs initiated by UN agencies such as UNDP and FAO. Therefore, ITGA and its members are committed to demonstrating our commitment to becoming involved in these initiatives and we will do whatever we can to produce tangible evidence of our intentions."

In the opening speech, the chairman of the Indonesian Tobacco Community Alliance (AMTI), Budidoyo, said that tobacco farmers have implemented agricultural practices in line with a number of objectives specified in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

"For example, the number one objective of the SDG is Eradicating poverty. It has been proven everywhere that tobacco is a very profitable commodity that supports the economic stability of the farmers and their families," conveyed Budidoyo. "The tobacco sector is also aware of the importance of fulfilling our social-economic responsibilities. Therefore, we take various measures each year to improve our agricultural techniques so they become more sustainable and environmentally-friendly."

In addition to making declarations, the Indonesian tobacco farmers also continued to push for the Draft Tobacco Bill because it is the realization of efforts to protect tobacco farmers. The Draft Tobacco Bill regulates the management of tobacco, partnership programs between business owners and farmers, DBHCHT allocation, and health protection -management of advertisements, promotions, sponsorship, cigarette packs and Smoke-Free Areas (KTR).

Farmers must also remain alert to Draft Tobacco Bill rules that could potentially threaten the Tobacco Product Industry (IHT), such as:

- Restrictions on tobacco usage (80% domestic and 20% imported tobacco) and the implementation of quotas
- Implementation of an import excise tariff for imported tobacco of 60-200 percent (on processed tobacco)
- Restriction of foreign investment ownership (30 percent)

The tobacco sector has been the target of much pressure that results in decreasing tobacco product demand and exacerbates the situation of the tobacco farmers.

These challenges have never successfully discouraged us from cultivating tobacco, but have instead provided us with greater motivation to achieve better and more sustainable tobacco production.

ABOUT THE AMTI

The Indonesian Tobacco Community Alliance (AMTI) was formed on 25 January, 2010 by a joint declaration by tobacco industry stakeholders as a way to organize the efforts of tobacco and clove farmers and cigarette workers, consumers, retailers, associations and manufacturers to preserve Indonesia's quality tobacco industry.

The purpose of the alliance is to provide a forum for organizing the efforts of tobacco and clove farmers and cigarette workers, consumers, retailers, associations and manufacturers. In addition, it establishes a united front for preserving the quality of the Indonesian tobacco industry and principles for the nation, considering the Tobacco Industry as a prioritized national industry comparable to other industries, participating in formulating balanced and comprehensive concepts for tobacco regulations acceptable to legislators, and preserving the existence of the cigarette industry, especially kretek cigarettes as a national cultural heritage product, so that this industry may receive full rights in its own country, and become a global commodity.

The AMTI also wants to maintain and develop the local tobacco industry and seeks to develop Virginia, Oriental and White Burley tobacco as raw materials for the cigarette industry and import substitutes, and strives to uphold transparency in accordance with the applicable legislation. http://amti.id

ABOUT THE ITGA

The International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) is a non-profit organization representing the interests of millions of tobacco farmers around the world. The ITGA encourages the involvement of tobacco farmers in global discussions and supports farmers on the international scene, protecting their continued existence and their families. The ITGA Forum was held in Lombok, Indonesia on March 26-27. http://www.tobaccoleaf.org


 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Fujitsu and Taiwan FamilyMart Commence Digital Technology Field Trial in FamilyMart Concept Store

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TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Taiwan Limited, and Taiwan FamilyMart Co., Ltd., which operates over 3,000 FamilyMart stores in Taiwan, today announced that they will begin a field trial at the Chongqing South Road FamilyMart location in collaboration with local venture capital companies and other partners. The field trial aims to attract customers to the store while reducing the burden on staff using digital technologies including robots and blockchain.

In this field trial, Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Taiwan will deliver a unique customer experience that includes store guidance using the communication robot, Robopin(1), a content delivery service, FlowSign Light(2), which utilizes visible light communications, and the video communication solution FlowSign Video(3). A "stamp rally" promotion will also be conducted that makes use of blockchain technology(4). Additionally, the three companies will evaluate the effectiveness of work process optimizations and operational cost reduction measures in the store during the trial, including through the use of a store entrance counter equipped with a 3D camera to count the number of store visitors, and electronic price tags that interact with POS registers to update automatically.

Summary of the Operational Trial

1. Start date:
March 29, 2018 (Thursday)

2. Trial location:
FamilyMart store located at No. 58, Section 1, Chonqing South Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan.

3. Trial Details
A Fujitsu Robopin communication robot installed at the entrance will introduce products on sale and events being conducted in-store to visitors, while also putting on performances such as the "Famimai," a specially choreographed FamilyMart dance.

The companies will also be conducting a "stamp rally" promotion, utilizing Fujitsu's FlowSign Light to allow customers to earn stamps by simply pointing their smartphone, with the dedicated FlowSign app installed, toward different target items throughout the store, including Robopin. FamilyMart will issue coupons that can be used in FamilyMart locations based on the number of stamps collected, with Fujitsu Blockchain technology managing customer information, including details about the history of stamps earned and coupons used.

In conjunction with this, video content relating to products in the refrigerators will be projected onto their doors, which have been fitted with transparent displays made by LWO Technology Co., Ltd. This not only promises to offer customers a new shopping experience, but will also enable them to collect stamps by pointing their smartphone at the projected video content on the refrigerator doors using the dedicated app for Fujitsu's FlowSign Video service(3).

Electronic price tags, made by SES-imagotag SA, will be installed on the product display shelving, interacting with POS registers to enable flexible changes to prices. Information such as production history and ongoing promotions will be available through QR codes and NFC(5) functionality built into the electronic price tags.

A store entrance counter equipped with a 3D camera, made by FLIR Systems, Inc., will be installed at the entrance of the store, and will collect and aggregate information on the number of visitors. This data can then be used for tasks like analyzing store sales and optimizing the deployment of staff.

Future Plans

Based on the results of this field trial, the three companies will consider enhancing the functionality of the solutions at this location and expanding them to other FamilyMart stores. In addition, the companies involved in this trial will together promote the creation of a model for next-generation retail stores that take advantage of digital technologies, while considering new initiatives going forward, including those that use technologies like AI and palm vein authentication.

(1) Robopin
A communication robot developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. Motors are installed in the neck, each arm, and at the base of the body, enabling dynamic movement using its entire body, which can also express emotion in conjunction with the color of the LEDs in the face.
(2) FlowSign Light
A service in which information is embedded in LED light or video data using LED information transmission technology from Fujitsu Laboratories, which can then be read by a user by pointing a smart device at the video, or at an object the light is shining on. By pointing a smart device, onto which a dedicated app has been downloaded, at a target object, users can intuitively obtain relevant information.
(3) FlowSign Video
A service that embeds link information into video using video-intermediated communication technology from Fujitsu Laboratories, which can direct users to related links when they point a smart device at the video. By pointing a smart device, onto which a dedicated app has been downloaded, at video on TV or on digital signage, users can intuitively obtain related information.
(4) Blockchain Technology
A system where multiple computers connected to a network share and mutually confirm information such as exchange records. Because it lacks a specific manager, it is resistant to tampering and attack.
(5) NFC
Short for Near Field Communication. A short-distance wireless communication technology for communication distances of about 10 cm, using a 13.56 MHz frequency.

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release, with images, at:
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for February 2018

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TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - February 2018 Mitsubishi Motors Summary:

Domestic Production
- First monthly year-on-year increase in three months since November, 2017
- 109% year-on-year

Overseas Production
- Third consecutive monthly year-on-year increase since November, 2017
- 132.3% year-on-year

Total Production
- Ninth consecutive monthly year-on-year increase since May, 2017
- 119.8% year-on-year

Domestic Sales
- First consecutive monthly year-on-year increase since January, 2018
- 122.4% year-on-year

Exports
- Third consecutive monthly year-on-year increase since November, 2017
- 129.7% year-on-year

Supplemental Information

Overseas Production
Asia - 60,527 units; 129.8% year-on-year

Exports
Asia - 971 units; 188.2% year-on-year
North America - 13,623 units; 124.3% year-on-year
Europe - 14,181 units; 173.1% year-on-year

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

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

DENSO Brings Advanced Automotive Technology R&D to Israel

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- New satellite R&D team accelerates innovation in automated driving and cybersecurity -

TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO Corporation today unveiled its newest innovative satellite R&D team in Israel, accelerating advanced technologies like automated driving, cybersecurity, and AI. Starting in April, DENSO's R&D satellite will begin collaborating with local startups to pioneer new technologies.

This is the newest satellite in DENSO's global R&D network located in key regions. DENSO distributes cutting-edge R&D functions around the world and works with local universities, research institutions, startups, and various other partners to develop competitive products and technologies tailored to customers and regional characteristics. DENSO recently announced an initiative to broaden R&D capabilities outside Japan, and in 2017, started satellite R&D activities in Helsinki, Finland focusing on creating advanced technologies and services.

DENSO's satellite R&D activities in Israel build on the country's surge in innovative technologies in fields spanning cybersecurity, telecommunications, AI, sensing, and software. Israeli companies and tech startups have an established track record for successful collaboration with companies overseas, and are expected to play a major role in global innovation across a number of fields.

DENSO will tap into Israel's technology strengths to quickly develop more competitive technologies, both internally and through collaborative research with local companies and universities. The technologies and products developed in Israel will contribute to DENSO's mission to deliver safe and sustainable mobility solutions that improve people's lives and benefit the environment.

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

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

JWD InfoLogistics (JWD.TB) Unveils FY2018 Plan, Pursues Overseas Expansions to Drive 10% Growth

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Inks Major Taiwanese Food Firm Shares-Purchase Agreement to Build Regional Food Supply Chain

BANGKOK, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - JWD InfoLogistics PCL (JWD.TB), a leading Asean-based 'Total Logistics Solutions Provider', outlined its FY2018 business plan, setting a revenue growth target of 10%, adopting four core strategies (Network, Operation, IT and Human Resource) to enhance its capacity and focusing its activities on creation of networks and added values through services in the whole supply chain or management of the whole logistics process, including in the early stage, to transform itself into a "Regional Supply Chain Manager".

It has reached an agreement to acquire shares in CSLF, a Taiwan-based food service firm that owns frozen ready-to-eat food brands as well as imports and sells food products bearing international brands, a move taken to position itself as a "Regional Food Supply Chain Service" provider with new capacity, for example, to perform materials acquisition for customers, as well as processing, production, storage, transport and distribution of products, and to serve as a brand representative (in addition to the existing capacity to predominantly provide cold and frozen storage and transport services), as a way to enhance competitiveness and reduce risks through access to products.

Mr. Charvanin Bunditkitsada, JWD Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) revealed the company's plan to expand both domestically and internationally in order to transform itself into a regional provider of logistics solutions and supply chain management services. The company set a 10% YoY revenue growth rate and adopted four core strategies that involve i) network creation, i.e. expansion of the logistics business networks to cover the whole supply chain and all modes of transport); ii) establishment of an Operation Excellence Team to ensure satisfaction of a common set of logistics standards by all domestic and overseas JWD companies; iii) upgrading of IT infrastructure to enhance the responsiveness to customers' logistics demands in the digital age; and iv) human resource management, including formation of teams and development of personnel to make the organisation an employer of choice, which will allow it to attract talents.

For FY2018, JWD has allocated funds totaling more than THB 2.5 billion to finance new investments and expansions. Recently, it has reached an agreement to acquire shares in CSLF, a Taiwan-based food service firm that manufactures, imports and sells food products and posted about THB 589 million in revenue and about THB 20.7 million in net profit in FY2017 and has set the target to grow by 15% this year. under which it will acquire a 60% equity stake in the Taiwanese firm (for THB 160 million) to allow it to manage the early stage of the food supply chain. CSLF's strengths in food service business lies in the firm's connections with food suppliers from all corners of the world as well as restaurant chains and food retailers, which will enable JWD to expand customer bases both domestically and regionally, with JWD itself serving as the logistics solution provider and multi-country consolidation hub. Payments for and transfer of the shares are expected to be completed in April 2018.

With high growth potential of the regional logistics market, JWD has decided to enter two new regional markets (in addition to Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand) by 2018. As for the growing food and cold storage segment, it seeks to build one additional cold storage plant in Vietnam by the second quarter of this year. It also aims to expand its investment presence in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Surabaya, after partnering late last year with Samudera Group, a major shipping line in Indonesia, in setting up a joint-venture firm and acquiring a 67% stake in Adib Cold Logistics (or ACL), a Jakarta-based cold storage and cargo transport company. In the CLM segment, it intends to increase by early second quarter of this year its investments in major local firms that provide inland logistics solutions (e.g. cargo warehousing and yard management, dry port, domestic cargo transport and distribution). It eagerly explores opportunities to enlarge its logistics networks both domestically and internationally, especially through investments to penetrate air and sea freight services to facilitate multimodal transport.

Logistics market in Thailand will benefit from the country's position as an industrial manufacturing base and a regional hub. All main segments of JWD will also profit from the Thai government's Eastern Economic Corridor (or EEC) policy. The company seeks to invest to expand its fleet and increase the number of trips and covered areas of its cargo transportation and distribution services in both inland and cross-border subsegments in order to tap growths in the cargo transportation business. In the JWD Chemical Supply Chain (JCS) segment, it is installing rackings to increase the storage space by more than 150%. Moreover, to expand the B2C market, it is investing in two additional self-storage sites in the CBD areas of Samyan and Sathorn in Bangkok.

The Chairman/CEO added that, after raising more than THB 1 billion funds from the late last year's sale of assets to AIM Industrial Growth Freehold and Leasehold Real Estate Investment Trust (AIMRT), JWD is now prepared financially. The company is also going to raise additional funds this year by selling 2,800sq m cold storage space at Suwinthawong to the REIT, and is considering issuing debentures, etc., in order to finance expansions and maintain a suitable debt to equity ratio.

"We need to produce constant growths. This year we will receive a revenue share from our co-investment in cold storage business in Indonesia. Our warehousing and cold storage business across Asean will boost international revenue. We aim to raise the international revenue's share to 25% by 2020", said he.

About JWD InfoLogistics PCL

JWD InfoLogistics (SET:JWD) knows everything about logistics and supply chain management. The Group's fully integrated logistics and supply chain solutions cover all types of warehousing, including the free zone area, in fields where it has competitive advantage in terms of the ability to manage one-stop and unconditional service offers because it wholly own all warehouses. The Group is also proficient in customs procedures, product transportation and distribution, as well as logistics software development. Founded in 1979, the JWD Group has grown to comprise 18 subsidiaries and operates warehouses and yards covering a total storage space of approximately 800,000 sqm. The Group currently employs 1,300 staff and has branch offices in 32 countries. For more information, please visit www.jwd-group.com/en/.

Contact:
For JWD InfoLogistics Yuttachai ("Tle") Paikanahok MT Multimedia Tel: +66 0 2612 2081 #125 Mo: +66 9 1736 2866 E-: yuttachai.p@mtmultimedia.com

Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

DENSO to Integrate the Management of Two Subsidiaries that Manufacture Parts

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TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO Corporation today announced that on July 1, 2018 it will integrate the management of two DENSO Group companies: DENSO PREAS Corporation and DENSO KIKO Co., Ltd., both of which manufacture metal press-worked parts.

The business environment will tremendously change in the future with the advancement of the electrification of automobiles and automated driving. Therefore, it will become even more necessary to develop press-worked parts required for new technologies and to begin local production in overseas regions where the market is expected to grow. To develop more competitive press-worked parts, DENSO reached the conclusion that the aforementioned companies of the DENSO Group, each of which has excellent manufacturing assets, must be integrated to form a core press working company while further strengthening collaboration with DENSO, which is proud of its high-accuracy molds.

The integrated company will enhance mass production technologies and manufacturing capabilities through closer collaboration with respective sections of DENSO and make a contribution to realizing an environmentally friendly, safe, and comfortable mobility through press-worked parts that support electrified systems and automated driving systems.

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

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

VRG Announces Affiliation with RBSA Advisors in India

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NEW YORK & MUMBAI, IN., Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Valuation Research Group (VRG), the international affiliates of Valuation Research Corporation (VRC), a leading provider of third-party valuation support, announced its non-exclusive affiliate agreement with India-based RBSA Advisors to offer global valuation services in India.

"India is a critical market to support our clients' increasing M&A activity," said PJ Patel, Co-CEO of VRC. "The country remains one of the brightest spots for investments and we look forward to working with Rajeev Shah and his team at RBSA Advisors. VRG already offers our clients valuation services globally, and our partnership with the RBSA team further underscores our commitment to deepen our capabilities in the region."

"We are delighted to be a part of Valuation Research Group; with this strategic alliance we combine the global expertise and reach of VRG with RBSA's impressive experience in India, Singapore and the Middle East," said Rajeev R. Shah, Managing Director & CEO of RBSA Advisors.

VRG will offer full services in India through credentialed valuation professionals with 45+ years of experience in the Indian market. RBSA Advisors has a strong team of 180+ professionals at seven offices across India, Singapore and the Middle East, currently supporting a client base of Fortune 500 companies, major corporates, multinationals, private equity and financial institutions in addition government and public sector clients.

The valuation professionals' capabilities include providing real property, personal property and financial valuations in India. These valuations include various asset classes like business, equity & financial valuations, valuation of industrial assets, plant & machinery, valuation of infrastructure assets, valuation of brands, intangible assets & intellectual property, mines & mineral reserve valuation, valuation of real estate, stock and inventory valuations, stock audits, valuation of ESOPs and sweat equity, valuation of specialized assets and fairness opinions.

About RBSA Advisors

RBSA Advisors, established in 1971, is a leading global independent valuation, investment banking, restructuring and transaction advisory firm with seven offices in India, Dubai and Singapore with trusted affiliates across Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States that provide clients with seamless transaction advisory services. RBSA is also a Category 1 Merchant Bank with expertise in valuation, diligence, M&A, restructuring, dispute matters and has unmatched reputation and credentials with global companies and regulatory authorities. In the past five years, RBSA has performed engagements in more than 25 countries. RBSA is sector agnostic, with clients including more than 60 percent of Nifty 50 and Sensex 30 Companies including major corporates, multinationals and Fortune 500 Companies, major banks and financial institutions, governments and the public sector.

About VRG

VRG is a global valuation practice that furnishes expert and independent opinions of value for solvency, fairness, business enterprises, intangible assets, capital stock, equity interests, real estate and fixed assets. VRG has a network of over 1,200 professionals located in offices throughout continental Europe and the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Australia and the United States. The U.S. practice operates as VRC.

About VRC

VRC is a full-service, third-party, global valuation firm that focuses exclusively on valuations that offer judgment beyond modeling; the result provides an accurate and customized view of the value of your business. Since 1975, VRC's valuation professionals have provided objective, supportable conclusions of value to domestic and international clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to privately held organizations. VRC has U.S. locations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, New York, Princeton, San Francisco, and Tampa; as well as international affiliates in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, India, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom. VRC's core services include financial opinions concerning valuation, solvency, capital adequacy and fairness in connection with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, financings and financial and tax reporting matters. Their client base comprises a broad range of industries, which affords VRC the opportunity to track and understand industry trends.

CONTACT:
Jennifer Dries
jdries@valuationresearch.com
+1-414-221-6235



 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

i.century Holding Limited Announces Details of Proposed Listing on the GEM of SEHK

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(From left to right) Ms. Priscilla Fung, Financial Controller, Mr. Leung Kwok Hung Wilson, Chairman of the Board, CEO and Executive Director, Ms. Tam Shuk Fan, Executive Director and Ms. Chan Sheung Ping, Chief Operating Officer
Share Offer of 120,000,000 Shares
Offer Price Ranges from HK$0.50 to HK$0.60 per Share

HONG KONG, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - i.century Holding Limited (the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, "i.century" or the "Group"), a Hong Kong based apparel service chain management ("SCM") services provider, today announced the details of its proposed listing on the Growth Enterprise Market ("GEM") of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK").

Offering Details
i.century intends to offer a total of 120,000,000 Shares, comprising 108,000,000 Placing Shares (subject to reallocation) and 12,000,000 Public Offer Shares (subject to reallocation) at an indicative Offer Price ranges from HK$0.50 and HK$0.60 per Offer Share. After deducting the related expenses, and assuming an Offer Price of HK$0.55 per Offer Share (being the mid-point of the indicative Offer Price range), net proceeds from the Share Offer are estimated to be approximately HK$29.9 million.

The Public Offer commenced from 9:00am today (29 March 2018) and will end at 12:00 noon on 6 April 2018 (Friday). The final Offer Price and results of allocation are expected to be announced on 13 April 2018 (Friday). Trading of Shares is expected to commence on the GEM of SEHK on 16 April 2018 (Monday) under the stock code 8507. Shares will be traded in board lots of 4,000 Shares each.

Messis Capital Limited is the Sole Sponsor, while Astrum Capital Management Limited and Quasar Securities Co., Limited are the Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers of the Listing.

Investment Highlights
Provision of full spectrum of apparel SCM services
i.century is a reliable SCM service provider with a full spectrum of apparel SCM services ranging from product development, sourcing and procurement of raw materials, production management, quality control to logistics arrangement. The Group also places strong emphasis on quality control measures to ensure the products meet customers' standards consistently which will continue to be the key to the Group's success in building customer confidence and loyalty.

Established business relationships with renowned international trendy brands
Leveraging the Group's knowledge and experience in the apparel industry, it has established stable business relationships with key customers. According to Frost & Sullivan Report, the Group's key customers are renowned international trendy brand customers such as Animal, Billabong, Element, Primitive, Ripple Junction, Roark Revival, and X-Large. These business relationships generate synergy effect which helps to boost the Group's reputation and allow it to attract more renowned customers of similar tier.

Ability to provide a wide range of apparel products and accessories with flexible manufacturing solutions
The Group possesses knowledge and experience to assist customers to manufacture a variety of apparel products for different product lines. During the Track Record Period, its key products included jackets, woven shirts, pullovers, pants and shorts, T-shirts, and other products such as vests and accessories, including socks and bags. Moreover, it has relatively flexible requirement on the minimum order quantity which helps to further widens the reach of customers and capture more business opportunities in the competitive apparel product market.

Management team with extensive apparel industry knowledge
The management team brings years of apparel industry knowledge and experience to the Group. Mr. Wilson Leung, Co-founder, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, has over 29 years of experience in the apparel industry particularly in the U.S. and European markets. Ms. Tam Shuk Fan, Co-founder and Executive Director, has been managing the Group's financial and administrative matters since the Group established. Ms. Chan Sheung Ping, the Group's Chief Operating Officer, has over 25 years of experience in merchandising field of apparel industry. With the knowledge and experience of its core management team, the Group is able to formulate and execute sound business strategies and lead the Group to develop successfully.

Future Strategies
Strengthening customer relationships and enhancing market presence by setting up representative offices in the U.S. and France
The Group plans to strengthen its customer relationships and enhance market presence in the U.S. and Europe, where its major customers are situate at, by setting up two representative offices, one in Los Angeles, the U.S. and one in Paris, France. The representative offices will serve the functions as a showroom to display its latest product samples and fabric samples for customers' review, a venue to have meeting with customers as well as an office for its sales staff. It is believed that this could help demonstrate product development capabilities to potential customers and enhance its corporate image in major markets Moreover, the overseas sales team would be able to provide more timely response and support to its major customers.

Establishing a quality control office in the PRC
The Group believes that product quality is the foundation for building trust and confidence of customers thus quality control is an important part of its services. Therefore, to cope with growth while maintaining a consistently high standard of product quality, the Group plans to set up a quality control office in the city of Ningbo of Zhejiang Province, the PRC and recruit additional quality control personnel and merchandisers who will be responsible for conducting on-site inspection and monitoring the production progress respectively. The Group considers this step will strengthen competitiveness and building customers' confidence in service quality, as to further enhance its reputation as a reliable apparel SCM service provider.

Use of Proceeds
Based on the Offer Price of HK$0.55 per Offer Share (being the mid-point of the indicative Offer Price range), net proceeds from the Share Offer (after deducting the relevant portion of the underwriting fees and estimated expenses in connection with the Share Offer to be borne by the Group) are estimated to be approximately HK$29.9 million. The Group intends to allocate the net proceeds for the following purposes:

Purpose / Percentage
Setting up representative offices in the U.S. and France: 65.4%
Establishing a quality control office in the PRC: 15.1%
Repaying bank borrowings: 13.4%
General working capital: 6.1%
Total: 100.0%

About i.century Holding Limited
Established in 2008, i.century Holding Limited (the "Group") is a Hong Kong based apparel SCM services provider with services ranging from product development, sourcing and procurement of raw materials, production management, quality control to logistics arrangement. With years of knowledge and experience, the Group provides a wide range of apparel products and accessories with flexible manufacturing solutions. Its products were sold to over 30 countries specifically in the U.S. and France as the largest markets.

Media Enquiries:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel:(852) 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Isabel Kwok Tel:(852) 2864 4824 Email: isabel.kwok@sprg.com.hk
Adrianna Lau Tel:(852) 2114 4987 Email: adrianna.lau@sprg.com.hk
Website: http://www.sprg.com.hk


 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HTSC Announced 2017 Annual Results

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HTSC Reported Full-year Net Profit of RMB 9.28 Billion with Accelerated Transformation of Wealth Management Business

HONG KONG, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - On March 29, 2018, Huatai Securities Co., Ltd (hereinafter to be referred to as "HTSC" or the "Company") released its annual report for 2017, with total operating revenue and other income reaching RMB31.32 billion and the profit for the year attributable to the shareholders of the Company amounting to RMB9.28 billion, up by 27.17% and 47.94 % year-on-year respectively. With various major business indicators ranking among industry top and revenue structure continuously optimized, HTSC is better positioned in the market with increasing influence.

Unparalleled Proportion of Financial Advisors among Peers

As the commission rate for stock and fund trading of security firms continued its downward trend in 2017, the traditional profit model was on the wane. In response to the policy and market changes, HTSC actively expanded its customer base and assets under administration, and established a wealth management business model with integrated financial services at its core.

According to WIND, the Company's stock and fund trading volume during the reporting period totaled RMB19.01 trillion, with a market share of 7.86%, ranking the first in the industry for four consecutive years. Its accumulated number of customers reached over 12 million, with client asset exceeding RMB2.7 trillion.

HTSC made great efforts in building its investment advisor team. According to statistics from Securities Association of China, by the end of the reporting period, the number of investment advisors accounted for 25.43% of the Company's securities practitioners, a ratio that leads the industry.

HTSC's wealth management APP "ZhangLe Fortune Path" continued to lead the industry with cumulative downloads of over 37.42 million times. According to observable data, its average monthly active users were over 5.84 million in 2017, ranking the first among the APPs of security firms. During the reporting period, 1.11 million or 98.49% new accounts were opened via the mobile terminal of "ZhangLe Fortune Path".

The Company's financial product management system was improved, with the value and number of financial products distributed steadily rising, while capital-based intermediary business continued to develop with optimized customer base and enhanced risk control. By the end of 2017, the balance of margin financing and securities lending of HTSC stood at RMB58.81 billion, taking up 5.73% of market and ranking the second in the industry. The balance of stock-pledged repurchase was 90.88 billion, ranking third in the industry.

Landmark Investment Banking Deals Leading the Market

Over the past few years, the in-depth development of capital market and the continuous increase in direct financing has offered security firms with strategic opportunities for their institutional business development.

During the reporting period, HTSC improved its customer-centered integrated investment banking system, with M&A transaction amount leading its peers. The M&A and restructuring transaction volume approved by the reorganization committee reported RMB97.3 billion in 2017, ranking first in the industry. Huatai United Securities assisted Qihoo 360 Technology in completing its US stock privatization, which was the largest restructuring and listing project in terms of transaction volume (initialdisclosure) in 2017.

The brand influence of equity underwriting business has been elevated by focusing on key industries and areas and deepening relations with premium customers. According to WIND, the Company's lead equity underwriting amount (including initial public offering, follow-on offering, rights issue, preferred shares, convertible bonds and exchangeable bonds) reached RMB110.57 billion, ranking fifth in the industry.

For bond underwriting business, the Company prioritized competitive product offerings and innovation-led strategy. According to WIND, HTSC's lead bond underwriting projects amounted RMB201.6 billion in volume, among which the number of exchangeable bond underwriting projects ranked first in the industry for three consecutive years.

Assets under Active Management Ranking among the Industry Top

With the introduction of new asset management rules, asset management business started the dechannelizing process. Huatai Asset Management focused on the core of asset management to provide diversified financial products to fulfill various investment and financing needs of customers.

According to the statistics from Asset Management Association of China, by the end of the fourth quarter of 2017, the average monthly AUM of the Company was RMB 788.56 billion, ranking second place in the industry. The average monthly scale of assets under active management (AUAM) was RMB240.19 billion, ranking fourth in the industry.

During the reporting period, Huatai Asset Management issued three public fund, namely Huatai Zijin Tiantianjin Monetary ETF, Lingqianbao and Honglidibo, thereby gradually establishing a product line that covered customers with low, medium and high risk exposures with the AUM amounting to RMB 5.219 billion.

International Business Contributed to 12% of HTSC's Revenue

The two-way opening up of capital markets has accelerated the international development of security firms. During the reporting period, Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited continued to drive its international business development. As shown in its annual report, international business contributed to 12.03% of HTSC's total revenue, up by 10.57 percentage points year-on-year.

AssetMark, the turnkey asset management platform (TAMP), acquired by HTSC in 2016 has scored the best performance ever in 2017. Total AUM under AssetMark platform reported USD42.4 billion in 2017, up by approximately 31% as compared with year-end 2016. During the reporting period, the platform served 7100 independent investment advisers and over 196, 000 end investor accounts, and over 900 independent investment advisers entered into cooperative agreements with AssetMark.

By the end of the third quarter of 2017, the market share of AssetMark in TAMP industry was 9.5%, ranking the third in the industry. Riding on the acquisition of AssetMark, HTSC facilitated the improvement of its investment advisor platform and service efficiency.

In terms of IT development, the Company vigorously promoted the transformation from technology-backed service to technology-driven business development. During the reporting period, the Company's IT staff accounted for 6.61% of the total, with various advanced business systems and service platforms launched including customized transaction service platform (MATIC) and market information product (INSIGHT) etc. The Company is also a frontrunner in terms of its IT investment, IT expert team and technology innovation capabilities.



 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Fujitsu Concludes RPA Software Sales Partnership Agreement with UiPath

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TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Middleware Limited and Fujitsu Limited today announced that Fujitsu Middleware has concluded a sales partnership agreement with UiPath in the robotic process automation (RPA)(1) field in Japan. Under this agreement, Fujitsu Middleware and Fujitsu Limited will offer sales of UiPath's RPA software beginning in early April 2018 in Japan. In recent years, workstyle transformation has been promoted in Japan, and there has been an increasing demand for the use of RPA software to substitute for processes done by hand in order to improve productivity. Now, in light of this increased demand for the implementation of RPA solutions, the Fujitsu Group will begin offering sales of UiPath's RPA software, which has a proven global track record, that support systems of every size, to customers in Japan beginning in early April 2018. In order to ensure that customers can deploy RPA with peace of mind, the Fujitsu Group is expanding the number of its employees taking courses at UiPath Academy, UiPath's official certification program (offering training certification essential for RPA development), with plans to train about 300 personnel in the use of UiPath in fiscal 2018, enhancing its support for customers' workstyle transformations.

UiPath Overview

UiPath is one of the world's leading RPA vendors, offering a unified software platform for efficiently automating customer work processes. Based in the US, UiPath has offices in Japan, the UK, Romania, France, Germany, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, with a track record of successfully providing automation via RPA to about 700 companies. UiPath's subsidiary in Japan was established in February 2017, and its software is already being used by more than 160 companies (as of the end of February 2018), with numerous companies undertaking proofs of concept.

(1) Robotic process automation (RPA) Software that can automate and improve the efficiency of mostly white-collar processes by substituting software robots for defined tasks that were previously done by people. It has also been called digital labor, because it can execute processes as a supplement to people.

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release, with images, at:
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Fujitsu Releases New, Enhanced Version of Battery-Free Beacon PulsarGum

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TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it has enhanced the features of Fujitsu IoT Solution Battery-free Beacon PulsarGum, and will begin sales of the new version today in Japan. Leveraging the research of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., the new version can be powered by one-tenth the light of the previous version. It is therefore easier to use in a wider range of locations, such as low-lit manufacturing facilities, the corridors of buildings, and distribution warehouses. Providing this product promotes further improvements in the front-line operations of customers, contributing to the creation of new value.
Background

With the spread of the Internet-of-Things, there is increasing consideration of operational transformations through the deployment of IoT devices in a wide range of operations and industries. One type of IoT device - a beacon - is being widely used because it is easy to deploy. When newly installing beacons in a customer's work environment, however, securing a power source for each beacon and the time and effort required for installation were major issues. Fujitsu has offered PulsarGum, a battery-free beacon that has been used on the front lines. It does not require batteries to be replaced because it runs on a solar cell, and it is also lightweight and easy to install. It was envisioned that the previous version would be used near a source of light, but some customers said they wanted to use the beacons in places where lighting is more subdued, such as in manufacturing facilities, the corridors of buildings, and distribution warehouses.

Features of the New Product

The radio waves emitted by the PulsarGum battery-free beacon are received by devices, such as smartphones, for connection to Fujitsu Cloud Service K5 IoT Platform, a service platform for using IoT data. The analysis of that data supports customer activities to improve their operational front lines, enabling them to grasp the locations and flows of people and things, and thereby analyze their operations to improve productivity.

1. Can be used in a wider array of settings
The solar cell in the beacon device has been miniaturized and made multi-layered, and its power source circuit has been improved, enabling stable operations in one-tenth the light of the previous version. As a result, the beacon can be used in a wider range of front-line settings, such as hallways, where lighting is subdued, or near outside lights at night.

2. Can be used outdoors
Because protective features have been built in the circuits of the device, the beacon is able to run stably even when there is an excessive supply of power from direct exposure to sunlight. As a result, it can be attached without worry to outside structures or equipment.

Sales Target
150,000 units by the end of fiscal 2020 (Fujitsu's fiscal year runs to the end of March).

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release, with images, at:
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Fujitsu and Blue Prism Announce Global Collaboration for Delivering Enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

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TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited and Blue Prism Group PLC today announced that they will be working closely together to deliver Blue Prism's market leading Robotic Process Automation(RPA)(1) offering to enterprise clients across a wide range of industries.

With the acceleration of digital transformation in recent years, the use of RPA has drawn attention in the context of automating processes to achieve improvements in productivity and quality of service. As Proof of Concept (PoC) and full-scale RPA deployments gain traction and wide scale adoption, Fujitsu and Blue Prism have agreed to collaborate to meet this demand.

Through this collaboration, the companies intend to support the creation of a framework for customers in Europe, North America, Japan and beyond to launch, operate and entrench, and grow their RPA-related activities. They will do this by applying Fujitsu's AI and other cutting-edge technologies to Blue Prism RPA software through joint planning, proposals, and proof of concept creation for solutions, building on Blue Prism's proven record of delivering large-scale enterprise systems around the world.

Blue Prism was named one of MIT Tech Review's 50 Smartest Companies for 2017, as well as being the winner of the 2017 UK Tech awards. The company has also been recognized by Everest Research as an RPA market leader in their PEAK Matrix Assessment report in 2018. Billions of transactions and hundreds of millions of hours of work are executed on Blue Prism robots for renowned companies.

(1) Robotic process automation (RPA) Software that can automate and improve the efficiency of white-collar processes, in particular, by substituting software robots for defined tasks that were previously done by people. It has also been called digital labor, because it can execute processes as a supplement to people.

About Blue Prism

As the pioneer, innovator and market leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Blue Prism delivers the world's most successful Digital Workforce. The company's software robots automate repetitive administrative tasks while meeting the requirements of the most demanding IT environments, where security, compliance and scalability are paramount.

Blue Prism provides a scalable and robust execution platform for best-of-breed AI and cognitive technologies and has emerged as the trusted and secure RPA platform of choice for the Fortune 500. For more information about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), visit http://www.blueprism.com

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release, with images, at:
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

Contact:
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Hitachi, Mitsubishi Motors and ENGIE Explore Using Electric Car Batteries as Renewable Energy Storage for Office Buildings

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Project launched in The Netherlands to support development of energy neutral office buildings

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi Europe Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors and ENGIE have demonstrated a pioneering project to explore the potential for electric vehicles to act as a means of energy storage for an office building. For this demonstration, the consortium linked the first vehicle to everything (V2X) charger to ENGIE's office building in Zaandam.

Hitachi's innovative V2X Charger is the first recharger that cannot only recharge an electric car but can also discharge the energy back into the building/grid providing different flexibilities including kW, DeltakW, kWh and VAR. Moreover, it is possible to connect solar panels and external storage directly to the recharger, allowing a much more efficient electricity supply to buildings.

With buildings and transport together accounting for about 75% of the total CO2 emissions of a service providing company, vehicle to building (V2B) technology can play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions around the world, whilst also helping buildings and companies to lower their energy costs.

Bringing together respective expertise, Mitsubishi Motors, ENGIE and Hitachi believe that an innovative vehicle to building (V2B) charging station can lead to more intelligent and efficient building energy management systems.

The V2X Charger is connected to the building's energy supply and, when the building generates more solar power than it needs, this excess energy is stored in the battery of the electric car. This energy can then be discharged back into the grid when appropriate. The car battery therefore acts as an energy storage source, as well as an emergency power supply.

In collaborating, the companies contribute their capabilities in the following areas:

Hitachi is providing its V2X charger, which enables bi-directional charging between the electric car battery and the building or electricity grid. It is also supplying the technology which enables the integration of energy between the vehicle and the building, and the vehicle and the electricity grid.

ENGIE creates a Smart Building by connecting the battery inside the electric car via a V2X Charger to the building's energy supply system and integrate it with solar panels or other renewable energy sources within the smart grid.

Mitsubishi Motors is providing its Outlander PHEV SUV to act as an energy storage center that building power systems can utilize to access a stable supply of renewable energy.

For the next stage of the project, the consortium will examine how electric vehicles, renewable energy and Building Energy Management Systems can work together to enable buildings to become energy-neutral. This leads to intelligent and more efficient microgrids that can interact with building energy management systems (BEMS). Using the available energy in the smartest possible way reduces a company's emissions and saves costs.

Highlighting the benefits of deploying digital energy technologies, Ram Ramachander, Chief Digital Officer at Hitachi Europe, said:

"This project demonstrates how our IoT and digital capabilities can help customers make buildings energy-neutral, increasing their energy efficiency and reducing costs, by optimizing EV charging infrastructure. Our technology can also help to create new business cases across the EV value chain, including vehicle to grid technology, which enables flexibility with their energy distribution".

Commenting on the ambitious scheme, Hans Boot, COO at ENGIE Services Netherlands, stated:

"This project provides a powerful demonstration of the outstanding effectiveness of energy storage technology. This charger exceeds smart charging as we know it and is basically the first real 'smart grid charger'. We hope to begin installing this system for all companies who are eager to take the next step towards becoming truly energy-neutral."

Discussing the growing role for electric vehicles in powering the development of smart cities, Vincent Cobee, Corporate Vice President at Mitsubishi Motors, added:

"This demonstration will help providing a new energy solution for energy efficient, low carbon smart buildings. We are aiming to show that EVs and PHEVs can be a vital component of urban energy in the future."

About Hitachi Europe Ltd.

Hitachi Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., is headquartered in Maidenhead, UK. The company is focused on its Social Innovation Business - delivering innovations that answer society's challenges. Hitachi Europe and its subsidiary companies offers a broad range of information & telecommunication systems; rail systems, power and industrial systems; industrial components & equipment; automotive systems, digital media & consumer products and others with operations and research & development Laboratories across EMEA. For more information, visit http://www.hitachi.eu.

About ENGIE

ENGIE develops its businesses (power, natural gas, energy services) around a model based on responsible growth to take on the major challenges of energy's transition to a low-carbon economy: access to sustainable energy, climate-change mitigation and adaptation and the rational use of resources. The Group provides individuals, cities and businesses with highly efficient and innovative solutions largely based on its expertise in four key sectors: renewable energy, energy efficiency, liquefied natural gas and digital technology. ENGIE employs 153,090 people worldwide and achieved revenues of EUR69.6 billion in 2016.

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

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

SDK Opens Its Subsidiary's Branch in Wuhan to Sell High-purity Gases

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Aiming to Strengthen Sales of High-purity Gases for Electronics in Central China

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko ("SDK"; TSE:4004) has established a branch of its subsidiary "Shanghai Showa Chemicals Co., Ltd." (SSC) in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, aiming to strengthen its business to sell high-purity gases for electronics in China. The branch commenced operations in this March.

Semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) industries are growing rapidly in China due to the Chinese government's policy for the development of these industries. In the past, SDK shipped all of its high-purity gases for electronics to be used by customers in China from SSC located in Shanghai. This time, however, SDK decided to establish a branch of SSC and its warehouse in Wuhan due to the following reasons.

1) Since the laws and regulations concerning handling of hazardous materials including high-purity gases for electronics have been strengthened in China, it became necessary for SDK to ungently establish stable distribution network for high-purity gases which has dispersed warehouses. Wuhan is a good location for a distribution center to cover major cities in Central China.

2) In Central China including Wuhan, there has been successive establishment of large factories to manufacture semiconductors and FPDs.

SSC's Wuhan Branch is the Showa Denko Group's second base in China to sell and distribute high-purity gases for electronics, next to that in Shanghai. There are many plans in China to newly establish factories to manufacture semiconductors or FPDs in the future. Under these circumstances, the Showa Denko Group will continue enriching its network of bases to sell and distribute high-purity gases for electronics in China, aiming to expand its high-purity gas business in each region of the country and strengthen relations with major manufacturers of semiconductors and FPDs.

Outline of SSC's Wuhan Branch

1) The name of the base: Wuhan Branch, Shanghai Showa Chemicals Co., Ltd.
2) Location: No.1, Fifth Huagong Road, Wuhan Chemical Industry Park, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China (In the premise of Wuhan Hengjidaxin International Chemical Storage Co., Ltd.)
3) Date of establishment: February 11, 2018
4) Scope of business: The sale and distribution of high-purity gases for electronics and other chemicals
5) Responsible person: Akira Maruhashi (Vice President, Shanghai Showa Chemicals Co., Ltd.)

About Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko K.K. ("SDK"; TSE:4004, US:SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial and high-performance gases and chemicals and high-purity gases and chemicals for the semiconductor industry, and the Inorganics Sector provides ceramics products such as alumina, abrasive, refractory and graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. Today, the Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high-bright LEDs and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.

Contact:
Public Relations Office Phone: 81-3-5470-3235

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

TEPCO Establishes New Online Renewable Electricity Retail Startup, 'TRENDE'

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New company will enable retail customers to save money and ensure part of their electricity is generated from solar

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) announced today the launch of TRENDE Inc., an online renewable energy retailer selling electricity to residential customers in Japan.

Customers will be able to sign up online or with their smartphones for the new service. TRENDE offers a simple and affordable flat rate plan to its customers. The company also offers a premium plan that provides further savings for customers who are heavy consumers of electricity.

TRENDE also plans to offer solar power generation equipment and storage batteries on site at customer residences, in order to create a distributed energy platform.

The new company will be led by 2 serial entrepreneurs, Jeffrey Char and Tadatoshi Senoo. Char successfully built and sold several technology companies in the United States and Japan. Senoo spent a decade at Tokyo Mitsubishi Bank before co-founding Japan's first and largest social lending enterprise with Char in 2006 and also co-founded Orb, a blockchain startup in 2014.

"The launch of TRENDE demonstrates TEPCO's commitment to innovative and environmentally responsible approaches to ensuring that residential customers have the energy they need for a sustainable future," said Mr. Char. "Our easy to use, engaging, and informative platform will help consumers make smart energy choices and save money, while also promoting the use of solar energy." Added Mr. Senoo, "We are pleased to be working with TEPCO to make residential solar power a reality."

About TEPCO

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TSE: 9501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is the largest utility in Japan serving millions of homes and businesses. Worldwide the company has more than 34 subsidiaries and 32 affiliates in 8 countries and employs approximately 42,060 people. Consolidated revenue for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, totaled 5.3 trillion Japanese yen. The company was established in 1951 and is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/corpinfo/index-e.html

About TRENDE

TRENDE Inc. is an online renewable energy retailer selling electricity to residential customers in Japan via its Ashita Denki service website at https://ashita-denki.jp/. The company is a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. For more information, please visit http://trende.jp/.

 
Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Nanobiotix 2017 Annual Results

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Paris, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Mar 30, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - NANOBIOTIX (Euronext: NANO - ISIN: FR0011341205), a late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering new approaches to the treatment of cancer, today announces its audited consolidated results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017:

- Expansion of the Nanobiotix clinical development program activities - seven clinical trials running in eight indications on 3 continents - in relation to the market access of NBTXR3, Nanobiotix's lead product, have impacted operating expenses as planned.
- Continuation of the structuration of the Company: several recruitments, notably within the Medical Affairs department, opening of 2 affiliates in Europe and preparation of a new manufacturing site.
- Consolidation of the cash available at EUR 47.2M strengthened by the completion of two private placements executed in April and October 2017.

The audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 have been approved by the management board and reviewed by the supervisory board of the Company dated on March 29, 2018.

Consolidated Income statement[1] https://bit.ly/2E68cqw

Financial Review

Total Revenue in 2017 amounts to EUR 3.7M vs. EUR 5.4M in 2016, in line with our operational development expectations, mainly due to:
- Revenues from PharmaEngine amounting to EUR 252K (vs. EUR 1,558K in 2016), generated by the recharge of goods and services provided related to activities planned as per the partnership convention with PharmaEngine; and
- Other revenues of EUR 3,469K (vs. EUR 3,864K in 2016) mainly related to the Research Tax Credit (CIR), moving in line with the level of R&D activities.

Total Operating expenses reach EUR 28.7M in 2017 vs. EUR 27.3M in 2016:
- R&D expenses in 2017 were EUR 16.3M, lower than 2016 R&D costs by -EUR 0.6M, due to lower clinical development costs as per fluctuation in patient recruitment phases during the year, as well as lower research costs. This decrease is offset by the increase in R&D headcount in the U.S. subsidiary.
- SG&A costs reached EUR 9.7M (+EUR 1.4M ), mainly due to some changes in the structure (creation of the COO position in February 2017), and the increase of headcount, as well as consulting fees, hiring fees and communication costs in accordance with the group's growth strategy.
- Share based payment-related costs were EUR 2.6M in 2017 (vs. EUR 2.0M in 2016), being the result of an accounting treatment (having no cash impact).

Total consolidated headcount reached 85 as of December 31, 2017 vs. 67 in 2016, in line with the company's growth.

Net loss after tax amounts to EUR 26.1M (vs. EUR 21.9M (loss) in 2016), in line with operational development expectations.

Cash available at December 31, 2017 amounts to EUR 47.2M.

In April, the Company completed a private placement of EUR 25.1M providing additional resources to support the group's development. This operation has been an opportunity for Nanobiotix's institutional shareholders to reinforce their position and to welcome new shareholders from U.S. and EU.

In October, Nanobiotix successfully completed an approximately EUR 27.2M placement of new shares. This operation opened the opportunity for Nanobiotix to welcome new investors specialized in life sciences and biotechnology mainly from the U.S. and from Europe.

The cumulated amount of money raised in 2017 is about EUR 52.3M.

Nanobiotix activities and achievements in 2017

- Reported positive interim phase I/II data with NBTXR3 in Head & Neck cancer / ASCO
- Interim readout and completion of recruitment in phase II/III with NBTXR3 in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Advanced phase I/II in HCC/liver metastasis
- Initiated phase I/II in prostate cancer under company IND
- Reported positive IO biomarker study data in STS patients / SITC
- IND granted to start phase I/II combination study with checkpoint inhibitors
- Company buildout and expansion with the addition of Chief Operating Officer and establishment of European Operations

2018 perspectives

NBTXR3 is now being evaluated in head and neck cancer (locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx), and the trial targets frail and elderly patients who have advanced cancer with very limited therapeutic options. The use of Nanobiotix's NBTXR3 in this population aims to provide better local and systemic disease and prolongs survival with the improvement of Quality of Life.

Given the very promising Phase I/II trial results presented at ASCO 2017, Nanobiotix has filed a protocol amendment to expand the study to more patients in order to confirm the efficacy of NBTXR3. Nanobiotix is also planning to open 12-15 additional clinical trial sites in Europe and to expand this study to the U.S. at a later stage.

This indication is critical to establish the medical value of the product regarding the local control of the tumors, the potential metastatic control through in situ vaccination, and its rare safety profile.

Nanobiotix is running an Immuno-Oncology program with NBTXR3 that includes several studies. In the U.S., the Company received the FDA's approval to launch a clinical study of NBTXR3 activated by radiotherapy in combination with anti-PD1 antibody in lung, and head and neck cancer patients (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer). This trial that shall start in Q2 2018, aims to expand the potential of NBTXR3, including using it to treat recurrent or metastatic disease.

Many IO combination strategies focus on 'priming' the tumor, which is now becoming a prerequisite for turning a "cold" tumor into a "hot" tumor. Compared to other products that could be used for priming the tumor, NBTXR3 could have a number of advantages: it is a physical and universal mode of action that could be used widely across oncology; it involves a one-time local injection; it is a good fit within existing medical practice already used as a basis for cancer treatment; it has a very good chronic safety profile and a well-established manufacturing process.

Nanobiotix is focusing on delivering new clinical and pre-clinical data confirming that NBTXR3 could play a key role in oncology and could become a backbone in immuno-oncology.

The Company expects to present the results of its Phase II/III trial of NBTXR3 in soft tissue sarcoma in Q2 2018.

In December 2017, regarding the technical file, LNE/G-MED informed Nanobiotix at this time they would need a few more months to finalize the evaluation required for CE marking for soft tissue sarcoma (STS).

Nanobiotix is also running multiple Phase I/II trials in order to widen the usage of the product.

2018 should be another year of growth for Nanobiotix with various milestones:

- First patient recruitment in Phase I/II clinical trial in the U.S. looking at the potential of NBTXR3 to transform anti-PD1 non-responders into responders. The multi-arm trial will include recurrent and/or metastatic lung, and head & neck cancer patients
- Presentation of the results of Phase II/III STS, when the analysis is complete
- First market approval in Europe (CE Marking)
- Interim update from Phase I/II head and neck cancer trial with high risk elderly patients
- Additional news on other clinical trials and programs

Updated composition of Nanobiotix shareholding structure as of December 31, 2017

The proportion of institutional investors slightly increased in 2017 to 47% of the shareholding base (vs. 39% FYE 2016), following the successful completion of both private placements in April and October 2017. These operations have been an opportunity for Nanobiotix's institutional shareholders to reinforce their position and to welcome new investors, mainly from the U.S. as well as from Europe, that are specialized in life science and biotechnology.

Next financial press release: revenue for Q1 2017 on May 15, 2018

Nanobiotix informs that its Annual General Meeting will be held on May 23, 2018 at 2:30 pm,InterContinental Marceau - Marceau room - 64, avenue Marceau 75008 Paris, France.

About NANOBIOTIX: www.nanobiotix.com

Incorporated in 2003, Nanobiotix is a leading, late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering new approches to significantly change patient outcomes, and bringing nanophysics to the heart of the cell.

The Nanobiotix philosophy is one rooted in designing pioneer physical based approaches to bring highly effective and generalized solutions to address high uned medical needs and challenges.

The Company's first-in-class, proprietary lead technology, NanoXray, aims to expand radiotherapy benefits for millions of cancer patients. Furthermore, the Company's Immuno-Oncology program has the potential to bring a new dimension to cancer immunotherapies.

Nanobiotix is listed on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris (Euronext: NANO / ISIN: FR0011341205; Bloomberg: NANO: FP). The Company's Headquarters are based in Paris, France, with a U.S. affiliate in Cambridge, MA, and european affiliates in Spain and Germany.

Contact

Nanobiotix
Sarah Gaubert
Director, Communications & Public Affairs
+33 (0)1 40 26 07 55
sarah.gaubert@nanobiotix.com / contact@nanobiotix.com

Noel Kurdi
Director, Investor Relations
+1 (646) 241-4400
noel.kurdi@nanobiotix.com /investors@nanobiotix.com

Media relations
France - Springbok Consultants
Marina Rosoff
+33 (0)6 71 58 00 34
marina@springbok.fr

United States -RooneyPartners
Marion Janic
+1 (212) 223-4017
mjanic@rooneyco.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Nanobiotix and its business. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Nanobiotix considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in the reference document of Nanobiotix filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) under number D.17-0470 on April 28, 2017 (a copy of which is available on www.nanobiotix.com) and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Nanobiotix operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Nanobiotix or not currently considered material by Nanobiotix. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Nanobiotix to be materially different from such forward-looking statements.

This press release and the information that it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, Nanobiotix shares in any country. At the moment NBTXR3 does not bear a CE mark and is not permitted to be placed on the market or put into service until NBTXR3 has obtained a CE mark.

[1] Financial statements have been audited

Press release (PDF): https://bit.ly/2pTiG7H

About Nanobiotix



 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Hibiscus Petroleum Completes Acquisition of North Sabah PSC from Shell

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- Hibiscus Petroleum secures second revenue stream with completion of the transaction to acquire 50% participating interests in the North Sabah PSC from Shell.
- Operatorship of the assets have been transferred from Shell to SEA Hibiscus.
- Significant boost in Hibiscus Petroleum?s oil production and 2P Reserves.

KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 2, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd (HIBISCS; MYX: 5199) is pleased to announce that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary SEA Hibiscus Sdn Bhd (SEA Hibiscus) has completed its acquisition of a 50% participating interest in the 2011 North Sabah Enhanced Oil Recovery Production Sharing Contract (North Sabah PSC or PSC) and the joint operating agreement (JOA) in relation to the PSC.

To recap, SEA Hibiscus had, on 12 October 2016, entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited and Shell Sabah Selatan Sdn Bhd (collectively Shell) to acquire Shell's participating interests in the PSC between Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Shell and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (PETRONAS Carigali), and the JOA between Shell and PETRONAS Carigali for the total purchase consideration of US$25 million.

The North Sabah PSC includes 20 offshore platforms across four producing fields located in the South China Sea, off the west coast of Sabah, and the Labuan Crude Oil Terminal located in the Labuan Federal Territory, in Malaysia. The fields have been producing since 1979 and the PSC provides the Group with operatorship and production rights up to 2040.

Hibiscus Petroleum Chairman, En Zainul Rahim said, "We would like to thank all the parties involved especially PETRONAS, PETRONAS Carigali and Shell for their support which has enabled us to complete this acquisition. The North Sabah PSC constitutes our second producing asset, providing Hibiscus with another revenue stream after the Anasuria Cluster. It is an exciting time for Hibiscus Petroleum as we expand and strengthen our technical and operating capabilities, profitability and balance sheet. This is an example of Hibiscus Petroleum's strategy to grow shareholder value by focusing our activities on assets where we believe we can offer a unique value proposition to enhance production from mature assets in regions of our geographic focus."

Furthermore, the North Sabah PSC will significantly boost the Group's production and proven and probable reserves (2P Reserves). On a 100% PSC basis, the total oil production averaged approximately 14.6 kbbls/day in 2017, with 2P Reserves and contingent oil resources (2C Resources) as of 1 January 2018 at approximately 40.9 mmbbls and 79 mmbbls, respectively.

Having met all the conditions precedent under the SPA, the transfer of operatorship from Shell to SEA Hibiscus concluded on 31 March 2018 and SEA Hibiscus thereby assumed the role of operator of the North Sabah PSC. As operator, SEA Hibiscus will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the work activities of the assets within the North Sabah PSC.

"We are pleased to welcome the highly capable team which has transferred from Shell to SEA Hibiscus and look forward to working closely with PETRONAS and PETRONAS Carigali to maximise the economic value of this asset. Whilst we are excited to develop the opportunities that have been identified to realise the considerable potential within the North Sabah PSC fields, our focus will be to improve the performance of the asset in a safe and environmentally responsible manner," said Dr Pascal Hos, Chief Executive Officer of SEA Hibiscus.

About Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd
Hibiscus Petroleum Berhad (HIBISCS; MYX: 5199) is Malaysia's first listed independent oil and gas exploration and production company. Its key activities are focused on monetising its oil producing fields and growing its portfolio of development and production assets in areas of its geographical focus: United Kingdom, Malaysia and Australia. Hibiscus Petroleum is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, and its shares are listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (Bursa Securities). For more information, please refer to http://www.hibiscuspetroleum.com.

Investors and Media:
Investor Relations Team
Tel: +603 2092 1300
ir@hibiscuspetroleum.com
www.hibiscuspetroleum.com


 
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Outline of Showa Denko CEO Message at Initiation Ceremony

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Kohei Morikawa, Showa Denko President and CEO
TOKYO, Apr 2, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko ("SDK"; TSE:4004) today held a ceremony for newly-hired employees. At the ceremony, Kohei Morikawa, President and CEO, gave a message as summarized below:

To fulfill our vision

2018 is the final year of the period to carry out the Showa Denko Group's medium-term business plan "Project 2020+." These days, it is difficult to forecast economic and market environments. Moreover, economic environment rapidly changes, and global competition is intensifying. Under these circumstances, in order to remain undefeated, the Showa Denko Group must grasp changes in wind direction in its business environment, and have corporate character which can immediately cope with any wind direction and maintain high-levels of profitability and stability concurrently.

All of our stake holders expect us to prosper "now" and "in the future." It is not too much to say that whether the Group can prosper in the future or not rests on shoulders of you who joined us today. I hope you to bring the Group a wind of change.

Three actions I hope you will take

I request you to take three actions as in below.

1. Put "think" into practice
I ask you to think "What do I want to do?" and "What can I do?" for the growth of the Company and yourself. Even thinking about trifling or small things can work. I also ask you to embody your thinking step-by-step. Mr. Nobuteru Mori, the founder of SDK, had a motto of "Dauntlessness and Indomitableness." I hope that you keep a mind of "never-give-up" and add to it flexible thinking, thereby producing many alternatives that lead to future prosperity.

2. Enjoy "changes"
Under the circumstances where market environment and society change dramatically, we must continue changing ourselves freely. Those who can change themselves can change the Company and society. Please rise to a crisis, have no fear of changes, and rather, enjoy changes.

3. Communicate actively
The Group has diverse human resources, products, and technologies. In order to make the most of them and bring innovations to society, every employee must "communicate" actively with each other, respect individuality, and work cooperatively. I hope you establish an identity to "communicate" actively with people around you.

About Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko K.K. ("SDK"; TSE:4004, US:SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial and high-performance gases and chemicals and high-purity gases and chemicals for the semiconductor industry, and the Inorganics Sector provides ceramics products such as alumina, abrasive, refractory and graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. Today, the Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high-bright LEDs and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.

Contact:
Public Relations Office Phone: 81-3-5470-3235

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

MHI Holds Welcoming Ceremony for New Employees in 2018

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- President Miyanaga Offers Advice and Encouragement -

TOKYO, Apr 2, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) -

MHI's History of Embracing Challenges

President Miyanaga began by presenting an overview of MHI, including its origins in 1870 with the founding of Tsukumo Shokai by Yataro Iwasaki, and the start of full-scale operations in 1884 with the establishment of the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. He noted how MHI, as a global conglomerate comprising around 270 companies worldwide, has contributed over the last 134 years to the development and manufacture of a wide range of products, many of them firsts in Japan or global markets, by continually embracing challenges with courage and expertise without fear of making mistakes. Mr. Miyanaga cited as an example the forthcoming launch of the MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet), Japan's first passenger jet developed with great effort through the concerted efforts of the entire MHI Group. He noted how such a project has been a longstanding aspiration for both the MHI Group and Japan's aerospace industry, and that this ambition is now steadily becoming a reality. He urged the recruits also embrace new challenges in their own way.

Pursuing Strategies Unconstrained by Convention, and a Shift to Emphasizing Cash Flow

The president stated that the MHI Group is pursuing new strategies and initiatives outside its conventional framework in order to accelerate global expansion, and achieve a business scale of more than five trillion yen. He described the company's program of selection and concentration, including the reorganization into three domains (Power Systems, Industry & Infrastructure, and Aircraft, Defense & Space) aimed at taking advantage of the group's collective strengths to provide high value-added solutions to meet the current era.

Mr. Miyanaga also explained MHI's shift to management emphasizing earnings improvement and cash flow, describing it as an "offense and defense" strategy to hedge against risk and support expanded investment in new businesses. He pointed out that fiscal 2018 is the first year of MHI's new three-year business plan, and that under the more offense-oriented organization established through the range of structural reforms, the company is implementing measures to advance to a higher stage for sustainable growth. He urged the new employees to join in combining their strengths, and working together as a group to advance steadily forward.

MHI's values - the group tagline and principles for employees (corporate creed)
President Miyanaga noted that in 2016 MHI formulated a new tagline, "Move the World Forward," for all employees within the MHI Group. He explained that this phrase incorporated the spirit of all employees striving alongside customers and communities around the globe to drive the world forward and develop a sustainable society.

The president also introduced the new employees to MHI's corporate creed, the three principles to which all MHI employees should adhere, and explained each in more detail.

1. We deliver reliable and innovative solutions that make a lasting difference to customers and communities worldwide.
Mr. Miyanaga explained that responding to customer needs and contributing to social progress is something in which all MHI employees should take pride, and gain fulfillment.

2. We act with integrity and fairness, always respecting others.
The president emphasized MHI's commitment to greater transparency in business operations, strict compliance, and proactively fulfilling its social responsibilities.

3. We constantly strive for excellence in our operations and technology, building on a wide global outlook and deep local insights.
President Miyanaga stressed that sustainable growth requires advancement in the natural and social sciences, remaining constantly aware of technological progress, and continually striving for a high level while incorporating thinking and new technologies from around the world.

Mr. Miyanaga also noted that on the occasion of MHI's 130th anniversary in 2014, the company adopted the goal of "active participation of women and greater diversity in the workplace," seeking to ensure that all employees can work in a climate of fairness and diversity, regardless of such factors as gender or nationality.

Preparing to take up their new jobs
In conclusion, the president offered three pieces of advice to the new employees on preparing themselves for their jobs.

The first was to be employees and members of society recognized by the world as worthy of respect. Mr. Miyanaga told them that this was developed through a foundation of a strong character and kindness to others, having a sense of responsibility and passion toward their work, and always being attentive to customers and colleagues. He also urged them to learn the international language of English.

Second, Mr. Miyanaga encouraged the new recruits to develop professional capabilities in the areas where they excel. He said that having a thorough understanding of their work and conducting it with care and attention is good training, and that even as their work becomes more involved, broad, and complex, they will gain experience. He advised them to not focus solely on acquiring specialized knowledge, but to enhance their ability to work well with others, and become trusted, respected professionals.

Lastly, Mr. Miyanaga reminded the new recruits to take care of their physical and mental health, saying that good health is the foundation of life, and encouraging them to strive for well-balanced professional lives.

About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, is one of the world's leading industrial firms with 80,000 group employees and annual consolidated revenues of around 38 billion U.S. dollars. For more than 130 years, the company has channeled big thinking into innovative and integrated solutions that move the world forward. MHI owns a unique business portfolio covering land, sea, sky and even space. MHI delivers innovative and integrated solutions across a wide range of industries from commercial aviation and transportation to power plants and gas turbines, and from machinery and infrastructure to integrated defense and space systems.
For more information, please visit the MHI Group website: http://www.mhi-global.com.
For Technology, Trends and Tangents, visit MHI's new online media SPECTRA: http://spectra.mhi.com.

Contact:
Joseph Hood, PR Manager Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Email: mhi-pr@mhi.co.jp Tel: +81-(0)3-6716-2168 Fax: +81-(0)3-6716-5860

Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
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