SGX-listed Alliance Mineral Assets Limited plans merger with ASX-listed Tawana Resources NL to become a mid-tier lithium producer

April 4, 2018, 10:00 pm

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Picture of recently commissioned Bald Hill processing plant, built by Primero

Picture of current mining at Bald Hill by mining contractor SMS

SINGAPORE, Apr 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - SGX-listed Alliance Mineral Assets Limited (Alliance; SGX:40W) and ASX-listed Tawana Resources NL (Tawana; ASX:TAW) today announced that both entities have agreed to a "merger of equals", subject to the necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The planned merger is via a court-approved scheme of arrangement and upon respective shareholder votes and other approvals. Tawana will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance, with existing Alliance shareholders owning approximately 51% and existing Tawana shareholders owning approximately 49% of the merged entity. The transaction is expected to be completed by 4Q18.

Pursuant to the scheme, Tawana shareholders will receive 1.10 new Alliance shares for every one (1) Tawana share held.

Alliance and Tawana have been working together via a joint venture agreement since 2017 on the Bald Hill Project. With the merger, the new merged group will have a pro-forma market capitalisation of approximately A$446 million[1][2], making it a mid-tier producer of lithium concentrate, a highly-sought after metal by manufacturers of long-life batteries for electric vehicles, and consumer electronics devices.

The merged group will also benefit from greater efficiencies and productivity arising from a simplified ownership and management structure, and the proven management and operational expertise of Alliance and Tawana.

Mark Calderwood, the Managing Director of Tawana said: "We are extremely pleased that the joint venture arrangement we entered into with Tawana in 2017 has resulted in a merger proposal that makes sound strategic sense and, importantly, gives Alliance and Tawana shareholders the opportunity to participate in an upside associated with the new entity."

Pauline Gately, the Chairperson of Alliance said: "Tawana and Alliance are an excellent and natural fit, given existing joint venture owned assets, and operational expertise. Both companies have successful track records of creating substantial shareholder value and, together, we will maintain this focus."

Alliance and Tawana have also announced concurrent plans to raise equity funds for working capital for the new entity.

Alliance plans to conduct a fully underwritten placement to sophisticated and institutional investors to raise gross proceeds of A$25 million (approximately S$25.3 million) and a non-underwritten placement to Burwill Holdings Limited, an existing substantial shareholder of Alliance, which is conditional on Alliance shareholders' approval, to raise additional gross proceeds of A$7.8 million (approximately S$7.9 million) (collectively "Alliance Placements"). The Alliance Placements are to provide additional working capital, which will enable continued commissioning of the Lithium and Tantalum Project in Western Australia (Bald Hill Project), and to provide funding for future exploration and other initiatives at the Bald Hill Project.

At the same time, Tawana plans to conduct a fully underwritten placement to raise, before costs, A$20 million (approximately S$20.2 million), from professional and sophisticated investors for the same reasons, and reserves the right to place up to a further A$5 million to sophisticated and institutional investors on a non-underwritten basis.

Mark Turner, the proposed Independent Non-Executive Chairman of the merged company said: "The merger proposal gives Alliance and Tawana shareholders the opportunity to participate in the upside associated with full ownership of the Bald Hill project, an emerging project of high strategic value and significance in the international lithium market. We are confident that the merged company will result in significant benefits to shareholders of both entities, with the opportunity for re-rating of the merged group from the enhanced equity and capital markets profile."

[1] Calculated by multiplying the number of Alliance shares post merger by the closing Alliance share price as at the Last Trading Day of 4 April 2018.
[2] The exchange rate of S$1 to A$0.99 is applied throughout for purposes of conversion in this media release.

This press release has been prepared by Alliance Mineral Assets Limited and its contents have been reviewed by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the "Sponsor") for compliance with the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "SGX-ST") Listing Manual Section B: Rules of Catalist. The Sponsor has not verified the contents of this press release. This press release has not been examined or approved by the SGX-ST. The Sponsor and the SGX-ST assume no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the accuracy, completeness or correctness of any of the information, statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release.

The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms Gillian Goh, Director, Head of Continuing Sponsorship (Mailing Address: 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Income at Raffles, Singapore 049318 and E-mail: sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg)

About Alliance Mineral Assets Limited

Alliance Mineral Assets Limited ("Alliance") is a potential leading producer of ethically sourced lithium and tantalite concentrate through the development of mineral resources at its Bald Hill Project which encompasses the Bald Hill Mine, processing plant and an extensive tenement portfolio in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

Listed on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited on 25 July 2014, Alliance owns a complete processing and beneficiation treatment plant, infrastructure and working licenses.

In May 2017, Alliance entered into a lithium rights joint venture agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tawana Resources NL for the development, mining and production of the mineral resources at Bald Hill.

About Tawana Resources NL

Tawana Resources NL ("Tawana") is a resources focused ASX and JSE-listed Company located in Perth, Western Australia.

Tawana has a 50% interest in the Bald Hill Project. The project is located 50km south east of Kambalda in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. The project comprises four (4) mining leases, one (1) mining lease application, and 20 other licenses totalling 774 km sq.

Tawana has also on 22 March 2018 announced its intention to seek its shareholders' approval to restructure its assets in order to focus on the Bald Hill Project. As part of such restructuring, it will transfer its 100% owned Cowan Lithium Project in Western Australia comprising tenements that are adjacent to the Bald Hill Mine, its 100% owned Yallari Lithium Project in Western Australia comprising tenements that cover portions of the greenstone sequence that hosts the Mt Marion and Londonderry pegmatite fields and its 100% owned Mofe Creek Iron Ore Project in Liberia into a wholly owned public company (the "SpinCo") before undertaking a capital distribution by way of in-specie distribution of 85% of all SpinCo shares to Tawana's Shareholders. Subject to shareholders' approval, the restructuring is envisaged to complete by June 2018, prior to the completion of the Merger.

Additional information on Tawana (including its restructuring) can be found at its website at http://www.tawana.com.au.

About the Bald Hill Project

The Bald Hill Project comprises four (4) mining leases, one (1) mining lease application, 12 exploration licences, 8 prospecting licences and 1 general purpose lease totalling 774km2. The project is owned 50:50 by Tawana and Alliance.

First lithium concentrate production delivery is anticipated in April 2018.

Each of Tawana and Alliance executed an offtake agreement in April 2017 (and subsequent variations thereto) for the supply of lithium concentrate from Bald Hill over a five-year term with pricing for 2018 and 2019 of US$880/t (FOB Esperance port) for 6% Li20. The prepayments from the aforesaid offtake agreement are being used towards the capital costs of the project.

The project is located 50km southeast of Kambalda in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, and approximately 75km southeast of the Mt Marion Lithium project.

A current Indicated and Inferred lithium mineral resource of 18.9 million tonnes at 1.18% Li20, and 149ppm Ta205 at a 0.5% Li20 cut-off for the project was calculated by CSA Global Pty Ltd.(1)

Note: (1) All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the Mineral Resource estimates in the ASX announcement dated 11 October 2017 / SGX announcement dated 12 October 2017 continue to apply and have not materially changed since it was last reported.

For further information please contact:

Alliance Mineral Assets Limited
Investors & Media
Waterbrooks Consultants Pte Ltd
Grace Choong
Tel: +65 6100 2228 / +65 6100 1232
Email: grace@waterbrooks.com.sg / choir@waterbrooks.com.sg

Tawana Resources NL
Investors
Georgeson
Toll Free: 1300 223 071
Overseas: +61 3 9415 4032

Media
Nathan Ryan
NWR Communications
+61 (0) 420 582 887

Further information about the companies is available on Alliance and Tawana websites (see www.alliancemineralassets.com.au and www.tawana.com.au).

Press Release: https://bit.ly/2EkONlR
Media FAQs: https://bit.ly/2JjhGTe

↧

Dusit International Introduces New Hotel Brand for 'Millennial-minded' Travellers

April 5, 2018, 2:00 am

≫ Next: Eastman Schedules First-Quarter 2018 Financial Results News Release and SEC Form 8-K Filing, Teleconference and Webcast

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ASAI Hotels was launched in Bangkok by Dusit's executives on 3 April 2018

Superior quality beds and high pressure rain showers come as standard at ASAI

A. HUB - the mixed-use space where guests and locals can eat, work and play

First floor bar concept image

ASAI Hotels to offer authentic local experiences in the world's most vibrant neighbourhoods

BANGKOK, Apr 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Dusit International, one of Thailand's foremost hotel and property development companies, has introduced ASAI Hotels, a distinctive new brand designed to link curious, millennial-minded travellers with authentic local experiences in vibrant cities and resort destinations worldwide.

Set to officially launch in Q1 2019 with its first hotel in Bangkok's renowned Chatuchak Market, ASAI Hotels embraces a sustainable, community-focused concept, with each property designed to reflect the culture and heritage of its location through collaborations with local artisans.

In line with the four core pillars of the brand - Thoughtful Essentials, Common Areas, Locally Inspired and Connected Community - each hotel will feature compact rooms (approximately 15 m2), whose contemporary design will emphasize key features like superior quality beds and high pressure rain showers. A large mixed-use space, meanwhile, will include a cosy and efficient work space, a leisure area, and a restaurant concept curated by local chefs who champion sustainability.

In the upcoming Chatuchak hotel, which is the only hotel to be located within the world-famous market, this includes an eatery developed by Bangkok-based chefs and restaurateurs, Jarrett Wrisley and Paolo Vitaletti, whose own restaurants, Soul Food Mahanakorn and Appia, are renowned for their sustainable approach to cooking. Their menu at ASAI Chatuchak will highlight produce from Thailand's Royal Projects.

Each ASAI hotel worldwide will leverage technology to streamline the booking and stay experience. This includes the implementation of self check-in kiosks, and exclusive online guides that link guests with authentic local experiences and lesser-known, but Instagram-worthy, attractions. ASAI will also link with selected local online start-ups, such as TakeMeTour in Thailand, to offer personalised excursions.

Staff at each property will be hired for personality as much as experience, and they will very much be the face of the brand, expected to be passionate about their neighbourhoods and always ready to share their knowledge with guests.

Alongside ASAI Chatuchak, five more properties are already confirmed in the pipeline. This includes three ASAI Hotels in Cebu, Philippines (in Lapu-Lapu, Oslob, and the city centre); one hotel in Yangon, Myanmar (in the historic Yankin Township); and a second hotel in Bangkok (in the stylish Sathorn district). All are expected to open throughout 2019.

ASAI Hotels' management team hopes to secure over 10 properties in the pipeline by the end of the year across Southeast Asia and Japan. This includes owned and joint venture properties as well as properties under Hotel Management Agreements. Australia, Europe and Central America are also on the radar for potential projects.

"Inspired by community, and driven by sustainability, ASAI is an exciting new concept for Dusit that will leverage the company's 70 years of hospitality heritage to deliver a new kind of stay experience in vibrant neighbourhoods worldwide," said Mr Siradej Donavanik, Managing Director of Asai Holdings Co., Ltd., Dusit International. "The brand has been carefully crafted to meet the needs of millennial-minded travellers who seek authentic local experiences, and who appreciate value and quality for money.

"ASAI is not budget travel - this is an affordable lifestyle brand offering something new, different and bespoke. Our collaborations with local artisans in each destination will ensure each stay is unique, memorable, and definitely worthy of our slogan - Live Local. And everywhere we set foot we will always ensure we have a positive impact."

Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International, said, "In line with our three-pronged strategy for balance, expansion and diversification, the introduction of ASAI Hotels will add an innovative new revenue stream to our company that complements our traditional hospitality offerings and actively responds to the needs and desires of millennial-minded travellers.

"Recent detailed studies in America have shown that, alongside a desire for local experiences, a majority 35% of this segment prefer to stay in luxury and upscale resorts. The majority also placed cost and security as chief concerns when booking accommodation. ASAI is perfectly positioned to meet these needs, and we look forward to making the brand a huge success."

Dusit International is currently in a significant growth phase which will see the company's current portfolio of 27 hotels surpass 70 worldwide within the next four years. The company's other hotel brands, which cover luxury and mid-market segments, include: Dusit Thani, Dusit Devarana, Dusit Princess, and dusitD2.

About Dusit International

Dusit International was founded in 1948 by Honorary Chairperson Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, whose first hotel was the Princess on Bangkok's Charoenkrung Road. Today the company is a leader in hotel management and hospitality education and comprises a unique international portfolio of distinctive hotels and resorts operating under four brands: Dusit Thani, dusitD2, Dusit Princess and Dusit Devarana. The new ASAI Hotels brand is set to open its first property early next year.

Dusit International currently operates 27 properties worldwide and has over 50 confirmed projects in the pipeline in key destinations such as Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, and UAE.

The company also operates the signature Devarana Spa and has a fast-growing Education Division. The latter, established in 1993, comprises Dusit Thani College, which offers vocational and postgraduate hospitality degrees at campuses in Bangkok and Pattaya; and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School. For more information, please visit www.dusit.com.

Photo: Mr Siradej Donavanik, Managing Director, Asai Holdings Co., Ltd.; Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International; Mr Chanin Donavanik, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Dusit International; Ms Natapa Sriyuksiri, Creative Director, ASAI Hotels. (L-R)

Media Contacts:

Jetana Kriengsakophas
Director - Corporate Communications | Dusit International
Tel: +66 2200 9999 ext. 3325 | Email: Jetana.ks@dusit.com

Sureerat Sudpairak
Assistant Director - Corporate Communications | Dusit International
Tel: +66 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com

↧

Eastman Schedules First-Quarter 2018 Financial Results News Release and SEC Form 8-K Filing, Teleconference and Webcast

April 5, 2018, 3:00 am

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Kingsport, Tenn., USA, Apr 5, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Financial Results Release: Thursday, April 26, 2018
Approximately 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Via wire distribution and www.eastman.com,
News Center and SEC Form 8-K filing.

Teleconference: Friday, April 27, 2018
8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Via listen-only live webcast and teleconference.

Live webcast: www.investors.eastman.com for link to the live webcast and to view the accompanying slides.

Teleconference: Dial-in number 719-457-1036
Passcode: 9070357

Replay: A webcast replay, as well as a replay in downloadable MP3 format, will be available at www.investors.eastman.com.

Telephone replay available continuously beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, April 27, 2018 through 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, May 7, 2018 at 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820, passcode 9070357.

Investor Contact: Greg Riddle, 212-835-1620, griddle@eastman.com
Media Contact: Tracy Kilgore Addington, 423-224-0498, tracy@eastman.com

###

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

↧

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Ready for New Challenge

April 5, 2018, 3:23 am

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TS050 HYBRID

Toyota City, Japan, Apr 5, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will push the boundaries of hybrid electric vehicles when it takes on the challenge of the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with an evolution of its TS050 HYBRID race car.

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_TS050HYBRID.jpg
TS050 HYBRID

After a successful pre-season programme which included 21,000 km of running over four three-day tests, the team presented its 2018-19 car at Paul Ricard today prior to the first WEC event of the season, the 30-hour Prologue test which begins at 10am tomorrow and concludes at 4pm on Saturday.

The 2018 TS050 HYBRID will take on the challenge of an eight-race WEC season with the clear target to finally overcome the challenge of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which has so far eluded TOYOTA.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez will take on that challenge in the #7 TS050 HYBRID while Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima are joined by newcomer Fernando Alonso in the #8 car. Anthony Davidson continues to contribute in his role as Reserve and Development Driver.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing may be the only major manufacturer in the LMP1 class but it faces an unprecedented challenge to its hybrid electric technology; the TS050 HYBRIDs must fight for victory against LMP1 rivals who have 69% more fuel energy.

New regulations for this season give private LMP1 teams, who do not use hybrid technology, 210.9 MJ per lap of Le Mans compared to the 124.9 MJ available to the TS050 HYBRID, together with 8 MJ of hybrid electric energy.

Fuel flow for the TS050 HYBRIDs is also restricted, to 80 kg per hour compared to 110 kg/h for the competition in a further move to strengthen the non-hybrid LMP1 cars, which additionally are allowed to run 45 kgs lighter.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing enthusiastically welcomes the challenge of proving the efficiency and performance of its hybrid electric powertrain in such tough conditions as part of TOYOTA's mission to make ever-better road cars.

That mission was highlighted by the GR Super Sport Concept, unveiled earlier this year. The concept car, which has been track tested, incorporates technology developed through the WEC project and is composed of many parts taken directly from the TS050 HYBRID, including the 1,000 hp hybrid electric powertrain and lean burn engine.

The TS050 HYBRID has already set new performance and efficiency standards, with last year's fastest-ever Le Mans lap achieved using 35% less fuel compared to the team's 2012 WEC debut. Advancements in powertrain technology contribute to race performance and production car technology.

Kinetic energy recovery is a key factor in achieving those improvements, with energy generated under braking harvested by powerful motor/generators on both axles and converted into electrical energy, which is deployed under acceleration to save fuel and deliver performance.

That is the same principal which has seen TOYOTA establish itself as the world leader in hybrid electric road cars, selling more than 11 million to date. As part of continuing efforts to develop people as well as technology, road car engineers from Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre will again join the team to enhance their skills.

The 1,000 hp hybrid electric powertrain has been modified to strengthen reliability but elsewhere the car is largely the same as that which ended the 2017 season with three consecutive victories.

Small but productive improvements to the aerodynamic package have been achieved within the strict homologation rules while the 2018 car features a Gentex rear view camera, displayed on a screen inside the cockpit for the first time.

Having ended last season as the fastest car, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's goal is to finally defeat the unpredictable and arduous Le Mans 24 Hours as it fights for the WEC titles. That challenge begins at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on 5 May and concludes eight races later at Le Mans on 15-16 June 2019.

Hisatake Murata, Team President

"The whole team has worked very hard to be ready for this season and to prepare a fast, reliable car. Thank you to everyone at the GAZOO Racing Company technical centres in Higashi-Fuji and Cologne for their strong efforts. My target is of course the centre of the podium at Le Mans and the WEC title, but our project contributes more than trophies to TOYOTA; we are part of TOYOTA's global effort to make ever-better cars. We started the racing hybrid project in 2006 and at that time we learned a lot from road cars. After that we developed our own racing hybrid electric technology in WEC and we have learned a lot. Our next stage was to send back this know-how and technology into road cars and we are all particularly proud to see how our efforts in WEC are contributing to TOYOTA's future road cars, most visibly with the GR Super Sport Concept car. Our mission is to succeed on the track and deliver technology for future road cars; endurance racing is the perfect environment for this."

Rob Leupen, Team Director

"We are all excited about the coming season, which is unique in many ways. To have two Le Mans in one season is something really special and we hope that by bringing Fernando to the WEC, we are contributing to the growth of the championship. Additionally, the regulations this year have set us a challenge like no other. We have demonstrated since 2012 that our hybrid electric powertrain delivers real performance and efficiency benefits; now we must be more efficient than ever to beat our LMP1 rivals, who have significantly more energy, more fuel flow and less weight. We thrive on challenges like this as they push us to make ever-better cars. But make no mistake, we hate to lose so our target could not be clearer; victory at Le Mans and the WEC title."

Pascal Vasselon, Technical Director

"Unlike previous years, the upgrades on our 2018 car are limited. In addition to reliability improvements on the powertrain, we updated the cooling system and developed the bodywork within our 2017 homologation. In terms of outright performance, in the past four years we have had a car fast enough to win Le Mans on three occasions, with no fundamental reliability issues. Nevertheless we failed every time to win so we had to do something about it. In Le Mans you can expect that 30-40% of race circumstances will be beyond your control; this is the beauty and at the same time the horror of Le Mans. So we have largely changed the way we are preparing for the race this year, focusing more on unconventional race situations. We always have to improve and there was room for improvement to reach our obvious targets."

Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"I feel good coming into the season. It's going to be a challenging one but I hope we can win a lot of races. I hope and believe we have the package and the team to succeed. The ultimate aim of course is to win Le Mans but we know from painful experience how hard this race is; 24 hours is really tough. The design team has been working on every millimetre of the car to be sure it as light, fast and reliable as possible, plus the mechanics, engineers and drivers have been preparing to handle unexpected events. The target is to find lap time and enhance reliability. So far I am feeling confident but there's a long way to go."

Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"Our car has evolved since last year; we know what it is capable of and we are pretty confident in the performance and reliability. Clearly we have learned from the past so we know what we need to do and this helps our confidence. We need to win Le Mans and win the championship as well; with TOYOTA as the only LMP1 manufacturer these can be our only targets. But in June we know that we are racing against Le Mans as much as any other competitor, so we are doing a lot of work for this special race, which is really unlike any other. I believe we are ready and I am looking forward to an interesting, hopefully successful, season."

Jose Maria Lopez (TS050 HYBRID #7)

"I feel great ahead of the new season. As always it is a fresh start and it is exciting; we have new expectations, new goals. My targets are the same as the team targets although we know it is a different year. We have been working hard and the main objective is Le Mans; we hope this year to arrive strong and to make it happen. Le Mans is very special. Of course I am relatively new in endurance but I could experience some of it last year and it was amazing. The TS050 HYBRID is an incredible car and the team has spent the last months preparing as always with a lot of effort, trying to make it even stronger."

Sebastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"I feel very good and I can't wait to race again. Le Mans is our biggest race of the season and we have worked on so many different aspects to be hopefully ready for anything. In 2013 I finished on the podium in my second Le Mans and I thought maybe it is not that hard to win. But we have had a competitive car for the past few years and I learned Le Mans is very difficult to win. WEC looks like a great challenge as well this year with 10 LMP1 cars. We don't know what the other teams can do performance-wise so we are focusing on ourselves. There is only one target: to win. I am looking forward to this challenge."

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"It is always exciting to drive this hybrid LMP1 car. Hybrid might sound gentle or economic but the hybrid we have on the TS050 HYBRID provides a lot of excitement and is very powerful. Le Mans has been a big aim for us as a team and for TOYOTA as a manufacturer for a long time. We know there is a good chance to win but as we have experienced before, there will be a lot of drama in the race. We have to focus on the preparations because the challenge of Le Mans is to complete the race without any technical or human error. It is a tough challenge and we have not managed to do that many times up to now so that is the first priority."

Fernando Alonso (TS050 HYBRID #8)

"To race on the best circuits in the world like Le Mans, and with one of the best teams like TOYOTA, is a privilege and a dream come true for me. The car is amazing; something very special. The technology that the LMP1 hybrid cars have was unthinkable a few years ago. Thanks to the team, the performance should be there because they have the experience of Le Mans and WEC. I think I am in the right place with the right team. I'm very excited about this project. I cannot wait for June but I know before this big event I need to do testing, simulator work and the race at Spa because I need to respect Le Mans. I will be fit, prepared and ready."

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

↧

Tianyun International Awarded the 2017 Linyi Mayor Quality Award

April 6, 2018, 5:33 am

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Allowing Consumers to Enjoy Higher Quality "Made in China" Products

HONG KONG, Apr 6, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Tianyun International Holdings Limited ("Tianyun International", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") (Stock code: 6836.HK), a leading seller and manufacturer of processed fruits products in China, is pleased to announce that the Group's subsidiary Shandong Tiantong Food Co.,Ltd. (the "Company") successfully passed stage after stage of review and assessment, receiving the highest honour of "2017 Linyi Mayor Quality Award" upon its excellent quality management system and sustainable business growth. The Company also became the only food production enterprise in Linyi City that won this award in 2017.This award is a full recognition of the quality control of the Company's products, and at the mean time it proves that the Group's leadership in continuously improving product quality and creating high-quality own brand products.

"Linyi Mayors Quality Award" is the highest quality award established by The People's Government of Linyi and is awarded to the units and individuals that have outstanding contributions to the quality development within Linyi city. The award is a great affirmation and encouragement for the Group's tremendous amount of resources on the research and development ("R&D") of new products and food processing technology for serving customers with innovative and healthy products in order to response to the even-changing food market as well as its flexible strategies towards ever-changing food market. On that basis, the Group has been consolidating resources, adopting streamlined management and implementing de-seasonalised production strategy in order to raise corporate core competitiveness. The Group will further accelerate the development of branding, sales and distribution channels, and production capacity for sustainable development and better results.

Looking back in 2017, the Group achieved satisfactory results in terms of brand reputation, new product categories, industry cooperation, strategic investments, and future development strategies. The Group achieved year-on-year double-digit growth in revenue for 2017. Both revenue and gross profit increased 14.1% and 2.5% to RMB 745.5 million and RMB 204.3 million respectively, among which own brand business recorded 71.4% growth in revenue to RMB 322.1 million. Adjusted net profit increased by 9.5% to RMB126.4 million. Annual dividend for 2017 increased to 4.2 HK cents per ordinary share.

Mr. Yang Ziyuan, Chairman and CEO of the Group, said, "It is our great pleasure to receive recognition from city government. As the PRC government has been consistently paying great attention to food safety work, requiring an extensive drive in the supply side structural reform, and promoting high quality development in the agricultural and food industries,, new market opportunities have emerged along with a stronger concept of health and rising per capita disposable income levels. Over the past few years, the Group has successfully transformed into a major seller and manufacturer of processed fruit products in China and is being highly recognized by customers and partners both at home and abroad. The year of 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of the official establishment of Shandong Tiantong Food Co., Ltd., we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the trust and support of our customers and partners over the years. In view of the new market opportunities, we will put further effort in our product positioning, brand promotion, production process development, marketing channels, food safety, and brand building to help the Group make a success in a positive competitive environment, and outperform other competitors with innovation and quality. At the same time, on the basis of our existing business, we will strive for identifying suitable strategic investments as well as merger and acquisition opportunities or partership opportunities, exploring de-seasonalised production and operation methods, and further leveraging our competitive advantages in production technology and cost, with the aims to providing safe, nutritious, delicious and convenient food products for customers, and bringing satisfactory returns to investors."

About Tianyun International Holding Limited (Stock Code: 6863.HK)
Tianyun International Holdings Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the "Group") are principally engaged in (i) the production and sales of processed fruit packaged in metal containers, plastic cups and glass containers and ii) trading of fresh fruit. Processed fruit products are sold both on an OEM basis and under our own brands. On 7 July 2015, the Group was successfully listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited which had further consolidated our leading position in China's processed fruit product industry.

The Group has been consistently committed to provide healthy and safe products to its customers. As one of the food enterprises with the most complete quality certifications, we have always been dedicated to following stringent international production standards and are accredited with BRC (A+), IFS Food (High), FDA, HALAL, SC, KOSHER, BSCI and ISO22000 in respect of our production facilities, quality control and management. The Group has also passed the internal food production standard reviews and audits from some of the UK and US supermarket chains. At the same time, within China, as a "Equal production line; Equal standard; Equal quality" food production and export enterprise, the Group has been supplying products of equivalent quality to domestic and international markets. Since 2016, the Group's own brand processed fruit products have continued to obtain a high degree of market recognition, and have been awarded by a national institution the honour and qualification of "China Canned Product Quality Certification Label", become the first and only fruit processor in China's fruit processing industry to put the "Zero Added Preservative Canned Products" label for its products sold in China.

For more information, please visit www.tianyuninternational.com

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China All Access 2017 Annual Results; Net Profit Records Approximately RMB232 Million

April 6, 2018, 5:56 am

≫ Next: Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Accepting 2018 Applications

≪ Previous: Tianyun International Awarded the 2017 Linyi Mayor Quality Award

Forming the New Information Communication Technology (ICT) Segment;
Repositioning as a Leading High-end Smart Manufacturer and Fully Exploring Growth Opportunities in the ICT and New Energy Businesses

HONG KONG, Apr 6, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - China All Access (Holdings) Limited ("China All Access" or "the Company," stock code: 633.HK) has announced the audited annual results of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "the Group") for the year ended 31 December 2017.

In 2017, China All Access's revenue from continuing operations recorded approximately RMB2,688 million, approximately 12.5% YoY decrease from 2016. Gross profit from continuing operations recorded approximately RMB464 million. Gross profit margin was 17.3%. During the year, profit for the year attributable to equity owners of the Company from continuing operations increased to approximately RMB229 million from approximately RMB87 million in 2016, representing approximately 163.1% YoY growth. Basic earnings per share were RMB0.117. The Board recommended the payment of a final dividend of HK$ 5.0 cents per ordinary share.

Mr. SHAO Kwok Keung, CEO & Executive Director of China All Access, said, "In 2017, we have implemented a number of initiatives as a result of the Group's overall repositioning and adoption of new business segment structure. Since we adopted the 'Made in China 2025' strategies in 2015, our manufacturing operations including display modules and precision moldings businesses have been expanding rapidly in the last two years. In 2017, through repurchasing the remaining minority interest in these businesses, we have formed the new "information and communication technology" (ICT) business segment. This has laid a solid foundation for the Group to reposition itself as a "high-end smart manufacturer" in the near term and to become an ICT sector leader in the future. In addition, our second-largest new energy business segment started to produce the first-generation Super Lens High Efficiency Solar Electrical System ("Super Lens Electrical System") products in 2017, as the Group enters a new stage in its development."

During the year, approximately 88.4% of Group's revenue was contributed by the ICT segment (Appoximately RMB 2,376 million), of which the LCD Display Module business has the largest YoY growth. As the Group firmly believes that the LCD Display Module business has strong growth potential in the future, the management team decided to suspend the spin-off plan of LCD Display Module business for listing on GEM. The Group bought back 25% equity interests in China Lide Holdings Limited ("China Lide") at a total consideration of approximately HK$48.80 million in September 2017. As a result, China Lide has become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group so it can explore more growth potential in the display module sector. Also, the Group has acquired the remaining minority interests of the precision mold business during 2017. By doing so, the Group will be able to better coordinate the management team, more effectively implement overall strategic planning and development, and more efficiently allocate the resources, thus creating greater synergies and production capacity. In addition, leveraging the strategic integration of its upstream supply chain, the Group has received more orders and recorded a higher sales volume. The Group is committed to continuously explore growth opportunities in the future, especially the new ICT sector. The Group intends to allocate sufficient resources to effectively enhance its capabilities in both software and hardware, including not only product innovation but also advanced solutions such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT).

With respect to the new energy segment, after more than two years of effort to develop solar technology, the Group has achieved major progress and recorded revenue for the first time, generating RMB177 million, in 2017. In September 2017, the Group has entered into strategic cooperation with several parties by signing a framework agreement in relation to the establishment of a production plant for manufacturing Super Lens Electrical System product in Shandong Province, the PRC to promote its First Generation Products. It also sold and installed a 20-megawatt Super Lens Electrical System in Qinghai Province, the PRC. The Group believes that Super Lens Electrical System will be at the forefront of new energy and environmental protection in the market. The product not only will enhance the transformative capability of solar panels, resulting in a significant decrease in the cost of solar energy, but also will bring a new driver for the Group's business growth.

China's photovoltaic industry achieved explosive growth in 2017. The National Energy Administration announced that the additionally installed photovoltaic capacity of China in 2017 exceeded 53 Gigawatt ("GW"), representing an increase of 53.4% YoY, with a cumulative installed capacity of more than 130 GW. Of this total, additionally installed distributed capacity exceeded 19 GW, representing an increase of 3.7 times YoY.

The global photovoltaic market is expected to continue its growth momentum. The Chinese market is set to maintain a certain market volume in 2018, and the demand will not diminish. The China Photovoltaic Industry Association stated that the demand for the photovoltaic industry in 2018 would range between 30 and 45 GW, so the distributed power stations would achieve unprecedented popularity and the related market for power stations for household users and to alleviate poverty would also strengthen and benefit society. The Group will adhere to its energy development path taking into account conditions in China, promote the revolution in energy generation and consumption, and accelerate the establishment of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient power generation system. Furthermore the Group will continue to increase its focus of the centralized photovoltaic business as it accelerates the research and development of distributed photovoltaic products.

Revenue from the investment business increased by 0.89% YoY to approximately RMB135 million. The revenue was mainly attributed from interest earned from provision of facilitating capital to supply stream and customers and investment returns generated from direct investment and high yield treasury products.

Mr. SHAO concluded, "Looking ahead to 2018, the Group will continue to optimize its management system and will further push forward the development and innovation of products as well as production technology. By adhering to this strategy, it aims to develop the Group into an innovative high-tech industrial group engaged in the R&D, production and sales, thus achieving comprehensive development in both ICT and new energy segments and becoming an high-end smart manufacturer at the same time."

↧

Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Accepting 2018 Applications

April 5, 2018, 6:06 pm

≫ Next: Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Opens Today, Smart Items in Focus

≪ Previous: China All Access 2017 Annual Results; Net Profit Records Approximately RMB232 Million

Toyota City, Japan, Apr 6, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation began accepting applications today for this year's Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, which is designed to support environmental revitalization and conservation activities aimed at sustainable development.

The Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program was established in commemoration of Toyota's receipt of the Global 500 Award in 1999 from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and has been carried out every year since 2000 as part of Toyota's environmental social contribution activities, with this year marking the program's 19th year. The program aims to contribute to the resolution of environmental concerns and cultivate a new generation of leaders who will drive change on both a local and global basis.

This year's theme will be "Biodiversity Conservation" or "Climate Change." Grants will be provided to NPOs and other private, non-profit organizations and groups (excluding schools) that are promoting practical projects that correspond to the theme. These activities will become a part of initiatives aimed at meeting the goals set out in the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which was announced in October 2015.

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

↧

Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Opens Today, Smart Items in Focus

April 5, 2018, 11:30 pm

≫ Next: Inmagine and GliaCloud Partner to Advance AI-based Video Creation

≪ Previous: Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Accepting 2018 Applications

The 10th HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) opened today and continues through 9 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), featuring more than 1,350 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions.

The Hall of Aurora features more than 200 renowned brands.

The Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone showcases the latest smart and remote-control lighting systems, accessories and fixtures.

Four Zones Debut, Seminars Analyse Industry Prospects

HONG KONG, Apr 6, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) opened today and continues through 9 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), featuring more than 1,350 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions, with new exhibitors from Canada, India, Macau and Malaysia. China's Jiangmen, Henglan, Zhongshan Semiconductor Lighting Industry Association, Shunde and Gaoyou are represented by group pavilions.

The HKTDC has organised 61 buying missions comprising close to 4,000 representatives from some 3,000 companies. These include Jakob Maul from Germany, Globe Electric from Canada, Samsung Electronics from Korea, Meinhardt Group from Singapore, Index Living Mall from Thailand, ZTE and e-commerce platforms such as Tmall and JD.com from the mainland, Westwing from Russia, and Laiting S.A. de C.V. from Mexico.

- Four new zones enhancing sourcing experience

Four new zones have been introduced this year to facilitate sourcing, including Horticultural Lighting, Residential Lighting, Technical Lighting and Urban & Architectural Lighting. With the rising popularity of indoor agriculture, many indoor gardens and plant factories are using LED lighting to assist plant growth.

To meet the expected growing demand for related products, the new Horticultural Lighting zone showcases a range of grow lights for both professional production and household use. Among them is an LED modular grow light developed by Hong Kong exhibitor Titans Industries (booth: 1C-D01). Emitting a spectrum with energy level similar to that of sunlight, the product promotes the growth of plants and crops in indoor agriculture.

The other three new zones have been launched to optimise the categorisation of products at the fair. Other highlight zones include Decorative Lighting, Commercial Lighting, and Advertising Display Lighting, featuring a wide range of lighting products, technologies and solutions to cater to the diverse needs of international buyers.

The Hall of Aurora continues to be the spotlight of the show, showcasing an extensive range of high-quality lighting products and technologies from more than 200 renowned brands, including Tuya Smart, MLS Co, TCL and TE-Connectivity.

Tuya Global Inc (booth no.: 1C-E02), an exhibitor from the mainland, showcases a Bluetooth mesh light bulb that can connect with up to 120 other light bulbs to form a Bluetooth mesh network for wireless control. Using Bluetooth mesh technology, the network can operate as steadily as traditional electronic circuits while its remote-control functions can be expanded to match those of other wireless control systems.

The Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone returns to the fair to showcase the latest smart and remote-control lighting systems, accessories and fixtures. An exhibitor at the zone, Hong Kong's Delight Power Products Ltd (booth no.: 3D-C08), presents a smart control with patented constant current reduction LED driving technology that enables lighting products to emit stable and comfortable light.

The fair also features a myriad of other unique products, including an eye-catching portable lantern with stereo speaker (1E-D01), a snow falling projector that can project realistic snow scenes both indoors and outdoors (1C-B09), a multifunctional smart pole that serves as a weather station, LED display and Wi-Fi hotspot at once (1D-E14), and an astronomically inspired, Amazon Alexa- and Google Home-supported LED light bulb (1B-C16).

- Insights into smart lighting trends and industry developments

With the growing prevalence of the Internet of Things (IoT), governments around the world are keen to promote smart city development, bringing smart lighting into the limelight. Besides the Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone, smart lighting was in focus at the Asian Lighting Forum 2018 held today (6 April) as a highlight of the Spring Lighting Fair.

Representatives from such professional organisations as Bluetooth Special Interest Group, CREE, Microsoft, Philips, OSRAM and the Hong Kong Highways Department attended the forum to discuss everyday applications of smart lighting, connected lighting and IoT, as well as the latest technologies and industry outlook.

A conference on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Lighting will be held tomorrow (7 April), featuring AI experts from Alibaba AI Labs, iFLYTEK, JD Smart, ZTE, Tuya Smart and YEELIGHT. They will explore ways AI can help enhance the experience of smart lighting. Seminars, product launches and buyer forums will also be held throughout the fair period to facilitate exchanges and business matching among industry players.

Hong Kong's total exports of lighting products exceeded HK$1.3 billion in the first two months of 2018, after growing 2.6 per cent year-on-year to over HK$9.7 billion in full year 2017. Various markets recorded satisfactory performance, including the United States, the Chinese mainland, the Netherlands and Thailand.

Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition)
Date: 6-9 April (Fri-Mon)
Venue: Hall 1A-1E, 3B-3E, HKCEC
Hours: 6-8 April (9:30am-6:30pm) | 9 April (9:30am-5pm)
Fair Website: www.hktdc.com/hklightingfairse
Product Highlights: https://goo.gl/Fi622i

About HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council

Contact:
HKTDC
Communications & Public Affairs Department
Sam Ho
Tel: +852 2584 4569
Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

↧

Inmagine and GliaCloud Partner to Advance AI-based Video Creation

April 9, 2018, 5:00 am

≫ Next: Grand Arrival! BUC gets listed on Coinsuper on 15 April

≪ Previous: Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Opens Today, Smart Items in Focus

HONG KONG, TAIPEI, TAIWAN & TOKYO, JAPAN, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Inmagine Group and GliaCloud are teaming up to empower creative individuals and businesses around the world to quickly and easily produce high-impact videos using artificial intelligence (AI) and high-quality stock video footage, audio, animation and still images.

With the ability to attract and hold audience attention and quickly convey complex ideas, video has become an essential communications tool for bloggers, business communicators and social media aficionados. But video production still requires specialist expertise and access to unique original footage and quality creative commons content. As a result, few content creators have either the ability to produce videos in-house or the time or budget to hire a professional production team.

Together, Inmagine and GliaCloud are removing these barriers.

"Bringing GliaCloud's unique AI-based video creation platform together with Inmagine Group's vast library of free and affordable content gives creatives a new way to tell their stories," said Agnes Peng, co-founder and COO of GliaCloud. "Video is a great way to share information, express opinions and tell stories in a fast-paced digital world where on-line video is ubiquitous and most people have a screen with them at all times."

GliaCloud's video creation platform GliaStudio uses AI to analyze and summarize text articles in English, Chinese or Japanese and automate video production using stock images and video clips.

Inmagine Group owns one of the world's largest content libraries, with a curated collection of more than 100 million pieces of quality content from a global creative ecosystem that spans the globe.

GliaStudio and Inmagine will give users access to AI-powered video creation tools and a vast content library of high-quality images, audio and footage at suitable pricing models. This puts video creation into the hands of non-professionals around the world and supports in-house video production teams to use automation to enhance their efficiency and focus on value-added work.

"We are excited to empower more people to tell their stories more vividly through video and to help the creative industry harness the power of AI," said Stephanie Sitt, co-founder and CEO of Inmagine Group.

"Inmagine Group and GliaCloud will explore new ways of bringing AI-based video creation to the global market. We both believe there are potential synergies, given Inmagine Group's global presence and long-standing relationships with content creators and GliaCloud's AI expertise and experience in the production of over one million machine-generated videos," she continued.

ABOUT GLIACLOUD

GliaCloud is a technology company that aims to empower every individual to use and enjoy Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in their daily lives. GliaCloud's flagship product, GliaStudio, uses AI technology to automatically create videos in a very short time. The service currently supports Chinese, English and Japanese content. Users include the largest blogger platform in Taiwan, the leading news platforms in China, and the top content management system in Japan.

How GliaStudio works: Users upload a file or content URL and GliaStudio's natural language algorithm will summarize the text and generate a video script with sections and highlights that cover major topics and keywords. The platform's AI engine will then search for and edit images and clips that correspond to the script. A user-friendly editing package gives users the option of creating different versions of the generated video for testing or for publishing on different channels. https://www.gliacloud.com/en/

ABOUT INMAGINE GROUP

Inmagine Group has over 350 staff in 40 offices around the globe. It was founded in 2000 as Inmagine.com and, despite being fully bootstrapped, has quickly expanded its reach with sites like 123RF, TheHungryJPEG, StockUnlimited, Designs.net and Story & Heart and tools like the vector graphics editor Vectr and the widely used cloud and mobile photo editor Pixlr.

Inmagine Group has one of the world's largest content libraries across the creative ecosystem and draws over 40 million visitors a month to its various online properties. http://www.inmaginegroup.com

For more information, please contact:
Patrick Yu / Jim Lau
FleishmanHillard
fh.123rf@fleishman.com

↧

Grand Arrival! BUC gets listed on Coinsuper on 15 April

April 8, 2018, 7:18 pm

≫ Next: The Executive Talk: AP (Thailand) PLC (SET:AP)

≪ Previous: Inmagine and GliaCloud Partner to Advance AI-based Video Creation

HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - 8 April 2018, BitUN, the private bank for blockchain assets, has officially announced that its token, BUC, will debut on Coinsuper starting from 15 April 2018, and will successively list on the other renowned exchanges such as Huobi. After listing on Coinsuper, it will initially support BUC/BTC transactions, with other token pairs being available soon after.

What is BitUN?

BitUN is a private bank for blockchain assets. Based on HIGGS blockchain network, BitUN uses the innovative Lightning Network 2.0 technology to establish a digital currency settling and liquidation network that resolves the issues of heterogeneous blockchain asset management and liquidation. At the same time, BitUN has remodeled the structure of blockchain projects through smart contract and blockchain technology; the whole process of token investment, allocation and liquidation is implemented in a complete chain, which guarantees openness, transparency and decentralization within the process. In addition, BitUN's development of lightning network 2.0 and its development of the ecosystem will achieve decentralization of OTC transactions, seamless connection of global exchanges and other important expansions.

The core technology team of BitUN has members from well-known technology companies including Alibaba, Huawei, and Motorola. All of them have extensive experience in research & development and project management of the underlying blockchain technology. Also, BitUN has experts such as Professor Guo Yi Ke, Director of the Data Science Institute at Imperial College London and Dean of the School of Computer Engineering and Science at Shanghai University, as its technology advisor.

To achieve bank level security and to provide a convenient user experience, BitUN hired a team of professional consultants with over 20 years of plentiful experience in the areas of large enterprise management, financial services, risk control, and financial management in over 10 countries across North America, Europe and Asia. The team includes Chng Swee Ho, Executive Director of Chong Sing Holdings FinTech Group Limited; Gong Qing Li, CEO of Ping An Securities Group (Holdings) Limited; Dicky Yip, Executive Vice President of Bank of Communications; Davy Goh, CEO of Bcoin (SG); and Anthony Ng, Managing Director of CITIC Futures International Company Limited.

What is BUC?

The full name of BUC is Bit Union Coin, an encrypted digital asset issued by HIGGS Chain blockchain, and it can be used in various services provided by the BitUN platform. The scope of use and application of BUC includes but is not limited to:

- Subsequent blockchain project distribution costs
- Subsequent blockchain project initial token subscriptions
- Deposit costs for exchange platform and blockchain projects
- Digital assets' OTC transaction fees
- Other added-value services or membership services

The total amount of BUC is 2 billion, of which 15% is allocated to team incentives, 25% to operation and promotion expenses of BitUN, 20% to non-public offerings, and 40% to public offerings (the initial coin offerings have already ended).

In order to ensure the security of funds on the BitUN platform and to protect the rights of all the project participants, the project management team will freeze 20% of the income from every BUC settlement on the BitUN platform as the risk reserve fund for capital depository and OTC trading, without any re-use of the fund in the capital circulation system.

Coinsuper Official Website: https://www.coinsuper.com
Official Telegram: https://t.me/CoinsuperEx

↧

The Executive Talk: AP (Thailand) PLC (SET:AP)

April 8, 2018, 8:30 pm

≫ Next: Blockpass, Infinito Form Partnership for Regulated Tokens, Launch PASS Token

≪ Previous: Grand Arrival! BUC gets listed on Coinsuper on 15 April

BANGKOK, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - AP (Thailand) PLC (SET:AP) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Anuphong Assavabhokhin discusses the company's strategy and outlook in The Executive Talk (TET) by ShareInvestor.com.

TET: Who are AP's target customers today?

The main mission of AP (Thailand) PLC, Thailand's real estate developer, is to deliver good living quality in all aspects. Our main target customers are urbanites who look for a residential project in the middle-to-high end segment, whether it is condominium, townhome or detached house, particularly in downtown Bangkok. We offer residences at prices ranging from Bht 2.5 million to Bht 80 million.

TET: What type of projects does AP focus developing?

In 2018 the company will continue to work for its major goal of making AP a top 3 company in Thailand's real estate industry under the main mission to deliver good living quality in every aspect. In doing so, it will keep innovating for Thailand's real estate sector and has plans to set up a special unit to explore for, discover and develop innovations that promote and improve new living experiences complete with quality, convenience and safety for better living quality truly desired by customers in the long term. The company will achieve business success through five business drivers:

1. Building on successful partnership with Mitsubishi Estate.
In the fifth year of partnership with Mitsubishi Estate, both companies will continue to develop middle-to high-end condominiums together. This year, we have signed an agreement to invest in four new condominium projects worth around Bht 23,000 million. This March, AP is ready to start selling the first project of the batch, which is LIFE Sukhumvit 62. To date, AP and Mitsubishi Estate Group have 15 condominium projects worth up to Bht 73,000 million in their portfolio.

2. Launching super luxury products under consumer-favourite brands.
This year's highlight will be the re-development of AP's hugely successful super luxury brands that are well received among consumers. These include THE ADDRESS condominium brand and THE PALAZZO luxury mansion brand. The purpose is to satisfy the needs of upmarket customers looking for premium residences in high-potential locations. The timing for the launches is expected to be in the second half of the year.

3. Making a difference through mass customized design in low-rise developments.
This year, AP Design Lab will not stop making a difference to home design and functionality to better meet specific needs. To date, AP has offered more than 70 house models across its detached house and townhome projects in several locations. In 2018, AP will unveil many new house models in the launches of the 31 low-rise projects worth around Bht 30,000 million. These include 18 townhome projects worth Bht 15,300 million and 13 detached house projects worth Bht 14,700 million. The main goal is to make AP's detached houses and townhomes the ultimate choice for urban family.

4. Managing international portfolio.
Bangkok Citismart Co., Ltd (BC) in the AP Group is charged with the mission. As a real estate agency with businesses to buy and sell on behalf of customers, BC has been officially appointed to manage sales of AP's condominiums in overseas markets. This followed the firm's outstanding performance as a leading real estate broker with Bht 10,000 million in real estate sales.

5. Developing digital innovation for good quality of life.
AP always looks to offer good living quality through the integration of technology into the functional space design process. Last year, AP worked together with its partners to offer several innovations that make living convenient e.g. AP Smart Pod, an intelligent locker system which allows condominium residents to receive deliveries by themselves 24/7 as more and more people turn to buying goods online or the introduction of Internet of Things technology to keep all living areas connected. In 2018, AP plans to set up a special unit to explore for, discover and develop innovations that promote and improve new living experiences complete with quality, convenience and safety for better living quality truly desired by customers in the long term.

TET: How does the JV work with Mitsubishi Estate Corporation? Are there plans to develop further projects together?

AP (Thailand) has further strengthened its collaboration with Mitsubishi Estate Group for the fifth year. In early 2018, AP Thailand and Mitsubishi Estate Group have plans to continually develop condominium projects in the middle-to-high-end segment. Earlier this year, a contract was signed for both parties to develop four projects worth Bht 23,000 million.

TET: Would AP look to develop recurring income assets?

Most of AP's projects have recorded strong sales and have shown brighter sales prospects. Last year, we had Bht 42,900 million in total presales, which exceeded our projected presales of Bht 26,000 million for 2017. This was a growth of 92% on 2016. This year, our presales are projected at Bht 33,500 million. Our total revenue turnover for 2018 is projected at Bht 28,100 million.

TET: What is your viewpoint on the residential market in Bangkok?

The overall real estate market in 2018 is likely to grow in accordance with the country's economic growth forecasts. We have seen some improvement in marketing activities and consumers' buying decisions since late last year up to early this year. Competition is still there from around ten major developers listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. They control around 80% share of the market. Developers need to adapt their strategies to fast-changing economic conditions and consumer behavior which has become more segmented. We are optimistic about the prospects for condominiums in the middle-to-high-end segment because there are not many of the supplies left in the market and the majority of the condominiums in the inventory were already sold last year.

TET: How do you see the residential market developing in Bangkok?

We see an uptrend in Thailand's real estate industry in terms of sales, demand and supply as evidenced by our existing customers buying their second home or buying for investment as well as change in the taste for residences. People are paying more attention to the image of the condominiums they live in in terms of design and quality as well as location - they prefer to live in the heart of the city which is fast and convenient to travel.

For AP, we have an ultra-luxury condominium project named VITTORIO which is located in city centre zone on Sukhumvit Road right in the middle of The EM District. We have seen continued increase in demand and sales for residential projects in the location. VITTORIO is AP's first condominium at the ultra-luxury level. Not only does we pay attention to location, conduction design, space layout and space functionality, but we also take into account maximum privacy for residents. Priceless art pieces are used to decorate the interior of the project which has a strict security system.

TET: What impact does the expansion of the mass transit lines have upon your business and industry?

Due to increased investment by the public sector and the BTS development as well as the extension of many mass transit lines around Bangkok, more Thai people are moving away from Bangkok's urban areas. As a result, we have seen an increase in demand for residences in the outskirts of Bangkok. Inbound travel is more convenient with BTS and MRT allowing people to reach downtown Bangkok in just a few minutes. These factors have contributed to growing demand for residences in Bangkok's suburbs. So, we expect the real estate industry this year to have a good growth in line with the overall national development.

TET: What differentiates AP from its competitors?

With our readiness in quality team, quality residential product portfolio and quality partners who share the same passion to create quality residential innovations, we believe that AP Thailand can make a difference and win consumer's trust, and we will continue to be a top 3 real estate company in Thailand that offers residential innovation and technology of the future through continued research and development efforts to keep abreast with the future world as we strive to efficiently grow Thailand's condominium market.

TET: What are the biggest risks facing your business?

The increase in the prices of land in urban areas has affected pricing and positioning of products in response to the behavior of our main target group. It presents a challenge to many developers. Last year, we saw many companies come up with a strategy to compete in meeting as many needs of consumers as possible. But AP's main target customers still have high purchasing power. Moreover, our target customers are paying more attention to quality. If the product meets their needs and offers good value for money, they are willing to spend on the property to live in or invest in rental/resale markets.

TET: Where do you see AP in five years from now?

As for AP's goal for the next five years, the company still wants to be the leader of Thailand's real estate market with the main mission to deliver good living quality in all aspects. We will continue to develop new design innovations to meeting the needs of residents now and the future and will continue to build sustainable quality infrastructure for Thailand's real estate industry.

About The Executive Talk Interview Series

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

↧

Blockpass, Infinito Form Partnership for Regulated Tokens, Launch PASS Token

April 8, 2018, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: AIR Worldwide Collaborates with RenaissanceRe to Develop Industry's First Probabilistic Model for Extreme Liability Events

≪ Previous: The Executive Talk: AP (Thailand) PLC (SET:AP)

HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Self-sovereign identity application Blockpass and universal cryptocurrency wallet Infinito Wallet announced today their strategic partnership. The two companies' mutual agreement includes plans to release Blockpass' PASS token via the Infinito Wallet platform and defines a shared vision of a decentralized regtech ecosystem.

PASS, which is to be distributed through token sale channel partners starting at the end of May 2018, will be the first 'regtech' token issued on the Infinito Wallet. PASS tokens will function as discount vouchers for Blockpass services, being burned upon redemption.

Blockpass is a user-centric, self-sovereign identity application for regulated industries. Designed with full data security in mind, Blockpass ensures KYC and AML compliance for regulated service providers while eliminating third-party data storage. Blockpass has been developed as a step towards the Internet of Everything, and future releases of the application will include integrations of KYD and KYO protocols.

Infinito Wallet is a world first cryptocurrency wallet for NEO NEP-5, ETH ERC-20 and top coins. It offers not only an extending list of leading transactional cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Lite Coin, and Dash but also it enables access to all tokens built on leading smart contract blockchains as ETH ERC20, NEO NEP-5, and more on Infinito Wallet roadmap.

Regulated tokens for a smarter economy
As strategic partners, the two teams are working together to introduce a new regtech infrastructure that will facilitate the launch of compliant tokens, including security tokens, real world blockchain assets, and other 'attributed' token designs. In the rapidly developing smart economy, these new asset types will form the basis of a decentralized ecosystem of devices, Dapps, and things.

In the words of Blockpass CMO Hans Lombardo, "this is the first step to the roll-out of our vision of seamless onchain compliance, where public blockchains can intersect with the real world and the mainstream of regulated industries. Together with Infinito, we intend to build a next generation infrastructure for this hybrid of onchain compliance and total user control."

Junya Yamamoto, President of Infinito Wallet, concurs. "I believe it will be an excellent partnership for those who love Blockchain and Cryptocurrency around the world," citing "powerful synergy" between the companies, and expressing optimism about how the partnership will benefit blockchain entrepreneurs and businesses.

Blockpass and Infinito will next be exhibiting together at Blockchain Expo Global in London on April 18th and 19th.

Blockpass IDN, a next generation regtech solution, is a user-centric and self-sovereign identity application. Infinito Wallet is world first universal wallet for top coins and all tokens on Ethereum and NEO available on iOS and Android. For more information about these companies, visit https://www.blockpass.org/ and https://www.infinitowallet.io/ .

About Blockpass IDN
The goal of Blockpass IDN (http://www.blockpass.org/) is global realization of identity for the Internet of Everything. Through the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts, Blockpass is a production ready Regtech platform offering shared regulatory and compliance services for humans, businesses, objects and devices. As this identity system supports verification of humans (KYC), objects (KYO) and connected devices (KYD), it will enable the development of new applications that rely on a trusted connection between human, corporate, and device identities. Registered in Hong Kong, Blockpass IDN is a joint venture of Infinity Blockchain Labs and Chain of Things. Blockpass IDN licenses its technology from the non-profit Blockpass Foundation, registered in the Isle of Man.

For more information and updates, please visit and sign up to the following:
Promotional video: https://youtu.be/SvO2cw3e-SI
Website: http://www.blockpass.org
Medium: https://medium.com/@blockpass
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlockpassOrg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blockpassorg/
Telegram: https://t.me/blockpass

Media Contact:
Caitlin Betts
Email: press@blockpass.org
Telephone: +852 9733 4935

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AIR Worldwide Collaborates with RenaissanceRe to Develop Industry's First Probabilistic Model for Extreme Liability Events

April 8, 2018, 11:30 pm

≫ Next: Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Welcomed 20,500+ Buyers

≪ Previous: Blockpass, Infinito Form Partnership for Regulated Tokens, Launch PASS Token

BOSTON, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide (AIR) today announced that it is collaborating with RenaissanceRe, a global provider of reinsurance and insurance, as part of a joint effort to enhance the industry's modeling of long-tail casualty risk. AIR Worldwide is a Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) business.

"Since our inception, RenaissanceRe has been at the forefront of applying science, engineering, and data to inform our independent view of risk," said Ian Branagan, senior vice president and group chief risk officer at RenaissanceRe. "Incorporating third-party expertise from proven leaders such as AIR wherever appropriate is a key part of this process. We're pleased to work with AIR to advance our industry's ability to better understand how to model and manage casualty and specialty risk."

As part of the collaboration, AIR is producing portfolio-specific casualty losses based on its innovative exposure management application, Arium. Arium's scenario-based loss assessment framework enables companies to systematically measure portfolio loss potential and exposures to simulated scenarios representing both emerging risks and forward-projected historical events. AIR and RenaissanceRe will work closely to further refine the industry's first fully probabilistic model for extreme liability events.

"We're currently developing the industry's most comprehensive model of liability risk to help companies understand the complex interconnections in their portfolios, resulting in a comprehensive assessment of potential future losses," said Dr. Jay Guin, chief research officer, AIR Worldwide. "Collaborating with a global leader in risk management like RenaissanceRe is a great step forward in the development of our stochastic model. This model provides a forward-looking view of risk and will enable insurers and reinsurers to capture the full distribution of the frequency and severity of casualty catastrophes."

"Arium is a powerful exposure management application designed to help companies evaluate liability accumulations and run casualty risk scenarios," said Robin Wilkinson, vice president and managing director of casualty analytics at AIR Worldwide. "With Arium, insurers can analyze and quantify their exposure to simulated liability events and become more informed on what types of future events could cause significant losses to their portfolios. As Arium continues to evolve, the stochastic model will enable companies to understand and manage their casualty risk more thoroughly."

About AIR Worldwide

AIR Worldwide (AIR) provides risk modeling solutions that make individuals, businesses, and society more resilient to extreme events. In 1987, AIR Worldwide founded the catastrophe modeling industry and today models the risk from natural catastrophes, terrorism, pandemics, casualty catastrophes, and cyber attacks globally. Insurance, reinsurance, financial, corporate, and government clients rely on AIR's advanced science, software, and consulting services for catastrophe risk management, insurance-linked securities, site-specific engineering analyses, and agricultural risk management. AIR Worldwide, a Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, is headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, please visit www.air-worldwide.com.

About RenaissanceRe

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance that specializes in matching well-structured risks with efficient sources of capital. The Company provides property, casualty, and specialty reinsurance and certain insurance solutions to customers, principally through intermediaries. Established in 1993, the Company has offices in Bermuda, Ireland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland. For more information, visit www.renre.com.

For more information, contact:
Kevin Long
AIR Worldwide
617-267-6645
klong@air-worldwide.com

###

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

↧

Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Welcomed 20,500+ Buyers

April 9, 2018, 12:30 am

≫ Next: Experts: Trade tensions pose little threat to Chinese fintech companies

≪ Previous: AIR Worldwide Collaborates with RenaissanceRe to Develop Industry's First Probabilistic Model for Extreme Liability Events

The Spring Lighting Fair introduced the e-Badge initiative, enabling buyers to download the "HKTDC Marketplace" mobile app, complete visitor registration and log in to retrieve an e-Badge. The initiative, offers added convenience, was well received by buyers.

The Hall of Aurora featured 210 brands to showcase a wide array of lighting products and technologies with unique designs and excellent functions.

The Asian Lighting Forum 2018 gathered experts and professional organisations, including Bluetooth Special Interest Group, CREE, Microsoft, Philips, OSRAM and the Hong Kong Highways Department, to discuss the everyday applications of smart lighting, connected lighting and IoT, as well as the latest lighting technologies and industry outlook, drawing 430 attendees.

Survey: "Cautiously Optimistic" Market Outlook, Bright Future Seen for Smart Lighting

HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The tenth Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), closed today. The four-day fair (6-9 April) attracted more than 20,500 buyers from 114 countries and regions, as buyer attendance from the United States, Chinese mainland, Taiwan, India, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia recorded satisfactory increases. The fair also gathered a record of 1,350 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions.

HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau said that the global market is seeing a rising demand for smart lighting products, and he encouraged Hong Kong companies to capitalise on the opportunity by investing more in developing related items. "In response to the market trend, the Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone returned to the fair to showcase to global buyers the latest smart and remote-control lighting systems, accessories and fixtures. The topic of smart lighting was also covered in the seminars and forums held during the fair to help Hong Kong companies better grasp the latest developments in smart lighting technology," said Mr Chau.

Market outlook: cautiously optimistic --

The HKTDC commissioned an independent on-site survey during the fair, interviewing more than 350 exhibitors and buyers about their views on industry prospects. The survey found that the industry is cautiously optimistic about the lighting market in 2018. Fifty-five per cent of respondents anticipate overall sales this year will increase, while 36 per cent expect them to remain unchanged. Forty-six per cent of respondents predict product prices will go up, while 45 per cent believe they will remain unchanged. The industry is most optimistic about the prospect of two emerging markets - Russia and Latin America, followed by Western Europe, India, South Africa and the Chinese mainland.

The survey, which also gauged the industry's views on product trends, found that smart lighting is expected to have promising growth. Seventy-two per cent of respondents are optimistic about the market potential of smart lighting. Smart lighting systems designed for home automation, energy-efficient and wireless controls are seen to have the biggest development potential in next two years.

With the industry showing keen interest in smart lighting, a number of seminars and talks were organised during the fair period to facilitate exchanges on this subject. The Asian Lighting Forum 2018 gathered experts from professional organisations, including Bluetooth Special Interest Group, CREE, Microsoft, Philips, OSRAM and the Hong Kong Highways Department, to discuss everyday applications of smart lighting, connected lighting and IoT, as well as the latest technologies and industry outlook. At another seminar on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Lighting, experts from Zigbee Alliance, Alibaba AI Labs, iFLYTEK, JD Smart, ZTE, Tuya Smart and YEELIGHT discussed ways AI can help enhance smart lighting.

Ideal promotional and sourcing platform --

Optima, a Ukraine trading company that supplies light-emitting diode (LED) outdoor and commercial lighting products to wholesalers and contractors in its country, sourced at the Spring Lighting Fair once again this year after making several visits in the past. Looking mainly for street lights, floodlights and commercial lighting products this time, Director Gorodovyy Radislav placed an on-site order of about US$70,000 for panel lights and office lights with an existing supplier. He also found more than 10 potential suppliers and planned to ask his buying office in Shenzhen to follow up on potential transactions.

Chinese mainland exhibitor Zhejiang Fonda Technology Co Ltd, an outdoor smart lighting solution provider with key customers on the mainland, in Cambodia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, had secured a US$2 million order from an Australian buyer at last year's fair, which boost its confidence in developing overseas markets through this platform. Overseas Marketing Director Rose Qiu revealed that this year the company had met with new potential buyers from Australia, Indonesia, Russia and the United Kingdom, and that representatives of the mainland's JD.com and Xiaomi had also visited the company's booth. Among its potential buyers were a Hong Kong street lighting project contractor, who had noticed the company through an HKTDC publication and had attended the fair to view its smart poles and systems. Deals will be discussed, according to Ms Qiu.

Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition)
Date: 6-9 April (Fri-Mon)
Venue: Hall 1A-1E, 3B-3E, HKCEC
Hours: 6-8 April (9:30am-6:30pm) | 9 April (9:30am-5pm)
Fair Website: www.hktdc.com/hklightingfairse
Product Highlights: https://goo.gl/Fi622i

For more comments from exhibitors and buyers, please visit: https://goo.gl/TkzYrP

Photo download: https://bit.ly/2uY2wQ7

About HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council

Contact:
HKTDC
Comms & Public Affairs Department
Sam Ho
Tel: +852 2584 4569
Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

↧

Experts: Trade tensions pose little threat to Chinese fintech companies

April 9, 2018, 1:16 am

≫ Next: Ingredion to Release 2018 First-Quarter Financial Results and Hold Conference Call and Webcast on Thursday, May 3, 2018

≪ Previous: Hong Kong Spring Lighting Fair Welcomed 20,500+ Buyers

HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Escalating trade tensions between China and the US is one of the most closely followed issues during this year's Boao Forum. Some are worried that Chinese tech companies, fintech in particular, will be hurt by Trump's actions but Dong Qi, founder and CEO of Finup Fintech Group, does not think that the trade conflict will have a huge impact.

Dong said that the US is not considered a top market for China's fintech firms. That is because American financial service companies have "deep penetration" in their domestic market, leaving less market share for foreign companies.

Dong said that Chinese fintech companies are exploring other potential markets, such as South America and Southeast Asia. "China-US trade tensions will not make fintech firms a casualty," Dong said. He is of the view that information exchange in tech will not be disadvantaged either.

In addition, China's own financial service market has huge potential, Dong said. Chinese fintech companies have experienced "fierce competition" during the last few years, which means final winners in the area will be strong enough to compete with foreign companies, providing better services to Chinese consumers.

↧

Ingredion to Release 2018 First-Quarter Financial Results and Hold Conference Call and Webcast on Thursday, May 3, 2018

April 9, 2018, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Mazda to Exhibit CX-8 at Beijing Motor Show

≪ Previous: Experts: Trade tensions pose little threat to Chinese fintech companies

WESTCHESTER, Ill., Apr 9, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, will release its 2018 first-quarter financial results for the period ended March 31, 2018, before the market opens on Thursday, May 3, 2018.

Ingredion will conduct a conference call on Thursday, May 3 at 8:00 a.m. Central Time (9:00 a.m. Eastern Time), during which Jim Zallie, president and chief executive officer, and James Gray, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will discuss the quarterly results. The conference call and accompanying slide presentation will be webcast live on www.ingredion.com, in the "Company and Investors" section, under "Investors/Presentations & Webcasts/Presentations." Participants are encouraged to log onto the webcast approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the presentation. A replay of the presentation will also be available on the Company's website.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) is a leading global ingredient solutions provider. We turn grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. Serving customers in over 120 countries, our ingredients make crackers crunchy, yogurts creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger and add fiber to nutrition bars. Visit Ingredion.com to learn more.

CONTACT:
Investors: Heather Kos, 708-551-2592
Media: Becca Hary, 708-551-2602

###

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

↧

Mazda to Exhibit CX-8 at Beijing Motor Show

April 10, 2018, 5:51 am

≫ Next: Fujitsu Honored by MEXT with Three Prizes for Science and Technology

≪ Previous: Ingredion to Release 2018 First-Quarter Financial Results and Hold Conference Call and Webcast on Thursday, May 3, 2018

HIROSHIMA, Japan, Apr 10, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation will show the CX-8 three-row crossover SUV at the 2018 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2018),(1) which will be open to the public from April 29 through May 4. Other new-generation vehicles to be displayed include the Mazda MX-5 RF, Mazda CX-5 and Mazda6.(2)

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_Mazda410CX8.jpg
CX-8 three-row crossover SUV (exhibition model)

The CX-8 is the flagship model of Mazda's SUV lineup in Japan. The three-row crossover SUV offers a new alternative for customers who don't want to compromise on driving performance or styling in a multi-passenger vehicle. Since the car's December launch in Japan, orders have exceeded 20,000 units. The model is especially popular with customers in their 30s and 40s. Large SUVs are in great demand in China, the world's biggest market for automobiles, and exhibiting the CX-8 there will allow Mazda to introduce the car to customers in China and other nations.

In line with its "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030" vision for technology development, Mazda aims to use the fundamental appeal of the automobile - driving pleasure - to inspire people, enrich society and help bring about a beautiful earth. By offering an experience of car ownership that celebrates driving, the company hopes to enrich lives and build a strong bond with customers.

(1) A press preview is scheduled for April 25 and 26; an industry preview will be held April 27 and 28.
(2) Called Mazda6 Atenza in the Chinese market

About Mazda

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

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

↧

Fujitsu Honored by MEXT with Three Prizes for Science and Technology

April 9, 2018, 6:23 pm

≫ Next: New compound could improve stroke patient recovery

≪ Previous: Mazda to Exhibit CX-8 at Beijing Motor Show

Recognized in 2018 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

TOKYO, Apr 10, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. announce that they have received three Prizes for Science and Technology in the 2018 Commendation for Science and Technology from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In the Development Category, Fujitsu and Fujitsu Laboratories were awarded a prize for the development of configuration technology for large-scale x86 clusters. In the Research Category, Fujitsu and UT-Heart Inc. were awarded a prize for clinical research using a heart simulator. In addition, Fujitsu Laboratories was also awarded a prize in the Public Understanding Promotion Category for promoting an understanding among young people of the future made possible by supercomputers. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) commends individuals for their important achievements in science and technology R&D and their promotion of science and technology understanding. The awards aim to motivate researchers and help raise the level of Japan's science and technology. This year's awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at MEXT.

About the Recipients and the Recognized Technologies

(Recipient affiliations are as of April 10, 2018.)

1. Prize for Science and Technology: Development Category

Prizes in this category are awarded to research and development projects or people who produce groundbreaking innovations that are practical, and which contribute to the development and improvement of Japanese society, the economy, or the lives of citizens.

Project Name: Development of configuration technology for large-scale x86 clusters

Recipients:
Shuji Yamamura (Senior Professional Engineer, Development Department II, Processor Development Division, AI Platform Business Unit, Fujitsu Limited)
Kohta Nakashima (Project Director, Advanced Computer Systems Project, Computer Systems Laboratory, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.)
Akira Hosoi (Senior Professional Engineer, Performance Analysis Dept., Compiler Development Div., Next Generation Technical Computing Unit, Fujitsu Limited)
Naoto Fukumoto (Advanced Computer Systems Project, Computer Systems Laboratory, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.)
Masahiro Miwa (Advanced Computer Systems Project, Computer Systems Laboratory, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.)

Summary:
x86 clusters, in which multiple x86 servers equipped with general-purpose CPUs are connected together, are widely used in supercomputers. In order for x86 clusters to achieve high performance, an operational analysis of its x86 servers and the stable operation of the system as a whole are needed.

This development project enabled the analysis of changes in the behavior of software over short time series, to detect lag in some x86 servers in a cluster, and to reconfigure the system as a whole to avoid that lag, even in a large-scale x86 cluster with more than 1,000 nodes. This, in turn, achieved higher speeds. In addition, switching to new routes when the network has a partial failure enables the stable operation of a supercomputer with a large-scale, complex network.

These results improve supercomputer performance while limiting configuration costs, and contribute to the development of computing in science and technology.

2. Prizes for Science and Technology: Research Category

This category recognizes people who have had highly creative research achievements or inventions with the potential to advance science and technology in Japan.

Project Name: Clinical research using a heart simulator

Recipients:
Masahiro Watanabe (Director, Solutions Development Dept. I, Medical Solutions Div. III, Healthcare Solutions Unit II, Fujitsu Limited.)
Takashi Iwamura (Manager, Solutions Development Dept. I, Medical Solutions Div. III, Healthcare Solutions Unit II, Fujitsu Limited.)
Seiryo Sugiura (President, UT-Heart Inc.)

Summary:
Special pacemakers used in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT 1) for people suffering serious heart disease are expensive, but it is also known that about 30% of patients will be non-responders(2). This has created a need for a technology that can predict the pacemaker's effectiveness before an implantation procedure.

This research used a multi-scale, multi-physics heart simulator(3) that this research group developed jointly, which enabled heart simulations of individual patients. These simulations have been found to accurately reproduce patient electrocardiograms that were obtained clinically, and have been able to predict with high accuracy the effectiveness of these special pacemakers in patients before using CRT.

By predicting the results of CRT before using it, this result promises to contribute to medicine, and to become widely known as a medical solution originating from Japan that can dramatically reduce wasted medical expenses (in Japan, Yen5.2 billion; in the US, Yen700 billion (according to Fujitsu's research)).

3. Prize for Science and Technology: Public Understanding Promotion Category

Prizes in this category are awarded to individuals and groups that undertake activities which contribute to the promotion of interest in and understanding of science and technology among citizens, particularly among the youth, or which contribute to the spread of education and knowledge relating to science and technology in a region.

Project Name: Promoting understanding among young people of the future made possible by supercomputers

Recipient:
Yoshimasa Kadooka (Principal Expert, AI Deployment Project, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.)

Summary:
The K computer(4) was completed in 2012, and Fujitsu has often been asked to describe its development since then. But because simply explaining the system would be difficult for non-experts to understand, the company began a project to explain the ways in which supercomputers are useful and the new possibilities they open up. In this project, in its own development experience of using the K computer to create forecasts for flooding that would result from a massive tsunami and to reproduce the movements of the human heart, the recipient introduced immediately familiar and easy-to-understand examples of research on how supercomputers are helping create a safer and more secure world.

Having conducted 36 seminars countrywide and 19 regional youth-education programs as well as high-school/citizen seminars in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kadooka has reached more than 6,500 people (of whom 450 were in grammar school, 3,130 in high school, 2,160 in college/graduate school, and 760 were educators or the general public). The seminars are always well received, and many people say that they are easy to understand and very interesting. This project has helped many young people, who will bear the burden of the next generation, to understand the reasons why the K computer was developed and the possibilities it is opening up through scientific simulations. In addition, through mass media exposure, it has also helped the general public reach a deeper understanding of science and technology.

(1) Cardiac resynchronization therapy A therapy in which a special kind of pacemaker is implanted into a person suffering serious heart disease. It aims to correct deviations in timing of the contractions between the left and right ventricles and improve the heart's movements.
(2) Non-responders Patients for whom no recovery in heart movements is observed after CRT.
(3) Multi-scale, multi-physics heart simulator A simulator that reproduces a virtual human heart in a computer through an analysis, at multiple levels, from the proteins to the whole organ (multi-scale), of the electrical, chemical, and mechanical phenomena that make up a heartbeat (multi-physics).
(4) K computer The K computer, which was jointly developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu, is part of the High-Performance Computing Infrastructure (HPCI) initiative led by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The K computer's availability for shared use began in 2012. The "K" in K computer comes from the Japanese Kanji character "Kei," which means ten peta or 10 to the 16th power. In its original sense, "Kei" stood for a large gateway, and this meaning reflected the hope that the system would be a new gateway to computational science.

About Fujitsu Laboratories

Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Next-generation Services, Computer Servers, Networks, Electronic Devices and Advanced Materials. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/labs/en/.

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/

↧

New compound could improve stroke patient recovery

April 9, 2018, 10:30 pm

≫ Next: WARC Awards 2018 - Effective Innovation shortlist announced

≪ Previous: Fujitsu Honored by MEXT with Three Prizes for Science and Technology

Image 1: Macaque monkeys with brain damage regained fine motor function and dexterity with a combination of physical therapy training and edonerpic maleate, much more so than monkeys who only received physical therapy training. (Credit: Yokohama City University)

Figure 1. Edonerpic maleate induced rehabilitation-dependent acceleration of motor function recovery in mouse brain injury model.

Figure 2. Edonerpic maleate accelerated the recovery of fine finger movements after brain hemorrhage in macaque monkeys.

A new compound shows promise for improving motor function recovery for stroke patients in combination with rehabilitation therapy. Human clinical trials for a new drug are underway.

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Apr 10, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - A team of Japanese researchers have developed a new compound that enhanced motor function recovery after brain damage in animal tests, according to a study published in the journal Science.

The small-molecule compound, called edonerpic maleate, was developed by a research team led by Yokohama City University and Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. in Japan. When administered to rodents and monkeys undergoing rehabilitation for brain damage, both groups of animals showed greater and faster recovery of motor function than those with just rehabilitation alone.

Toyama Chemical has already completed a clinical trial for the drug in healthy people, and plans to next conduct a clinical trial with stroke patients. The Phase 2 trial is expected to evaluate the drug's safety and ability to accelerate rehabilitation in humans. The drug must complete three phases of successful trials before it can be approved as a medication.

More than 17 million people worldwide suffer from strokes each year. The majority of strokes block blood flow to the brain, which can lead to severe paralysis. Loss of function depends on the size and location of the affected area. Some available treatments are limited to the few hours following a stroke. Long-term treatment often involves different types of physical therapy, and motor function recovery varies from patient to patient.

In this new study, the researchers describe how edonerpic maleate helps accelerate recovery of motor function. For example, macaque monkeys doing physical therapy and receiving edonerpic maleate were able to pinch small food with their fingers within a month of starting treatment. Recovery of such fine motor movements is often difficult for stroke patients.

"I hope this drug will help a lot of patients who suffer from paralysis after stroke," said Professor Takuya Takahashi, of Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, who led the research.

Notably, the small-molecule compound shows positive results even when treatment started a month after the induction of brain damage - not just hours. This has the potential to boost recovery prospects for many stroke patients.

The compound appears to work in tandem with rehabilitation to enhance neural plasticity. Neural plasticity is the brain's ability to learn and adapt in response to experience. Brain cells affected by stroke cease to function normally within seconds of the trauma. However, the brain can create new pathways between neurons with external stimuli, in this case, physical rehabilitation - this is the essence of neural plasticity.

Edonerpic maleate helps this process by facilitating the delivery of an important neurotransmitter receptor, called AMPA receptor, to the structures called synapses, which mediate information between neurons. The AMPA receptors are very important for signal transmission and information processing. They receive signals from glutamate, a major neurotransmitter, and help transmit the glutamate signal to the next neuron. By helping build up AMPA receptors at synapses in conjunction with rehabilitative training, edonerpic maleate helps increase the potential for a signal transmission and neuron response.

The researchers further determined that edonerpic maleate works by binding to an intracellular protein called collapsin-response-mediator-protein 2 (CRMP2), which is related to synaptic plasticity. Mice lacking CRMP2 protein did not show an increase in AMPA receptors nor recovery of motor function, even with edonerpic maleate, indicating that CRMP2 is critical for the compound to work.

The research was done in collaboration with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition.

Journal Reference:
Abe, H. et al. "CRMP2-binding compound, edonerpic maleate, accelerates motor function recovery from brain damage." Science April 6, 2018 Vol. 360, Issue 6384, pp. 50-57 DOI: 10.1126/science.aao2300

Media Contacts:
Makoto Watanabe
Supervisor, Research Planning and University-Industry Cooperation Division
Yokohama City University
E-Mail: kenki@yokohama-cu.ac.jp

Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd.
General Affairs and Personnel Department
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WARC Awards 2018 - Effective Innovation shortlist announced

April 9, 2018, 11:00 pm

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jury chair Christopher Yu

LONDON, Apr 10, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - The Effective Innovation shortlist is now released for the WARC Awards, a global search for next-generation marketing effectiveness.

21 campaigns have been shortlisted in the Effective Innovation category, which recognises innovative thinking that has transformed a business or disrupted category conventions to deliver tangible results. They are for a variety of categories, including automotive, travel, household goods, banking, media, foods and NGO's; and have ran in a wide range of markets - Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, Kenya, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

The shortlisted entries are:

- Denmark vs. Trump - Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) - UncleGrey - Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, United States
- Hello in Elephant - David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - whiteGREY - Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States
- Seek Deeper - Royal Caribbean International - MullenLowe US - United States
- 7-Second Resumes - Grads of Life - 22squared - United States
- Hearing Rescue - Thai Health Promotion Foundation - BBDO Bangkok - Thailand
- Speed Limit Monk Statue - Thai Health Promotion Foundation - BBDO Bangkok - Thailand
- Thai Dog House - Immortal Adoption - BBDO Bangkok - Thailand
- So how about creating viral products instead? - Carvaan - The Womb - India
- Bank in a Box - IDFC Bank - McCann Worldgroup - India
- Odds - adidas - Taproot - India
- La Futbolera - Sprint Latino - M8, Alma - United States
- 100% Asian. 100% British - How a simple insight changed a radio station - BBC Asian Network - MullenLowe London - United Kingdom
- Reinventing dynamic creative, for grilling season - Johnsonville Fresh Bratwurst - Compass Point Media - United States
- Going live with gold! - Royal Mint - Manning Gottlieb OMD - United Kingdom
- The Loneliness Index - Age UK - Manning Gottlieb OMD - United Kingdom
- Dynamic Recruitment - The University of Sydney - The Monkeys - Australia
- Lost Frequency - HearLife Clinic - FP7/DXB - United Arab Emirates
- How 1,00,000 TV commercial viewers made snap decisions on their mobile for a holiday at Club Mahindra - Club Mahindra Holidays - Zapr Media Labs - India
- One-Drop Bottle - Pril - TBWA\RAAD - United Arab Emirates
- Camelpower - Nissan - TBWA\RAAD - United Arab Emirates
- The Ultimate Data Machine - BMW - Cadreon, UM - United States

To see the shortlisted case studies in the Effective Innovation category, please view at www.warc.com/warcawards.prize.

The WARC Awards are currently being judged by international senior figures from both brands and agencies. The Effective Innovation category is chaired by Christopher Yu, Vice President of Integrated Marketing Strategy, Innovation and Technology, U.S. Bank.

The shortlisted papers in the Effective Content Strategy, Effective Social Strategy and Effective Use of Brand Purpose categories will be announced shortly.

About Effective Innovation jury chair

Christopher Yu, Vice President, Integrated Marketing Strategy, Innovation and Technology, U.S. Bank
Christopher partners with teams across the company to define the digital and direct marketing roadmap for the enterprise, focusing on new opportunities to optimise customer experience and improve marketing results. Prior to U.S. Bank, Chris held marketing leadership roles at Publicis Groupe and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. He has a BA and Ph.D. from Yale and an MFA from the University of Virginia. Outside of the office, he likes to listen to old punk bands, binge-watch Nordic Noir series, and travel.

About WARC

- your global authority on advertising and media effectiveness

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

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

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

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

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