BLACK & VEATCH SELECTED OWNER’S ENGINEER FOR VIETNAM WIND FARMS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Vietnam is expanding its power generation capacity as it balances its generation portfolio and meets the soaring energy demand of growing population and flourishing economy.

Renewable energy, according to Black & Veatch’s Strategic Directions: Electric Industry Asia 2021 Report, is expected to experience the most significant investment growth in new generation capacity over the next three to five years.

The Ia Pech 1 and Ia Pech 2 wind farms, located in Ia Grai district of Gia Lai province, are examples of investments in Vietnam’s renewable energy developments.

Dien Xanh Gia Lai Investment Energy Joint Stock Company, the developer of the la Pech wind farms, has engaged Black & Veatch as the Owner’s Engineer for both wind farms.

 According to a statement, each Ia Pech wind farm project will have a capacity of 50 megawatts.

“With capabilities and expertise spanning the entire project life cycle and across generation, transmission and distribution technologies, we have been partnering with power producers around the world to deploy reliable and forward-looking renewable energy solutions,” said Black & Veatch's Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Power Business, Narsingh Chaudhary.

As the Owner’s Engineer of the la Pech wind farms, Black & Veatch will undertake services including project management, project control, design review, quality assurance, construction monitoring and commissioning support.

The Ia Pech wind farms will generate and sell power to Vietnam Electricity for 20 years. Construction of the farms is scheduled to begin this year and commercial operation is estimated to start by the fourth quarter.

More details at www.bv.com.

-- BERNAMA

MAJORITY ASIA-PACIFIC RISK MANAGERS OPTIMISTIC ON 2021 PROFESSION’S OUTLOOK - REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) new report shows a majority of Asia-Pacific risk managers are optimistic about the profession’s outlook, with COVID-19 and economic uncertainty amplifying the need for strong organisational risk management.

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, Asia-Pacific risk managers reported the lowest percentage of bonuses or commissions among all surveyed regions, which included the Americas and EMEA, as well as the highest percentage of professionals earning less than US$100,000. (US$1 = RM4.15)

However, the report — comprising responses from over 800 APAC members of GARP’s risk community and 2,100 risk professionals overall — revealed that nearly 72 per cent of Asia-Pacific risk managers reported an increase in salary over the past year with 36 per cent saying they received pay raises of six per cent or more.

This compared with 29 per cent of their peers in EMEA and 21 per cent in the Americas. Furthermore, 18 per cent of APAC respondents indicated pay raises of anywhere from 11 per cent to more than 50 per cent.

In addition, 82 per cent of APAC respondents would recommend risk management as a profession. Of these, 49 per cent are ‘very likely’ to recommend it, exceeding responses of 43 per cent for those based in the Americas. Respondents from EMEA were the most likely to recommend risk management as a career (53 per cent).

According to a statement, a greater need for risk management has left some organisations understaffed. 

Throughout the pandemic, workloads either ‘increased significantly’ or ‘increased slightly’ for 71 per cent of all global respondents, with COVID-19, regulation, and new technology as the top factors driving this increase.

In addition, 54 per cent of global hiring managers reported feeling as if their risk department was insufficiently resourced for the demands being placed on it.

GARP is a non-partisan, not-for-profit membership organisation focused on elevating the practice of risk management.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDFLARE IS RECOGNIZED AS A 2021 GARTNER PEER INSIGHTS CUSTOMERS' CHOICE FOR WEB APPLICATION FIREWALLS

The Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice Distinction is based on feedback and ratings from end-user professionals who have experience purchasing, implementing, and/or using the product or service

SAN FRANCISCO, March 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, today announced that it has been named a Customers’ Choice in the March 2021 Gartner Peer Insights ‘Voice of the Customer’: Web Application Firewalls. Cloudflare had an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on 77 reviews as of 31^st January 2021, and was recognized as a Customers’ Choice in North America and Europe, Middle East & Africa. Of the customer reviews that Cloudflare received, 97% are willing to recommend Cloudflare.

“During 2020 we released more than 550 new products and related capabilities to meet the needs of our customers during a time when it was paramount to keep websites online and running fast,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “We believe it is this relentless pace of innovation that has led to Cloudflare being named a 2021 Customers’ Choice for Web Application Firewalls.”

Gartner defines Web Application Firewalls as solutions designed to protect web applications and APIs from a variety of attacks, including automated (bots), injection, and application-layer denial of service (DoS). Cloudflare’s WAF protects against malicious attacks aiming to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications and is continuously updated to provide comprehensive coverage against the most recent threats. Cloudflare’s WAF is also designed to secure any combination of platforms, including public cloud, private cloud, on-premise, SaaS applications, and IoT devices.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39698

'STRENGTHENING SOCIAL SOLIDARITY ECONOMY POLICY IN ASIA - CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP' OPENING

SEOUL, South Korea, March 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The ‘Strengthening Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) Policy in Asia - Capacity Building Workshop' is being held from March 29^th to 31^st, co-hosted by the International Labour Organization (ILO, Director-General Guy Ryder), Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL, Minister Lee Jae-Kap), Republic of Korea, and the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (KoSEA, President Kim-InSun).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210329005350/en/

 

This workshop is a part of the ‘Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy Policy in Asia’ Project conducted through a joint agreement on September 5, 2019 between the ILO and the MOEL.

ILO focused on the role and importance of decent job creation and SSE and signed a joint agreement with the MOEL, Korea. The project continues from 2019 to 2021, consists of mapping (comparative) studies of six Asian countries, an international academic conference, and capacity building workshop.

The program is for understanding the challenges of post-COVID-19 SSE by policy practices and cases in Asia particularly about the COVID-19, informal economy, and rural areas, boosting the stakeholder capacity and building a network.

The workshop involves 38 professionals including government insiders and social entrepreneurs from China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Korea.

Particularly, the workshop invites the policy stakeholders in the Philippines, where a national level of policy amendment is ongoing regarding the SSE. It is anticipated to be meaningful to develop the Asia SSE by sharing Korea's experiences.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39679

Stibo DX-Sophi.io partnership strengthening automation on CUE publishing platform

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 -- Stibo DX and Sophi.io are partnering to integrate Sophi, The Globe and Mail’s automation, prediction and optimisation tools, into Stibo DX’s publishing platform, CUE.

According to a statement, Sophi will be a native extension in CUE’s user interface.

“As a publisher with years of experience working with Stibo DX, The Globe and Mail understands the needs of both Stibo DX and its customers,” said The Globe and Mail Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Crawley.

“This new partnership between Stibo DX and Sophi builds on that understanding and offers easy to use, cutting-edge automation and predictive analytics to CUE’s many customers around the world, from media organisations to content-focused brands.”

Meanwhile, Stibo DX Chief Innovation Officer, Mark van de Kamp said: “As an open and extensible publishing platform, CUE is meant to be integrated with best-of-breed tools. Sophi will enable CUE users to make smarter content decisions based on real-time data and insights.”

Sophi.io is a suite of AI solutions, including Sophi Automation, which autonomously curates content to optimise webpages, and Sophi Analytics, which provides decision-making support to newsrooms and content publishers.

The Sophi team develops a custom Sophi Score in conjunction with every client to ensure that each piece of content properly reflects the value it contributes to the customer’s desired business outcomes, such as increasing conversions, loyalty and engagement.

All these capabilities will soon be available to Stibo DX’s global customer base as seamless, add-on extensions. 

Sophi.io was developed by The Globe and Mail to help content publishers make important strategic and tactical decisions. More details at https://www.sophi.io.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST AFFIRMS LIG CHINA'S CREDIT RATINGS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a-’ of LIG Insurance (China) Co Ltd (LIG China) China.

According to a statement, the outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect LIG China’s balance sheet strength, which the global credit rating agency assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

United States-headquartered AM Best assesses LIG China’s balance sheet strength at the very strong level, supported by its risk-adjusted capitalisation at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio.

LIG China has generated net profits consistently over the past five years, derived mainly from stable investment income generated by its conservative investment portfolio.

The company’s underwriting performance has been marginal, with a volatile loss ratio due to its small net earned premium base albeit partly offset by a low operating expense ratio thanks to its favourable reinsurance commission income.

Going forward, the company projects net profits for the next three years, and AM Best expects its investment performance to continue to be the major driver of the company’s overall earnings, although its underwriting results can be volatile across years.

As a foreign-owned insurer focusing on servicing Korean Interests Abroad business, LIG China intends to maintain a stable underwriting book over the short term consisting of commercial property, construction and engineering, cargo, liability and accident, and health lines of business.

-- BERNAMA

NIPPON EXPRESS USA COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION OF CHICAGO LOGISTICS CENTER

TOKYO, Mar. 24, 2021 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

Nippon Express USA, Inc. (hereinafter, "NEUSA"), a local subsidiary of Nippon Express Co., Ltd., has finished construction of the Chicago Logistics Center in Wood Dale, Illinois, and the company held a ceremony on Friday, March 5, to celebrate completion of the new facility.   Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202103192529-O3-FTAXODYc   Photo1: Exterior of new warehouse https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202103192529/_prw_PI1fl_8QUYP0pA.jpg     Photo2: Interior of new warehouse https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202103192529/_prw_PI2fl_L8pR8319.jpg     The environs of Chicago, Illinois, constitute a key logistics junction encompassing Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a gateway for air cargo in the U.S., as well as the Port of Chicago, a major collection center for ocean cargo containers. The automobile industry has built up a concentration of facilities in nearby states such as Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee and, with companies from various sectors of the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industry also setting up operations in this same area, warehouse demand is expected to rise.   The newly opened Wood Dale location will be capable of meeting the diverse needs of automotive-related customers, including incidental operations such as repacking and inspections as well as cross-docking. NEUSA is looking to pair this new location with another large-scale Nippon Express facility already operating near O'Hare International Airport to strengthen the logistics functions and expand the business of its most important hub in the Midwest.   Coinciding with the start date for operations, NEUSA's head office will be relocated from New York to the new facility with the intent of enhancing the speed and efficiency of operations by integrating head office, sales and operational functions into a single location and thereby improving Nippon Express' operations across the U.S.   NEUSA will be devoting particular efforts to upgrading its nationwide logistics functions to serve the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, positioned as priority industries in the Nippon Express Group's Corporate Strategy, and further contributing to its customers' business activities.   Description of business: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202103192529-O1-L96O21jR.pdf   Profile of new warehouse: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202103192529-O2-2vfsF62V.pdf   Nippon Express website: http://www.nipponexpress.com/   Official LinkedIn Account: NIPPON EXPRESS GROUP https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/     Source: Nippon Express Co., Ltd.   http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39639

HOW TO STRIKE A BALANCE WHEN WORKING FROM HOME (WFH)

 KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- I remember when I was in primary school, the teacher asked us to imagine and draw something about Wawasan 2020. We poured out our creative hearts by drawing robots, KLCC and of course flying cars all over the sky. Back then, we believed that in 20 years or more to come, the world would evolve like what we had creatively imagined.

Fast forward to 2019, nothing much has changed and in 2020-2021, it’s still a dream for us and even far apart from our imagination due to the global pandemic outbreak. It affected the world including Malaysia and changed the lifestyles of many such as no more outings without a mask, travel restrictions and working from home (WFH) has become a norm. One of the struggles that many people face when it comes to WFH is to juggle between work and house chores:
    
Tired of cooking

Preparing and cooking 3 meals per day especially for the entire family can become a chore after a while, especially the cleaning afterwards. Your kitchen is a mess now with tons of plate, oily floor and the most headache part is the food smell being trapped inside your house and sometimes it continues to linger even after you wake up the next morning. (sigh)

Pets fur everywhere

Pets like cats and dogs are cute but if you have a pet, you know how frustrating their drop of hair/ fur can be. You literally see the hair flying in the air or has firmly landed on the floor or attached to your furniture. And of course, you vacuum the fur everyday to ensure your family members are away from respiratory issues or allergies. It definitely drains your energy and you may feel extremely tired.

Getting rid of germs and bacteria

Due to the pandemic outbreak last year, no doubt that you are more aware and emphasise on the hygiene level at home. Especially parents are more alert to frequently sanitise things at home eg. door knobs, toys, remote controls etc to ensure your kids are protected from harmful germs and bacteria.

But sometimes it’s still unavoidable even after many rounds of cleaning and sanitising, tiny air pollutants which we could not see from our naked eyes may still enter from different entry points.

It is definitely not easy to juggle both your work and house chores daily. But, there is a way to reduce your burden. Initial InspireAir 72- air purifier that purifies and sanitises air up to 72m2  indoor space by eliminating 95% of air pollutants. It can be placed in your respective rooms to improve the indoor air quality for you and your family. It contains multilayer filters that remove harmful airborne particles down to 0.3 microns which include bacteria and pollen. Once the air purifier is set to run, it will start to clean and sanitise the air immediately and give a constant reading of the indoor air quality within the coverage vicinity.

Now, with good indoor air quality at home, it helps to protect you and your loved ones from harmful germs and bacteria while increasing productivity and performance at work and at the same time enjoy your leisure activities at peace. Be sure not to miss out the attractive deal for InspireAir 72. Head on to Initial Hygiene Malaysia now to find out more.

About Rentokil Initial Malaysia

Rentokil Initial is part of an international network of over 70 countries with 35,500 colleagues, more than 100 years of combined experience, and a great track record of providing reliable and trustworthy services to businesses globally.

Established in Malaysia for over 50 years, we are the experts delivering essential services in areas such as hygiene and pest control the foundation of businesses - so our customers can focus on what they do best. Rentokil Initial is characterised by efficient management that supports a national network across Malaysia. That means there's always a Rentokil Initial service technician nearby when a customer needs one - and that we have the range and depth of resources to provide consistent quality service to customers. This makes Rentokil Initial a trusted brand of many different customers ranging from residential, SMEs to large organisations.

For more information on our services, please contact:

Initial hygiene : 1800 880 388
initial.com.my

Rentokil pest control : 1300 886 911
rentokil.com.my 


SOURCE : Rentokil Initial Malaysia

ALPHAWAVE IP-ENSILICA PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND CAPABILITIES IN UK, EUROPE

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Alphawave IP, a leader in multi-standard connectivity IP solutions, has entered into a partnership agreement with EnSilica, to expand both companies’ capabilities in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe.

Under the agreement, the companies will work together to leverage Alphawave’s advanced connectivity solutions together with the broad capabilities of the EnSilica ASIC team, to service the needs of high-end customers.

“EnSilica is a market leading ASIC design house and we are excited to be working with them as a partner,” said Alphawave Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Tony Pialis, in a statement.

“This partnership will allow us to support a wider range of customers that need our high-end connectivity solutions and a trustworthy and recognised ASIC partner like EnSilica to deliver turnkey ASICs.”

Meanwhile, EnSilica Managing Director, Ian Lankshear said: “Alphawave has some of the best connectivity IP in the world which features in the most advanced technologies. We see tremendous opportunities to work with this compelling technology to service the needs of our high-end customer base.”

The announcement comes after an exciting 2020 for Alphawave, which was a record breaking year for the company in bookings, revenue, gross margin, and EBITDA.

 “This is just the beginning of our commitment to the UK and to Europe in 2021. It’s our privilege to work with a great British company like EnSilica in 2021 and beyond,” said Pialis.

-- BERNAMA

MORIA TOKEN LAUNCHED ON IDEX INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Moria Token (MOR), the world’s first ERC-20 compliant token sponsored by a US-based gold mine, announced its launch on the trading platform IDEX.io, one of the world’s most advanced de-centralised cryptocurrency exchanges. 

According to a statement, members of the international community who register as IDEX customers can now trade Moria Token (MOR) on the IDEX international exchange.

“We’ve been very impressed with IDEX’s customer support, platform ease of use, their forward-looking innovation, and growth potential. We believe this will provide an avenue to liquidity for our international investors,” said GS Mining Company chief executive officer, Deborah King.

The Moria Token (Moria) symbol MOR, representing an interest in certain royalties generated from each of the Bates Hunter Mine, the Clay County Mine, the Becker Bates, the Gregory-Bates, the Black Eagle Mill, and the Golden Gilpin Mill in Colorado and any additional mines or mills purchased or developed by GS Mining Company LLC.

Moria is the world’s only royalty paying token based on production revenue by a mining company operating a gold mine in the United States, offering holders the opportunity to gain from the trading value of the Tokens themselves, as well as in royalties generated from the gold mining revenue.

Each Moria Token (MOR) is entitled to its pro-rata share of royalty payments equal to the greater of 10 per cent of annual gross revenues generated by the Company, or a minimum of US$0.20 per token annually. (US$1 = RM4.113)

More details at https://gsminingcompany.com/moria-token.

-- BERNAMA

TELEDYNE CARIS RELEASES COMPLETE WORKFLOW SOFTWARE FEATURING CARIS COLLECT

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Teledyne CARIS, marine mapping software developer, has announced the release of Onboard360 featuring CARIS Collect.

According to a statement, the newly-released software delivers a seamless flow of data into the Ping-to-Chart™ workflow.

When combined with the Onboard360 Process module, logged data is imported and processed automatically, allowing near real-time and remote quality monitoring of in-progress surveys.

The CARIS Collect module provides simple and effective data collection for the most common sonar and lidar systems in the market.

It was designed with an intuitive user experience for ease of integration and simple user adaptation, minimising the effort required to implement new software.

Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Andy Hoggarth was pleased to offer customers the ability to collect with confidence using CARIS Onboard360.

“Our Ping-to-Chart solution is now complete with the inclusion of the simplest acquisition software available for hydrographic survey operations whilst providing significant reductions in ship to shore turnaround times.”

Available as a perpetual or SaaS annual licence, Teledyne CARIS has made Onboard360 the most cost-effective acquisition software package on the market.

-- BERNAMA

TOSHIBA RELEASES LENS REDUCTION TYPE CCD LINEAR IMAGE SENSOR

Toshiba: TCD2726DG, a lens reduction type CCD linear image sensor that achieves high-speed scanning for A3 multifunction printers. (Graphic: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has launched ‘TCD2726DG’, a lens reduction type CCD linear image sensor that achieves high-speed scanning for A3 multifunction printers.

According to a statement, TCD2726DG meets the demand by improving performance with a faster operating clock rate: a 100MHz (50MHz x 2ch) data rate, against the 70MHz (35MHz x 2ch) data rate of Toshiba’s current sensor.

To prevent increased electromagnetic interference (EMI), a negative side effect of a faster clock rate, the new sensor incorporates a timing generator circuit and has a lower CCD driver pin count.

This reduces EMI and timing-adjustment work for customers, and the number of peripheral parts, contributing to easier system development.

The sensor can also be used in A3 multifunction printers and automated optical inspection equipment.

Shipments of engineering samples have begun. The samples are for functional evaluation. Their specifications may differ from those for mass production.

-- BERNAMA

DR MONICA GOSTISSA JOINS TACONIC BIOSCIENCES’ SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Bernama) -- Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, announced Monica Gostissa, PhD, has joined its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

According to a statement, she joins existing board members: Frank Sistare, PhD; Andrew Goodman, PhD; David Hill, PhD; and Robert Rosenthal, PhD.

The SAB collaborates with Taconic management, providing scientific insight and guidance to expand the company’s product and service portfolio.

Taconic Biosciences chief executive officer, Nancy J. Sandy said: “We welcome Dr Gostissa to our team. She will provide valuable expertise and direction as Taconic continues developing the best animal model solutions to inform human clinical outcomes.”

Dr Gostissa's extensive career in the immunology and immuno-oncology fields brings new expertise to the board and complements Taconic’s leadership in these research areas.

The SAB members’ expertise in microbiome, oncology, neurobiology, and toxicology spaces mirror Taconic’s focus on innovation in these research areas.

Dr Gostissa is the Senior Director of In vivo and Ex vivo Sciences at Jounce Therapeutics, where she leads a multidisciplinary team with capabilities spanning in vivo pharmacology, ex-vivo 3D model development, and histopathology.

During her 20-year career in basic research, Dr Gostissa obtained extensive expertise in developing and interrogating complex mouse models of hematological and solid malignancies.

She obtained her PhD in molecular genetics from the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy, and completed post-doctoral studies at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

-- BERNAMA

SCANDINAVIA HEADS GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM RANKING

KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 (Bernama) -- Scandinavia is leading by example in its engagement and progress towards sustainable travel, with Sweden ranked first, followed by Finland, Austria, Estonia and Norway. 

This is according to a new report, ‘Top Countries for Sustainable Tourism’, released by global market research company, Euromonitor International.

These findings extracted from the new Sustainable Travel Index, developed by the company, assess 99 country destinations through the lens of environmental, social and economic sustainability, country risk as well as sustainable tourism demand, transport and lodging.

“Sweden is a pioneer in lifecycle assessment research which is critical to understand the full impact of consumer behaviour and consumption patterns,” said Euromonitor International head of travel, Caroline Bremner in a statement.

The country is highly engaged with the Sustainable Development Goals and preserves the Arctic ice and permafrost to help stop climate change, aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2045.

Other countries also show good progress in sustainable transport and lodging. Just outside the top 20 – featuring other European countries for the most part, such as Germany and France – there are New Zealand, Bolivia and Canada.

The report also revealed that global consumers (66.4 per cent) want to have a positive impact on the environment through their daily actions in 2021. Download the report at https://bit.ly/38369oW 

-- BERNAMA

ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS®

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- The Stevie Awards have opened entries for The 18th Annual International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards competition, attracting nominations from organisations in over 60 nations and territories each year.

According to a statement, all individuals and organisations worldwide - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit nominations to The International Business Awards.

The early-bird entry deadline, with reduced entry fees, is on April 13, while the final entry deadline is on May 12. Late entries will be accepted through June 16, with payment of a late fee.

Juries featuring more than 150 executives worldwide will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be announced on Aug 12, and celebrated at a gala banquet in Paris, France on Oct 23, conditions permitting.

The awards recognise achievement in every facet of the workplace with categories including Management Awards, COVID-19 Response Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Company of the Year Awards, Customer Service Awards and Human Resources Awards.

The International Business Awards for 2021 has many new and revised features including seven new marketing campaign/programme categories; four new communications/public relations categories; three new website categories; and, 13 new product and service categories.

Nominations that won Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Awards in The 2020 International Business Awards® may be nominated again in the 2021 IBAs, as long as they are submitted to categories different from those in which they won in 2020.

Entry details are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

-- BERNAMA

SEA ELECTRIC US$42 MILLION EQUITY FINANCING STRENGTHENS MARKET LEADER POSITION

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- Global automotive technology company, SEA Electric Holdings Pty Ltd (SEA Electric) has closed initial private placement equity financing for total gross proceeds of approximately US$42 million. (US$1 = RM4.115) 

According to a statement, the net proceeds will allow SEA Electric to solidify its position as a market leader in the electrification of commercial vehicles whilst funding its considerable backlog and facilitating more pilot programmes with operators.

With a global headquarters and key leadership in Los Angeles, SEA Electric currently has operations in five countries and over one million miles of independent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) testing and in-service operation in all markets.

SEA Electric currently partners with commercial vehicle OEM’s, dealers, operators and upfitters to deliver a new range of zero-emissions trucks and is on schedule to deliver more than 1,000 electric commercial vehicles this year.

The company forecast is to have more than 15,000 vehicles on the road by 2023-end.

“2021 will see a paradigm shift in the way developed markets facilitate uptake of commercial electric vehicles and the unstoppable momentum will build year-after-year,” said President and Founder, Tony Fairweather.

Working closely with its shareholders, investors and partners, exclusive financial adviser Eight Capital and international law firm Vinson and Elkins on this financing round, Fairweather confirms the company will also be exploring options to seek a public listing in the United States this year.

Pursuant to the Financing, SEA Electric issued approximately 1.1 million Series A Preferred Shares at a price of US$40.1995 per share.

-- BERNAMA

NIPPON EXPRESS (MALAYSIA) OBTAINS GDP CERTIFICATION FOR DOMESTIC TRANSPORT SERVICES

TOKYO, Mar. 9, 2021 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

Nippon Express (Malaysia) Sdn, Bhd. (hereinafter, "NE Malaysia"), a local subsidiary of Nippon Express Co., Ltd. based in Tokyo, has obtained Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification effective Thursday, January 14, 2021 for its Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Branch, evidencing its compliance with standards for the proper distribution of pharmaceuticals while providing transport in Malaysia.   Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202103031782-O2-TB8U8CcK   Exterior view of NE Malaysia's KLIA Branch: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202103031782/_prw_PI1fl_Vokdye6L.jpg     Rising wages and living standards have made Malaysia's population increasingly health-conscious in recent years, and pharmaceutical manufacturing is a new growth sector that the country's government is seeking to expand and develop. The Malaysian government is also seeking to make JAKIM* halal certification of pharmaceuticals a global standard, and higher demand for halal pharmaceutical logistics in Muslim markets is anticipated.   NE Malaysia has already been contracted to provide hospitals in Malaysia with pharmaceutical distribution services and, with its Klang Logistics Center and Kuala Lumpur International Airport Branch having demonstrated their conformity to quality standards for medical device logistics by obtaining GDPMD certification, the company has been boosting its handling of medical devices.   Such approaches are enabling Nippon Express to meet growing customer demand for safe and secure logistics services for halal-certified pharmaceuticals, and thereby to contribute to the development of Muslim societies.   Nippon Express will continue enhancing its services to satisfy ever more sophisticated and diverse pharmaceutical transport needs and stepping up its efforts on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, positioned as a priority industry in the Nippon Express Group's Business Plan. The company will also endeavor to provide high-quality transport services that take full advantage of collaboration with the Group's extensive global network.   *JAKIM: Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, a halal certifying body within the Malaysian government   - Profile of facility Name: Nippon Express (Malaysia) Sdn, Bhd. KLIA Branch Address: Lots A-10 & 11, Malaysia Airlines Freight Forwarder Complex KLIA Free Commercial Zone, Southern Zone Kuala Lumpur International Airport 64000 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia   Nippon Express website: http://www.nipponexpress.com/   Official LinkedIn Account: NIPPON EXPRESS GROUP https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/     Source: Nippon Express Co., Ltd.  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39514

NIELSENIQ RUNS AS INDEPENDENT COMPANY, STRENGTHENS MARKET-LEADING POSITION

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- NielsenIQ has begun its next chapter as an independent company with the closing of its acquisition by Advent International in partnership with incoming Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, James ‘Jim’ Peck.

According to a statement, as a stand-alone business, NielsenIQ is better positioned to accelerate its transformation and strengthen market-leading position.

To move forward as a definitive leader in the FMCG industry and usher in a new era of technological advancements and innovation, three new leaders will join NielsenIQ, namely Mohit Kapoor, Steve Matthesen, and Curt Miller.

As Chief Technology Officer, Kapoor will oversee all aspects of technology while Chief Strategy Officer, Matthesen will help develop and execute the corporate strategy and other key initiatives. Miller, who joins as Chief Transformation Officer will drive organisational alignment that supports NielsenIQ’s growth strategy.

“NielsenIQ has a unique opportunity to become a nimble partner with the flexibility to increase strategic investments and innovation in the future,” said Peck.

“Our independence underscores our commitment to a turnaround plan that will enable us to better support our customers and partners, and deliver maximum value while adapting to changing market and customer dynamics.”

As a trusted partner with intimate knowledge of the FMCG and retail industries, NielsenIQ has the opportunity to make tough decisions, adapt to client needs and deliver innovative solutions that truly meet customer needs.

More details at www.nielseniq.com.

-- BERNAMA

TOKUSHIMA PREF. PRODUCES ENGLISH BOOKLET ON INITIATIVES FOR CONSUMER ADMINISTRATION AND CONSUMER EDUCATION

 TOKUSHIMA, Japan, Mar. 10, 2021 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

-Introducing Examples of Initiatives for Consumer Administration/Education and Seeking International Exchanges-   The Tokushima Prefectural Government released an English booklet on March 5, 2021, to seek and promote two-way international exchanges. This is part of efforts to widely disseminate to the world the achievements of the initiatives taken by the Consumer Affairs Agency's Strategic Headquarters for Frontiers of Consumer Policy and Tokushima Prefecture, and promote international information exchanges and coordination on consumer policies in the digital age.   Consumer Policy and Education Initiatives in Tokushima Prefecture (available in English) https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106438/202102161076/_prw_PA1fl_W6V0oVL9.pdf     Photo1: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106438/202102161076/_prw_PI3fl_h0nuYU59.jpg     The Tokushima Prefectural Government has been carrying out innovative projects together with the Consumer Affairs Agency while helping to promote the central government's efforts to relocate government-affiliated organizations outside Tokyo. The Strategic Headquarters for Frontiers of Consumer Policy, complete with the functions and scale suitable to develop and create consumer policies, opened in Tokushima in July 2020 as Japan's first permanent stronghold outside Tokyo with state agency functions. In addition, the "International Consumer Policy Research Center (ICPRC)" was established as a new stronghold for international consumer policy research.   The Tokushima Prefectural Government is seeking partners to promote exchanges with administrative bodies, universities and other entities which are interested in consumer policies and consumer education undertaken by Tokushima Prefecture and Japan as a whole. How about having online meetings as a starter? Details are available in the booklet.   Tokushima International Consumer's Forum 2020 https://www.pref.tokushima.lg.jp/world.consumer.forum   Highly valuable opinions, offered by leading ethical consumer movement leaders and experts in the world and Japan, for "realizing a sustainable society" are available for on-demand viewing.   Tourism information on Tokushima Prefecture (available in English, Chinese, and South Korean) https://discovertokushima.net/en/   Photo2: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106438/202102161076/_prw_PI1fl_MOK85J2s.jpg     Photo3: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106438/202102161076/_prw_PI2fl_aNjgF1E5.jpg     Source: Tokushima Prefectural Government  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39523

PHILIPPINES' DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) ISSUES AG&P NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR THE PHILIPPINES LNG (PLNG) IMPORT TERMINAL IN BATANGAS BAY

Planned to be the first commissioned LNG terminal in the Philippines, PLNG will offer power plants, industry and consumers access to safe, clean and competitive fuel

MANILA, Philippines, March 8 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila, Inc. (AG&P) has been issued the Notice to Proceed (NTP) by the Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) for the development of its LNG import and regasification terminal in Batangas Bay on the main island of Luzon, called the Philippines LNG (PLNG). PLNG will store LNG and dispatch natural gas to power plant, industrial and commercial customers and other consumers, opening up for the country a new era of clean, efficient fuel and doing its part for the Philippines to compete for and win investment and jobs in the years to come.

PLNG will have the initial capacity to deliver up to 3.0 MTPA of regasified LNG, with additional capacity for liquid distribution. On day one, PLNG will have scalable onshore regasification capacity of 420mmscfd and almost 200,000cbm of storage that will ensure high availability and reliability of natural gas for its customers. AG&P has already completed its pre-development work for PLNG, which is expected to be commissioned by summer 2022.

“We are excited about this critical step in bringing AG&P’s Philippines LNG Import Terminal online. AG&P is working very hard to bring this safe, environmentally-friendly, competitive fuel to our customers by the summer of 2022 and hope that the wide availability of natural gas will spur manufacturing and jobs in the Philippines while we all enjoy healthier air. We salute the Philippines’ DOE for its professionalism and hard work in evaluating our proposal and granting AG&P the Notice to Proceed. We are aligned with the DOE’s forward-looking vision for clean energy and look forward to supporting it every day. I would also like to recognize the hard-working engineers in our Korean subsidiary, Gas Entec, which has brought its world-leading technology to PLNG,” said Mr. Karthik Sathyamoorthy, President of LNG Terminals & Logistics, AG&P.

The DOE approved AG&P’s NTP application in line with its commitment to make the Philippines a regional LNG hub in Southeast Asia. As an initial step, PLNG will serve to kick-start the country’s LNG importation and regasification ability, delivering gas to secure the current and future energy demand of the region.

“The Philippines LNG Terminal is a landmark development for the country that will accelerate industrialization, create jobs, lower pollution and trigger overall economic and social progress. It will directly and indirectly improve the quality of life for many thousands of Filipinos,” added Mr. Sathyamoorthy.

About AG&P

Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) is a global leader in developing and running LNG and gas logistics and distribution solutions. AG&P delivers LNG and gas to a variety of end-customers. We act as an owner and as a service provider covering engineering, project management and construction for onshore and offshore gas infrastructure, linking suppliers to downstream customers. AG&P is part-owned by Osaka Gas and JBIC of Japan.

www.agpglobal.com

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39498

FMG INSURANCE LIMITED CREDIT RATINGS AFFIRMED EXCELLENT - AM BEST

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a’ of FMG Insurance Limited (FMGIL) New Zealand. 

According to a statement, the outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect FMGIL’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

In addition, the ratings factor in a neutral holding company impact from the company’s 100 per cent ownership by Farmers’ Mutual Group (FMG).

FMGIL’s balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, which AM Best expects to remain at the strongest level over the medium term.

The global credit rating agency, AM Best views the company’s investment portfolio as having moderate risk with a focus on cash and high-quality fixed income securities, albeit with some exposure to equities.

AM Best assesses FMGIL’s operating performance as adequate. The company has generated a five-year average return-on-equity ratio of 3.8 per cent (fiscal-years 2016-2020). Operating results over this period were largely driven by robust investment returns.

FMGIL continues to exhibit a strong direct distribution business model, aided by its close relationships with customers and its ownership by FMG, which has a long history and strong brand recognition in New Zealand’s rural sector.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

TELEDYNE IMAGING BRINGS ITS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES TO VISION CHINA 2021

 Live demos highlighting new AI and deep learning solutions at the booth

SHANGHAI, China, March 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teledyne Imaging will exhibit at the upcoming Vision China (Shanghai), in Hall W1, W1-1800, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from March 17-19.

Visitors to the combined Teledyne Imaging booth can expect to see a broad range of leading-edge line and area scan sensors, frame grabbers, vision systems, software, and smart cameras targeted at vision inspection, logistics, robotics and packaging applications. Here are the highlights:

1.   Line Scan Cameras & Embedded Vision

• The industry’s first Multifield™ CMOS TDI camera, Teledyne DALSA’s award-winning Linea HS captures brightfield, darkfield, and backlit images at once in a single scan. When combined with the Xtium™2 CLHS high-performance frame grabbers, these models achieve unmatched data throughput.
• Linea Lite is the newest addition to the Linea family, the Linea Lite brings high performance in a small package.
• Featured “live demo” of the Z-Trak 3D scanners that support up to 16 3D sensors, help remove occlusion and deliver real-time height measurement using laser triangulation and robust In-line measurement.
• Sherlock8 - next generation vision application software with support for 1D, 2D, 3D and thermal cameras. Includes support for “rules based” and “learning based” AI deep learning vision tools, parallel processing, factory protocols and custom user interfaces.
• VICORE – New Generation Smart Camera system supports up to 25M. The VICORE system has integrated software, I/O, PLC support and can handle traditional 2D and 3D, as well as infrared inspections.
• BOA Spot-XL – New Smart sensor is easy to use and contains all vision functionalities from gauging, flaw detection and robotic guidance to product identification (1D/2D/OCR).

2.   Smart Sensors

• Teledyne e2v’s Emerald™ 67M image sensor achieves ultra-high resolution for electronics inspection, high-end surveillance and aerial imaging. Its 8K square resolution combined with its high frame rate enables increased throughput and improved detection ratio.
• The new high resolution Hydra3D™ Time-of-Flight CMOS image is tailored for 3D detection and distance measurement. It features a 10 µm three-tap cutting-edge pixel and supports the latest industrial applications, including vision guided robotics, logistics and automated guided vehicles.

3.   sCMOS cameras

• Teledyne Photometrics features its latest back-illuminated sCMOS cameras Prime BSI Express and Kinetix. Both achieve 95% quantum efficiency, low read noise and extremely high speed (95 fps for Prime BSI Express and 500fps for Kinetix, full frame).
• Prime BSI Express camera’s small form factor and USB interface make it fit into the broadest range of configurations. 
• Kinetix camera’s 10-megapixel sensor provides a 29.4 mm field of view, opening up possibilities for new discoveries.

4.   Area scan cameras

• Teledyne’s first CXP camera, designed for performance and built on Genie Nano's proven, industry-leading reputation.
• Teledyne Lumenera’s new Lt Series Cameras provides high performance USB3 models, from 2 to 20 Mpixels, in both board level and enclosed versions.

Subject matter experts will be on hand to discuss planned product development and advanced, enabling technology for your vision challenges.

Media Note: For interview requests, please email yuki.chan@teledyne.com or visit our booth in Hall W1, W1-1800 during the show.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39478