Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • President Jokowi leaves for Boyolali to commemorate World Food Day

    President Jokowi leaves for Boyolali to commemorate World Food Day

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana left for Boyolali District, Central Java Province, to attend a function commemorating World Food Day.

    They left by the presidential plane Indonesia-1 from Halim Perdana Kusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, at 7:50 a.m. local time.

    They would first join a paddy grand harvesting activity in Banyudono Sub-district Boyolali, and later visit a Technological Innovation Expo.

    At noon, the 36th anniversary of World Food Day was scheduled to be held at the Boyolali square.

    Boyolali is known as a region which has successfully implemented the food production diversification program. The district produces among other things Tongkol 2 Prolific hybrid maize and Jajar Legowo-type paddy.

    Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo and Head of the Presidential Staff Teten Masduki joined the presidential entourage.

    FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the Organization in 1945.

    Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the United Nations (UN) calendar.

    These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.

    One of the biggest issues related to climate change is food security. The worlds poorest – many of whom are farmers, fishers and pastoralists – are being hit hardest by higher temperatures and an increasing frequency in weather-related disasters.

    At the same time, the global population is growing steadily and is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050.

    To meet such a heavy demand, agriculture and food systems will need to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and become more resilient, productive and sustainable. This is the only way that we can ensure the wellbeing of ecosystems and rural populations and reduce emissions.

    Growing food in a sustainable way means adopting practices that produce more with less in the same area of land and use natural resources wisely. It also means reducing food losses before the final product or retail stage through a number of initiatives including better harvesting, storage, packing, transport, infrastructure, market mechanisms, as well as institutional and legal frameworks.

    This is why FAOs global message for World Food Day 2016 is “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.”

    It resonates with the crucial time in which the day will be observed, just before the next UN Climate Change Conference, COP 22, from November 7 to 18, 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco.

    FAO is calling on countries to address food and agriculture in their climate action plans and invest more in rural development.

    By strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers, we can guarantee food security for the planets increasingly hungry global population and also reduce emissions.

  • This is how much the new MacBook Pro will cost in Singapore

    This is how much the new MacBook Pro will cost in Singapore

    The hotly-anticipated Touch Bar Mac machines are here and they are packed with shiny upgrades. Apple has launched two new models that are thinner and lighter than ever – a 13-inch MacBook Pro (14.9mm) and a 15-inch MacBook Pro (15.5mm).

    The key features on the refreshed MacBook Pros include a context-sensitive, customisable Touch Bar that replaces the physical function key strip, giving fast access to popular commands, quick actions and your commonly-used apps and programs

    Touch ID makes its debut on the laptop, allowing you to authorise payments, switch accounts and say goodbye to typing in long passwords.

    Apple has also pumped up the battery life to 10 hours and simplified the machine’s exterior, trimming down various ports on the chassis, relying primarily on four Thunderbolt 3 ports for connectivity and power. But do not worry, the headphone jack is still there.

    The laptops are scheduled to ship in 2-3 weeks and you can order them now at the Apple Store.

    The 13-inch, 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID costs S$2,588, while the 15-inch, 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 MacBook Pro costs S$3,948. Both machines are available in Space Grey and Silver.

  • Ride-hailing app Grab brings GrabBike services to Bali

    Ride-hailing app Grab brings GrabBike services to Bali

    Watch out Gojek, competitor GrabBike has come to Bali. Ride-hailing app Grab has announced that it launched both GrabBike and GrabExpress services in Bali, as of Oct. 22. 

    Like Gojek, GrabBike allows you to order motorbike taxis, while GrabExpress is Grab’s courier service. Also in common with Gojek, the app’s drivers use black and green colors.

    Similar to Uber, the app has provided its GrabCar driver services in some time in Bali (they launched in 2015)—to the frustration of competing taxi and other drivers operating on the island. 

    As with GrabCar, the GrabBike and GrabExpress options will be most available in Badung and Denpasar. 

    Grab started in Malaysia but has quickly spread throughout the region, with notable success in Jakarta, its first Indonesian city. 

    “Bali is dominant in growth and tourism potential, so we saw an opportunity to improve the quality of daily trips in Denpasar and Badung. The launching of two-wheel services in Bali will complement GrabCar, which previously launched in 2015.

  • Bank of Ayudhya Wins Global Business Outlook 2016 Awards

    Bank of Ayudhya Wins Global Business Outlook 2016 Awards

    Global Business Outlook (GBO), a business publication based out of London, has conferred the 2016 awards for ‘Best Commercial Bank’ and ‘Best Retail Bank’ in Thailand to Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri).

    Krungsri was established in 1945, and its ordinary shares were listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1977. The bank is currently the fifth largest in Thailand in terms of loans and deposits. Krungsri provides a comprehensive range of banking, consumer finance, investment, asset management, and other financial products and services to individual consumers, SMEs, and large corporations through 681 branches and over 28,000 service outlets nationwide. Also Krungsri Group is the largest card issuer in Thailand with 7.8 million credit cards, sales finance, and personal loan accounts in its portfolio.

    Noriaki Goto, Krungsri President and Chief Executive Officer, upon receiving the awards said: “Krungsri is honoured with the Best Retail Bank Thailand and the Best Commercial Bank Thailand for 2016 awards. They are testimony to the strength of both our retail and commercial banking businesses and the fruit of our people’s passion to deliver excellent financial products and services to our valued customers. We are proud that these efforts are recognised by such a large base of professional organizations. Driven by our customer centricity strategy, we anticipate customers’ demands and serve them through innovation and technology. Krungsri remains committed to investing for the future and delivering innovative financial products and services for both retail and corporate segments.”

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  • UPS Orders 14x 747

    UPS Orders 14x 747

    “These aircraft are a strategic investment for increased capacity for UPS customers around the globe,” said Brendan Canavan, president of UPS Airlines. “The 747-8 will allow UPS to upsize our network in both new and existing markets.”

    The aircraft will be delivered between 2017 and 2020. Each 747-8F offers 16 percent more cargo capacity than the 747-400F and can carry approximately 137 tonnes. Pilots of the carrier’s 747-400F fleet will be able to fly the -8F after a short training course.

    “We benefit from the youngest fleet in the industry and we are continuously investing for both operating safety and efficiency,” said Brendan Canavan, UPS Airlines president. “This investment supports our customers’ future capacity needs while also reducing fuel use and emissions, which enhances UPS Airlines’ position as an industry leader in sustainability.”

    Boeing lowered the production rate of the 747-8 programme to 0.5 per month because of reduced demand. Russia’s Volga-Dnepr Group finalized the acquisition terms for 20 747-8Fs at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2016, including four that had already been delivered.

    Apart from the new UPS order, the only -8Fs left to be delivered are two for AirBridgeCargo, one for Korean Air Cargo, two for Nippon Cargo Airlines and one for Silk Way Airlines.

    “UPS could not have selected a better aircraft to meet its growing business needs,” said Brad McMullen, vice president of sales for North America and leasing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We’ve continued to make the 747-8 Freighter even better, and we look forward to seeing UPS introduce it to its fleet.”

    UPS operates a fleet of 236 aircraft, consisting of Airbus A300-600Fs, 747-400Fs, 757-200Fs, 767-300ERFs and MD-11Fs, as well as 305 other aircraft that are chartered or on short-term lease.

  • Apple will open another R&D center in Japan

    Apple will open another R&D center in Japan

    Apple is on a research & development spree! The company has announced a bunch of new R&D centers over the past few months, and R&D spendings have skyrocketed. This time, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company plans to open a new center in Japan during a visit in Tokyo.

    This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about a new R&D center in Japan. Previous reports have indicated that Apple was building a new R&D center for 2016 or 2017.

    Cook met with Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe to discuss all things Apple and Japan. Later at a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reported that Apple would complete its R&D center in December.

    So what is this R&D center anyway? Located in Yokohama, the building used to be a Panasonic factory. Apple has taken over the building and transformed it into an R&D center.

    This way, Apple can more easily hire talented Japanese engineers. It’s unclear what the Japanese team is going to work on.

    Overall, in addition to existing R&D centers, Apple will soon have R&D centers in Shenzhen, Israel, the U.K., France, Japan and Sweden. Maybe it’s time to rethink Apple’s tagline on all of its products — “designed by Apple in Cupertino and many other countries.”

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  • BMW recalling 154,472 vehicles over fuel pumps

    BMW recalling 154,472 vehicles over fuel pumps

    BMW is recalling 154,472 vehicles registered in the United States and Canada for a fuel pump problem that could cause stalling, according to a filing with U.S. safety regulators and BMW.

    BMW told regulators that no injuries have been reported. Since 2014, the German-based company has conducted safety recall campaigns in China, Japan and South Korea for the same issue, according to a filing posted on Friday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    Of the vehicles recalled in North America, 88 percent are registered in the United States.

    BMW is recalling certain vehicles in the United States and Canada for model years 2007-2012. Among them in the United States are the X5 3.0si, X5 4.8i, X5 M, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive50i, 2008-2011 X6 x Drive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, according to the filing.

    Also the 535i xDrive Gran Turismo, 535i Gran Turismo, 550i xDrive Gran Turismo and 550i Gran Turismo, 2011-2012 528i, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i and 550i xDrive and 2012 535i ActiveHybrid, 640i Convertible, 650i Convertible, 650i xDrive Convertible, 650i Coupe and 650i Coupe xDrive vehicles.

    BMW will notify owners and dealers to replace a fuel pump module free of charge beginning in early December. BMW owners can call BMW customer service for details.

  • Sunil Bharti Mittal named GSMA chairman

    Sunil Bharti Mittal named GSMA chairman

    Sunil Bharti Mittal (pictured), founder and chairman of India’s Bharti Enterprises, has been named as GSMA chairman from January 2017 to December 2018.

    Mittal, the first Indian to be elected as chair of GSMA, will oversee the strategic direction of the organization, which represents nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem.

    Mittal will succeed Jon Fredrik Baksaas, who will step down from the board at the end of 2016, after holding this position for the past three years. He was elected as a member of the GSMA board in 2008.

    “I am delighted to be elected as chairman of the GSMA, and look forward to working closely with the rest of the board, the GSMA leadership team and our entire membership to address the critical issues facing our industry and our customers,” said Mittal.

    “I am excited about what the next chapter holds for us, as we work to connect everyone and everything to a better future. In my new global role, I am also excited to support the ongoing mobile broadband revolution in India to boost the Government’s Digital India Program and its vision of broadband access for all.”

    The GSMA has also elected the new members of the board and re-elected Mari-Noëlle Jego-Laveissiere, executive vice president, Innovation, Orange Group as a deputy chair for a two-year period.

     

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  • Asia to account for 50% of Prada sales

    Asia to account for 50% of Prada sales

    Prada expects that its sales in Asia will account for half of its total sales within one year, while sales in China will be 3 times of current sales in the next 2-3 years.

    Deputy Chairman Carlo Mazzi said, “Currently 40 percent of our business comes from Asia, it will rise to 50 percent in the coming year, and I do not think China’s economy will be much affected by the current European economic crisis.”

    Prada Brand completed its listing at Hong Kong stock market in June 2011. It also held its spring and summer fashion show in January, 2011 in Beijing.

    The brand announced that its sales for the first six months of 2011 rose 38 percent year on year to €223 million.

    In addition to Prada Brand, other global fashion brands, such as Burberry, Christian Dior, Rebecca Minkoff are also keenly eyeing the Chinese market.

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  • Citizen Watch signs Takeshi Kaneshiro for new campaign

    Citizen Watch signs Takeshi Kaneshiro for new campaign

    The summer of 2010 sees Citizen Watch (China) Co., Ltd., and Citizen Watches (H.K.) Ltd. revamping their brand image based on the fitting theme “Innovation, Powered by Willpower”. One of Asia’s top international actors, Takeshi Kaneshiro has officially been signed as the new brand ambassador to launch Citizen’s largest campaign in the history in China and the Asian region.

    In the world of wrist watches, Citizen has always been in the forefront in the deliverance of innovative functionalities. Eco-Drive, Radio-Controlled, and Titanium watches are just some of innovations by Citizen that revolutionised the world of wrist watches. And now with Takeshi Kaneshiro – who personifies sophistication, intelligence and inventiveness – fronting the new “Innovation, Powered by Willpower” themed campaign, Citizen will be embracing its vision to “extend the experience of the world embodied by the Citizen brand to individuals with innovative visions, who aspire to be innovative, and who are always one step ahead of the others”.

    Born on October 11th 1973 in Taiwan of mixed Japanese and Taiwanese parentage, Takeshi Kaneshiro has spread himself between cinema, dramas, and commercials. Some of Kaneshiro’s notable works include: the box-office hit Red Cliff (2008, 2009), K-20 Kaijin Nijumenso Den (2009), The Warlords (2008).

    The shooting of Takeshi Kaneshiro for Citizen’s new campaign was commissioned to world-famous photographer, Kaoru Ijima, who successfully captured Kaneshiro’s steely willpower and sophisticated aura in the advertisements that will resonate with consumers everywhere. Thus, through the astute collaboration between Kaneshiro and Ijima, was born a new innovative campaign visual for Citizen that will reinforce its image as the “ Symbol of Innovative Thinking “.

    True to its brand DNA, Citizen’s new range of Eco-Drive Super Titanium watches – to be launched in Malaysia in Sept 2010 – promises to be highly innovative, with eco-friendly features and sophisticated designs.

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  • Amazon bans most ‘incentivized’ reviews

    Amazon.com is prohibiting most reviews made in exchange for free or discounted products, part of a wider campaign to bolster consumer confidence in its rating system.

    Sellers and brand owners have long used these so-called “incentivized” reviews as a way to get word out on their products, and until now they had been tolerated by Amazon as long as they were disclosed as such.

    But in a post on the Amazon site Monday, Chee Chew, Amazon’s vice president of customer experience, wrote that the practice will no longer be tolerated, unless done through the Amazon Vine program.

    That’s a program in which Amazon, not the third-party merchant of a product, chooses the reviewer. Amazon says it doesn’t reward positive star ratings, nor attempt to influence the review’s content in any way.

    Books are also an exception, with merchants and publishers still allowed to send out advance copies of books.

    The move highlights how customer reviews have become a major currency on Amazon’s site, as they are a big guide in purchasing decisions — and how the company endeavors to ensure these reviews remain trustworthy.

    The company in the past year has applied a new algorithm that gives preference to “newer, more helpful” reviews. It has also sued more than 1,000 parties for allegedly offering fake reviews for sale, and last June for the first time filed arbitration claims against merchants it accuses of paying for favorable opinions of their products.

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  • Deutsche Bank woes may lead to job cuts in Singapore

    Deutsche Bank woes may lead to job cuts in Singapore

    The problems at Germany’s largest lender, Deutsche Bank, which has seen its share price tumble to record lows on concerns of a looming US$14 billion (S$19 billion) fine by US authorities, could raise questions over the fate of some of its 2,100-strong workforce in Singapore, analysts said on Monday (Oct 3).

    “For the German bank, the impact of negative interest rates and slower growth have affected profitability. As for the impact here in Singapore… we might find a possibility of the bank reducing headcount,” said CIMB Private Banking economist Song Seng Wun.

    “The knock-on impact on Singapore would be pressure on the labour market in the finance sector. The tough labour market within finance may get tougher,” he added.

    Singapore has been Deutsche Bank’s Asia-Pacific head office since 1988, after the lender first established a presence in the city-state in 1971, its corporate website showed. It has a wholesale banking licence here and its business lines including corporate & investment banking, global markets, asset management, and wealth management.

    When asked about possible job cuts at the Singapore office, a spokesperson for Deutsche bank said: “Singapore is and will continue to be a key hub for Deutsche Bank in Asia-Pacific, a region which delivered 14 per cent year-on-year revenue growth last year and remains a core part of our global network.”

    Deutsche Bank shares plummeted to a record low of 9.90 euros last week and were trading at 11.45 euros mid-afternoon in Frankfurt on Monday. The bank has been battling rumours that the German government may have to come up with a rescue plan in case it cannot pay the staggering fine imposed by US regulators for mis-selling mortgage-backed securities before the global financial crisis. The fine is more than twice the provision it had set aside for litigation.

    Deutsche Bank last October unveiled a sweeping plan to restore its finances, including eliminating 9,000 jobs or about 9 per cent of the global workforce, including 4,000 positions in Germany. However, unlike Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, a qualifying full bank which has slashed about 400 jobs in Singapore over the past year, any headcount reduction at Deutsche Bank here won’t likely to be as drastic, analysts said.

    “Deutsche Bank’s business in Singapore has… little retail exposure; it does more private and investment banking. The bank is still geographically strong in Singapore. It is a significant player here and would be more distant from the issues faced at the German headquarters,” said KGI Securities (Singapore) trading strategist Nicholas Teo.

    UOB economist Francis Tan said: “There will be some impact, maybe small cuts but not likely to be big for the bank. Asia is still rising, so even if there are cuts it would be more on the European side. Looking at the relative growth rates this area has compared to the Western world, it would not be a good move to cut a lot of jobs. You don’t want to kill the golden goose.”

    Global banks have been slashing headcount in the Republic against the backdrop of weak economic outlook and stricter capital rules. Besides ANZ, banks such as Barclays and Standard Chartered have let go some of their employees in Singapore over the past year.

    The crisis faced by Deutsche Bank is unlikely to be a ‘Lehman moment’, experts said, referring to the collapse of the storied US investment bank Lehman Brothers eight years ago that played a major role in the global financial crisis.

    “A lot of people who are looking at a bank like Deutsche, and easily they are comparing this to Lehman but it is not the same. If you look at the liquidity conditions of banks now, it is very different from 2008-09,” said Mr Tan.

    “Balance sheets are not as weak as eight years ago and banks are not as vulnerable as they were,” Mr Song said.

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  • Eco Expo Asia, Building and Hardware Fair Open Today

    Eco Expo Asia, Building and Hardware Fair Open Today

    The 11th editions of Eco Expo Asia and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair opened today at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The opening ceremony of Eco Expo Asia was officiated by Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Featuring more than 460 exhibitors, the two fairs run for four days (26-29 October). Nearly 90 buying missions were organised, comprising more than 4,000 corporate buyers from 30 countries and regions. Eco Expo Asia will open its doors to the public free of charge on the last day (29 October) to give visitors a better understanding of green industries.

    Eco Expo Asia spotlights climate change solutions

    The Eco Expo Asia is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the HKSAR Government.

    Speaking at the opening of Eco Expo Asia, Mr Wong said, “The Hong Kong SAR Government attaches great importance to combating climate change, and actions are being taken on various fronts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a view to reducing the territory’s carbon intensity between 50% and 60% by 2020, using 2005 as the base. We are on track to meet the said target.”

    Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said, “For more than a decade, Eco Expo Asia has spotlighted exciting technologies for a cleaner and greener future. This year, with reference to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, we have adopted ‘Green Solutions for a Changing Climate’ as the theme. This new focus aims to raise awareness of climate change solutions that will help governments and companies achieve their sustainability goals.”

    This year’s Eco Expo Asia has attracted more than 320 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions and features 12 overseas pavilions and group participations. The expo has nine product zones, spotlighting such topics as Green Transportation Experience, Waste Management and Recycling, Energy Efficiency and Energy, and Green Building Solution and Service as well as the newly-introduced Eco Home Tech zone. Industries, projects and technologies from various countries and regions are showcased, including a number of new green concepts:

    – Hong Kong EV Power Ltd. has brought its Smart Ceiling EV Charger, which can be installed at parking spaces without adjacent walls or columns. The charger is compatible with all EVs on the market.

    – Fortune Dragon Motors Ltd is featuring two pure electric commercial vans (models D11 and D12) that it distributes. The vans are compatible with European and Japanese charging standards and have a maximum range per charge of over 200 kilometres. The D12 model is available for visitors to test drive and test ride at the fair.

    – Eco-Green Group Ltd is exhibiting the Singapore-developed PlanterCell(R) SW-Tank, a high-strength, lightweight and innovative modular storm water storage tank. Made with recycled materials, the system provides a huge capacity for storm water collection and storage to prevent flooding.

    – China Water Industry Group Ltd is displaying its beverage bottle separation and crushing system. The recycled and assorted glass is crushed and processed into eco-friendly colour cullets, which can be used for wall, floor tiles, outdoor building and garden decorations.

    New Eco Home Tech zone

    The new Eco Home Tech zone is presented as a household setting that allows visitors to experience the green living concepts first-hand. An array of innovative green technologies, such as eco-friendly furniture and energy-efficient solutions are featured. Product highlights include the “ButterPly” Eco-friendly Plywood Furniture Series” brought by Upscaling Operations, which is easy to assemble with no screws or tools required; BAFCO Hong Kong Ltd’s Haiku(R) residential ceiling fan, which is equipped with the SenseME(TM) smart technology that monitors room conditions such as movement, temperature and humidity and adjusts fan speed automatically; and Ecopia (Hong Kong) Ltd’s compact household food waste processing system that can fit under the sink. With the use of micro-organisms to break down food waste into water and carbon dioxide, it helps minimise the accumulation of food waste at a cost of just HK$10 per day.

    Eco Asia Conference gathers industry leaders

    The fair’s signature event, the Eco Asia Conference, invites government officials and industry leaders from different countries and regions to discuss key green policies, sustainable developments and industry opportunities. Speakers this year include Yang Tiesheng, Deputy Head, Energy Conservation and Resources Utilisation Department, Ministry of Industry & Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China; and Enoch Lam, Director of Water Supplies, Water Supplies Department of the HKSAR Government.

    Other green topics, including Waste Management & Recycling, Air and Water Quality, Energy Efficiency and Energy, and Green Buildings are also in the spotlight. International industry leaders including Julius de Jong, Managing Director, Orgaworld Asia BV from the Netherlands; Murali Mohan Baggu, Group Manager, Power System Operations and Control Group, National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States; and Jan Zak, DGNB Senior Auditor and Member of the DGNB Technical Committee, ikl GmbH from Germany will offer insights into these hot topics.

    The inaugural Green Transportation Forum is also launched this year, comprising six seminars focusing on the development of the EV industry with topics covering the development trends of EVs, charging systems, technology advancement of solar energy vehicles, and more.

    Public Day to promote green living

    The public can take part in Eco Expo Asia for free on the last day (29 October), to experience the joy of green living through a range of fun activities. Mr Wong will also share his insights with secondary school students during the Dialogue with Secretary for the Environment session. Visitors may also join green workshops to learn how to make eco enzymes and practise permaculture. At the public day forum, representatives from the Hong Kong Observatory will discuss the impact of climate change. Furthermore, a renowned ecological educational consultant will offer tips on eco-photography while the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will introduce its “Eco Huqins Series” and stage live performances. “Green Mart” offers environmentally friendly products for sale, including DoDo Island’s handbags made with upcycled vintage fabrics from Chinese wedding gowns and Japanese kimonos.

    Building and Hardware Fair showcases innovative exhibits

    The HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair features more than 140 exhibitors, including new participants from Australia and Malaysia. Shangyu District of Zhejiang Province’s Shaoxing City, well-known as a building industry cluster on the mainland, hosts a pavilion at the fair. The seven fair zones include BIM & Building Technology spotlighting software systems and solutions, and Green Building Materials showcasing various green architectural supplies, as well as Building & Decorative Hardware, Indoor Decorative Materials, and Coating & Chemicals zones.

    Various innovative products on show the Building and Hardware Fair include:

    – VHSoft Technologies Company Ltd’s VHSmart(TM) Mobile Construction management system, a multi-function application that can be used to monitor project progress and for material tracking.

    – BLJ Building Materials Ltd’s Buteline Plumbing System, a drinking water plumbing system from New Zealand that can be installed without soldering. The tough and durable fittings are free of lead and toxic chemicals and are able to prevent the build-up of scale.

    – Talent Forest Ltd’s Far-Infrared Carbon Nano-fibres Heated Wood Flooring, which allows for remote-controlled temperature control via a smart device. The temperature can be adjusted within 5 to 20 minutes and the system will power off while preserving heat after reaching the target temperature.

    The inaugural HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will be held concurrently with the Eco Expo Asia and HKTDC Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The fair has attracted about 380 exhibitors from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan featuring an array of exhibits in Outdoor Lighting, Professional and Industrial Lighting, Advertising Lighting, as well as Lighting Accessories, Parts & Components. As the lighting and building industries are closely related, the parallel fairs create a strong synergistic effect, creating more business opportunities for both exhibitors and buyers.

  • Lazada in talks to buy Redmart for rumored $30m to $40m

    Lazada in talks to buy Redmart for rumored $30m to $40m

    Southeast Asia ecommerce portal Lazada is reportedly in talks to buy online grocery provider Redmart. The acquisition amount is said to be around US$30 million to US$40 million, which if true, is in the low range given it raised US$26.7 million last year.

    Redmart had apparently held unsuccessful talks with supermarket chain NTUC and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC. It also received a “lowball” offer from Amazon.

    The startup had been in trouble for some time. While its revenue grew, its expenses increased at an even faster clip.

    Lazada is controlled by Chinese online shopping Alibaba, which in April took a commanding stake in the Rocket Internet-born startup for US$1 billion.

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  • DFS Group And Ant Financial Introduces AliPay

    DFS Group And Ant Financial Introduces AliPay

    DFS Group, the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, has partnered with Ant Financial Services Group, a related company of Alibaba Group, to launch Alipay at DFS, San Francisco International Airport, the first offline retailer in California to provide Alipay’s mobile payment option. Alipay, which provides consumers with fast, easy and safe mobile payment, caters to DFS’ global customer base that seeks out convenience and service when shopping in travel retail.

    “DFS is thrilled to partner with Ant Financial to bring leading mobile payment system Alipay exclusively in California to DFS, San Francisco International Airport,” said Mark Sullivan, Managing Director North America, DFS Group. “Here at DFS, we strive each day to ensure our customers receive the world’s best in customer service which means continuously innovating the shopping experience to meet their needs. With demand for mobile payment growing throughout retail, we are confident that with Alipay as our exclusive partner, customers will be delighted with this new and convenient approach to shopping with DFS.”

    To celebrate the launch, DFS will offer shoppers an exclusive promotion until November 30, offering 20 percent off key Origins beauty products when purchasing with the Alipay mobile app. 

    “DFS represents the most innovative approach to travel retail and we are excited to partner with them to continue to evolve this experience with the introduction of Alipay,” said Souheil Badran, President and General Manager, Alipay North America.

    This is the sixth DFS location to implement Alipay’s mobile payment system, which is also available at T Galleria stores in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as DFS, Hong Kong International Airport.

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