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Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Entrant results are in for the Golden Pin Concept Design Award 2016

    Entrant results are in for the Golden Pin Concept Design Award 2016

    Taiwan’s international Golden Pin Concept Design Award wrapped up its call for entries for 2016 on 15 June, and the award has once again broken the record for the number of entries received.

    Of the 3,380 entries received from 11 countries in 2016, design concepts from China and Taiwan make up the bulk of the participation figures. New countries spotted on the entry list in 2016 include Australia, Israel, and Thailand. Malaysia and South Korea, countries with marginal representation in 2015, saw a significant jump in their entry numbers in 2016, an indication of the award’s growing reputation.

    The Golden Pin Concept Design Award, launched in 2015, is an annual award that offers a total of NT$900,000 (more than US$27,000) in cash prizes. Entrants are encouraged to consider philosophies, ideologies, principles, or areas of thought attributable to huaren culture or lifestyles in their submitted concepts, as well as the Chinese concept of zhongguan (中觀). While separately the words mean ‘center’ or ‘middle’ (zhong 中) and ‘to observe’ or ‘to watch’ (guan 觀), the meaning of the combined phrase is much deeper–something akin to ‘mastery gained from the perspective afforded those at the center of things.’

    While philosophical Chinese concept of zhongguan may seem difficult for someone unfamiliar with Chinese language to understand, this year, entries from international participants revealed some surprising and perceptive interpretations.

    • Designer Noa Razer from Israel entered a series of ceramic Chinese stools adorned with decorative motifs from cultures around the world. Named “Stoolim,” the series explores integration, influence, and synthesis between cultures.

    As with last year, designers from countries and areas outside of Taiwan with large huaren (Chinese-speaking) populations were once again keen participants in the award.

    • Guan-Yu Chan from Malaysia took the woven dish covers commonly used by Chinese families living in the southern parts of the Greater China region and adapted them into a modern pendant light-dish cover combo. The resulting work, called “CAGE–Dish Cover Design” by the creator, adds a touch of contemporary luxury to a once utilitarian object and ensures it is no longer relegated to the kitchen cupboard or market stall table.
    • Jiahui Tan of Fable, a boutique design agency in Singapore, entered “PLAY,” a cultural book commissioned by the National Heritage Board (NHB) for a community exhibition. The work, which takes the structure of DNA for its visual language, plays on the meanings and structures of the English letter ‘Y’ and the Chinese character ren (人), which means ‘man’ or ‘person’ in English, as well as a famous Chinese idiom (前人种树, 后人乘凉) that encourages people to appreciate the efforts of their predecessors in providing the comforts people enjoy today.
    • From Hong Kong, Yiu Hoi Lun’s poster “Migrant Worker” attempts to highlight the suffering many migrant workers in China face during the Chinese New Year holiday when they attempt to leave the cities and return to their family homes in the countryside. The designer was inspired by images she saw on TV and the internet of people breaking down in tears as they waited in endlessly long lines in the rain, snow, freezing temperatures just to buy their train tickets.
    • Calvin Sio of Hylé Design Macau entered “Fond of Shar[ing]–Food Serving Board” into this year’s award. The platter is inspired by the Chinese dining custom of sharing food from multiple dishes placed in the center of a table. The platter also comes with a set of interchangeable handles. Inspired by the shape of the armrests and backs of Ming Dynasty chairs, the handles allow for easy gripping of the platter from multiple angles around a table.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, entries from Taiwan and China offered some of the most complex and deeply considered fusions of contemporary design and zhongguan.

    • Through the tableware series, “Home Craft,” Taiwanese designer Yu-Rui Liang attempts to create a contemporary use for the traditional craft of Chinese joss paper, also known as ghost or spirit money. The forms of the cups, plates, candle holders, and other utensils in the series are also inspired by objects found in religious shrines and temples in Taiwan.
    • “Roaming Through [the] Garden,” a typography system created by Chinese designer John Yan, incorporates architectural elements of the Classical Gardens of Suzhou–a UNESCO World Heritage Listed historical site–into the character design. He hopes that as readers take in the font, they will feel as though they are walking in a classical Chinese garden.

    While most entries were received in the Product Design category, as was the case in 2015, the number of entries submitted into the Spatial Design and Packaging Design categories rose by over 50%. Entries into the Visual Communications category remained more-or-less stable.

    Running since 2015, the Golden Pin Concept Design Award is one among three awards in the Golden Pin design award group. The annual competition is open to submissions from students, professionals, and corporations from around the world, and accepts product and project design concepts in four design disciplines: Product Design, Visual Communication Design, Packaging Design, and Spatial Design. Concept designs must not be available in the market, nor may they be produced within the year of the award.

    In 2016, entries will be assessed in three stages by a carefully selected international jury. All entrants that pass the second round of selections will be awarded a Golden Pin Concept Design Award Design Mark and a certificate. Best Design of the Year winners will receive one of three cash prizes awarded at a grand ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan in early December, each worth NT$300,000 (approx. US$9,800).

    The Golden Pin Concept Design Award is executed by the Taiwan Design Center and organized by the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Ministry of Economic Affairs acts in an advisory capacity.

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  • GMR Hyderabad International Airport Adds New Brands to its F&B Kitty

    GMR Hyderabad International Airport Adds New Brands to its F&B Kitty

    GMR Hyderabad International Airport becomes all the more favourite destination for foodies. Recently, the airport added Mc Café and Subway to its succulent list of global F&B (Food & Beverages) brands.

     With the opening of its first outlet at Hyderabad Airport, Mc Café, has done a maiden venture in the F&B category of Indian Airports; this also happens to be their first outlet in Hyderabad City. Mc Café, which is a renowned brand of coffee-house-style food and drink chain owned by McDonald’s, is available for passengers and visitors at the F&B Space at Car Park Level of the airport. One can explore an exciting range of beverages, smoothies, hot cakes, indulgent treats of burgers, chicken wings among the many more.

     Subway, a popular American fast food restaurant franchise, is available at Airport Village (Arrivals level) and F&B space at the car park level of the airport. The outlet offers a wide range of Indian and international subs. Few of the subs are 97% fat free catering to the needs of health conscious people. Operating round the clock, both these outlets are attracting the foodies in hordes.

     Commenting on the inclusion of these two brands at Hyderabad Airport, Mr. SGK Kishore, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), said, “We welcome Mc Café and Subway at Hyderabad Airport. Hyderabad, as a city, is well known for its hospitality and variety of cuisines it offers to everyone. In the same line, we at Hyderabad Airport, too, go extra mile to welcome our passengers and visitors by continuously enriching our portfolio of Food & Beverages. The addition of Mc Café and Subway has definitely made our F&B offer all the more attractive.”

  • Multi-label boutiques stand out with mix of local and Asian labels

    Multi-label boutiques stand out with mix of local and Asian labels

    A handful of retailers here are out to prove that home-grown and Asian fashion designers can hold their own against their international counterparts. These multi-label boutiques carry either purely Singapore and Asian brands, or a selection of such labels mixed with international ones. Such stores include SocietyA, Revolte x SheShops, L'armoire, Keepers and W.E. Workshop Element. Trixilini, previously at Millenia Walk, will reopen at Scotts Square on Saturday, carrying a handful of home-grown labels alongside international ones. Ms Pek Lay Peng, 31, says she set up SocietyA because "we saw a growth in Asian designers well trained in the fashion industry, but under-represented. We want to dispel the misconception that Asian designers are not of international standards". SocietyA, which started as an e-commerce site in 2014, has a showroom in Race Course Road. It started with 13 home-grown and Asian brands. It now has 25, including Singapore womenswear label Aijek and jewellery brand Diliya B, and South Korean labels Soulpot Studio and Grace Raiment. Jewellery designer Carolyn Kan, 43, who started design collective Keepers in 2011 and recently opened a permanent space for it at the National Design Centre, says the market is ripe for concept stores to cast the spotlight on Asian and Singapore designers. She says: "There are more strong Asian designers to choose from and a growing pool of Singaporeans who seek home-grown brands with unique and well-made designs." She names womenswear brand In Good Company, bag designer Ling Wu and watch brand Hypergrand as home-grown brands to watch, as they "know how to balance unique design aesthetic with commercial know-how and are focused on sustainable growth". Ms Vivian Lim, 26, product and brand development manager of Revolte, says Revolte x SheShops gives Singapore designers a platform to showcase and sell their designs. The store is a joint venture set up last year by Singapore retail brand Revolte and SheShops, an SPH Magazines-owned fashion e-commerce site. It carries nine home-grown labels, including Revolte. She says: "Our customers are a mix of Singaporeans and tourists, which gives the labels good exposure." Revolte x SheShops has two outlets, at Wheelock Place and Raffles City. A third is in the works. Designers are all for being stocked at such multi-label boutiques as it helps them save on operating costs and widens their customer reach. Eight Slate designer Savina Chai, 22, says she previously sold mainly to customers who were "more experimental with trends" when her womenswear brand was available only at the brand's online store. But since being carried at Revolte x SheShops, she says her customers now include more "mature women aged 35 to 45 who go for pieces that are timeless and work-appropriate". However, multi-label fashion boutiques championing Singapore and Asian designers say business can be challenging, especially in this tough retail climate. In October last year, 5,000 sq ft multi-label store Mporium opened at Suntec City, carrying more than 35 Asian and Singapore brands such as Aijek, Amos Ananda and Q Menswear. It closed in April. Owner Jennifer Yii declines to share why it closed, but says she is moving into e-commerce. Mr Alfie Leong, 46, founder of W.E. Workshop Element, which has branches at Suntec City and 313@Somerset, says there are times when the retailer does not turn in a profit, especially when the brands it carries do not have new stock to sell, leading to a sales dip. He says: "It boils down to time management and decisions on production and design. If designers have no stock to sell, they might miss out on peak periods such as Chinese New Year or Christmas." Mr Leong, like other boutique owners interviewed, declines to give sales figures. Another challenge these retailers face is that Singaporeans are reluctant to shell out money for homegrown and Asian designers. Ms Lim says: "Many shoppers would rather pay a high price for established international brands or pennies for fast fashion." Founder of L'armoire, Mr Rocco Wu, in his 30s, agrees: "The majority prefer to spend money on a brand they are familiar with. Only a few would follow their heart and pay for a design that they like, regardless of the brand." Mr Walid Zaazaa, 38, director of multi-label shop Manifesto at Capitol Piazza, feels that to win customers and compete against global brands, Singaporean and Asian designers "have to be original and retail business ready". He says: "The only way for Asian designers to compete with international brands is to come up with original concepts and designs and not copy or follow their favourite brands. The most important factor is to not compromise on quality." His 14-month-old store carries only one Singapore label: biro. He says the menswear brand was chosen because "it has a timeless aesthetic and its focus on quality complements the rest of our international labels". Advocates of home-grown and Asian labels feel there is a demand from consumers who are bored with mass-market brands and want to stand out from the crowd. Operations manager Jade Khoo, 28, is a regular patron of SocietyA. She says: "The styles carried are not commonly seen in other stores, but yet are easy to pull off. I feel unique when I wear the clothes." Public relations freelancer Alicia Ali, 28, who shops at Keepers and lists Hypergrand and Malaysian womenswear designer Cassey Gan as her favourites, says: "Compared with mass-market brands, Singapore and Asian designers cater more to the Asian silhouette and because they produce their designs in limited quantities, I find that they are more exclusive." Six boutiques housing Asian brands 1 SocietyA What it carries: Modern and contemporary apparel and accessories from Singapore and Asian designers. Shop feminine lace dresses and jewellery from home-grown designers Aijek and Amado Gudek, or more colourful and graphic separates from South Korean label LIE. The store also carries PH5, a New York-based brand of knitwear by Chinese designer Mijia Zhang. Prices start from $39 for accessories and from $79 for apparel and shoes.
    Best buys: 3D-printed gold stainless steel earrings (above), $129, from Amado Gudek; and polyester jumpsuit (top), $519, from South Korean label Ti:Baeg Where: 452 Race Course Road, Level 2; open daily from 9am to 6pm, by appointment only
    2 W.E. Workshop Element What it carries: Mostly apparel and accessories for women from home-grown brands such as Sabrina Goh and the store's in-house label BSYM, which was formerly known as MU Apparel. It also carries Japanese label Nocturne #22 In C Sharp Minor , Op. Posth, as well as South Korean brand Headline Seoul. For men, there is a selection of shirts from Singapore menswear brand Sixth Empire. Prices range from $14 for a pair of socks to $249 for a polyester dress from home-grown brand Ying The Label.
    Best buys: Pleated multi-colour dress (top), $59.90, from MU Apparel; and striped tote bag with leather handles (above), $159, from Good Feel Where: 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road 02-25, open daily from 11am to 10pm, tel: 6509-1500; 438 Suntec City Tower 5, 3 Temasek Boulevard, 02-433, open daily from 11am to 9.30pm,
    3 Revolte x SheShops What it carries: Casual and slightly more dressy apparel and accessories from nine home-grown brands such as Eight Slate, Soigne and in-house label Revolte. There is also a small selection of skincare from South Korean brand Algovital Angel and menswear from home-grown label The Authority. Prices start at $35 for an envelope clutch from home-grown brand Pleatation to $796 for a lattice coat by Taiwanese label Nude made by Suoi.
    Best buys: Sleeveless grey knit top (top), $99, from Revolte; and red camisole (above), $52, from Soigne Where: Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, 02-32, open daily from 11am to 10pm,
      4 Manifesto What it carries: Singapore menswear brand biro, which is known for its casual wear of cotton T-shirts and jeans, is stocked alongside Japanese labels such as menswear brand Omiyage, and cult European brands such as French labels Maison Kitsune and Lemaire. Luxury British eyewear label Linda Farrow and sneakers from brands such as adidas and Swear London are also stocked here. Prices range from $65 for a pair of plastic bathing shoes from British brand F-Troupe to $2,788 for a wool-knit winter jacket from French designer Isabel Marant.
    Best buys: Men's denim jacket (top), $519, from Japanese brand Talking About The Abstraction; and women's hibiscus print cotton shirt (above), $325, from Maison Kitsune Where: Capitol Piazza, 13 Stamford Road, 02-19; open: 11am to 9pm (Sunday to Thursday) and 11am to 10pm (Friday and Saturday)
    5 Trixilini What it carries: Womenswear from a range of international brands, such as New York-based Yumi Kim and Bali-based Uma & Leopold, and home-grown brands Aijek, Stolen and underwear brand Perk by Kate Intimates. Prices start from $129 for a top to $549 for a dress. Best buys: White sleeveless dress (top), $159, from Bali-based Paulina Katarina; and blue maxi dress (above), $469, from Yumi Kim Where: Scotts Square, 6 Scotts Road, 03-08; open: 10am to 8.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 11am to 8pm (Sunday and public holiday)
    6 L'armoire What it carries: Cutting-edge apparel, shoes and accessories from Asian and Western designers, such as Paris-based Korean designer Moon Young Hee and American fashion designer Rick Owens. About 60 per cent of the merchandise is for men. Prices range from $75 for a pair of cotton ankle socks from 11 by BBS, the contemporary diffusion line of Barcelona-based menswear designer Boris Bidjan Saberi, to $5,560 for a blue horse leather jacket, also by the same designer.
    Best buys: Cotton vest with plastic knit overlay (top), $1,550, from Moon Young Hee; and detachable patterned jogger pants (above), $615, from South Korean label D. Gnak Where: Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road, 02-25; open daily from noon to 8pm

  • Singapore economy grows 2.2% in Q2, beating expectations

    Singapore economy grows 2.2% in Q2, beating expectations

    The Singapore economy grew 2.2 per cent on a year-on-year basis in the second quarter, marginally higher than the 2.1 per cent expansion in the previous quarter and in line with analysts’ expectations, according to advance estimates from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Thursday (Jul 14).

    On a quarter-on-quarter, seasonally adjusted and annualised basis, the economy expanded 0.8 per cent, an improvement from the 0.2 per cent growth in the first quarter.

    The figures were in line with analysts’ forecasts, with economists in a Reuters poll predicting a 2.2 per cent year-on-year growth and a 0.9 per cent growth on a quarterly basis.

    The manufacturing sector expanded by 0.8 per cent on a year-on-year basis, a reversal from the 0.5 per cent decline in the previous quarter. Growth was supported by an increase in the output of the biomedical manufacturing and electronics clusters, MTI said. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the sector grew at an annualised rate of 0.3 per cent, following the 18.4 per cent growth in the preceding quarter.

    The construction sector grew by 2.7 per cent, easing from the 4.5 per cent growth recorded in the previous quarter. The moderation in growth was largely due to a slowdown in private sector construction activities, the ministry said. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the sector expanded at an annualised rate of 0.6 per cent, lower than the 3.5 per cent expansion in the preceding quarter.

    Growth in the services-producing industries came in at 1.7 per cent, the same pace of growth as in the previous quarter. Growth was driven mainly by wholesale and retail trade, and the transportation and storage sector. Within the retail trade sector, growth was supported by strong motor vehicle sales. On a quarterly basis, the industry grew by 0.5 per cent, reversing the 4.8 per cent contraction in the preceding quarter.

    The advance GDP estimates were computed largely from data in the first two months of the quarter – in this case, April and May. They are intended as an early indication of the GDP growth in the quarter, and are subject to revision when more comprehensive data become available, said MTI.

    The preliminary GDP estimates for the second quarter, including performance by sectors, sources of growth, inflation, employment and productivity, will be released next month.

    GROWTH IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS, BUT LIKELY TO DETERIORATE: ANALYSTS

    Mizuho senior economist Vishnu Varathan said manufacturing primarily drove the improvement for the second quarter.

    “Manufacturing snapped six consecutive quarters of year-on-year contraction, to come into an expansion. It’s a modest expansion, but nonetheless a poignant one,” he said.

    The improvement of the economy in the second quarter, after the numbers for the first quarter were upwardly revised from 1.8 per cent to 2.1 per cent, probably framed a “stabilisation story” in Singapore’s growth, if not a slight improvement, added Mr Varathan.

    However, economists told us the recovery is likely to be tentative, with the volatile pharmaceuticals unlikely to sustain the lift in industrial production, while sectors like transport engineering and petrochemicals continue to show signs of weakness.

    On the external front, the impact from UK’s vote to leave the European Union is likely to be felt in the coming months, said Mr Brian Tan, Nomura Singapore’s Southeast Asia economist.

    “The Singapore economy is so open, not just to trade, but also from the financial market channels because we’re an international financial centre, so both these channels could have a very negative impact on the Singapore economy once Brexit has happened,” Mr Tan said.

    He added the impact may possibly be apparent in the July and August trade data, saying that “because of this, we worry that the growth outlook for Singapore will deteriorate over the coming quarters, especially when we get into the third quarter when the impact of Brexit might be a bit more visible.” 

    Amid ongoing macroeconomic risks and currency market volatility, observers also said the Monetary Authority of Singapore is likely to actively review the need to weaken the Singapore dollar.

    For the full year, the Government’s forecast is for Singapore’s economy to grow by between 1 and 3 per cent.

  • Chicken rice restaurant Pow Sing suspended for link to gastroenteritis outbreak

    Chicken rice restaurant Pow Sing suspended for link to gastroenteritis outbreak

    Pow Sing Restaurant along Serangoon Garden Way, known for its chicken rice, has been suspended due to links to several cases of gastroenteritis between Jul 4 and 11, the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Environment Agency (NEA), and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said in a joint press release on Wednesday (Jul 13).

    As of Tuesday, 29 reported gastroenteritis cases have been verified and further investigations are ongoing, the authorities said.

    MOH, NEA and AVA were first notified of the cases on Jul 4 and had immediately conducted joint inspections of the restaurant’s premises the next day, they said.

    Several hygiene lapses, including a failure to maintain temperature records and allowing an unregistered food handler to prepare food, were observed, and the restaurant had been instructed to rectify them immediately, the agencies added.

    “There is reason to suspect that there might be a continuing source of infection in the premises,” the authorities stated, noting that they were alerted to another four cases on Jul 11, after checks were conducted.

    NEA suspended the 33-year-old restaurant starting Wednesday to protect consumers from public health risks, the agencies said. Pow Sing has also been instructed to dispose of all ready-to-eat and thawed food as well as perishable food items, conduct thorough cleaning and sanitising of its premises including equipment, utensils, work surfaces and toilets, and review and rectify the lapses in food preparation processes identified during the joint inspections.

    Meanwhile, AVA has collected food samples from the restaurant and is conducting laboratory tests on them, and MOH is screening stool samples from the affected cases and the restaurant’s food handlers. Only food handlers who are tested to be free of food poisoning pathogens and have re-attended and passed the Basic Food Hygiene Course will be allowed to resume work, the authorities said, adding that MOH and NEA will continue to monitor the situation closely.

    Based on the findings of the joint inspections, NEA will take necessary enforcement actions against the restaurant for hygiene infringements, the authorities said.

    “Food operators are also reminded to ensure that all food handlers are registered with the NEA and that they do not engage in any food preparation if they are sick. Food retail outlets are inspected regularly and strict enforcement action will be taken against any errant food retail outlets,” they added.

    Members of the public can report incidents related to food hygiene by calling the 24-hour NEA Contact Centre at 1800-CALL-NEA (1800-2255-632).

    RESTAURANT CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS: OWNER

    When Channel NewsAsia visited Pow Sing on Wednesday at around 8.50pm, the restaurant was shuttered and had notices outside indicating it was “closed for renovations” starting Wednesday.

    “We will resume our business once the renovation finishes. If there are any further delays we will keep you up to date,” the restaurant said in the notice.

    One of the two founders of the Pow Sing group, Lee Chin Soo, said the renovations of the restaurant had nothing to do with the gastroenteritis incidents and that he only found about the suspension on Tuesday morning.

    “It has already been so long; we have never done any sort of renovation. I took this chance and I wanted to change the seats and change the look of the restaurant. I took the chance to clean out everything that looks dirty,” he said.

    Mr Steven Tan, the other founder of the brand, is said to be overseas.

    Mr Lee said he wished to find out why the hygiene lapses happened, as it was the first time such a thing had happened at the restaurant in its 30-plus years of operations.

    “NEA and MOH have not gotten back to us about the cause, and I really do not have much information but I would like to know more. I will take more steps in future to look at everything more closely,” he said.

    He added that he would not “run away” and would face his responsibilities.

    “The employees here have been with me for a very long time, I also stop by often … I have been serving chicken rice since I was young,” Mr Lee said.

    Meanwhile, a manager of Pow Sing Kitchen, also under the Pow Sing group, said it had a separate kitchen from Pow Sing Restaurant and was run by different management, even though they reported to the same bosses. Pow Sing Kitchen, which was still open on Wednesday night, is not affected by the closure, said the manager, who only wanted to be known as “Tommy”.

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  • SM Prime’s P10B Retail Bonds Priced at 4.2005%

    SM Prime’s P10B Retail Bonds Priced at 4.2005%

    SM Prime Holdings, Inc. has set the interest rate for its Peso-denominated Series F, 10-year retail bonds at 4.2005% per annum.

    SM Prime will issue an aggregate principal amount of Php10.0 billion of the Series F bonds, which will be offered to investors through underwriters from July 13 to 19, 2016.

    The retail bonds will be issued on July 26, 2016. According to the underwriters, SM Prime received a strong demand for the retail bonds.

    The SM Prime bonds have been rated PRS Aaa by Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings), the highest rating assigned by PhilRatings.

    Obligations rated PRS Aaa are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk, and denotes that the Issuer’s repayment capacity is extremely strong.

    This series of SM Prime bonds is the third offering of Peso-denominated retail bonds to the public.

    “The retail bond to be issued will sustain SM Prime’s development roadmap, which is geared towards provincial expansions mostly allotted on malls and offices developments. We remain optimistic on the huge growth potential in the provinces where large areas remain unserved.” SM Prime President Hans T. Sy said.

    The SM Prime bonds’ joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners are BDO Capital & Investment Corporation, BPI Capital Corporation, China Bank Capital Corporation and First Metro Investment Corporation.

    East West Banking Corporation, PNB Capital and Investment Corporation and United Coconut Planters Bank are participating underwriters for the bond issue.

    SM Prime remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people.

    SM Prime Holdings, Inc’s stock was up 3.89% in today’s trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange.

    SPMH ended the day with a trade price of P29.40 a share, up P1.10 from the previous day’s trading.

    A total of 41 million SMPH shares, with a total value of P1.19 billion, exchanged hand today.

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  • Adidas football flagship opens in Guangzhou

    Adidas football flagship opens in Guangzhou

    In a world first, an Adidas football flagship has opened in southern China’s Guangzhou Teemall.

    Adidas Group Greater China MD Colin Currie describes it as an important milestone for both Adidas and Chinese football.

    “At the same time, it emphasises the group’s determination and commitment to promote the development of Chinese football.”

    On the first floor of the northern square of Teemall, the store provides the equipment of such Adidas-sponsored clubs as Associazione Calcio Milan, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United and Real Madrid, as well as exclusive products of superstar players like Bale, Messi and Pogba.

    Customised name-printing on jerseys is also offered.

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  • Thailand retail growth predicted at 6%

    Thailand retail growth predicted at 6%

    Thailand’s retail market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 6 per cent from now until 2020.

    This was revealed in the latest market study by global technology research and advisory company Technavio.

    Its research report, Thailand Retail Market 2016-2020, offers an analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging trends, as well as forecasts for six major product segments – grocery, apparel and footwear, beauty and personal care, personal accessories, home and garden, and consumer electronics.

    Grocery

    Valued at US$103 billion last year, the grocery market in Thailand is forecast to reach $145 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 6.92 per cent. The segment is largely driven by the modern retail sector, while increasing urbanisation and changing consumer lifestyles are playing a significant role in the market’s development.

    Supermarkets and convenience stores have shown the fastest year-on-year growth rates with 9.5 and 10.5 per cent respectively last year.

    “Even though hypermarkets offer attractive prices, consumers are increasingly preferring supermarkets for the convenience factor and the availability of a wide product range,” says Technavio lead retail goods expert Poonam Saini. “Unlike supermarkets, which are in urban zones, hypermarkets are generally in bordering areas, catering almost exclusively to nearby consumers.”

    Apparel and footwear

    The second-largest market segment last year, apparel and footwear is expected to reach $9.19 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of more than 3 per cent.

    Several foreign companies are competing with local companies in the segment, says the report. International brands have fair penetration rates, offering stylish designs and a wide product range through modern retail stores. Local brands have also been successful with their long-established presence along with customer loyalty and trust.

    “The popularity of the online channel is growing, and players are actively using social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram for promotional campaigns and marketing activities,” says Poonam.

    “Websites such as Zalora.com are becoming popular for apparel and footwear products, as these sites offer promotions and discounts.”

    Beauty and personal care

    One of the fastest-growing segments, beauty and personal care (BPC) is having more than 3 per cent CAGR and is expected to reach $5.53 billion by 2020. A continuous exposure to western beauty and grooming trends has helped maintain the growth of the market over the past few years.

    International BPC companies have a nearly 50 per cent share of the market, with comprehensive product portfolios and innovative products. Thai retailers are expanding and attracting new consumers, says the report, citing cosmetics brand Sephora, which opened two new stores in 2014 after entering the market late the previous year.

    Top vendors

    Technavio’s research analysts name five top vendors for Thailand in the report.

    Topping the list are supermarket Big C and retail conglomerate Central Group. Then follow CP All, which has a chain of 7-Eleven stores, and homewares stores Global House and Home.

    Other prominent vendors in the market are Adidas, Aeon, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, Lazada, Nike, Sephora, Seven & I Holdings, Tesco, The Mall Group and WearYouWant.

    Technavio develops more than 2000 reports every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. It has about 300 analysts globally.

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  • Parc Central retail ‘stadium’ opens doors

    Parc Central retail ‘stadium’ opens doors

    Urban park retail development Parc Central, Guangzhou is now fully open in the heart of the CBD.

    Commissioned as masterplanner, architect and interior designer, Benoy has delivered the Pearl River Delta city project in collaboration with Ronald Lu & Partners. Described as a “stadium for retail”, it blends low-rise and below-ground retail spaces within a multi-level parkland along a major thoroughfare.

    On the site of a former square, Parc Central was developed to contribute socially and spatially to the city, as well as economically. It is a focal point along the city’s “green axis’”, a 110,000 sqm retail development designed around an open parkland environment. Its gardens, planted walkways and living walls create an undulating green space.

    Parc Central is only 24m high, lower than surrounding buildings, with two levels above ground and three levels below ground. Drawing on the symbol for peace, harmony and fortune in the Chinese culture, the architecture references the “double fish” in the form of a steel monocoque roof structure. The two buildings curve around the central gardens and are joined by a pedestrian bridge. The roof canopies are supported by tree-like columns beneath which gardens extend the landscape element up the building.

    Sustainable design

    Sustainably designed, Parc Central has a rainwater collection system, low-E (low thermal emissivity) glass facades and a corrosive-resistant plastic EFTE roof.

    Inside, the Benoy team has introduced flowing ceiling cove forms and uninterrupted joinery with atriums to punctuate the retail journey and draw light into the arcades. A neutral colour palette of white and reconstituted stone creates a natural background for the mall, showcasing tenants and their merchandise.

    Part of the scheme is a new public transport interchange for Guangzhou, connecting the metro system with a bus network. Overhead footbridges connect to neighbouring developments.

    Parc Central, Guangzhou - Benoy full

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  • GrabBike Indonesia Records 300% Growth

    GrabBike Indonesia Records 300% Growth

    Online app-based transportation service GrabBike recorded a growth of 300 percent (year to date) until the first half of 2016.

    “Our growth has been outstanding since last January when Grab did a rebranding as the service provider with the most complete vehicle reservation platform,” Public Relations Manager for Grab Express and Grab Bike Dewi Nuraini said in a statement on Thursday, July 14, 2016.

    Dewi says Grab’s machine learning technology and data analytic capabilities are the significant driving growth factors and allow major efficiency.

    In addition, the company also gradually reduces subsidy for every trip completed by 50 percent. “This indicates the high involvement of the users on Grab’s multi-service platform,” Dewi said.

    One of Grab’s four monthly active users in Indonesia averagely uses more than one Grab services. Besides the app-based motorcycle taxi or GrabBike, Grab has a private car rental, taxi order, and courier service.

    Dewi said Indonesia has become the largest market for Grab, based on the number of trips completed on the entire platform. Therefore, Grab specifically focuses its business in Jakarta.

    “Grab also plans to expand its multi-service platform to more than eight major cities in Indonesia,” said Dewi.

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  • Businesses in Indonesia Capitalize on Pokemon GO Popularity

    Businesses in Indonesia Capitalize on Pokemon GO Popularity

    “We are excited to announce that Pokémon GO is officially available to Trainers in Germany,” Pokemon Go announced on Wednesday (13/7) on its official website.

    With an official Indonesian release imminent, savvy businesses across the country have begun harvesting the game’s unique featured — requiring players to travel around and explore different areas to find and catch Pokémon.

    The National Museum, Jakarta, suggested players, known as Pokémon trainers, hunt the little monsters through the institution’s grounds on Monday.

    “Are you a Pokémon master/trainer? Come hunt Pokémon at the National Museum. It will add to your knowledge in a fun way!,” the Museum National tweeted.

    Motorcycle taxi ride-hailing application Go-Jek also did not want to miss the opportunity to benefit from the game.

    “Wanna seek Pokémon? Go with Gojek,” the ride hailing app said.

    Qraved.com, a Jakarta-based restaurant search and reservation site, joined the parade after launching a list of restaurants close to Pokéstops — places where players can get free items to enhance game experience — around the Sudirman area.

    The app — created by license owner Pokémon Company, multinational consumer electronics and software company Nintendo and Google’s spin-off software developer Niantic — itself, according to Quartz, has seen its players in the US alone spend $1.6 million each day on in-app purchases.

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  • AIS to offer family safety services

    AIS to offer family safety services

    Thai operetor AIS has awarded a contract to Gemalto covering the company’s LinqUs Mobile Protection solution.

    Gemalto will provide integrated sophisticated safety-checking features for digitally connected consumers, allowing mobile users to seek real-time location information and online protection for their loved ones.

    AIS expects to use the capability to enhance customer engagement by offering services aimed at keeping subscribers safe and connected to their families. Gemalto will also provide support services to AIS.

    Gemalto partners with iMobileMagic, a provider of cloud based family location and protection products, to offer a service which will allow users to receive real-time notifications when their kids, elderly or other relatives arrive, leave, or stray away from designated areas.

    Families can expect to be able to instantly locate their loved ones or send panic alerts during emergencies. Parents will have the additional ability to put restrictions on their children’s device usage.

    This cloud-connected mobile application, which runs on a wide range of devices and wearables, can help AIS customers to stay close to their families and even pets, in a simple and cost-effective way.

    “Safety and security are the key issues on everyone’s mind these days, and Gemalto’s LinqUs Mobile Protection solution allows us to meet the rapidly changing needs of our society, with lower cost of ownership,” said Titipong Khiewpaisal, SVP for consumer marketing and sales at AIS.

    “It is easy to deploy, scalable, and even available on wearables, making it easy for our customers to stay up to date with the status of their family members, anytime and anywhere,” he said.

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  • VimpelCom to invest $1b in Pakisan over five years

    VimpelCom to invest $1b in Pakisan over five years

    Global telecoms group VimpelCom has announced plans to invest $1 billion in its Pakistani operations over the next five years.

    The company plans to roll out what it says will be one of the largest and most ambitious IT infrastructures in the industry for its Mobilink and Warid operations.

    With the new systems the company aims to ensure faster rollout of new products and services, particularly in areas including mobile entertainment, communications, the IoT and mobile financial services.

    Mobilink recently completed a merger with Warid to create Pakistan’s largest mobile operator with over 50 million customers.

    The merger was announced  in November last year, won regulatory approval in May and closed at the start of this month.

    At a press conference announcing the investment plans Mobilink CEO Jean-Yves Charlier said with the merger 38 million Mobilink customers will be provided with 4G while 12 million Warid customers will be provided with 3G.

    He also said around 1,500 joint Mobilink-Warid franchise shops will be opened nationwide. The operator has also made a commitment to the government to roll out services to remote areas.

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  • Axiata details major organizational revamp

    Axiata details major organizational revamp

    Malaysia’s Axiata group has announced a major organizational and management shake-up across its group of companies, with the reshuffling or appointment of multiple new top executives.

    The company has embarked on a transformation as part of its strategy of executing its succession plan and strengthening its ability to manage an entity that has grown to more than twice its size since its inception.

    As part of the restructuring, Axiata has established a new unit to oversee its Southeast Asia operations. The current CEO of domestic mobile subsidiary Celcom Axiata, Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, has been selected to take responsibility for all Southeast Asia operations.

    Axiata recently set up a similar unit to manage the operator’s South Asia operations and appointed Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, currently CEO of Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata, as regional CEO for South Asia.

    Celcom itself will meanwhile undertake an organizational refresh which will involve the establishment of a new executive committee, including the appointment of six new key senior positions.

    Axiata Group CEO and Celcom chairman Jamaludin Ibrahim will chair this committee.

    Former Robi Axiata CEO Michael Kuehner will meanwhile become the new CEO of Celcom starting in September.

    He will be assisted by two new deputy CEOs – Azwan Khan Osman Khan and Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajudin, who have been promoted from within the group.

    Celcom has also appointed a neew CFO – Jennifer Wong – a new chief human capital officer (CHCO) – Azmi Ujang – and a new chief transformation and digital officer – Azmi Ujang.

    Finally, Axiata Group has also named the planned successor for Wijayasuriya. Supun Weerasinghe will take over as Dialog’s CEO at the start of next year.  Weerasinghe is currently CEO of Robi Axiata, and will himself be replaced in this role by Robi COO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed.

  • History of barcodes in the World

    History of barcodes in the World

    Barcodes originated from the increasing need to create a system to manage retail operations in a more efficient manner.  Retailers were getting bigger and bigger and stock control was becoming more and more difficult.  They needed a system to make it simpler.   In 1952, Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver stepped up to the plate and developed the modern barcode.   They based their barcode on morse code, using dots and lines. Woodland created his first barcode from sand on the beach.

    Later, in 1959, David Collins became aware of the need to automatically identify railroad cars. He created a system for monitoring and controlling railroad carriages also using blue and red reflective stripes attached to the side of the cars which encoded a six digit company identifier and a four digit car number.  He called this system Kar Trak. This is an example of what the Kar Trak system looked like.

    Both of these barcodes developed by Woodland and the Kar Trak Barcodes had problems due to the fact that the scanner could not read the barcodes easily if they had any dirt on them.   They didn’t have the technology they needed to create the modern day barcode scanner.  The whole system was abandoned in 1970s but later in the 1980s a new system emerged which utilised radio tags.

    In the beginning, barcodes were scanned by special optical scanners called Barcode Readers.  Later technology improved and scanners and interpretative software were used on devices including desktop printers and even smartphones.

    As the years progressed, barcodes were improved and transformed into the barcodes we find today.  With the development of technology, barcodes scanners were also improved which made the retail process simple and easy for both the supplier and the retailer as well as for the customer.

    Barcodes became very widely used to manage retailer checkout systems. Their use has spread to a variety of other tasks such as automatic identification and data capture.  The very first Universal Product Code (UPC) was scanned in June 1974 at the Marsh Supermarket in Ohio.  It was on a packet of Wrigley Company chewing gum.  The packet of gum was bought by Clyde Dawson and the cashier was Sharon Buchanan.  It cost 67 cents. This packet of gum and the receipt are now on display in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington.

    In 1966, the National Association of Food Chains (NAFC) got involved in the barcode business.  They wanted to develop a system where checkouts at retailers could be automated and controlled.  They created a committee which created guidelines for the development of barcodes and assisted in creating a standard approach to implementing barcodes in retailers.

    As more and more retailers invested in purchasing the equipment needed to scan the barcodes, these stores benefited greatly.  It allowed for more responsiveness to customer needs by revealing which products were in higher demand.  Sales increased by 10 – 12 % and the operating costs decreased by 1 -2%.  This enabled the retailers to lower their costs and thereby increase their market share.  By 1988, 8000 retailers were converting to using barcodes per year.

    However, there were people who were against the launch of barcodes.  This scepticism mainly came from conspiracy theorists who believed that barcodes were an intrusive surveillance technology.   Also, some Christians believed that barcodes hid the number 666 which represents the number of the beast.

    Despite these protests, barcodes took the world by storm, and were adopted by more and more stores throughout the world, as well as in South Africa.  In these modern days, you can’t walk into a store without seeing a barcode.  Barcodes have come a long way since 1960.  They have revolutionised retailers by increasing their efficiency and control over stock, thereby increasing their profit level and generally making the retail business as smooth as possible. Barcodes are now used throughout the world for a huge variety of products ranging from beauty products to gardening tools all the way to groceries.

    This is one of the reasons why it is necessary to buy barcodes South Africa for any product you want to sell in South Africa or Asia, including china. These will be registered with your chosen retailers who can then begin selling your product.  When you buy barcodes in South Africa, you are becoming part of history.

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