Retail News CRM

Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Review of 5 Most Popular Linear Actuators

    Review of 5 Most Popular Linear Actuators

    The automation market in the field of linear motion devices as in any other branch of automation has its world leaders. Those leaders are manufacturers of electric linear actuators – technology that in the last decades gained unbelievable success and popularity. Linear actuator solutions are more and more frequently used not only by giant enterprises and distributors but also by homeowners desiring to introduce certain automation to their own houses. 

    According to statistics, there are top five leaders whose products manufacturers from various spheres appreciate and use for their projects most often. 

    • Electric linear actuators of American wholesaler and manufacturer Progressive Automations. This company offers a diversity of actuators like samples of mini, micro, heavy-duty, high speed, and feedback actuators. All types of these actuators are well-appreciated for their high safety and reliability. For over ten years period electric linear actuators of this manufacturer bring benefits to its customers around the world.
    • Electric linear actuators of Tolomatic are also in the list of top 5 actuator solutions widely appreciated by craftsmen dealing with engineering and automatization. Among the top products manufactured by the company are rod-style and rodless electric linear actuators. Its ServoWeld models are used even for robotics where the combination of servo motor technology and the heavy-load actuators is the best possible choice. 
    • Harmonic drive actuators – automation technology of the company having over 60 years of experience behind its back constructing and distributing the high-force and extremely accurate electric linear actuators the company offers only three but extremely reliable series of its products. 
    • Quality And Innovation manufacturer’s electric linear actuators count versatile actuators and extremely reliable controllers of five types: shaft, compact, flat, medium, and large type. All of these actuators types are extremely fast. They present high precision at even long strokes. The longest stroke position 
    • Venture MGG. Co. manufacturer provides customers around the world with linear actuator products and accessories related to this automation technology. Their automation technologies are widely appreciated by experts in manufacturing of solar tracking systems, military equipment & armament, and even satellites construction companies. Variety of products of different voltage makes this linear motion automation manufacturer one of the top 5 companies providing users around the glove with solely impeccable and high-quality products.   

    The diversity of electric linear actuators manufactured nowadays is really impressive, however, some of them will always be gaining more popularity than others. What electric linear actuator solutions provided by all the above-mentioned linear actuators manufacturers represent is dependable implementation. Among popular linear automation technologies will always be waterproof actuators as the need for outdoor automation is as huge as the need of the indoor linear actuators implementation. Also, the range of popular linear actuator solutions will always be headed by 12V linear actuators as they are regularly the most suitable easy-to-use solution. Their high versatility suits to implement them in a wide range of applications.  

    Among the most valuable things to consider when searching for the most suitable electric linear actuator for your particular situation are technical specifications of the desired automation mechanism. It doesn’t matter which of actuators is the best or the most popular if it can’t provide you with functions wanted. Making the best choice is always about meeting the required demand. Everything must be counted: load capacity, stroke length, time of stroke, dimension, surrounding environmental condition, so frequently influencing the performance of mechanisms for better or for worse. Implementation of any technology should always be wise. Otherwise, mistakes in choosing the right actuator, its installation, and further performance will sooner or later cause malfunctions. Be attentive and choose technologies due to specifications rather than due to labels. 

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Google Maps update brings two new important features for commuters

    Google Maps update brings two new important features for commuters

    Google launched two new features for Maps, which will greatly help those using public transportation to commute every day. The new features, live traffic delays for buses and crowdedness predictions, will help Google Maps users to plan better for their transit ride.

    Since transit schedules aren’t always accurate due to real-time traffic conditions, Google has decided to launch live traffic delays for buses, a new tool that will feed Maps users with real-time info directly from local transit agencies.

    It will allow Google Maps users in select cities to see if their bus will be late, how long the delay will be, as well as more accurate travel times based on live traffic conditions along their route. The new feature will be visible on the map too, as you’ll be able to see exactly where the delays are on the map so you know what to expect before you get your bus.

    The second new features announced today is transit crowdedness predictions, which will allow Maps users to see how crowded their bus, train or subway is likely to be based on past rides. That way you’ll be able to take a more informed decision when taking a bus or waiting for the next one to arrive.

    Starting today, both new features will be available in Google Maps in nearly 200 cities around the globe on both Android and iOS.

  • DFS and Parfums Christian Dior launch DFS X Dior Summer Party pop ups

    DFS and Parfums Christian Dior launch DFS X Dior Summer Party pop ups

    International travel retailer DFS Group has partnered with Christian Dior Parfums on a pop-up concept to launch July 1 in Macau.

    The DFS x Dior Summer Party pop-up experience, celebrating the arrival of summer, kicks off in T Galleria by DFS, Macau through to July 31 before traveling across DFS’s global network of retail stores.

    The DFS x Dior Summer Party presents exclusive products designed for world travellers seeking to look and feel their best across all time zones.

    “We aspire to tantalize our traveling customers’ senses,” said DFS Group’s senior VP of beauty Christophe Marque, “and this beautiful pop-up is a perfect example of our commitment to combining exclusivity and entertainment with world-class brands.”

    “Parfums Christian Dior and DFS have always shared a powerful synergy when it comes to providing excitement and innovation to our customers,” said Dior Travel regional retail director Leonardo Ferracina. “Our exclusive Dior Summer Party pop-up for DFS is an indulgent start to an exciting and vibrant Summer, enriched with the signature of our Dior products.”

  • Twitter’s new policy is aimed squarely at Donald Trump

    Twitter’s new policy is aimed squarely at Donald Trump

    Many Twitter users have been complaining about several tweets disseminated by President Donald Trump. These Twitter members say that if they sent out tweets with the same insults and language used by the president, they would have had their account suspended. After all, besides giving insulting names to anyone that the thin-skinned president feels has insulted him, Trump has threatened nuclear war with North Korea, posted a video containing violence against CNN and more.

    While not mentioning Trump by name, Twitter explained in a blog post that “there are certain cases where it may be in the public’s interest to have access to certain Tweets, even if they would otherwise be in violation of our rules.” In addition, the social media site noted that “a critical function of our service is providing a place where people can openly and publicly respond to their leaders and hold them accountable.”

    “Our highest priority is to protect the health of the public conversation on Twitter, and an important part of that is ensuring our rules and how we enforce them are easy to understand. In the past, we’ve allowed certain Tweets that violated our rules to remain on Twitter because they were in the public’s interest, but it wasn’t clear when and how we made those determinations. To fix that, we’re introducing a new notice that will provide additional clarity in these situations.

    Serving the public conversation includes providing the ability for anyone to talk about what matters to them; this can be especially important when engaging with government officials and political figures. By nature of their positions, these leaders have outsized influence and sometimes say things that could be considered controversial or invite debate and discussion. A critical function of our service is providing a place where people can openly and publicly respond to their leaders and hold them accountable.”-Twitter

    Twitter’s solution is to make users go through various screens. In the “rare occasion” when it is in the public interest for Twitter to allow a tweet to remain posted even if it violates the platform’s rules, Twitter will place a notice on the tweet. This will indicate that to view such a tweet, Twitter members will have to click or tap on an additional screen. The company says that it will prevent these tweets from being “algorithmically elevated on our service, to strike the right balance between enabling free expression, fostering accountability, and reducing the potential harm caused by these Tweets.”

    So just exactly whose tweets are covered by the new policy? Government officials, those representing a government official, someone running for office or being considered for a public office are affected by the new policy if they have a verified Twitter account with more than 100,000 followers. If someone meets this criterion and sends a tweet that would normally be a violation of Twitter’s terms of service, a notice will appear that reads “The Twitter rules about abusive behavior apply to this Tweet. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest in the Tweet to remain available.” To the right of the notice will be a link marked “view;” tapping on that link will allow the tweet to be visible to the user. These tweets also will not appear in Safe search, Timeline when switched to Top Tweets, Live events pages, Recommended Tweet push notifications, Notifications tab and Explore.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Apac consumers embracing shopping apps

    Apac consumers embracing shopping apps

    Users of shopping apps users are becoming increasingly purchase-happy in what is poised to be mobile commerce’s biggest year so far, according to a recent study by Liftoff.

    The report by the mobile-app marketing and retargeting platform also uncovers key insights into Asia Pacific (Apac) mobile shopping behaviour, suggesting the rise of “Mobile Window Shopping” in the region, which is underpinned by the low costs of installing shopping apps and acquiring new users.

    Analysing more than 90.9 billion ad impressions across four global zones, 13.6 million installs and 3.9 million registration and purchase events between April 2018 and April this year, the report identified several trends relevant to the Apac region.

    In Apac, users are clearly open to exploring retail apps, with registration rates skyrocketing and acquisition costs dropping year-on-year. But the data points to a surprising new trend – “Mobile Window Shopping”. While users install and register in retail apps with ease, the joint report shows a sizeable drop-off at the all-important purchase stage. Apac’s cost-per-first-purchase comes in at US$31.26 (up 13.3 per cent year-on-year), coupled with a low 10.1 per cent conversion rate.

    This could point to a larger retail trend: the demand for a more user-friendly shopping experience. While price tends to dominate purchasing decisions, factors such as having personal engagements with retailers and concerns on whether the retailers can capably fulfill orders are also seen as crucial by mobile shoppers.

    “For marketers looking to boost purchase rates, the key is to utilise the data they have, understand potential drop-off points and to segment and target properly,” said Adjust co-founder and CEO Christian Henschel. “Brands can then create and deliver the perfect user interaction strategies for their marketing initiatives. This personalisation is key to winning over fickle consumers and building long-term loyalty.”

    Southeast Asia’s largest country – Indonesia – presents a dynamic landscape for marketers operating in APAC; especially in terms of the number of users that can be acquired. However, turning those acquisitions into actual purchases will likely depend on how convenient the mobile app shopping experience is. The cost of an application installment is just US$1.65, but this is paired with somewhat meagre conversion rates. Another concern for marketers and retailers is that retention rates of shopping apps in Indonesia trail behind other markets studied in the region, the prime reasons being consumers having a low learning curve, lack of patience with the app onboarding process and failing to understand the long-term value of installing an app.

    “The shopping app market in Asia is growing dynamically and at an all-time-high, yet based on our findings, the number of purchases made through such apps are not as high as they could be; despite the general trend of consumers moving their browsing from store windows to the phones’ screens,” said, Liftoff VP marketing Dennis Mink.

    “Indonesia is a microcosm of the behaviors and concerns of the region’s shoppers. So, finding the right message and conveying it in the right context to the consumer can help remove these roadblocks, thereby improving retention and interest.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Jony Ive left Apple

    Jony Ive left Apple

    It is absolutely the end of an era at Apple. The company announced that it’s chief design officer, Sir Jony Ive, is leaving the company. The man responsible for the design of many iconic devices including the iPhone and the iPad is forming an independent design company. And yes, Apple will be one of its major clients. In addition to creating the look and finish of many Apple products, Ive’s distinctive British accent could be heard narrating most of Apple’s new product videos during the iPhone era.

    Ive first came to Apple in 1992, working as a member of the company’s industrial design group. One of his first assignments was to work on the design of the second generation Newton personal digital assistant (PDA) and the MessagePad. In 1997, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs returned to Apple and Ive was promoted to senior vice president of industrial design. He and Jobs combined on an amazing run of successful new products that might never be topped. It started with the all-in-one Apple iMac G3 released in 1998. With a brightly colored translucent case, the design stood out in a sea of dull desktop PCs. In 2002, a whole new design was used on the iMac G4. Keeping with the all-in-one theme, the screen was attached to an adjustable arm with the motherboard and hard drive placed inside the dome-shaped base. The success of these two products helped revive Apple.

    Ive also had a big hand in the design of the Apple iPod, which was first released in 2001. Apple’s mp3 player was a massive success and combined with the iTunes platform, Apple sold hundreds of millions of units. And then came the iPhone, followed by the iPad and the Apple Watch. By the time Apple’s tablet was released, Ive had more power than anyone at Apple outside of Steve Jobs. With that power came a huge paycheck estimated to be as high as $30 million by 2011, with an additional $25 million stock bonus.

    Following the fiasco that was the launch of Apple Maps in 2012, the company removed software chief Scott Forstall and Ive took on new responsibilities as the Senior Vice President of Design (no “Industrial in the title). The man who designed hardware for Apple was put in charge of designing iOS 7. After giving up control of the design team in 2015 so that he could work on Apple’s new campus, the executive regained that control two years later. That same year, Apple unveiled the iPhone X with a completely new design. The device featured thinner bezels, an edge-to-edge-screen and Face ID (replacing Touch ID). The design chief said that the phone was the closest he had come to his original goal of creating a phone that was all screen.

    The company is not immediately planning on naming a new chief design officer. Instead, Apple said that design team leaders Evans Hankey, vice president of Industrial Design, and Alan Dye, vice president of Human Interface Design, will report to Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietjet Recognised as One of “Vietnam’s 50 Best Performing Companies in 2018”

    Vietjet Recognised as One of “Vietnam’s 50 Best Performing Companies in 2018”

    Vietjet was recognised as one of the leading companies in “Vietnam’s 50 Best Performing Companies 2018”. Held in Ho Chi Minh City on 27 June 2019, the award ceremony celebrated the leading companies listed on Vietnam’s stock market for their significant contribution to the economy.

    The annual event was conducted by Nhip Cau Dau Tu Magazine (Investment Bridge Magazine) in partnership with Thien Viet Securities, with expert economic and business consultants from Harvard Business School. The awards take reference from world ranking charts such as Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune and Forbes to recognise and award listed companies for their performance and business results between 2016 and 2018. Success is based on Revenue Growth Rate, Return on Equity (ROE) and Earnings per Share (EPS).

    Vietjet’s SR-CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) and ROE were at 39.24 per cent and 59.7 per cent, respectively. Market capitalisation reached 2.68 billion USD, making Vietjet one of the largest capitalised enterprises on the Vietnam Stock Market. Since its listing, Vietjet has been recognized as a representative for successful Vietnamese enterprises.

    The top 50 companies this year have a total market capitalisation of 98 billion USD, with 17 companies exceeding 1 billion USD. Enterprises in the top 50 also generated a total of 1,200,000 billion VND (approximately 51 billion USD) and 127,000 billion VND (approximately 5.5 billion USD) in profits, an increase of 52 per cent and 47 per cent compared to the same period in previous years. In the context of an unsustainable global economy due to political reasons, the performance of Vietnamese enterprises in 2018 showed the potential for strong development and sustainability from leading Vietnamese companies.

    Hundreds of influential business leaders, financial institutions, macroeconomic executives, prestigious domestic and foreign investors attended the award ceremony and also participated in talks concerning the Macroeconomic forecasts for 2019 to 2020, amongst other international and local business topics.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • New Pokemon mobile game coming to Android and iOS this summer

    New Pokemon mobile game coming to Android and iOS this summer

    Many have tried to clone Pokemon GO massive financial success, but no AR (augmented reality) mobile games managed to get nowhere near Niantic’s smash hit in terms of revenue. The latest contender, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite made just 4% of the revenue Pokemon GO made on the first day.

    Well, it looks like we will soon have another Pokemon game coming to Android and iOS devices. Developer DeNA announced that Pokemon Masters will arrive on mobile platforms at some point this summer.

    This will be DeNA’s first Pokemon game, but the developer helped Nintendo launch games like Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem: Heroes. It’s also helping with the development of the upcoming Mario Kart Tour mobile game.

    Pokemon Masters takes place on the artificial island of Pasio where trainers are given control of a single Pokemon. You’ll be teaming up with other trainers to take down opponents in 3vs3 battles. The combat is based on cooldowns of your abilities and happens in real-time rather than turn-based.

    The game will probably be available for free but expect in-app purchases in that case. Check out the trailer released earlier today by developer DeNA to learn more about the upcoming game.

    Lees ook:

  • Watsons Singapore launches store-in-store Retail concept

    Watsons Singapore launches store-in-store Retail concept

    Watsons Singapore has launched a premium store concept at Takashimaya. The 7000sqft store hosts distinct zones encompassing skincare, hair care, health and personal care, with new brands such as Milani, Pony Effect, and Utena.

    “To keep pace with the innovative, trendy brand image that Watsons is known for, we are very excited to refresh and make a statement with our Watsons Takashimaya store in a new generation premium store format which offers more experiential zones and shopability,” said Irene Lau, Watsons Singapore GM.

    “The expanse of the store allows us to offer more exciting and exclusive brands across skincare, cosmetics, health and wellness for our discerning consumers. In addition, as we continue to evolve in this digital age, we have incorporated smart technologies and gadgets to enhance the shopping experience and increase engagement with our consumers.”

    The refreshed Watsons store also hosts store-in-store (SIS) concepts at its cosmetics, skincare and health zones.

    The L’Oreal Paris SIS offers a comprehensive range of cosmetics, from foundations, eye make-up colours to lipsticks. Maybelline’s SIS offers the Alice+Olivia Maybelline collection, the first-ever fashion make-up collaboration from the company, that is exclusively sold at Watsons Singapore.

    In support of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore, Watsons is introducing two independent homegrown brands, Botanica Culture and Hush Candle, that focus on wellness.

    A seven-metre length Mask Bay allows consumers to find a mask or two that cater to their skin type, beauty concerns or daily needs across 22 brands.

    The Real Techniques wall contains make-up tools and accessories, including performance brushes and expert sponges.

    The new Watsons store will have four full-time pharmacists, led by principal clinical pharmacist, Chung Wing Lam, who was named 2018 Excellence Service SuperStar by Singapore Retailers Association.

    Watsons Singapore’s membership will be automatically upgraded to “Watsons One Pass” which allows members to enjoy benefits when they shop at Watsons stores in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand.

    Lees ook:

  • Hong Kong airport Retail revamp Finalised

    Hong Kong airport Retail revamp Finalised

    A major Hong Kong airport revamp is planned spanning passenger facilities and retail spaces.

    Architectural firm Lead8 has been appointed lead designer for the planned Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Terminal 1 renovation.

    Working with Airport Authority Hong Kong, Lead8 will spearhead a collaboration of international consultants to deliver a “transformative upgrade” to the passenger halls of the 21-year-old aviation hub.

    The Boarding Gate Transformation project is expected to be completed in 2021. Lead8’s design scope includes a total overhaul and upgrade of the 49 boarding gates and adjacent areas of the Level 6 departure concourses.

    The renovation work will include upgraded technologies at all boarding gates, along with new and refreshed beam seating across all departure waiting areas. Retail and service cabins will be upgraded with more convenience for passenger access, all aimed at delivering “a more fluid experience for travelers”.

    “The refreshed look of the terminal will bring an inviting ambiance that combines new technological features to convey convenience and comfort to the terminal’s local and international travelers when transiting to and from Hong Kong,” said Lead8’s co-founder & executive director Chris Lohan.

    Contemporary seating designs with upgraded charging facilities will provide passengers with convenient and comfortable waiting experiences. The retail and service cabin facilities will also be upgraded to offer a rejuvenating environment for waiting passengers.

    Lead8 have also curated a number of entirely new experiential zones that will provide places of entertainment, relaxation, on-the-go work and general down-time spaces for passengers awaiting flights.

    “The combined enhancements of the transformed facilities at Hong Kong International Airport’s signature Terminal 1 building will further solidify our city’s status as a key international and regional aviation hub,” added Lohan.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Nam Cheong Place Market gets complete makeover

    Nam Cheong Place Market gets complete makeover

    Link’s Nam Cheong Place Market has had a complete makeover, with the refurbished venue containing nearly 40 stalls and an enhanced tenant mix offering premium ingredients and delicacies from around the world.

    The diverse shop mix includes fishmongers and greengrocers, frozen-meat shops and florists, and a cooked-food area. The market’s proximity to Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Fish Market allows the freshest daily catch from local waters to be on offer at Fu Cheong fishmongers.

    There are many seasonal fruits and vegetables at Hou Yeung, Sum Kui, and other greengrocers.

    In addition to fresh local produce and meats, the market also showcases a colorful array of specialty stalls. JC Fruit, for example, is a treasure trove of all fruits imaginable, offering rose apples and Rockit apples from New Zealand; musk melons from Japan; and rambutans from Thailand, depending on the season. Ocean Three offers fresh oysters and other top-of-the-line ingredients from around the world.

    In the cooked-food area, diners can also savor such local bites as cart noodles, buns, and herbal tea, as well as the popular souffle pancake at Bove Express and Taiwanese drinks at Bittersweet Teahouse.

    Lees ook:

  • Montblanc unveils new store design with brand new ink bar

    Montblanc unveils new store design with brand new ink bar

    Montblanc has unveiled its newly renovated store in Castlereagh Street, Sydney, which features the luxury brand’s first ever ink bar in Australia, and a digital corner to house its growing range of tech products.

    The new look, designed by French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, is built around three design themes. Cursive handwriting is the starting point for the overall design and evokes calligraphy and the culture of writing; the emblem, which is inspired by the snowcapped peak of Mont Blanc, is paired with ink shades to represent the life and soul of the brand; and passion for craftsmanship is narrated through the structured architecture and dark wood composition.

    Beyond the store’s aesthetic design, elements like the ink bar and digital corner contribute to an immersive retail environment, where customers can test all types of writing instruments, including the brand’s unique range of scented inks, Elixir Parfumeur, which come in orange-brown (leather scent), gray (wood and tobacco scent) and green (vetiver scent).

    “Venturing into the boutique, clients will enjoy the true expression of luxury in an inviting atmosphere,” Montblanc said in a statement about the new store.

    According to the retailer, trained associates will guide customers through the digital corner, where they can test the store’s latest smartwatches and augmented notebook, which converts handwritten notes into digital text and copy.

    Montblanc is also offering on-the-spot embossing and engraving in-store, where customers can choose from a curated selection of fonts and colors to personalize their purchases.

    “The excitement of setting foot into a physical store, receiving personalized VIP services and leaving immediately with your purchases is a large part of the luxury experience,” said Matthieu Dupont, president, Montblanc Southeast Asia.

    “We’re committed to giving our clients the best possible products and services.”

    Lees ook:

  • Woolworths expands Scan&Go to five more stores

    Woolworths expands Scan&Go to five more stores

    Following the first successful trial of Scan&Go at Woolworths’ Double Bay store, the supermarket giant has expanded the smartphone shopping trial to five more locations. Four Metro stores in Sydney’s CBD will offer a checkout-free experience from Thursday along with the supermarket’s Mona Vale store on the Northern Beaches.

    Customers will have the option to scan products with their smartphone and pay in the app, before tapping off at a dedicated kiosk. But those who prefer the human experience or are a little less tech savvy will still have the option of traditional and self serve checkouts at each of these stores.

    Woolworths became the first major supermarket in the country to offer a checkout-free shopping experience when it launched the first Scan&Go trial at Double Bay over 10 months ago.

    Head of payments Paul Monnington said the Double Bay trial was a success with “positive feedback” from customers and team members, and expects time-poor shoppers in Sydney’s business district to appreciate the convenience of the new service.

    “Most customers in our CBD Metro stores just want to duck in and out for a few items, so we expect the speed and ease of Scan&Go will be quite a popular offer in this setting,” Monnington said in a statement.

    The Metro stores selected for the trial include Pitt Street, Met Centre, George Street and York Street.

    The retailer is also keen to see how consumers beyond the CBD take to the technology, with another trial in operation since last week at its recently renewed Mona Vale store on the Northern Beaches.

    “This will allow us to test the offer with even more customers in a different setting, so we can determine the best role for it in the future,” Monnington said.

    Last month 7-Eleven Australia opened its first cashless and cardless convenience store in Melbourne, in which customers choose products, scan the barcodes at checkout counters and pay via the app.

    The convenience chain is hopeful the technology will free up workers to now focus on customers and delivering its food offerings. It was first trialed at 7-Eleven’s Exhibition Street Melbourne store while still having the traditional point of sale system, before going the fully cashless and cardless offering.

    The Scan&Go app, developed by the WooliesX digital team, is available on the App and Google Play stores, with customers required to upload a credit or debit card prior to shopping.

    Lees ook:

  • Lotsa Goodies fined over unsafe toys

    Lotsa Goodies fined over unsafe toys

    Toy importer and retailer 2 Boys Trading, which operates Lotsa Goodies, was fined for selling unsafe toys for a period of seven years.

    2 Boys was slapped with a $74,250 on 13 toy safety-related charges under the Fair Trading Act 1986 after a Commerce Commission investigation.

    The Commerce Commission said 2 Boys had been importing toys and selling them in eight Lotsa Goodies retail outlets, which are owned by companies linked to the 2 Boys owners. The shops are in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch.

    “2 Boys sold approximately 1700 units of three toys, all of which failed to pass testing undertaken by the Commission,” the Commerce Commision NZ said.

    The Commission said small parts came free from the toys during testing, and those parts were small enough to be a choking hazard for young children. In addition, some toys fitted fully inside a testing template, meaning they were also a choking hazard.

    The toys in question include an aquatic toy set, supplied between October 2015 and March 2018; baby star baby rattles, supplied between May 2012 and November 2016 and a 5.5-inch soft plastic doll, supplied between May and December 2017.

    The baby rattle packaging was labeled “3+” and “not suitable for children under 3 years”. The aquatic toy set was labeled “Warning: Choking Hazard – Small parts, Not for children under 3 years” and the same wording was on the rear of the doll packaging.

    Judge Chris Field said during the sentencing on June 20 at the Manukau District Court that they needed to “send a clear message to other companies trading in this way that significant penalties can be imposed for breaches of this kind.”

    Field said 2 Boys “did not conduct any of its own checks apart from generally checking the product was as ordered and relied on guidelines which stated the toys were for use for children aged 3 and over.”

    Commission chair Anna Rawlings said the labeling is a notable feature of the case.

    “It attempts to suggest the toys are not suitable for children under 3 years of age,” she said. “These are clearly toys intended for children 36 months of age and under, and traders cannot avoid their legal obligations by including ‘3+’ labeling or similar.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Steel production and their Basic Methods

    Steel production and their Basic Methods

    Steel is a durable material and the main structural material for engineering.  It represents an alloy of iron with carbon, the content of which in its structure contains 0.01–2.14%.  The composition also includes insignificant amounts of silicon, manganese and sulfur. This material has exceptional mechanical properties: hardness and malleability, thanks to which it is considered the main structural material in mechanical engineering.  It is difficult to imagine what could replace the steel. A wide variety of products are made of steel – from paper clips to the beds of multi-ton presses and construction pieces of ships. Let’s consider main methods of steel production to understand the process better.

    •       Open-hearth process  (Siemens-Martin process)

    This method is used for the production of high quality steels used in especially important parts of machines and precise mechanisms. At one time this method replaced the labor-intensive and inefficient crucible and pulping melts used before. The loading capacity of a single reflective furnace used in this method reaches 500 tons.  The peculiarity of the open-hearth method is the possibility of remelting not only pig iron, but also metallurgical wastes and scrap metal. The heating temperature of the liquid steel reaches 2 thousand degrees. The melting process takes 4 to 12 hours. In order to accelerate the melting process, the volume of injected oxygen exceeds demand, which increases the melting capacity by 20–30%.

    •       Bessemer converter method

     When it comes to this method, smelted steel is good for the production of automotive sheet, tool steel, welded structures and other steel billets.  By quality, it is inferior to an open-hearth method, and is used for the manufacture of less demanding products. It contains more impurities than in the open-hearth manufacture.  Due to the high volume of loading of one furnace up to 900 tons, the method is considered the most productive, therefore, it became widespread.

    The processing is transient and lasts up to 20 minutes.  During this time, the oxidation of carbon, silicon and manganese contained in the raw materials, happens, and they are further removed from the bath with the molten slag. The converter is a retort-shaped (pear-shaped) vessel, consisting of steel sheets with lining from the inside.  One hole is used for casting iron and producing finished steel; it also loads iron and scrap.

    •       Oxygen converter process (Linz–Donawitz-steelmaking)

    Steel production today is carried out mainly this way.  (You can buy steel for sale) The share of oxygen-converter production quite recently accounted for up to 60% of world steel production. However, this percentage is reduced due to the appearance of electric arc furnaces (EAF).  The furnaces are purged with pure oxygen (99.5%) under high pressure.

    •       Electric steelmaking method

    The production of steel by electric smelting has a number of undeniable advantages.  This method is considered to be the main one in the smelting of high-quality alloy steels.  High quality is achieved by the practical absence of phosphorus, sulfur and oxygen in the steels.  This method is also used for the production of a wide range of building steels.