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Tag: asia

  • Vietnam enjoys bright prospects for e-logistics development

    Vietnam enjoys bright prospects for e-logistics development

    As one of the fastest growing e-commerce countries in the world, Việt Nam is considered a high-potential market for e-logistics, analysts have said.

    Việt Nam has an average annual growth rate of 35 per cent.

    The boom in online shopping and home delivery in the country in recent years have also created many opportunities for e-logistics operators, they said.

    In 2017 alone, over 50 domestic and foreign e-logistics providers entered the market, which is predicted to reach US$200 million by 2020. They include Lazada, Giaohangnhanh or Grab Express or Speedlink.

    The combination of local and international expertise has created a tailored, unique solution for the Vietnamese e-logistics sector, paving the way for endless e-commerce growth, Fabian Wandt, country manager of Lazada eLogistics said.

    Another delivery operator, Giaohangnhanh, is also upbeat about the prospect of the delivery market reaching a three-fold annual increase, particularly with investments from both local and foreign players to enhance their technology, network and offerings.

    Giaohangnhanh CEO Nguyễn Trần Thi said that his company planned to expand its operations by more than double this year and targeted to reach 1,500 customer collection points by the end of 2018.

    Backed by State regulations

    According to analysts, opportunities for companies providing e-logistics services are brighter, especially since new regulations aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the logistics sector will soon come into force. Decision No 200/QĐ-TTg, which will provide the action plan to develop and raise the competitiveness of the logistics industry in Việt Nam until 2025, will have a positive impact on the development of logistics companies.

    With the State’s assistance in information technology, human resource training and operation cost reduction, the new decree is expected to help logistics companies, especially those providing e-logistics services, to sharpen their competitiveness in the time to come, analysts said.

    Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has also issued Decree No 163 on logistics services, which will come into force on February 20. The decree is expected to open up the e-logistics market to foreign investments. Under certain circumstances, foreign investors can establish enterprises or contribute capital to Vietnamese businesses engaged in maritime freight transport (excluding inland transportation), container handling services as part of maritime transport support services, freight transport services as part of inland waterway transport services and freight transport services as part of road transport services.

     

  • Asian currencies rise as dollar off despite higher U.S. inflation

    Asian currencies rise as dollar off despite higher U.S. inflation

    Asian currencies firmed on Thursday, boosted by heftier global risk appetites as the dollar slipped despite stronger-than-anticipated U.S. inflation and a rise in Treasury yields.

    Tracking a rally in Wall Street, Asian stocks brushed aside U.S. inflation data that showed that January core CPI posted the
    largest gain in a year, raising pressure on the Federal Reserve to be more aggressive in raising U.S. interest rates this year.

    The dollar index weakened to a near 2-week low, after the rebound in equities, evoking the idea that the greenback might be in a period of persistent weakness.

    “The dollar advanced against other currencies when US CPI inflation was released but pared the gains and weakened later as
    U.S. equities proved more resilient, with the VIX index pulling back further below 20,” said Qi Gao, FX strategist (EM Asia) at
    Scotiabank.

    “Continued risk appetite sent Asian currencies higher this morning, I think risk appetite will likely continue as synchronized global growth is expected to boost the EUR and JPY, while bolstering EM Asian currencies as long as risk appetite sustains.”

    The Malaysian ringgit led gains among regional currencies as it firmed 0.6%, while the Indian rupee strengthened 0.3%.

    The Philippine peso, the worst performing Asian currency in 2018, also rode on the positive sentiment to strengthen 0.3%, on track to end five-consecutive sessions of losses.

    The Singapore dollar firmed 0.1% after data showed that the city–state’s annual exports in January surged despite another decline in electronics shipments, helped by a jump in sales of petrochemical products.

    The Korean won, Chinese yuan and Taiwan dollar did not trade on Thursday, because of the Lunar New Year holiday.

    The rupiah strengthened 0.5%, even though Indonesia’s statistics bureau on Thursday said the country in January had a US$670 million trade deficit, while a Reuters poll had forecast a US$190 million surplus.

    The baht firmed 0.5% on Thursday.

    Thailand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, near record lows, saying it expects inflation to stay largely subdued even as Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy gains further momentum.

    The central bank said the economic outlook had improved on the back of strong global demand for its exports, but recovering
    domestic demand and inflation developments should be monitored.

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  • Fendi opens Singapore ION flagship with pop-up attached

    Fendi opens Singapore ION flagship with pop-up attached

    Fashion house Fendi opened a flagship store in Singapore, marking the Italian firm’s fourth boutique in the city.

    Located in ION Orchard mall, the new store is Fendi’s most impressive to date in Singapore. Boasting a brightly-lit façade, the interior design of the Fendi retail outlet has been renewed and rolled out in Singapore, harking back to Fendi’s Roman roots.

    As for the products, ION Orchard offers women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, furs and accessories and collectible design pieces and furniture from a mix of heritage and new guard creators. Meanwhile, it the first Fendi store on Orchard Road to have a full men’s offerings including fashion, accessories and shoes.

    Fendi has created a Singapore exclusive Mini Peekaboo bag in velvet too, featuring a tapestry woven pattern and the signature Fendi whipstitch details.

    Marking the store opening, a Fendi pop-up store has been set up at the entrance of the new physical store. Painted a lush forest green, the kiosk is designed to mimic heritage newsstands that one might find in a Piazza in Rome. The octagonal dark green structure features materials inspired by apartments in the city, such as brass, rosewood, velvet and parquet wooden floors.

    It stocks smaller items such as bag charms, small leather goods, sunglasses and t-shirts, as well as free Fendi postcards for guests.

    The ‘travelling’ kiosk opened until 18 February, before moving on to Siam Paragon mall, in Bangkok.

    Many international luxury brands have been doing the nomadic pop-up retail debut lately. Both Chanel and Louis Vuitton recently launched pop-up concepts in Singapore.

    Fendi is part of the French luxury conglomerate LVMH group. LVMH posted record revenues in 2107, with sales increasing overall by 29% last year.

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  • Singtel Q3 profit falls 9%

    Singtel Q3 profit falls 9%

    Singtel has reported a 9% decline in profit for its fiscal third quarter to S$890 million ($671.7 million) as a result of declining voice revenues, higher costs and lower earnings from the operator’s regional mobile associates.

    Revenue for the December quarter grew 4% to S$4.6 billion as a result of higher earnings from Singtel’s wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Optus and strong contributions from the group’s digital businesses.

    Optus reported an 8% increase in revenue on the back of strong postpaid mobile and NBN customer growth. During the quarter, mobile revenue grew 4% and 125,000 new postpaid customers were added. Optus’ 4G population coverage meanwhile reached 96.6%.

    But Singapore consumer revenues fell 6% due to ongoing voice to data substitution and lower equipment revenues, partially offset by solid mobile data growth.

    Group enterprise revenue also fell 4% for the quarter, while Singtel’s Group Digital Life revenues more than doubled.

    Pre-tax earnings from Singtel’s network of regional mobile associates meanwhile fell 17.8% to S$523 million, largely as a result of the lower contribution from India’s Bharti Airtel due to the mobile termination rate cut and ongoing intense competition.

    Earnings also fell at Indonesia’s Telkomsel as a result of growing competition and at the Philippines’ Globe Telecom due to higher network investment related costs, but profit contributions from Thailand’s AIS rose due to solid revenue growth.

    “We see our investments in network infrastructure and spectrum as critical to our future growth and longer term returns in this digital world. Already, our transformation strategy is delivering with digital and ICT services accounting for 23% of our revenue this quarter,” Singtel group CEO Chua Sock Koong said.

    “Despite the current business headwinds, our regional associates’ markets remain attractive with strong mobile data growth. The ongoing consolidation in India will also pave the way for a healthier industry. We believe our associates’ investments in networks and spectrum, strategic partnerships and focus on innovation will pay off.”

    Singtel recently arranged to pay $412.6 million to indirectly increase its stake in Bharti Airtel to 39.5%.

  • Myanmar’s cellcos reach a combined 50m subs

    Myanmar’s cellcos reach a combined 50m subs

    Myanmar’s mobile operators – MPT, Ooredoo Myanmar and Telenor Myanmar – have announced they have reached a collective 50 million subscribers.

    Extrapolating from the latest UN estimates, Worldometers projects that the total population of Myanmar is around 53.6 million, meaning the nation’s mobile penetration is approaching 100%.

    In a joint statement announcing the milestone, the three operators committed to further develop their mobile networks, particularly in rural areas, and to provide the investment needed for the deployment of 4G infrastructure and services for the market.

    The companies also agreed to abide by “sound price competition practices”, including by complying with recently imposed floor pricing on mobile offerings.

    The Myanmar Post and Telecommunications Department’s pricing and tariff regulatory framework, introduced in June last year, prohibits behavior such as free distribution or sales of SIM cards and supplying services and handsets at below cost.

    “MPT, Ooredoo and Telenor are firmly committed to competing based on the stated guidelines and the relevant laws of the country that as the telecommunications operators in Myanmar, they are bound to,” the statement reads.

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  • Siam Piwat lighted up Lunar New Year with performances

    Siam Piwat lighted up Lunar New Year with performances

    Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., owner and operator of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, unites the three shopping centers under the banner of “One Siam” to host “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year” with a generous budget of 50 million Baht. On the theme of “Lantern Festival”, the event has illuminated with 999 dazzling sculpted lanterns that symbolize prosperity to welcome the Chinese New Year. The grand spectacles from China and fortune-enhancing activities are in the line-up to promote Chinese art and culture and further strengthen Sino-Thai relations. Also featured on the occasion are special offers, co-sponsored by Kbank Credit Card, for Thai and Chinese visitors during the Chinese New Year. The festivities are slated to run from today to 18 February 2018 at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery.

    Mayuree Chaipromprasith, Senior Executive Vice President – Marketing of Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. reveals “To promote the tourism sector during the Chinese New Year which is a festival of joy for both Thais of Chinese descent and Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, the three shopping centers at Siam area, consisting of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, unites under the banner of “One Siam” to hold “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year”. Each venue promises a motley range of lively activities, highlighting the image of One Siam as a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over the world. This year, we bring to you a special treat of “Digital Angpao (Red Envelope)” so that you can give your blessings away via such platforms as Facebook and our website. A variety of prizes including gift cards and discounts are also up for grabs. Another way to join in the fun is by downloading our AR application called Flash Venture to find and catch all of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals scattered throughout the three shopping centers.

    On the opening day 15 February 2018, Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Siri Vadhana Phannavadi personally graciously visited the festivity and watched the show welcoming by Pasinee Limatibul, Board of Director of Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd and executives of the company. The event was also joined by celebrities such as Kleddao Panichsamai, Sopitnapa Chumpanee, MR Chanladda Yukol, Prakarn Raiva, Wantita Liewchalermwong, Lina Leenutaphong, Pimpisa Chamanan, and Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying. Moreover, there were a phenomenal line-up of spectacles such as Chinese New Year Drum, a drum show fronted by starlet Nicha Nattanicha, interspersed with a graceful dance performed by native Chinese dancers and a Chinese lion dance featuring Mario Maurer, the biggest Thai heartthrob for Chinese fans. We are committed to bringing you joy and happiness over the Chinese New Year and this is our New Year gift for you.

    From today until 18 February 2018, at Parc Paragon of Siam Paragon, you will be impressed with 999 colored sculpted lanterns symbolizing prosperity and wealth. The installations in the shape of 12 Chinese zodiac animals measuring 2.5m in height dot the open space dwarfed by the 5-meter-tall dog-shaped centrepiece marking the Year of the Dog. Meanwhile, the Chinese Cultural Center of Thailand has joined hands to bring in a host of unforgettable productions involving an exuberant blending of China’s unique ethnic culture with Han Chinese influences. The shows, delivered by over 100 members of performance crews from the city of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province, China, include a graceful style of various dances, the jaw-dropping Kongzu acrobatics, and displays of ancient Chinese magic. The festival will also present a showcase for music played with Suona, a Chinese traditional musical instrument.

    Explore Chinese culture and dive into a whole heap of immersive experiences by sitting back and relaxing in our reproduction teahouse or ornamenting yourself with ancient Chinese outfits topped with Chinese makeup looks brought to you by professional makeup artists. Feel free to take as many pictures as you like to remind you of your fond memories with us. The M Floor of Siam Paragon is adorned throughout with good luck symbols such as red dogs, plum blossoms, and bamboo twigs in the hope that every customer is blessed with wealth, health, and happiness all year round. Don’t miss the giant lantern that stands bright in the Hall of Fame section on the M Floor. Revel in music rendered with Guzheng, Erhu and Xiao. Keep your peepers peeled for demonstrations of rope braiding, courtesy of Huachiew Chalermprakiat University. Admire the lit-up plum blossom-decorated arches spotting the entire area of Parc Paragon.

    As for the cutting-edge Siam Center, it is home to a massive selection of high-end fashion brands and creative artworks. No doubt it is tasked with mounting an exhibition of sculptures, designed by up-and-coming collage artist Nakrob Moonmanas, on the theme of All We Need is Love. All kinds of love, be it familial or romantic, are beautiful and make the world a better place. In celebration of the power of equal love, we are proud to present a collection of lantern-mounted photographs. The pictures interconnected with Chinese-inspired chinoiserie patterns feature couples of various nationalities from all walks of life dressed in red, the symbolic color of good fortune.

    Come experience the wonderful “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year” festival where many vibrant activities are in action. Special offers are up for grabs from today to 11 March 2018. In the meantime, from today until 18 February 2018, keep your eye out for a Chinese lion parade giving out red envelopes loaded with 9 million Baht’s worth of discount coupons and gift cards, courtesy of over 500 popular shops in the three shopping centers.

  • SWIFT revolutionises Australian banking with real-time payments

    SWIFT revolutionises Australian banking with real-time payments

    SWIFT welcomes the public launch of the New Payments Platform (NPP) in Australia, which is set to revolutionise the way payments are made domestically. SWIFT has helped to design, build and deliver the NPP and will play a key role in operating the infrastructure for the NPP.

    The NPP’s paradigm-shifting financial architecture has been designed and constructed to fundamentally improve how consumers, businesses and governments transact with one another. The key features of the NPP include:

    • 24/7 instant payments and real-time line-by-line settlement via the Reserve Bank of Australia
    • PayID, new and easy way to link a financial account with an easy-to-remember identifier such as a mobile phone number, email address or ABN for businesses
    • Open access infrastructure that truly empowers innovation through competition
    • Overlay services framework that will provide new value services to Australian consumers, businesses and government

    Alain Raes, Chief Executive of EMEA & APAC, SWIFT, said the rollout of the NPP and the enablement of real time payments is the most significant development in the Australian payments industry in decades, and could have a more revolutionary impact on the economy than any previous payments system innovation.

    “SWIFT has supported the evolution of payments systems around the world for more than 40 years and is delighted to have played an important role in the creation and roll out of real-time payments in Australia. The smooth delivery of the project is a measure of the great partnership that SWIFT and the Australian industry have developed throughout the collaboration,” said Mr Raes. “The NPP has also showcased the expertise and innovative approach of SWIFT’s global payments team and the value that we can deliver to other markets, including the European Union as it moves towards the goal of a harmonised instant payments service within the Eurozone.”

    NPPA CEO, Adrian Lovney said: “SWIFT, an international leader in the provision of secure financial services, has worked tirelessly to help design, build and deliver this world class system.”

    NPP is a key component within SWIFT’s broader global instant payments strategy, which also includes the provision of an instant payments messaging service for the euro area. Launching in November 2018, to coincide with the launch of TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS), the euro real-time payments service commissioned by the Eurosystem, SWIFT’s new messaging service will allow instant payments to be made in euros across Europe through both TIPS and EBA CLEARING’s RT-1 instant payments system.

    In the context of the Eurosystem’s 2020 vision, which envisages access to TARGET2, TARGET2 for Securities and TIPS through the Eurosystem Single Market Infrastructure Gateway (ESMIG), SWIFT’s instant payments strategy is committed to the future agenda of the Eurosystem, supporting customers as they move to meet this vision.

    The same SWIFT solution will provide customers with a single gateway to connect seamlessly to other instant payment systems in Europe and elsewhere.

    SWIFT, which currently connects 85 of the 149 High Value Payments systems in the world, including CHAPS in the UK, TARGET2 in Europe and the SWIFT India Domestic Services, also offers gateways to instant payments platforms in Hong Kong and in the US.

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  • Muse Shopping Centre’s new Incubator Store designed by JHP

    Muse Shopping Centre’s new Incubator Store designed by JHP

    JHP have been appointed by French developer Apsys to create a radical new store concept. ‘The Collection by Muse’, located in the newly opened Muse shopping centre in Metz, France, is the ultimate incubator store. Its flexible design and centralized POS system allow it to host brands on a temporary basis. Brands range from already established brands to young designers and emerging labels from all around the world, and are as diverse as Fashion, Accessories, Beauty, Home, Objects and Technology companies. Current tenant is upcoming French fashion label ‘French Mode’.

    The principle is simple: every three to four months, a new brand takes the reins of the shop to exhibit their collections. Located on the first floor of Muse, the Collection by Muse’s main purpose is to incubate new retailers and brands, test the popularity of new categories, respond to seasonal demand, inspire and encourage customers to return again and again.

    Muse, Lorraine’s new mall, opened its doors to the public on 22 November 2017, opposite the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum complex and a few minutes’ walk from Metz city centre in France. As the cornerstone of the new Amphithéâtre quarter, Muse fosters an urban mix thanks to a combination of retail outlets, homes, offices and leisure facilities of over 80,000 sqm.

    The centre accommodates 112 outlets including fashion boutiques, home décor stores, restaurants and day-to-day shops, including Primark, Carrefour Market, Superdry, New Look, Zadig & Voltaire, Sephora, and the restaurants Burger King, Air Bagels and Beef House.

     

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  • Three Centara resorts are the best hotels for families say TripAdvisor users

    Three Centara resorts are the best hotels for families say TripAdvisor users

    TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, just released its prestigious Travelers’ Choice Awards for their users’ favourite hotels. In the family category, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort in Pattaya was ranked #1 in Thailand. Centara Grand Beach Resort in Phuket was #4 and Centara Karon Beach Resort, also in Phuket, was #7.

    “Being family-friendly is part of our company DNA,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Centara’s CEO. “We work hard to welcome families with children and offer them a superior holiday experience. It starts with the design of the hotel and continues through family amenities, activity programmes, and service attitude. These awards are evidence we’re succeeding.”

    TripAdvisor gives the awards annually, based on the reviews and opinions of millions of its users. The rankings are based on people who have stayed at each hotel during the past year.

    Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort was the first true themed resort in Thailand. Its Lost World motif features several swimming pools, waterslides, giant sculptures and palm trees towering over a lazy river and Monsoon Island. Children enjoy the Kids’ Club, E-zone, and organised activities supervised by hotel staff. The resort even has a family version of club level: its Zulu Family Club has a play area for toddlers while their parents enjoy an afternoon refreshment. The resort lies along a 230-metre stretch of sandy beach.

    Like Centara Grand Mirage in Pattaya, Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket is a 5-star resort built around a waterpark with multiple pools, river, and waterslides. Its Kids’ Club and Camp Safari are complemented by a cliff jumping platform, and water sports in the Andaman Sea including kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and snorkelling. The resort features Sino-Portuguese style and has direct access to Karon Beach.

    Centara Karon Resort is a unique concept for Phuket, featuring four distinct zones so guests can find the perfect match for their needs. Family amenities include rooms that easily accommodate four; three large swimming pools, including the Lagoon pool with two waterslides; and a Kids’ Club, Camp Safari, and E-Zone to keep children and teens entertained.

    This year marks the third time Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort has won TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice award for family-friendly accommodations. Other Centara resorts in Thailand have received the recognition from TripAdvisor users each year since 2014. Centara was also recently listed among Smart Travel Asia’s Hot 25 Family Hotels.

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  • AirAsia India plans to add up to 70 planes to its fleet in 5 years

    AirAsia India plans to add up to 70 planes to its fleet in 5 years

    Low-cost carrier AirAsia India plans to add up to 70 aircraft to its fleet over the next 4-5 years as it seeks to aggressively expand services, domestic market share, and network, a top executive at the firm said in an interview.

    “We are expanding aggressively and aiming to be among the top three in the low-cost carrier (LCC) segment once we have inducted 60-70 aircraft in our fleet,” AirAsia India chief executive Amar Abrol said.

    The airline, a joint venture between Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd and India’s Tata Sons, expects to double its revenue to Rs1,200 crore in 2017, and take it to Rs1,800 crore in 2018, Abrol added.

    During the year ended 31 December 2016, the company narrowed its losses to Rs140.32 crore from Rs181.70 crore in the previous year, according to data available with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

    AirAsia India’s financial year starts from 1 January and it is yet to disclose numbers for the Indian operations during the year ended 31 December 2017.

    A significant number of the 70 aircraft that the airline plans to add are likely to be purchased, while the rest will be leased. Like its parent AirAsia Bhd, AirAsia India has an all-Airbus fleet and will place the aircraft order through its parent to get favourable prices.

    “All aircraft orders will be done at the group level, where commitments have been made to purchase aircraft from Airbus over a period of time,” Abrol said.

    “We draw best practices from our parent, AirAsia Bhd, and also take advantage of economies of scale while placing orders for aircraft,” Abrol said, adding that there is a significant cost advantage with the parent, which already owns a significant fleet, negotiating with lessors and aircraft manufacturers for its subsidiary.

    Abrol did not share any estimate of the investment the company plans to make on aircraft acquisition.

    An industry expert who spoke on condition of anonymity pegged the size of AirAsia India’s order to Airbus at $3 billion.

    For a no-frills airline like AirAsia India to reach the market leadership position, the company either needs to be the leader in the revenue segment or be the top company in keeping costs down—both are not in AirAsia’s favour right now, according to a sector analyst.

    “The biggest challenge faced by AirAsia India is that they don’t have good slots at major Indian airports. As a result, they find it difficult to compete with bigger airlines in the no-frills space. They should aggressively expand their regional markets, as they could miss out on growth if they fail to get good slots at some of the major regional hubs. They also need to check their costs, as it is higher than some of its competitors and bring it down from the current levels. Otherwise the path for AirAsia India to break even is a difficult one,” the analyst said, requesting anonymity.

    “Getting to profitability is absolutely essential for us but not at the cost of stalling expansion,” Abrol said. “We are investing heavily on people, infrastructure, aircraft, and expansion.” He expects AirAsia India to break even by January-March 2019.

    A consultant said that he does not expect the airline to grow in double digits or even high single digits in 2018-19.

    “Rising fuel prices are a huge challenge for airlines and are expected to affect low-cost carriers adversely. We don’t expect the airline to grow in double digits or high single digits in FY19,” Peeyush Naidu, partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP, said.

    AirAsia India has also expressed the intent to go for an initial public offering to meet its investment requirements. But, according to Abrol, the company has not appointed a banker to start the process and a decision to that effect will come from the board.

    AirAsia India, which had a market share of 3.7% in 2017, up from 1.7% in 2015, carried 43.23 lakh passengers in calendar year 2017, according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data.

    The LLC segment in India was led by Interglobe Aviation-run IndiGo, which registered a 39.6% market share, and carried 4.64 crore passengers. Other no-frills airlines like SpiceJet (12.8%) and GoAir (9.1%) carried 41.12 lakh and 29.38 lakh passengers, respectively during the same period.

  • Arvato welcomes NATIVE UNION as new customer

    Arvato welcomes NATIVE UNION as new customer

    Arvato SCM Solutions in Asia adds NATIVE UNION as a new customer. NATIVE UNION is an internationally acclaimed Hong Kong and Los Angeles based tech accessories company that was founded in 2009. Arvato SCM Solutions’ business unit Hightech & Entertainment is now handling NATIVE UNION’s global logistics services.

    As part of its services for NATIVE UNION, Arvato provides global warehousing and distribution from its logistics center in Hong Kong, supplying the brand’s products to retailers and distributors across Europe, USA and Asia. In doing so, Arvato offers both domestic and international freight management solutions to NATIVE UNION. In addition to this, Arvato also provides value added services including labelling and bundling, and is responsible for the brands e-commerce fulfillment.

    “We were looking for an international supply chain partner that would give us a true competitive edge, supporting us on our continuous growth path,” says Farouk Merzougui, Chief Operating Officer at NATIVE UNION. “In Arvato, we have found this partner. They are as passionate about our goals as we are.”

    Finding solutions for the ever increasing need for flexibility and agility in the supply chain is crucial. The speedy ramp up showcases Arvato’s ability to develop and implement tailored strategies for its clients in a global marketplace. „Worldwide, the demand for NATIVE UNION’s products is booming. Our Hong Kong SCM team led by Andreas Podwojewski has successfully implemented the business in the shortest amount of time possible to meet this raising demand”, says Raoul Kuetemeier, Head of Asia at Arvato SCM Solutions.

    In total, more than 500,000 units were shipped in the first three months of the collaboration. One of NATIVE UNION’s popular products is the multi-USB charger and cable management system ECLIPSE CHARGER that came on the back of a very successful kickstarter campaign, where Arvato shipped almost 10,000 orders of the new product to customers all around the world. Overall, Arvato SCM Solutions covers 48 countries from its Hong Kong site.

    “NATIVE UNION is a client with a lot of potential in its field, fulfilling the consumer’s increasing demands for high quality, design-led products,” says Kuetemeier. “We have been happy about our partnership and collaboration since day one and we are very excited about developing and expanding business with NATIVE UNION – in Hong Kong and beyond.”

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  • Malaysians are more Save-vy than Singaporeans

    Malaysians are more Save-vy than Singaporeans

    ShopBack, the leading online Cashback platform in Southeast Asia, observes a stronger head start in 2018 for Malaysia as compared to Singapore.

    “Further to our positive performance in the Q4 2017, almost 20% more digital transactions went through ShopBack Malaysia compared to our Singapore counterpart last month. Looking at our January 2018 vs January 2017 data, ShopBack Malaysia has experienced more than twice the growth. Data shows that when it comes to savings, Malaysians are more aggressive and increasingly choose ShopBack as a convenient way to accumulate Cashback for every transaction,” said Alvin Gill, Country General Manager of ShopBack Malaysia.

    “Several factors such as the petrol price hike and subsequent increase in food cost has urged Malaysians to optimise their spending in every possible way, to which we are glad to be able to help more than 850K Malaysians in getting over RM25 million Cashback from their digital purchases, including Grab and Uber rides, in the past three years.”

    In 2017, more than 30 online merchants joined ShopBack Malaysia to provide Cashback as a form of loyalty reward to online shoppers, including Malaysia Airlines, 11street, Uniqlo Online and Kinokuniya. Currently, ShopBack collaborates with more than 500 merchants to offer up to 30% Cashback, and the Cashback percentage tends to increase during the festive period.

    “For example, there’ll be products on 100% epic Cashback sale during our birthday next week (22 February 2018). We will be giving away a total of RM18,000 to three lucky winners to spend on Lazada. Nike, Taobao, Booking.com, Photobook, Expedia, Hermo, Cotton-On, Sephora, ZALORA etc. are going to give out higher Cashback on that day too,” Alvin elaborated.

    Developing user centric features for better purchasing decisions

    While online Cashback still sounds new to locals, ShopBack is confident of its future as this concept has been introduced and is widely used by China, UK and US shoppers for more than a decade.

    “There is a bunch of loyalty programmes for offline retail in Malaysia but none comparable to ShopBack’s scale in the online retail space prior to our entry. We reward users in cash form, of which can be transferred into a bank account once it gets validated. What’s better is users are able to stack this on top of their credit card’s Cashback. On the other hand, online merchants see us as a valuable partner in promoting their business to the right target audience and retaining existing customers. We might earn less by sharing our commission with users as Cashback, but this triple-win model will help us go a long way,” Alvin said.

    To better support customers in their purchasing journey, ShopBack Malaysia extended its team to support live chat on web, mobile and app platform, as well as Facebook. It also upgraded its app to enable users access to purchase mobile reloads and internet packages offers within one tap, and implemented OTP (one-time-password) for a secure payout process.

    Recently, it also rolled out a ‘partial Cashback’ feature where a user can choose to withdraw any available Cashback amount (minimum RM10) from ShopBack to his/her bank account, or utilise it to settle phone bills (Maxis users only). The company is also looking to expand payout options via potential partnerships with popular brands and other loyalty programme providers.

    “Moving forward, we want ShopBack to be more than just Cashback. If you look at our app, there’s an exclusive function that allows our users to quickly compare rides and make a decision on the go. That is the kind of smarter way of living that we envision, and we hope to achieve greater milestones with our users in the near future.”

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  • NEC’s facial recognition system elevates customer experience at OCBC Bank

    NEC’s facial recognition system elevates customer experience at OCBC Bank

    NEC Asia Pacific and NEC Corporation today announced the successful testing and roll-out of a facial recognition system at OCBC Bank’s Holland Village branch to identify Premier Banking customers. OCBC Bank is one of the first in Singapore’s banking sector to adopt such a system as part of its digital efforts to improve service excellence.

    Facial recognition is a growing form of biometrics used to identify and authenticate persons in a wide range of industries. With the widespread usage and acceptance in immigration systems, and secured identity card systems, biometrics is now expanding into commercial applications (e.g. banking, retail etc.).

    Implemented since 4 December 2017, the system instantly identifies OCBC Premier Banking customers in real-time as they approach the lounge in the branch without needing to stop to look at the camera.  This is a very unintrusive approach for the bank to identify them.

    Based on the VIP identification, the system allows the Premier Service Manager (PSM) to promptly identify and greet customers by their preferred name, offer them their preferred drinks and magazines, and, understanding their visit records to promptly deliver services, giving the client a more personalized and pleasant customer journey.

    The Bank can record the purpose of a customer’s visit, gather feedback to help improve services, and understand customer behavior patterns, such as the frequency of their visits.

    The system utilizes NeoFace, NEC’s AI engine for face recognition.

    NeoFace is recognized as the fastest and most accurate algorithm in the world by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the United States*, greatly exceeding all other vendors in both accuracy and speed.

    The NeoFace engine can be used for a variety of applications and scenarios such as:

    -Access control and attendance tracking for staff and visitors in different areas

    -Workstation/console login for more secured access

    -Customer authentication for transactions as a 2nd factor on different channels of financial institutions

    – Seamless online transaction experience using facial recognition for payment authentication

    – For safety reasons; monitoring for individuals on watch lists or tracking people who loiter on the premises

    -Fraud prevention with NEC’s “liveness”** detection

    -Tailored advertising signage and marketing material using facial recognition to understand the age and gender of patrons

    “OCBC is committed to our service quality and implementing facial recognition to elevate the customer experience is one of the first steps that we are doing in the digital economy. Since introducing it, we received positive feedback from customers who were impressed by the personalized hospitality enabled by fast and accurate identification. Going forward, we will evaluate and consider the extension of the capability beyond customer service,” said Mr. Pranav Seth, SVP, Head of E-business, Business Transformation and Fintech & Innovation group, OCBC Bank.

    “We are pleased to work with OCBC Bank to provide this cutting-edge facial recognition solution to help improve the overall delivery of services to their valued clientele. We hope that through this co-creation we have helped OCBC Bank stay competitive in this fast-paced industry where customer experience is key. Moving ahead, we look forward to exploring more innovative and meaningful ideas to help customers digitally transform their businesses through artificial intelligence that includes biometrics and facial recognition,” said Lim Kok Quee, Managing Director and Deputy CEO (ASEAN Sub-Region) of NEC Asia Pacific.

    NEC has been engaged in the development of facial recognition technology for over 30 years. NeoFace® is currently implemented in more than 40 countries by a wide range of public and private organizations.

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  • Bolloré Logistics Korea to be the First to Achieve CEIV Pharma Certification

    Bolloré Logistics Korea to be the First to Achieve CEIV Pharma Certification

    On January 31st, 2018, Bolloré Logistics Korea became the first transport and logistics company in South Korea to independently achieve the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma).

    The certification is a globally recognized and standardized certification for healthcare airfreight shipments. It is meant to train all the air cargo industry operators on the proper Cold Chain handling of pharmaceutical products requiring temperature control.

    Bolloré Logistics Korea began the certification process according to the IATA CEIV Pharma standard in the third quarter of 2015. The CEIV committee has worked with dedication to bring the internal processes to required expectations.

    “We are proud to be the first CEIV Pharma logistics company independently certified in Korea. The certification reinforces our commitment to provide the highest standards of professionalism in handling the transportation of high-value pharmaceutical products under strict temperature and time-sensitive conditions,” said Thibault JANSSENS, Managing Director of Bolloré Logistics Korea.

    The CEIV certification will allow Bolloré Logistics Korea to have a competitive/strategic advantage in the healthcare logistics market with a stronger, more competitive and enhanced air cargo service.

    This is a new success which shows our commitment to achieve the highest international quality standard in the global pharmaceutical supply chain for its customers, by continually improving our processes and infrastructures to be compliant with IATA CEIV Pharma standards. With Australia, Singapore and now South Korea certified, the aim of Bolloré Logistics is to deploy this action throughout its global network with on-going certifications on other sites in the Asia-Pacific region such as in Hong Kong and Japan.

    With its modern and innovative facilities, the excellence of its quality management system, the expertise of its teams and its multiple certifications, Bolloré Logistics is a major global player in the supply chain of pharmaceutical products.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) created Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) in 2015. It aims to set the industrial standard for air cargo supply chain in pharmaceutical handling excellence. It addresses industry’s need for more safety, security, compliance and efficiency, by the creation of a globally consistent and recognized pharmaceutical product handling certification.

    CEIV Pharma encompasses, or even supersedes, many of the existing pharmaceutical standards and guidelines, such as IATA Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), European Union Good Distribution Practices (EU GDP), World Health Organization Annex 5, United States Pharmacopeia Standards.

  • Mondelez Malaysia Wins Regional Award for Halal Excellence

    Mondelez Malaysia Wins Regional Award for Halal Excellence

    Mondelez Malaysia, part of Mondelēz International and owner of iconic brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toblerone, Oreo, Chipsmore and Twisties recently won the Best Halal Chocolate Bar under Heritage Brand for its Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolates at the Asia Halal Brand Awards 2017 (AHBA). The prestigious award recognises the company’s long-term legacy in making Halal Cadbury chocolates in Malaysia and catering to the local consumers, with its commitment in manufacturing processes and supply chains that are internationally-compliant and halal-certified. Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates are certified Halal by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) since 2004.

    Swadheen Sharma, Managing Director of Mondelez Malaysia said, “2017 has been an outstanding year for Mondelez Malaysia and being recognised as a prominent Halal brand not only further validates our position, but also demonstrates our continued responsibility towards meeting consumer needs and preferences. We understand how important Halal is to our consumers. Ensuring that all our products made here in Malaysia are Halal is something that we take very seriously.”

    The Asia Halal Brand Awards 2017 (AHBA) aims at promoting prominent Halal brands in Asia that elevate the significance of the brands in the global market. Mondelez Malaysia was awarded because of its stringent manufacturing process to ensure the highest standard of quality, while being compliant to the Halal guidelines. All Mondelez products in Malaysia are certified Halal by JAKIM and 20 percent of products manufactured here are exported to 16 countries worldwide.

    Mondelez Malaysia reinforced its focus on Halal by strengthening its collaborations with authorities and certification bodies, including Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), as well as carrying out proactive audits on its products. These initiatives have collectively strengthened consumers’ confidence in Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolates as a Halal-certified product.

    Mondelez Malaysia maintained its strong presence in the country in three core categories; chocolate, biscuit and salty snacks. Currently ranked number one in the biscuits category and number two share position in Salty Snacks and a sizeable Candy business, the owner of famous brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk and Cadbury 5 Star is confident that it would gain back its category leadership in chocolates because of its strong plans and execution roadmaps.

    “Mondelez Malaysia’s positive growth in the chocolate category is driven by our product innovation and portfolio diversification. Over the years, we have had great success with the new products we introduced to the market, such as Marvellous Creations, Cadbury Honey Comb & Nuts, Cadbury 5 Star and Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo to suit the Malaysian consumers’ taste. These efforts are important for us to keep up with the evolving needs of consumers, while catering to a variety of taste profiles and flavour preferences,” said Vikram Karwal, Associate Director Marketing Chocolates SEA.

    The market will continue to be uncertain in view of the changing dynamic of consumers’ purchasing habits. In sustaining this leadership, Mondelez will focus on building excellence in its sales execution to drive category growth. This includes even deeper partnerships with retailers to improve the shopping experience, faster speed to market, improved freshness and availability.

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