Analysis

Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral

The origin story of the Age of Disinformation: the candid inside tale of two online media rivals, Jonah Peretti of HuffPost and Buzzfeed and Nick Denton of Gawker Media, whose delirious pursuit of attention at scale helped release the dark forces that would overtake the internet and American society. If attention is the new oil, Ben Smith’s Traffic is the story of the time between the first gusher and the impact of climate change. The curtain opens in Soho in the early 2000s, after the first dotcom crash but before Google, Apple, and Facebook exploded, when it seemed that New York City rather than Silicon Valley might become tech’s center of gravity. There, within a few square blocks, Nick Denton’s merry band of nihilists at his growing Gawker empire and Jonah Peretti’s sunnier crew at HuffPost and Buzzfeed were building the foundations of viral internet media. It was tech’s age of innocence: the old establishment might have been discredited by the Iraq War, but digital news would facilitate the spread of truth. After all, didn’t progressive activists online get Barack Obama elected? Ben Smith, who would go on to earn a controversial reputation as Buzzfeed‘s editor-in-chief, was there to see it, and he chronicles it all with marvelous lucidity scored with dark wit, sparing no one-and certainly not himself. Smith tells a nuanced story: yes, Denton’s ideology of radical transparency was problematic, but at least he had an ideology. Jonah Peretti survived long after Denton’s Gawker perished because his focus on clicks was relentlessly content-agnostic. But unintended consequences began to snowball. Traffic explores one of the great ironies of our time: the internet, which was going to help the left remake the world in its image, has become the motive force of right populism. People like Steve Bannon and Andrew Breitbart and Gavin McInnes and Chris Poole, the creator of 4chan, all […]

The Interview: Lia Nicholson, Head of Sustainability, Terrascope, Singapore

Transforming the decarbonisation of business, What exactly do you do? As Terrascope’s Head of Sustainability, I build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to drive corporate decarbonisation at scale. This involves collaborating with industry associations, government officials, regulators, enterprises and other organisations, to identify and unlock opportunities that will significantly reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to 1.5°C. In addition to building partnerships, I collaborate with our data, engineering, product and design teams to optimise the emissions data and insights that our software provides to clients. We help them define clear and actionable steps to transform their operations and supply chains, resulting in positive impacts on both their carbon footprint and bottom line. Prior to joining Terrascope, I was a climate negotiator in the United Nations and senior advisor to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), a bloc of 39 countries facing existential climate risks, and considered the moral voice for climate action. I also spent several years with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership in West Africa, where I trained staff in mayor’s offices across Abidjan, Accra, Dakar and Lagos to prepare city-level carbon inventories and develop Paris Agreement-aligned climate action plans. How are your efforts currently making a difference to climate conditions? At Terrascope, we are focused on accelerating “big” net zero journeys across critical sectors and geographies. We believe that collaborating with large companies and stakeholders in the real economy presents a unique (and largely untapped) opportunity to drive decarbonisation at scale. Combining our deep expertise in data science, machine learning and sustainability, we work closely with clients and partners to identify and unlock decarbonisation opportunities that may have been overlooked. We place special emphasis on accurately measuring and managing value chain emissions, known as Scope 3, which can make up to 90% of a company’s carbon […]

Cambodia in major renewable energy deal with Singapore

Cambodia is leading Southeast Asia’s transition to cleaner energy. After submitting its long-term strategy for carbon neutrality to the United Nations, it is now currently working with Singapore to become a major exporter of clean energy in the region. PHNOM PENH – Cambodia is leading Southeast Asia’s transition to cleaner energy, and it’s gaining momentum. Following the submission of the country’s long-term strategy for carbon neutrality to the United Nations, the Royal Government introduced the Power Development Masterplan (PDP) and the National Energy Efficiency Policy (NEEP) to the public. These initiatives demonstrate the government’s unwavering commitment to the energy transition and the nation’s first long-term energy plan for coordinated and strategic energy direction. “By adopting best practices, we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, create new jobs, and position Cambodia as a leader in the region,” said Prime Minister Hun Sen. “Investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy is key to building a more sustainable future for our people and our planet.” Energy efficiency is a critical aspect of Cambodia’s clean energy transition, with the government committing to reducing energy consumption by 19% in relation to business-as-usual levels by 2030. The National Energy Efficiency Policy lays out strategic directions, priority areas, and sectoral targets, with Minister of Mines and Energy, Suy Sem, stating that “To harness the full potential of energy efficiency, developing a robust policy and regulatory framework, building stakeholder capacity, raising awareness of the benefits, and supporting private sector investment are crucial.” Furthermore, Cambodia is currently working with Singapore to become a major exporter of clean energy in the region. The deal, which is still at the commercial negotiation stage, would see Singapore importing 1 GW of renewable energy annually from Cambodia, making up a quarter of their low-carbon electricity imports by 2035. The potential exports to Singapore would contribute to Cambodia’s positive impact on the world and solidify its position as a leader in the clean energy industry […]

CHINT shares viewpoints about smart energy industry at China Mechanical and Electrical Exhibition 2023

CHINT, a global leader in smart energy solutions with over 35 years of global experience and a team of the industry’s best engineers and research scientists, partners businesses, governments, and communities in Asia to reimagine smart energy solutions with next-generation innovations to Empower the World. The company offers Power-to-Plug solutions that propel organisations in the United States of America, Europe, West Asia and Africa and Asia Pacific to success with customizable, realistic, and superior quality products and services that meet their business, environmental and social goals. With two decades of global expansion, CHINT’s business network now covers more than 140countries and regions worldwide in areas of low-voltage, power transmission and distribution,water, gas and electricity metering, green energy like solar and more. Last year, CHINT Globalestablished its APAC Headquarters in Singapore. The company has since been working withthe Singapore government such as in the SolarNova program led by the Housing DevelopmentBoard and the Economic Development Board to enable HDB flats to adopt solar photovoltaicsystems. At the China Mechanical and Electrical Exhibition 2023 event held in Singapore from 22 to 24March, CHINT shared with the industry stakeholders about how their company can partnerCHINT to better prepare for the government’s green initiatives using environmentally friendlypower distribution solutions and highlighted the importance of safe and reliable transmissionof electricity with the use of right products such as Low-voltage protection solutions. CHINT also showcased their leading-edge products including their Renewable Energy Solutions,Smart City Solutions, Environmental & Intelligent Substation Solutions, Data Center Solutionsand Building Power Distribution Solutions. Johnson Luu, Director at CHINT APAC shared at the event about intelligent manufacturing.“Intelligent manufacturing plays a crucial role in supporting the accelerated pace ofdigitalisation. The speed of production and implementation, and the use of superior qualitysmart energy products, work together in meeting the accelerated demand for power-to-plugsolutions. “Today, CHINT is […]

Sea freighters can use graph technology to better navigate uncharted waters

By Nik Vora, Asia-Pacific vice president, Neo4j The supply chain crisis, globally and in the ASEAN region, is not limited to a single problem but includes a range of logistical and economic challenges. These challenges are diverse and constantly evolving, from transportation disruptions and trade restrictions to sustainability and cost pressures. Suppliers, as well as transport and logistics companies, have been affected. To overcome these challenges, supply chain organisations must be flexible, adaptable, and proactive. But the highly complex nature of supply chains and international transport networks has traditionally made it difficult to plan contingencies and build redundancy. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 80% of international trade is transported by sea. Asia was the world’s leading maritime cargo handling centre in 2021, accounting for 42% of exports and 64% of imports. Despite pandemic issues easing, sea freight transport remains vulnerable to disruption. The overloading of port terminals and the continuing shortage of skilled workers has led to interruptions and increased dwell times for containers when unloading and transporting goods away. This has been exacerbated by the rise in energy and raw material prices and driven by geopolitical instability, which presents additional problems for shipping routes. New technologies related to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and graph technology promise a radical change in commercial shipping. Autonomously sailing “smart ships” may be some way off, but there is already great potential in optimising routes using smart AI navigation systems. Analysing high-quality data in large quantities makes it possible to coordinate and optimise workflows across multiple transport chains on water and land. The data-based approach promises more speed, reliability, and efficiency and can also be used in terms of CO2 emissions to meet increasingly strict regulatory requirements around sustainability. Navigating a vast ocean of data The […]

Tanaka establishes subsidiary in Seoul

Establishing overseas subsidiary in Korea will invigorate transactions and expand business in the markets for fuel cell catalysts, power semiconductor materials, precursors, and precious metal recycling Tanaka Kikinzoku Korea Co., Ltd. has been established in Seoul, Korea as a new base for sales strategy in Korea and begins operating as a new company as of April 3, 2023. Tanaka Kikinzoku Korea Co., Ltd. Background of Establishment In the past, because the base operated in Korea as a branch of Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo, a Japanese company, it was necessary to carry out transactions and sales with customers in Korea as a Japanese company. As a result, there were restrictions on transactions in Korea, such as limitations on projects that could be handled due to the inability to use the local currency. Effects of Establishment Through the establishment of this overseas subsidiary, it will be possible to conduct transactions with customers in Korea as a local company using the local currency (the Korean Republic won). This will allow the subsidiary to transact directly with customers in Korea, making transactions smoother and more vibrant, such as allowing delivery of products after completing import customs clearance. In addition, by being positioned as a branch of a Japanese company in the past, the base was not qualified to participate in tenders such as for projects from Korea’s national policy research institutes and waste recovery for precious metal recycling. By establishing the base as a Korean company, it will be possible to bid in Korea for projects using plating equipment and various materials for national research as well as petrochemical catalyst waste recovery. As a result, it is expected that the scope of transactions in Korea will expand significantly. By establishing the branch in Seoul, Korea, as an overseas subsidiary, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo strives to […]

2023 State of Smart Manufacturing Report

Finds over 45% of Asia-Pacific manufacturers struggle to outpace competitors, due to lack of innovation, skilled Workforce and technology. Rockwell Automation has announced the results of the 8th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing Report.” The global study surveyed more than 1,350 manufacturers across 13 of the leading manufacturing countries including Australia, China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea. This year’s report reveals a focus on delivering profitable growth without sacrificing quality, an emphasis on accessing data’s true potential, and increasing adoption of technology to build resilience, enable agility, increase sustainability, and address workforce challenges. Key findings include: “Balancing quality and growth,” and “tracking or quantifying sustainable practices” are the biggest internal obstacles inhibiting progress for Asia-Pacific (APAC) manufacturers this year, compared to deploying and integrating new technology in 2022. Globally, twice as many manufacturers believe their organization lacks the technology needed to outpace the competition, as compared to 2022. Four out of five manufacturers still lack an end-to-end supply chain planning solution. Close to half (44%) of APAC manufacturers plan to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year; out of this, China (80%), Australia (60%) and India (59%) are already using some components of smart manufacturing. The biggest barriers to adopting smart manufacturing for APAC manufacturers are employee resistance to technology adoption and change, lack of skill set to manage smart manufacturing implementation, and lack of clear definition of the value/ROI of smart manufacturing. Quality management system (QMS) is the smart manufacturing system that APAC respondents have seen the largest ROI, followed by manufacturing execution system (MES) and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Cybersecurity risks rank highest as the obstacle all respondents are looking to mitigate with smart manufacturing initiatives. 88% of APAC manufacturers plan to maintain or grow employment due to technology adoption. Additionally, 39% of respondents believe they […]

Digital platform helps individuals and small businesses solve plastic waste challenges

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the world produces around 300 million tons of plastic waste every year, with only about 9% of that being. Furthermore, microplastics are literally everywhere, and they have been found in human blood, urine, feces, and even in the mothers’ placenta and breast milk. Researchers are still studying the long-term effects of microplastics on humans. The world is drowning in plastic and many individuals and small businesses would like to help but there are still many challenges. There are several reasons why people may be reluctant to give up single-use plastic: Convenience: Plastic is lightweight, easy to carry and store, and can be used for a wide variety of applications. It has become an integral part of our daily lives, and giving it up can be inconvenient for many people, particularly for small businesses. Lack of time: This point comes right after convenience. We are all time-poor and do not want to spend hours on Google trying to find product alternatives for our lifestyle or our small business. Cost: Plastic is relatively cheap compared to other materials, and this makes it an attractive option for manufacturers and consumers alike. Switching to more sustainable alternatives can sometimes be more expensive. Lack of awareness: Some people may not be fully aware of the negative impact that plastic has on the environment. They may not understand how plastic pollution affects the ecosystem and the health of living beings, including humans. Resistance to change: Humans are creatures of habit, and changing established behaviors can be difficult. Some people may resist giving up plastic because they are used to it and find it hard to imagine living without it. Limited alternatives: While there are alternatives to plastic, they may not always be readily available or accessible to everyone. This […]

Aurecon Asia:Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel (TKO-LTT) – Before the blast

www.asiamanufacturingnewstoday.com currently sits in the top 70 manufacturing & technology media platforms for readership around the world. From vertical to volumetric As Hong Kong’s population grows, the scarcity of land poses challenges for transport and city planners alike. The utilisation of underground space plays an evermore important role in the sustainable development of Hong Kong. Numerous transport tunnels now weave their way under the Hong Kong landscape and TKO-LTT – Main Tunnels and Associated Works will be the latest. Drill and blast excavation for TKO-LTT will navigate through the fourth most densely populated country in the world. Aurecon’s use of a geographic information system (GIS) for the project’s Blasting Assessment Reports avoided the need to manually engineer vibration contours, and produced accurate 3D visualisations of blast plumes. Interactive 3D presentations of the blast plumes from GIS showed visually the relationship between built structures and the ground vibrations. In future, these 3D visualisations may also be helpful tools for communicating with stakeholders. Blasting through the problem The TKO-LTT – Main Tunnels and Associated Works is a dual two lane highway connecting Tseung Kwan O and East Kowloon. Together with the future Trunk Road T2 in Kai Tak Development and Central Kowloon Route, it will form the new strategic route network of Hong Kong. The tunnel and a significant amount of surface works are to be excavated using drill and blast. “As the manual process was being explained to us, we knew straight away that a spatial solution would bring better results.” Mike Pinkerton, Aurecon. Aurecon prepared the Contractor’s Blasting Assessment Reports for TKO-LTT – Main Tunnels and Associated Works in Hong Kong. With a geology of mostly hard granite the approach of drill and blast excavation was the most effective. There were two main environmental considerations for drill and blast excavation, both of which have mathematical formulas to model them against. […]

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The Interview: Lim Xin Lan, senior power engineer, CHINT Asia

International Woman’s Day/International Day of Women and Girls in Science is 11 February 2023 and to celebrate www.asiamanufacturingnewstoday.com and www.themirrorinspires.com interviewed Lim Xin Lan, senior power engineer CHINT, Asia. Why did you choose to become a power engineer? My love for numbers led me into Engineering. When I was pursuing my Honours in Electrical Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, I developed an interest in power engineering. In my twenties, I foresaw how I could empower the world as a power engineer. I wanted to make an impact to society at large by ensuring the safe transmission of reliable electricity – a fundamental human need. It has been about a decade since I graduated from school, and I have never once looked back at my decision. Till today, I’m still motivated by my role as I always find meaning in what I do. There can’t be many female power engineers? My undergraduate cohort consisted of about 100 students, and they were mostly male. While the number of female power engineers in the industry today is still outnumbered by men, gender should not be a qualifying factor for this profession. If anything, the small number of female engineers in the industry as a whole represents an opportunity for more women to break into this field. Power engineers, whether male or female, should be driven by a strong sense of intuition, and importantly, a passion to solve real world problems such as the electrification of underserved areas in the world, and to ensure the safety of the end users. What is it exactly that you do? In a nutshell, critical thinking is what I do on a daily basis. I recommend the right solutions to businesses and governments worldwide to ensure the safe transmission of reliable electricity, and at the […]

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