Business News

Robot-assisted assembly of high-voltage connectors for electric vehicles

Masterpiece for Mexico Assembling high-voltage connectors for electric and hybrid vehicles at a rate of five million per year calls for sophisticated automation solutions. Especially when regular retooling for new models and variants is the norm. Against this background, a pioneering system with six Stäubli robots, 13 image processing systems and inline quality control at every stage is now ensuring highly flexible production. Electro-mobility is the buzzword of our times, and the market for vehicles with electric drives is steadily gaining momentum worldwide. For some time now, this trend has also been spurring demand for the type of assembly solutions for electric components offered by specialized machine builders such as Eberhard AG. The company, based in Schlierbach near Stuttgart, Germany, was recently asked by a multinational automotive supplier to implement a complex project. Specifically, it involved the planning and realisation of an assembly line for high-voltage connectors. The system would have to not only perform the actual assembly work, but also the visual inspection at each stage, the testing of every single connector for leak-proofing, and finally the packing of the finished high-voltage connectors in trays. As Abdullah Kotan, Project Planning and Application Team Leader at Eberhard describes, “The special features of the project included the target output of 5,000,0000 units per year, a short cycle time of no more than three seconds per connector, and a future-proof system design to accommodate a large number of possible connector variants. “Given these requirements, it quickly became clear that the only possible solution would include robots, an image processing system and a highly flexible feed system.” Founded in 1964 and now employing 320 people, Eberhard has extensive experience in the field of PCB assembly and connector production. Because customized automation and assembly solutions are among the company’s core competencies, management was firmly […]

Mowilex wins big at 2021 Global CSR Awards

Paint manufacturer PT Mowilex Indonesia won three major awards at the 13th Annual Global CSR Summit & Awards, once again earning recognition for its environmental, employee and community commitments. Organised by Singapore-based Pinnacle Group International, the Global CSR Awards recognise innovations across 16 corporate social responsibility (CSR) categories, including environmental protection, community empowerment, gender equality and workplace diversity. More than 100 global and regional brands submitted some 350 entries for this year’s awards. Mowilex won three 2021 Global CSR Awards, standing out among companies with a market capitalisation of US$500 million to $1 billion. “These awards validate Mowilex’s commitment to being an ethical and contemporary market leader, both within Indonesia and globally,” says Mowilex Indonesia CEO Niko Safavi. “We’re Indonesia’s only CarbonNeutral®-certified manufacturing company. We voluntarily introduced lead-free paints two years ahead of United Nations goals. We took bold steps to help community members during the pandemic. Through our comprehensive environmental, social and governance [ESG] efforts, Mowilex works incredibly hard to protect the planet, manage resources, fight poverty and provide opportunities for all.” Best Workplace Practices: Platinum Mowilex won its first Best Workplace Practices Award thanks in part to its ground-breaking pandemic response. Managers established a COVID-19 Emergency Response Team in March 2020. Mowilex teams produced and donated 16,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, 26,000 face masks and 14,000 medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) items. The company paid the full salaries of all its employees, even during pandemic shutdowns. Employees received Covid-19 test kits from Abbott Laboratories, a global testing leader, and regular testing, self-assessments and vaccination rate monitoring continue. At the same time, volunteer employees distributed staple foods to underserved families near Mowilex facilities. Mowilex also welcomed over 1,200 members of its workforce to professional development programs in 2020 alone. More than 100 took part in Lean Six Sigma training, while the […]

Largest U.S. companies by market cap dwarf China’s top ten by five-fold

The United States and China host various competing companies with a global reach aiming to assert dominance in multiple sectors. However, U.S. firms appear to be prospering, registering high valuations. According to data compiled by Finbold, the top ten U.S. publicly traded companies have a cumulative market capitalisation of $12.82 trillion as of December 21, 2021. The valuation is at least five times more than China’s top ten counterparts that have a market capitalisation of $2.54 trillion. Tech giant Apple ranks top with a market cap of $2.7 trillion, followed by Microsoft at $2.4 trillion, while Alphabet is third at $1.8 trillion. Amazon ranks fourth at $1.6 trillion, followed by Meta at $905.3 billion. Other companies with a high valuation in the U.S. include Tesla ($903.7 billion), Nvidia ($690.7 billion), Berkshire Hathaway ($648.6 billion), United Health ($455.6 billion), and JPMorgan Chase ($454.9 billion). In China, Tencent ranks as the largest firm with a valuation of $529.2 billion, followed by Kweichow Moutai at $401.2 billion, with eCommerce giant Alibaba ranking third at $311.7 billion. ICBC is in the fourth spot with a market cap of $242.2 billion, followed by CATL at $220.7 billion. Other Chinese companies with a high valuation include CM Bank ($200.2 bank), China Construction ($171.1 billion), Meituan ($166.8 billion), Agricultural Bank of China ($157.4 billion), and Wuliangye Yibin ($140.9 billion). The U.S. dominated by tech companies The report acknowledges that the U.S. companies are dominated by technology companies that have experienced significant growth over the recent months. According to the research report: “The valuation comes after the technology sector experienced unprecedented growth inspired by the pandemic. The industry’s stocks gained prominence as their products offered consumers the means to navigate the lockdowns initiated to control the health crisis.” The U.S. companies are also backed by a large domestic […]

Grundfos partners with Singapore Polytechnic to develop smart sustainable solutions for industries

From L to R: Eric Lai, Regional Managing Director for Industry APAC and Country Director, Singapore, Grundfos; Humphrey Lau, Group Senior Vice President of Global Industry Sales, Grundfos; Georgina Phua, Deputy Principal (Development), Singapore Polytechnic; Loh Yew Chiong, Senior Director, Computing, Chemical & Life Sciences Cluster, Singapore Polytechnic. Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and watertechnology, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singapore Polytechnic (SP) to co-develop energy and water efficient smart solutions that support industries in Singapore in their efforts to be sustainable, through collaboration, talent development, and sustainability education. In alignment with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, Grundfos and SP will be jointly exploring and developing smart sustainable solutions for industries, as well as driving initiatives focused on UN Sustainability Development Goals such as SDG6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG13 (sustainableconsumption and production patterns) for climate action. The partnership will see both parties contributing complementary expertise, knowledge, and talent that will advance sustainability efforts for industries. SP will facilitate the various touchpoints between academia and industry, while Grundfos will tap into its extensive network and industry knowledge to provide staff and students with the necessary resources and industry opportunities to successfully codevelop innovative sustainable solutions. These solutions will be subsequently implemented with industry manufacturers in Singapore through pilot projects. To achieve this, the 3-year partnership will focus on sustainability education and talent development. Grundfos and SP will look to roll out a comprehensive range of solution packages, projects, events, courses, and trainings to proactively promote sustainability and smart sustainability to the industry, which includes webinar sharing sessions, seminars, and conferences. To build talent pipelines and foster talent development, Grundfos will also be working closely with SP across various programs such as mentorship programmes, book prizes, student projects, and internships. One such initiative includes […]

JD.com to build China’s first carbon-neutral logistics industrial park in Xi’an

JD.com is making progress in its construction of the first carbon-neutral intelligent industrial park for China’s logistics industry, with the Xi’an Asia No.1 logistics park expected to be carbon-neutral on the operations level by early 2022. At nearly 300,000 square meters, JD’s Asia No.1 logistics park in Xi’an has deployed 100,000 square meters of rooftop solar PV with a capacity of 9 MW, which generated a total amount of about 8,500 MWh of electricity from January to October in 2021 — equivalent to providing electricity for about 3,900 Chinese households for a year, and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 5,670 tons when compared to purchasing electricity from local power plants. In addition, Xi’an Asia No.1 can meet heating needs through distributed air conditioning instead of a conventional boiler room in certain areas. New energy is widely used in forklifts and other special equipment, including 22 sets of charging terminals that can support charging 44 vehicles at a time. Streetlights in the park will also gradually be replaced by solar lights. With the support of advanced technologies including 5G, blockchain and AI, JD is also researching an industry solution for carbon neutral parks by further improving operating efficiency and lowering energy consumption. Green warehousing: Automation enabling warehouses to operate without lighting JD.com pioneered a rooftop-distributed solar PV system in its Shanghai Asia No.1 location in 2017, which now generates 3.11 million kWh per year, supplying the energy for warehouse lighting, automatic sorting, packaging, picking and other activities. Currently, JD has completed installation of PV systems at 12 logistics parks, while automation systems and robots also enable warehouses to operate without lighting. Such “dark operations” help save an average of 2,283 kWh per minute at JD’s logistics parks, which is equivalent to the electric consumption of a normal household for one and […]

Korea’s Hanho distributor of Verton safe lifting technology

Hanho International has always put safety and efficiency at the forefront of its crane operations, and its new distribution agreement with Verton will also secure its reputation as an industry innovator. Effective immediately, Hanho is distributing Verton’s lifting and load orientation technology across South Korea/Korea. Verton’s remote-controlled load orientation products, rotate suspended loads without the need for taglines, using gyroscopes and sophisticated control systems, removing the need for personnel near or under loads. Since 1989, Hanho International has been a leading exporter and importer of used cranes in Korea. They have earned the trust of their customers by consistently supplying high-standard cranes of excellent condition across a wide range of industries. They specialise in crawler cranes, all-terrain cranes, and rough-terrain cranes, while also accommodating the diverse needs of their customers. Hanho International CEO, Jim Park, says that partnering with Verton will be of significant benefit to their customers. “To put it simply, there is no-one else doing what Verton is doing to improve the safety of workers on the job site,” he said. “There is no other technology that delivers this significant level of risk removal while providing a cost-effective solution that also provides more efficient operations. “Our market research shows that our target market for Verton solutions will include management and planning installation companies, and crane rental companies to begin with. “We are eager and proud to offer the Verton range of products to our customers.” CEO of Verton, Tim Ekert, said that this distribution agreement with Hanho International will mean safer and faster turnarounds for countless projects. “It’s exciting to witness new audiences benefiting from Verton’s technology in their lifting operations,” he said. “Verton’s range of lifting solutions uses gyroscopes and sophisticated control systems that make even the most difficult job safer, without the need for taglines or […]

MHI awarded major turbomachinery order for Ust-Luga LNG Export Plant

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has been awarded by Linde Engineering the main refrigeration gas compression trains for the Ust-Luga LNG project in Russia. The order consists of the best in class, high efficiency dual shaft 120 megawatt H-100 gas turbines and centrifugal compressors. H-100 Gas Turbine Led by RusChemAlliance LLC, the 50-50 special-purpose venture of PJSC Gazprom and JSC RusGazDobycha, the Ust-Luga LNG project is a world class natural gas liquefaction plant designed to apply the liquefaction technology owned by Linde and Gazprom, with two trains to produce upwards of 13 million tons per annum (mtpa). The liquefaction plant to be located near the Baltic seaport of Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast will utilise natural gas gathered from domestic sources via Russia’s Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS). The EPC contract was signed in September 2021 eyeing to start LNG production by 2026. MHI President & CEO Seiji Izumisawa said, “We are pleased to supply MHI’s H-100 driven compressor trains for this prestigious Ust-Luga LNG plant. This project will showcase the benefits of MHI’s LNG solution in terms of lower production costs, increased productivity, reduced complexity and lower lifecycle costs, while significantly reducing plant emissions.” MHI has an extensive record of delivering state-of-the-art turbomachinery to the oil & gas and petrochemical industries and continues to be a major turbomachinery player in the Russian market. MHI’s H-100 is ideally suited to drive the main refrigeration compressors in large scale LNG plants for several reasons, including: 1. Higher efficiency in its Heavy-Duty class, which reduces CO2 emissions, compared with the conventional types of Heavy-Duty gas turbine2. The dual shaft design does not require a large external starter / helper motor, thus contributing to a more compact footprint and space savings3. Operational flexibility, including broad variable-speed operation and full pressure re-starting of the refrigeration […]

Siemens, Hyundai Motor Co and Kia combine for DMT

Siemens’ NX Software and Teamcenter Software from the Xcelerator Portfolio replace incumbent solutions to become standard solutions for Hyundai and Kia next-generation data management and design environment. Siemens Digital Industries Software is selected as the preferred bidder for the next generation engineering environment and product data management environment Siemens’ NX Software and Teamcenter Software from the Xcelerator Portfolio replace incumbent solutions to become standard solutions for Hyundai and Kia next-generation data management and design environment Siemens and Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation (Hyundai and Kia) announced today a new technology partnership to accelerate their digital transformation and a new future of mobility. Hyundai and Kia has selected Siemens as the preferred bidder and strategic partner to provide next generation engineering and product data management through NX™ software and the Teamcenter® portfolio from Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio of integrated software, services and development platform. Hyundai and Kia has evaluated and assessed various alternatives including incumbent solutions and selected Siemens’ software, embracing the world’s most comprehensive digital twin. Hyundai and Kia will cooperate with Siemens as its key trusted partner, to drive the future of mobility. “Selecting NX software and the Teamcenter portfolio from Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio for our core design and data management platforms will introduce a new working environment for our teams that will pave the way for a leap forward in future car development.” said Albert Bierman, Head of R&D Division, Hyundai Motor Company. “This is the beginning of a huge transformation and an important point of change for Hyundai Motor Company and with Siemens as our trusted partner we will work together to achieve our goals through mutual cooperation and teamwork.” Hyundai and Kia and Siemens will collaborate to establish design methods and develop custom solutions that consider the lifecycle of all automobiles and associated processes and activities, […]

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 24-26 November, online

This is ASEAN’s free-to-attend online business event for technology and digital industries from 24th to 26th November 2021 via online platform Come discover, and connect with Korean tech and digital companies covering Software for Business, Smart Solutions & IoT, Artificial Intelligent, 5G Technology & Network to explore possible business collaborations, partnerships, and networking opportunities. Apart from Korea, you can also get to meet with other potential international tech and digital partners from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand. Get updated on the latest market and industry trends from over 60 tech and digital webinars, conducted by Thai and international experts from organisations such as Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Bigbeat Bangkok, National Innovation Agency (NIA), Hitachi Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd, Ares International (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Atos IT Solutions and Services (Thailand), SAP (Thailand) Ltd.,Zoho Corporation and many more… REGISTER NOW! DigiTech ASEAN Thailand Team Tel. +662-833-6336 Email sureratk@impact.co.th Follow our LINE OA @digitech Visit our event website @ www.digitechasean.com

Vietnam to stop use of coal

Vietnam will phase out the use of coal by 2040. So the country will cease to build new coal plants. However, ‘heavy-hitting countries China, India and Australia have made no such commitment. This decision in accordance with the climate conference will provide a major boost for citizens in health and environmental issues. Planetary concerns as well show this as also a contribution to helping to improve the perilous state of the planet. There is a need to limit the rise in the average global temperature to 1.5 degree Celsius 2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2019, coal produced around 37% of the world’s electricity. Cheap, abundant and local supplies mean the fuel dominates power production in countries including India, Poland and South Africa, which will require huge investments to shift their industries and energy sectors to cleaner sources.

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