Business News

Alstom Grid energises Jeju Island in South Korea

Alstom Grid has successfully energised the second High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) turnkey project in South Korea, following the first also delivered by Alstom in 1997. The newly energised project, awarded in 2009, establishes a 400 MW HVDC bi-directional transmission line between Jindo and the island of Jeju. With 50 million people, South Korea is an energy-intensive nation, ranked eleventh worldwide in total energy consumption[1]. Yet, it imports 82 per cent of the total energy it consumes. Since 2006, the Korean government has developed new energy policies to become more energy independent, meet growing demand and increase energy efficiency. Jeju Island is located 100 km south of the peninsular mainland at 73 km wide and 41 km long. Known as the country’s honeymoon and holiday destination, the island previously operated on an independent electric network; it faced frequent blackouts and unstable power supply due to the network’s lack of efficiency and low power capacity. “Alstom supplied the first HVDC link at 300 MW between Jeju Island and the mainland in 1997. This second project, first of its kind at a power capacity of 400 MW in South Korea, demonstrates the Alstom’s efficient commissioning management, and commitment to continuous innovation in the high voltage energy management,” said Patrick Plas, Senior Vice President Power Electronics & Automation for Alstom Grid. Alstom’s HVDC technology is well-aligned with Korea’s ambition for a low-carbon economy, and is essential to carrying large amounts of power across long distances, with minimal losses. The new HVDC link is designed to be bi-directional, where power flow goes in both directions between the mainland and Jeju Island. This ensures that increasing renewable power on Jeju Island will be integrated for mainland use. The global HVDC market is expected to grow by €40 billion between now and 2020. In 2013, Alstom […]

The Second Machine Age

Driverless cars and 3D printers are harbingers of a new era, argue MIT colleagues Brynjolfsson (Director/Center for Digital Business; co-author, Wired for Innovation: How Information Technology Is Reshaping the Economy, 2013, etc.) and McAfee (Principal Research Scientist/Center for Digital Business; Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for Your Organisation’s Toughest Challenges, 2009, etc.). Some 200 years ago, the invention of the steam engine sparked massive amounts of mechanical power to drive factories and mass production in the first machine age. Now, computers and other digital advances are providing such “a vast and unprecedented boost to mental power” that technologies once found only in science fiction are becoming everyday realities. Drawing on research, including interviews with inventors, investors, entrepreneurs, engineers and others, the authors describe the forces driving the emerging age, notably the digitisation of nearly everything, which increases understanding and fosters innovation, and an amazing exponential growth in improvements. We’re now seeing “the emergence of real, useful artificial intelligence (AI) and the connection of most of the people on the planet via a common digital network. As machines complete cognitive tasks—as opposed to physical ones—engaging in pattern recognition and complex communication, AI will do more and more, for example, giving key aspects of sight to the visually impaired and restoring hearing to the deaf. Along with benefits, including greater amounts of individual choice, technological progress will bring economic disruption, leaving some people behind and workers without jobs. The authors describe the large differences that are already apparent among people in both income and wealth and explain how individuals can improve their skills to maintain healthy wage and job prospects. “Our generation has inherited more opportunities to transform the world than any other,” they write. “That’s a cause for optimism, but only if we’re mindful of our choices.”

Gemalto to provide secure M2M solution for car manufacturers in China

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), world leader in digital security announces that Flaircomm Microelectronics Inc., a high-tech company developing devices for the automotive industry, is integrating Gemalto’s M2M solution in their telematics control unit (T-Box). The solution designed for car manufacturers in China includes the Cinterion(R) MIM and integrates smoothly with in-car cellular networks. The T-box is ruggedised for extreme conditions including high temperatures, pressures and vibrations. It can inform the driver of the car conditions such as oil pressure, car speed, and engine status, as well as providing information on nearest amenities like petrol stations and convenience stores. If the car breaks down or is involved in an accident, an emergency call (eCall) will also be triggered automatically for assistance and medical help. “According to Strategy Analysts, the connected car market in China could exceed RMB 200 billion (EUR 23.5 billion) by 2020,” said Luke Shi, Chairman of Flaircomm Microelectronics Inc. “Working with Gemalto puts us in a good position to address that mega-trend. We have also passed the joint debugging test carried out by ten European operators, and so we have become a key player in the automotive industry for both domestic and international markets.” “Gemalto already has a significant M2M footprint in China, offering M2M solutions to leading providers,” added Michael Wallon, Vice President of M2M Sales for Asia Pacific at Gemalto. “We are fully committed to meeting Flaircomm’s current and future needs, with a complete M2M offering that can include Cinterion(R) modules and secure personalization after the MIM has been deployed. For our customers, this means simplified cross-border movement of M2M devices and unparalleled flexibility in instantly bringing on board international network partners.”

Optimism high in 2014

Last year, Forbes listed Rockwell Automation as one of the world’s top 100 most innovative companies. The Interview: John Watts, Director -Integrated Architecture Asia Pacific, Rockwell Automation SEA Pte Ltd. What have been some of the significant milestones for Rockwell Automation recently? As we look back on 2013, Rockwell Automation continued to see more stability in our local markets and the global economy. We planned for the second half of the year to be stronger in Asia and that is exactly how we performed. How do you see 2014 for Rockwell Automation? Many of the key indicators we track point towards greater year-over-year growth in 2014. Our growth in the last six months, combined with favourable indicators in the developing markets, creates a very good base for optimism in 2014. How is Asia performing vis-a-vis the rest of the company? Over the last five years we have had good growth in Asia. It has been exciting for the company to witness overall strong performance in all regions over the last few years, despite some of the challenges the global economy has presented. Where do you see manufacturing growth across Asia coming from? The industries that we have seen -and expect to see -good growth include Oil & Gas and Mining. In addition, we expect, and are beginning to see, higher growth from the Consumer Packaged Goods industry as emerging markets look to fuel more domestic growth. Which export markets are you moving into? Rockwell Automation has enjoyed significant growth over the last 10 years. We now have offices in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore, which serves as our South East Asia Headquarters. Our Integrated Architecture, Intelligent Motor Control, Solutions and Services – combined with our acquisitions throughout the year -provided significant growth in the […]

Aurecon appointment to expand manufacturing business

John McGuire has been appointed as Global Industry Director, Manufacturing Buildings. He will be directly responsible for leading the businesses growth, strategy and sophisticated client offerings for Aurecon’s manufacturing business. The manufacturing sector is undergoing a major structural shift worldwide as it moves from mass production systems to those of customised goods and services dependent on supply chains with global reach. This shift places demand on manufacturers to become technologically rich to connect to the world of their customers. Stephen Wells, Chief Business Development Officer, said: “Increased speed to market, productivity and knowing and understanding consumer behaviour, trends, and client needs will become critical in keeping manufacturers competitive across the globe. “Having John come on board is a great start to the year for Aurecon. Drawing on his previous experience leading international businesses and growing them relevant to a globally interconnected world, John will be responsible for helping AureconÕs manufacturing clients navigate the rapidly changing landscape.” John is an experienced business leader, offering over 25 years of experience in consulting and contracting in Australia, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. He has been involved in a wide range of projects, specifically in health care, forensic and specialist containment laboratories and is highly regarded and recognised throughout Australia for his creative and innovative design approach to engineering and project leadership. Notable projects with which John has been involved include the AUD 1.78 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, the AUD 450 million Austin Repat Mercy Redevelopment in Victoria, and the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand. John was most recently Global Director (Health) – Building Systems with AECOM, where he was responsible for the growth and development of the health market sector internationally across all of AECOM’s geographies in the Building Engineering practice line, as well as its development […]

Auckland to host major gathering of Asia Pacific business leaders

Leading New Zealand businesses are joining with the New Zealand Government to welcome over 250 business leaders from the Asia Pacific region when Auckland hosts a meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) 11-14 February. “We intend to give our guests a warm kiwi welcome and use this meeting to advance New Zealand’s critical interests in the region,” said Phil O’Reilly, Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, which is host organisation for the meeting. Major sponsors of the gathering are Fonterra and ANZ. ATEED/Auckland Council, Air New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association are all sponsoring social events and a range of other business organisations are joining in support. “This is an opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s highly innovative and sustainable production systems to an influential audience. Key customers from China and around the Asia Pacific region are attending along with a number of high worth individuals,” said John Wilson, Chairman of Fonterra. ABAC brings together three members appointed by the Heads of Government of APEC’s 21 member economies. New Zealand’s members are Tony Nowell, Maxine Simmons and Wayne Boyd. ABAC’s task is to provide advice to APEC Economic Leaders on APEC’s trade and investment agenda. China is hosting APEC in 2014 and a delegation of senior Chinese business leaders is also attending the Auckland meeting. “China is assuming the chair of APEC as the region accelerates its economic growth. The ABAC meeting occurs as New Zealand emerges as a star performer on the world economic stage. This gives New Zealand an important opportunity to influence APEC’s direction in a critical year,” said David Green, Managing Director (Institutional), ANZ. ABAC’s agenda takes in trade and investment, sustainable development, financial issues, SME and entrepreneurship, infrastructure and connectivity. “ABAC’s first meeting for 2014 is the chance to set the agenda for the year […]

Asian markets uninspired by Bernanke comments

Asia-Pacific equity markets were forced to look inward after testimony from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke that contained no real surprises. A few unexpected words from Mr Bernanke can have markets racing, but in Wednesday’s Capitol Hill testimony the Fed chairman merely reiterated that plans to scale back stimulative measures weren’t tied to a pre-set timetable. US markets were relieved with both stocks and bonds rising, but there was little follow-through in Asia. Crédit Agricole said Mr Bernanke’s comments created a positive backdrop for the region in the absence of other driving factors. Mr Bernanke’s appearance before the House Financial Services Committee was the first of two Congressional outings for the Fed chairman this week, with a repeat performance in front of the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. With no press conference planned for the July Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the testimony from Mr Bernanke will be the Fed’s best communications opportunity for some weeks. Indications of stronger economic growth and job creation in the US economy are paving the way for theFed to throttle back its easy monetary policy. That should eventually allow traders to focus on economic fundamentals, rather than reading the runes of central bank officials. But until the Fed successfully negotiates an exit, markets are likely to remain in thrall to the words of Mr Bernanke. In China and Hong Kong, the Shanghai and Hang Seng indices were 1.1 and 0.1 per cent lower, respectively, after the International Monetary Fund warned that China was “too reliant on investment and credit” and urged swift reforms. Meanwhile, fresh data showed new home prices in China rose in 63 of the 70 cities surveyed in June versus May, which could spur Beijing to implement new measures to cool the property market. Overall, new home prices were up 6.8 […]

Making safer and higher quality petroleum products

A family-owned business established nearly 75 years ago is winning strong overseas sales for its advanced instruments for quality control of a diverse range of products from jet fuel to lipstick. The company, Stanhope-Seta Ltd, is led by two enthusiastic, energetic brothers, Martin and Giles Verity, who together with a dedicated team design and manufacture pioneering instruments at their base in Chertsey, Surrey, near London. The company has become established as a leader in the field of quality control testing and has built strong relationships with customers across the world. It was awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2012 in the International Trade category, with more than 80 per cent of its products going for export to more than 120 countries. Stanhope-Seta designs and manufactures petroleum test equipment and quality control instruments used to measure the physical characteristics that determine product quality and consistency. Its range of petroleum test instruments includes flash point testers, vapour pressure testers, oil test centrifuge, particulate analysers and distillation apparatus. Research and development activity is carried out in-house and a key part of the development process is participation in international specification meetings. The company has an active presence in groups that include the Energy Institute in the UK, ISO in Europe and ASTM in the United States. The company recognises that maintaining links with industry and developing innovative instrumentation will increase future growth and it actively strives to engage with universities, colleges and customers in the development process. The latest innovation, a unique instrument for the measurement of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in marine fuels, is the result of a six-year development project. The analyser provides a rapid and accurate measurement of the levels of H2S, allowing the industry to remove it and thereby improving the safety of the fuel and minimising environmental impacts. The H2S […]

Rockwell Automation named ethical company for fifth time

For the fifth time, the Ethisphere Institute has named Rockwell Automation as one of the ‘World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies’, a recognition that highlights companies that outperform industry peers when it comes to business ethics. The Ethisphere Institute is a leading international organization dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, governance, anti-corruption and sustainability. “The 2013 WME companies are those that truly embrace ethical business practices and demonstrate industry leadership, forcing peers to follow suit or fall behind,” said Alex Brigham, executive director of Ethisphere. “More companies applied for the World’s Most Ethical Companies recognition this year than any year in the past, which demonstrates that ethical activity is an important part of many of these companies’ business models.” “It’s because of the decisions our employees make every day that we are regarded as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” explained Keith D. Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation chairman and CEO. “Integrity is a core company value and a critical part of who we are as a company.It’s as important as delivering quality products and providing excellent customer service.” The most recent Ethisphere listing is the latest in a series of honours for Rockwell Automation. The Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB) recognized Rockwell Automation with the 2012 BBB International Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence. Additionally, the Foundation for Financial Service Professionals presented Rockwell Automation with the 2012 American Business Ethics Award. Rockwell Automation also announced today that its 2012 Corporate Responsibility Report is now available online and in print. Besides detailing the company’s approach to ethical business practices, the report provides updates on the company’s environmental, employee safety and culture, and community-relations efforts.

Kennametal named again among world’s most ethical companies

Kennametal Inc has been named for the second year in a row as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by The Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Kennametal’s global leadership exemplifies a company culture in which employees put ethics into action with consistent investment and performance toward 100% safety, environmental excellence and community engagement, as well as extensive efforts to advance technical education, material science and industrial technologies indispensable to next-generation manufacturing. In addition to extensive ethics training and communication with employees, Kennametal’s efforts in the past year included a number of new records for the company in: Employee engagement, achieved at levels exceeding peer comparisons; Talent development, delivering technical training and professional development in record numbers to Kennametal employees, customers and supply chain partners worldwide; Safety, including two consecutive months with zero injuries requiring days away or restricted time (DART), key milestones toward the aim of keeping all employees and visitors 100% safe, 100% of the time; Community stewardship, including employee volunteerism and fundraising, from participation and support for the United Way in North America, to educational programs and service to community organisations worldwide; Environmental performance, including ISO 14001 certifications, waste reduction, recycling and management programs across the companyÕs supply chain worldwide; Information technology, including industry-leading execution of standardised enterprise resource systems and processes; and Innovation, including consistently exceeding 40% of sales realized from new products, which offer at least 20% performance improvement. Through in-depth research and a multi-step analysis, Ethisphere reviewed nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. Kennametal showcased exemplary standards in its code of ethics, investment in innovation and sustainable business practices as well as its activities designed to improve corporate citizenship. […]

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