Developments

Finding a good story for Google in China will be difficult

Finding a good story for Google in China is going to be tough, says Andreas Pouros, chief operating officer at Greenlight, a leading independent search specialist marketing and technology firm. His comments follow on the back of Baidu’s results. These show it continues to dominate the search engine landscape in China. Baidu also reported its advertiser numbers have increased by almost 26% on 2009 levels, reaching 272,000 – a clear sign of the deep chasm in the paid search arena between it and its nearest rival, Google. Since June, Google has curtailed its searchable Web index to comply with China’s censorship laws. According to Pouros, as it now provides fewer results, it cannot post as many advertisements as it had previously. Furthermore, research earlier this year from leading media-focused research, publishing and consulting company, Screen Digest, indicates almost two thirds of search users are happy to use Baidu or smaller Chinese search engines. According to Cyrine Amor, advertising analyst at Screen Digest, Google is losing market share with the problems it encountered lately with the government. Moreover, Google is also about to end its contracts with seven adwords resellers in China. No reason has been provided for this but Ms Amor says this will likely see Google’s share slashed by up to 10-12%. Screen Digest’s figures from earlier this year show Google accounted for 33% share of the Chinese search market, behind Baidu. In paid search, Baidu has been enjoying a healthy lead. In early 2010, Screen Digest estimated total online advertising revenues in China would reach almost 1.5 billion in 2010, with Baidu accounting for the lion’s share ($945 million), then Google with $472 million. By having over 60% share of the search market in China, has Baidu reached the tipping point much as Google had in western Europe, […]

Penang Port’s main line vision shared by Konecranes group

As the port of Penang undertakes the biggest expansion in its history it is employing worlds best practices to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the craneage system on which its cargo handling depends. PenangPort has ongoing maintenance arrangements with the global Konecranes Group to service its ship-to-shore cranes as it invests RM 1.10 billion ($US340 million) from 2007-2012 to expand elevate its status to a main line port capable of handling more than a million TEUs a year. (Twenty foot Equivalent Units, TEUs, a year). The nine existing ship-to-shore cranes Ð with three electric overhead travelling (EOT) maintenance cranes for which Konecranes is also responsible at North Butterworth Container Terminal Ð are integral to the port’s performance as it aims to ultimately achieve crane productivity of 30 TEUs an hour. Another seven ship-to-shore cranes are scheduled for delivery by the end of this year, with service and parts supply also provided by Konecranes through its nearby Singapore headquarters and worldwide network of 485 locations in 43 countries with more than 366,000 cranes of all brands under service contracts. The current NBCT expansion Phase 3 consists of Segment A1 and A2. Segment A1 involved the extension of a new 600 metre berth at the Northern end of the existing 900 metre wharf. Segment A2 involved the construction of a 771 metre length of stacking area for export containers behind the wharf. The stacking area is capable of handling 465,000 TEUs with 2640 ground slots. The total investment of this project inclusive of the handling equipment is about RM900 million. “We are a 24/7,365 days a year operation, so prompt and reliable service of cranes of all brands is very important to us,” says PenangPort Senior Maintenance Engineer, Engineering Services Ð SBU Container Services, Muhammad Asri Bin Md Isa. “It is […]

Cross-selling provides a growth opportunity for retail banks in Singapore

Despite the average of Singaporean holding many financial products, only a few of these are with their main financial institution (MFI). According to a report by the independent business analyst Datamonitor, this provides a great growth opportunity for retail banks to derive revenue from customers through product bundling offers and incentives that will create a win-win situation for financial service providers and consumers. “An average Singaporean holds a huge number of financial products, especially on credit cards. Indeed, 80% of customers have at least one credit card and 42% of them hold three or more” comments Harry Senlitonga, senior analyst at Datamonitor. Consumer demands and many attractive offers from card providers, such as credit card exclusive discount offers have caused diverse credit card product holding in Singapore. As its name suggests, exclusive discount offers provide cardholders with exclusive accesses to product or service discounts on specific retail outlets. “Credit card exclusive discounts offers have been proven as an effective acquisition method with the side effect that many Singaporeans now have more cards in their wallet than before. As a result, the main financial institutions of these customers are missing out on the potential to increase revenue per customer” says Harry based in Sydney. Financial institutions should therefore revisit their approach to consumers. Indeed, Datamonitor believes that product bundling offers, which have been successful in many other countries, will help strengthen MFI relationships with customers. “A low product holding within the MFI shows cross-selling still offers plenty of growth opportunities for Singaporean financial providers. Incentive schemes aiming to encourage multiple product uptakes within the same institution may create a win-win scenario for both financial service providers and consumers” concludes Harry.

Icona Solutions addresses Chinese automotive industry

New partners will help Chinese automotive manufacturers increase the perceived quality of their vehicles through the use of Icona’s aesthetica software. Icona Solutions, Ltd., which develops, supplies and supports the innovative perceived quality simulation and visualisation software solution, aesthetica, has appointed its first two value-added resellers in China. Beijing-based Sili-Tech Co. Ltd. (www.sili-tech.com) and Shanghai-based Shanghai RPT Automotive Engineering Co. Ltd. (www.rpt-auto.com) will be responsible for selling and supporting aesthetica in the rapidly growing domestic Chinese automotive design and manufacturing industry. “The Chinese automotive industry is a key growth market for us,” stated Tim Illingworth, chief executive, Icona Solutions. “With 3.5 million cars sold in China in the first three months of 2010 Ð a 76% increase over the same three months last year Ð and 42% growth in 2009 over 2008 as a whole, forecasts indicate that sales of cars and light trucks will reach some 25 million annually by 2014, with an estimated total ownership of 130 million vehicles by that time.” “However,” he noted, “the domestic Chinese automotive manufacturers realise that in order for them to succeed in this rapidly growing marketplace, one of their major tasks is to increase the perceived quality of their vehicles. That’s where we see major opportunities for Icona Solutions and aesthetica.” Commenting on their appointment, Jason Li, managing director, Sili-Tech, which is a CAE consulting and systems integration specialist and Siemens PLM Software CAE solutions partner in China, with customers in the automotive, aerospace and ship building industries, said, “We are proud that Icona Solutions selected us to be their partner in China and we are excited by the opportunities that exist in the Chinese automotive industry for a unique software solution like aesthetica.” Meanwhile, Fang Ming, general manager, Shanghai RPT Automotive Engineering, which counts Chinese automotive companies including SAIC, JAC, […]

Cambodian Root Server to Speed Internet Access

MekongNet, Cambodia’s largest Internet Service Provider, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) and the Internet Systems Consortium, launched an f-root server in August 2010.The nation’s first root server, deployed in Phnom Penh, has been operational since July. There are a total of 13 root servers in the world and the f-root server has 49 instances around the globe. As part of the root server launch in Phnom Penh, MekongNet and APNIC conducted a DNS and DNSSEC (DNS Security) workshop for interested community members. Mr Champika Wijayatunga, APNIC Training Manager said the workshop introduced the benefits of the new root server to the Cambodian community. “We would like to give the Cambodian community the opportunity to learn about the benefits of having a root server in Cambodia as well as best practices in DNS infrastructure management,” Mr. Wijayatunga said. Since 2007, APNIC and MekongNet have collaborated to provide APNIC Training courses to the Cambodian Internet community. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Wijayatunga explained the dynamics of root servers as well as their strategic benefits, saying, “Launching the first root server in Cambodia will bring significant improvements in both speed and reliability to Internet users in Cambodia. This is especially so in terms of faster domain resolution and increased resilience, which means an overall increase in the speed and reliability of Internet access for users.” APNIC Director General Paul Wilson added: “The deployment of this root server in Cambodia is a positive example of the way rapid development of the Internet in the Asia Pacific is being supported through collaborative work between APNIC as the Regional Internet Registry and members of the Asia Pacific Internet community. “APNIC aims to support these developing economies by meeting the increasing demands for training and other services,” Mr Wilson said. Root servers […]

Goodman signs MOU to develop premier business and logistics hub in China

BEIJING Goodman Group has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Langfang Municipal Government to participate in the development of a premier business and logistics hub for the greater Beijing-Tianjin area in northern China. The key points relating to the MOU are: Significant mixed use development project over five square kilometres, which is expected to be delivered over the next seven years Goodman will participate as co-ordinator and master planner for the project and will take a fee for service role Goodman expects to generate fee income over the life of the project and will also consider making further investments for itself and its investment partners in the development of logistics and business park product on the site on a case by case basis. Over the next seven years Goodman will work jointly with its affiliates to develop a five square kilometre parcel of land into an international standard, environmentally friendly mixed use business park. This will consist of offices and modern logistics facilities and will be co-located with residential housing and associated amenities to create a sustainable community. Mr Greg Goodman, Goodman Group CEO said, “As the strategic partner of Langfang and the master planner of the park, Goodman will use its worldwide expertise in business park development, master planning and property management to develop a comprehensive and sustainable logistics and business hub to cater to the needs of modern day business. It will also provide tremendous opportunities for local job creation.” “Goodman will draw upon its global partners to introduce international investors and banking groups to provide full scale financing support. This provides the Group important access to development land in a capital efficient manner and allows Goodman to promote the project and development in China to international customers,” he added. Langfang occupies […]