The Creative Class

Preview of the 2025 CIFTIS: Key Highlights Revealed in Advance

BEIJING – The Shougang Park, a former industrial site transformed into an “urban showcase,” will welcome the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (2025 CIFTIS) this September. The annual theme of this year’s event is “Embrace Intelligent Technologies, Empower Trade in Services,” with over 800 companies already expressing interest in participating offline. The Shougang Park, photographed on August 11 by Zhang Chenlin, Xinhua News Agency. With less than a month remaining before the opening of CIFTIS, how are preparations progressing, and what new highlights can be expected from the exhibitions? Reporters conducted on-site visits for a closer look. More Open: New Entry Policies to Facilitate International Engagement It was learned that exhibitor recruitment for both the thematic and specialised exhibitions has been largely completed. Nearly 70 countries and international organisations have indicated their intention to participate by setting up booths or hosting events. The nine major specialised exhibitions have attracted interest from more than 800 companies to exhibit offline, including over 330 Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industry enterprises. The overall internationalisation rate of the exhibition exceeds 20%, covering 24 of the top 30 countries and regions in global service trade. Yang Huasen, Spokesperson of Beichen Group, stated that over 170 forums, conferences, and promotional events have already been scheduled. More than 70 companies, including Schneider Electric, have applied to release over 130 new products and achievements during the event. To further facilitate international engagement, this year’s CIFTIS continues to expand on entry facilitation measures initiated last year, such as setting up immigration service counters at the venue. This year, seven new convenience measures will be implemented, including: allowing foreign participants with official invitations to apply for port visas at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport; offering online accommodation registration services for foreign visitors; […]

Topcast authorised distributor of Druck in China and the APAC region

Topcast, the world-leading aircraft parts distributor and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) service provider, is proud to announce its appointment as the authorised distributor for Druck Aerospace Pressure Sensors across China and the Asia-Pacific region. Under this new agreement, Druck — a Baker Hughes business — has designated Topcast Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd. as its primary distributor for aerospace pressure sensors. This partnership grants Topcast authorized aftermarket distribution rights to supply select Druck-manufactured products and spare parts to commercial airlines and other non-military customers throughout the region. “We are honored to welcome Druck to our distinguished portfolio of OEM partners,” said Orson Lo, Chief Commercial Officer of Topcast. “This collaboration underscores Druck’s confidence in our capabilities and reinforces our commitment to delivering exceptional service and support to airline customers across Asia Pacific.” This strategic alliance further strengthens Topcast’s position as a trusted partner in the aviation supply chain, enhancing its ability to provide innovative and reliable solutions to the aerospace industry. About Druck For over 40 years, Druck, a Baker Hughes business, has been a trusted provider of flight-qualified pressure sensors for the aerospace industry. With more than 400,000 sensors in operation worldwide, Druck technology powers critical systems on all major commercial airframes. Today, 70% of all widebody aircraft rely on Druck sensors for precision and reliability across a wide range of applications. About Topcast Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Hong Kong SAR, Topcast is a world-leading trustworthy aircraft parts distributor and MRO service provider. We offer exceptional OEM and aftermarket aircraft parts, equipment and repair services for a broad range of aircraft types. With our strong global network, we have more than 20 offices across Asia-Pacific, Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, connecting suppliers with customers in all segments for over 90 countries. Please visit www.topcast.com

Accelerating Robotic Sensing: BLT and Haptron Scientific Co-Engineer Next-Gen Optical Force Sensors

As humanoid robotics and embodied intelligence technologies rapidly advance toward industrial-scale deployment, high-performance force sensing plays a critical role in enabling compliant control, precise manipulation, and robust mobility over complex terrains. Six-axis force/torque sensors have become essential components for safe and adaptive human-robot interaction. Since 2024, Haptron Scientific and Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) have collaborated to develop a new generation of optical six-axis force sensors. By integrating Haptron Scientific’s proprietary optical multimodal sensing technology with BLT’s expertise in metal additive manufacturing, the partnership has delivered a comprehensive sensor suite—including the Photon Finger, PhotonR40, Photon Ankle, and the latest industrial-grade Photon Finger Max—targeting force measurement needs at key robotic joints such as fingers, wrists, and ankles. By utilising BLT’s metal 3D printing technology, Haptron Scientific break traditional manufacturing limits, enabling complex miniaturized designs with fewer parts and simpler assembly. This innovation supports scalable production while delivering precise, durable, and lightweight force sensors for next-gen humanoid robots—enabling safer, more dexterous, and versatile robotic platforms. Photon Finger: World’s Smallest Six-Axis Force Sensor Designing dexterous hands for humanoid robots presents unique challenges—especially at the finger joints, where space is extremely constrained. These tight dimensions demand compact, high-performance sensors with seamless integration. To address the limitations of traditional machining—such as high cost, long lead times, and low yield—Haptron Scientific developed the world’s smallest six-axis force/torque sensor, the Photon Finger, using its proprietary optical multimodal sensing technology. With the support of BLT’s PBF-LB/M BLT-A100 machine and high-performance 18Ni350 maraging steel powder, the Photon Finger was structurally optimised for integration and part count reduction through one-piece metal 3D printing. This enabled: Miniaturised design tailored for tight finger joint integration 20-minute batch production cycle, with 15–30 units printed simultaneously 50–250% improvements in force range and overload tolerance Improved signal integrity, lower in-use power consumption, and faster communication—ideal for […]

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Reshaping global lubricant supply chains: Trump-Era tariffs driving industry pivot towards Asia

With the global lubricants industry still adjusting to the lasting impact of U.S. trade policy enacted during the first presidential term of U.S. President Donald Trump, supply chains are undergoing dramatic shifts—and Asia is solidifying its role as the sector’s global hub. While the U.S. tariffs primarily targeted a broad range of Chinese industrial chemicals under Section 301, some specialty additives used in lubricant formulations were affected. In response, U.S. manufacturers have faced increased costs, sourcing uncertainties, and production delays, prompting a re-evaluation of procurement strategies. These disruptions have had ripple effects across the automotive, industrial, and specialty lubricant markets worldwide. Strategic Realignment: From the West to the East As regulatory complexity and economic uncertainty mount in the U.S. and European markets, many lubricant producers, OEMs, and blenders are redirecting investment and operational focus toward Asia. The region already accounts for the world’s largest share of lubricant demand and continues to post some of the fastest growth, driven by expanding industrialization and vehicle ownership. Asia’s strong manufacturing base, growing consumer markets, and expanding infrastructure for lubricant production make it an attractive destination for global expansion. Companies are deepening their presence in countries such as China, India, Malaysia, and Singapore—tapping into local production advantages, aligning with regional OEMs, and building supply chain resilience. The Asian Lubricant Exhibition 2025: Spotlighting the Industry’s Transformation The challenges—and potential advantages—of this strategic global shift will take center stage at the Asian Lubricant Exhibition 2025, held September 9–11 at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 403, Level 4. As Asia’s only dedicated trade show focused on the lubricants value chain, the event provides a timely platform for addressing trade disruptions, supply chain realignment, and emerging opportunities across the region. The exhibition and exhibitor presentations are open to the public, free of charge. Pre-registration is […]

Sidel’s Beijing Plant unveils large-scale installation advancing green factory initiative

Sidel’s Beijing Plant’s rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system has now achieved full grid connection. Thousands of PV panels now form a blue armour-like array across the facility, gleaming under the sunlight. This milestone green energy project injects new momentum into Sidel’s sustainable operations, marking a solid step forward in the company’s decarbonisation journey and setting a new benchmark for green transformation in the industry. Solar PV system powers low-carbon operations as ‘Green Energy Hub’ launched With an installed capacity of 2.1 MW, Sidel Beijing’s solar system is expected to generate 4,394,700 kWh annually – meeting 60% of the plant’s daily operational electricity needs and reducing CO₂ emissions by 2,452 tonnes per year. Through the innovative ‘self-consumption with surplus feed-in’ model, 35% of the clean energy generated will be fed back into the municipal grid via smart power networks after fulfilling on-site demand. This enables optimised allocation and efficient utilisation of green energy, transforming every ray of sunlight into sustainable power. As a signature project to China’s ‘Dual Carbon’ strategy implementation, the installation features industry-leading LONGi Hi-MO7 high-efficiency modules with 615W panel power and a top-tier conversion efficiency of 23.1%. Multi-pronged approach to building a model green factory Since establishing operations in Beijing in 2008, Sidel Beijing Plant has embedded sustainability into its core strategy. Continuous environmental investments and innovations culminated in 2025 certifications including ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management System; ISO 14064-1:2018 Zero Carbon Factory; and GB/T 39257-2020 / GB/T 33635-2017 5-Star Green Supply Chain Management. As a Beijing-certified Green Factory, Sidel’s environmental efforts go far beyond solar energy, encompassing an intelligent Energy Management System (EMS) and Building Automation System (BAS) for precise energy control; a retrofit programme for equipment frequency conversion to reduce consumption; low-temperature distillation technology to minimise effluent from acid-wash passivation; continuous optimisation of water recycling systems […]

Hexagon brings automated quality inspection to with PRESTO Quality Stations

Low-cost turnkey automated inspection solutions enable shop-floor operators to improve efficiency with high-speed, high-resolution part scanning Simple set-up, easy programming and modular upgrades enable flexible manufacturing, maximising return on investment and minimising footprint Powerful robot programming makes automated quality inspection accessible to non-metrologists Providing major advances in high-resolution scanning for faster, highly versatile manufacturing quality control, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division today announces the launch of two major advances in automated large-component quality inspection that make its turnkey PRESTO Quality Stations accessible to manufacturers that need to improve productivity but face budget and skills constraints. Hexagon’s modular suite of turnkey automated inspection cells is expanding what is possible in the 3D measurement of medium-to-large-sized components in a variety of industrial contexts, including automotive, aerospace and general manufacturing. Two new configurations apply Hexagon’s brand-new HYPERSCAN optical tracking with 3D scanning and the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800 direct scanning technologies to the PRESTO Quality Station range. These new options complement the existing high-performance Leica Absolute Tracker AT960 with Absolute Scanner AS1 models already deployed in business-critical near-line quality control processes in OEM automotive, rail and aerospace facilities globally. These advanced solutions are designed to bring a new level of flexibility and accuracy to applications throughout the supply chain for which skills, budget and complexity are barriers to quality process automation. The new PRESTO Quality Station with HYPERSCAN delivers smart, high-resolution scanning with real-time optical tracking at a much lower price point, making automation viable even for organisations with limited budgets. In addition, new ATS800-based PRESTO models offer direct, high-accuracy scanning from a larger standoff, allowing safe, efficient and high-accuracy inspection of fine edges and complex features, ensuring precise assembly processes without the need for robot-mounted scanners. With robotic inspection workflows deployable in hours rather than days and minimal training required, the highly […]

Andersen Consulting expands into Pakistan with collaborating firm NEC Consulting

Andersen Consulting bolsters its sustainability offering through a Collaboration Agreement with NEC Consultants (Pvt) Ltd., an environmental and infrastructure consulting firm based in Pakistan. Established in 2006, NEC Consultants provides environmental and engineering professional services. Their offerings include environmental assessments and audits, wastewater treatment plant design, energy audits, sustainability and circularity consulting, and training in environmental and energy efficiency. Azher Uddin Khan, managing director of NEC Consulting, said, “This collaboration with Andersen Consulting marks a significant milestone in our journey to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. By combining our local expertise with the organization’s global reach, we are poised to address complex challenges and drive impactful change in Pakistan and beyond.” Mark L. Vorsatz, global chairman and CEO of Andersen, added, “Pakistan is a rapidly growing economy with enormous potential in infrastructure development and environmental sustainability. As the country continues to invest in large-scale public and private projects, the need for multidimensional services is greater than ever. By collaborating with NEC Consultants, we gain a competitive edge in a high-growth market.” Andersen Consulting is a global consulting practice providing a comprehensive suite of services spanning corporate strategy, business, technology, and AI transformation, as well as human capital solutions. Andersen Consulting integrates with the multidimensional service model of Andersen Global, delivering world-class consulting, tax, legal, valuation, global mobility, and advisory expertise on a global platform with more than 20,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 500 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. Andersen Consulting Holdings LP is a limited partnership and provides consulting solutions through its member firms and collaborating firms around the world.

Secutech 2025 concludes with optimism and strong affirmation of growth

Taipei, 21 May 2025. Secutech 2025 brought together a vibrant network of innovators and industry leaders at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre in May, with concurrent Fire & Safety and Smart Building events. Featuring 396 exhibitors from nine countries and regions, the fair showcased the latest advancements in security technology, AI integration, and IoT, with offerings ranging from disaster prevention and fire protection to intelligent management. The platform underscored the growing demand for integrated smart security solutions across diverse industries, attracting over 14,057 visitors from 44 countries and regions. “Secutech has once again proven to be an invaluable platform for fostering innovation and collaboration across multiple sectors,” said Ms Regina Tsai, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd – Taiwan Branch. “From critical infrastructure and transportation to healthcare, manufacturing, and real estate, the fair has helped bridge the gap between technology providers and end users. By showcasing cutting-edge solutions in smart security, IoT, and AI integration, Secutech continues to drive meaningful progress in safety, efficiency, and resilience across industries.” Opening the event, Mr Huan-Zhang Xiao, Director General, National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior, remarked: “It is an honour to be part of Secutech 2025. I am inspired by the dedication of participants committed to fire safety, smart security, industrial safety, and environmental health. As we face escalating challenges from disaster risks and climate change, this fair serves as a crucial platform for driving innovation and international collaboration. Together, we aim to strengthen disaster resilience and pursue our shared vision of preserving lives, upgrading industries, and achieving net-zero carbon emissions.” Reflecting strong market demand, Secutech 2025 featured diverse exhibitors from Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and the US. The fair brought together innovative start-ups and established leaders, highlighting advancements in surveillance automation, smart monitoring systems, biometric authentication devices, […]

Trymax Semiconductor Equipment B.V. reaches 500 process chamber installations in Asia

Trymax, a leading provider of plasma- and UV-based solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, announces the installation of its 500th process chamber in Asia. This milestone reflects continued momentum across key regional markets—including China, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines—and signals strong progress toward the company’s goal of 1,000 global installations by the end of 2025. “Reaching 500 installations in Asia is a significant milestone for Trymax,” said Peter Dijkstra, Chief Commercial Officer at Trymax Semiconductor Equipment. “It reflects our team’s dedication to delivering practical, high-performance solutions with the speed and reliability that our customers need in order to stay competitive.” Responsiveness as a Competitive Edge In an industry where uptime, productivity, and reliability are critical, Trymax has earned a reputation for being highly responsive—from the inquiry stage to post-installation support. The company’s nimble structure allows it to take action quickly and decisively, enabling customers to manufacture with confidence. Many partners have cited the ease of communication with Trymax, and the timely support received, as reasons for early and continued engagement. Supporting Asia’s Semiconductor Surge Asia continues to lead global semiconductor growth, driven by accelerated adoption in high-demand sectors. Customers across the region are pushing forward with innovation and scale, particularly in: Automotive: The transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) is reshaping the industry. EVs require significantly more semiconductors—often up to 3,000 chips per vehicle—due to greater electrification, power management, and onboard computing systems. This shift is fueling demand for reliable, high-throughput semiconductor processing solutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI): The rise of AI and machine learning applications—from data centers to edge devices—is creating a surge in demand for advanced microprocessors and high-density memory. Backend processes play a critical role in ensuring the performance and yield of these complex chips, making equipment reliability and process control essential. 5G […]

67th Session of the APO Governing Body sets strategic direction for a unified productivity vision

The Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) convened the 67th Session of the Governing Body (GBM), 20–22 May 2025 in Jakarta, hosted by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. This annual session brought together over 50 delegates representing APO member governments to discuss the APO’s strategic direction and ensure the organization’s continued credibility, effectiveness, and relevance amid a rapidly evolving productivity landscape. The 67th GBM saw numerous important leadership transitions. APO Director for India Amardeep Singh Bhatia took on the position of APO Chair for 2025–26, taking over from APO Director for Fiji Jone Maritino Nemani. APO Director for Indonesia Agung Nur Rohmad and APO Director for the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Mohammad Saleh Owlia were also appointed as First and Second Vice Chairs, respectively. The Governing Body expressed its continued confidence in the forward-looking leadership of incumbent Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata, nominated by the Government of Indonesia, by electing him for a second term as Secretary-General from September 2025 to September 2028. In his opening statement, APO Chair Bhatia emphasized India’s commitment to the APO’s vision of inclusive, innovation-led, sustainable productivity growth in the Asia-Pacific region as a founding member of the APO. He also reaffirmed India’s dedication to enhancing the institutional efficiency and strategic alignment of the APO through its chairmanship and praised the significant progress made on the development of the Green Productivity (GP) 2.0 ecosystem. The inaugural session of the GBM was graced by H.E. Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia Professor Yassierli. In his inaugural speech, Minister Professor Yassierli underscored the urgency of responding collectively to a rapidly changing global landscape marked by economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and mounting sustainability pressures. Under such conditions, productivity should not be treated as competition among nations but rather as a shared journey rooted in mutual […]

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