BU

SI

NE

SS

MA

GA

ZI

NE

FO

R I

NT

ER

NA

TI

ON

AL

E

NT

ER

PR

IS

ES

-

S

EV

EN

TY

-T

HI

RD

E

DI

TI

ON

2

01

6

73 business magazine for i n t e r n at i o n a l e n t e r p r i s e s

Albert Altura, AG&P President PAGE 3

Teijin Group creates an automotive composite products business in North America PAGE 55

Lancôme’s groundbreaking bespoke makeup experience, Le Teint Particulier Custom Made Makeup PAGE 39

Coca-Cola achieves aggressive water replenishment target PAGE 23

Sustainability front-runner in the food industry: Mondelēz International PAGE 11

BUSINESSt r e n d s

S E V E N T Y - T H I R D E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

1

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

74

business trends

Table of contents

CONSULTING, BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICESJM Bullion 19Nexity 43Options Group 38Questex Travel Group 69Torry Harris Business Solutions (Europe) Ltd. 51Westpac Group 47

CONSTRUCTIONAtlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company (AG&P) 3Marietta Silos, The Marietta Group 59

CONSUMER & LIFESTYLE BRANDSCampbell Soup Company 29Lancôme USA 39Mondelēz International, Inc 11The Coca-Cola Company 23

ELECTRONICSLeyard American Corporation 61Nilfisk (NKT Group) 21Spectra-Physics 65Xerox 53

HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCESINSIGHTEC 58NNIT 22Nutrisystem, Inc. 54Piramal Imaging 33Thorlabs, Inc. 44

INDUSTRY, ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURINGDow Olympic & Sports Solutions 35Dresser-Rand 5Krones Inc. 57MiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp. 34Olympus Automation Ltd (OAL) 48Phenomenex Inc. 15Prodrone Co., Ltd. 42RAK Ceramics 31Silberline Manufacturing Co., Inc 67Teijin Group 55Toyoda Gosei 49

MOBILE TECHNOLOGYEntersekt 62InMobi 9PubMatic 71Tapjoy 45

NETWORKING TECHNOLOGYIntegrated Device Technology, Inc (IDT) 60LILEE Systems 27Nokia 63

RETAILDisplaydata 73Office Depot, Inc. 17Retail Food Group (RFG) 14

SOFTWAREAlfresco 7aPriori Technologies 74Bromium, Inc. 64

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICSQuester Tangent 26SAVVY® Telematic Systems AG 46

aPriori

Website: www.apriori.com

aPriori was founded in 2003 and has since

then invested 75 man-years of

development into its product, acquiring

numerous world class manufacturing

corporations as customers. Mr. Burke

explains that fundamentally, aPriori

software and services generate hard-

dollar product cost savings for discrete

manufacturing organisations. If during

the process, a product development team

makes a change to the product design, by

choosing a different material for example,

aPriori calculates what impact that would

have on the cost of the final product, so

that the engineers can adjust the design

to meet the cost target.

aPriori’s proprietary automated costing

technology leverages 3D CAD geometry

to drive a real-time cost simulation

engine. As aPriori tools are agile and easy

to use, they can be implemented at every

level of product development. This is

important even for multinationals who

employ a highly trained cost management

team: Mr. Burke explains that cost

management teams are usually

outnumbered by product development

teams and under a lot of pressure to keep

up, so they typically focus on costing

those components and elements that are

expected to have the biggest impact on

product cost. With aPriori, product

development engineers can do their own

costings. On that note, Mr. Burke points

out that aPriori addresses sourcing issues,

too: the automotive industry, for example,

increasingly integrates third party

components in its designs. aPriori

technology helps companies to

understand what impact the cost of a

sourced product would have on the

product cost. It can also empower

customers to quickly simulate regional

manufacturing options, using different

labour costs, machine types, routings and

material cost data.

aPriori is a leading provider of product cost management (PCM) software solutions. The company prides itself on democratising the space with tools that allow companies to implement cost management at all stages and levels of the product development process. The US-based company has a global channel strategy and recently announced that QuEST Global Engineering (QuEST) will serve as an aPriori Authorized Global Services Partner. QuEST should extend aPriori’s ability to provide its fast growing customer base with premium cost management consulting and services, as Rick Burke, VP Marketing at aPriori, explains.

The democratisation of cost management

aPriori has high-profile customers in

aerospace, automotive, power and gas

and other industries worldwide, including

Whirlpool, ThyssenKrupp Elevator,

Honeywell Aerospace and American Axle

& Manufacturing (AAM). In addition to

serving these customers directly, the

company also works with added value

partners. The recently announced

partnership with QuEST Global

underscores how big the market is

getting, according to Mr. Burke. QuEST

Global is a high-profile engineering

solutions company that serves the

product lifecycle needs of high

technology companies with a 7500 strong

global workforce. “They actually came to

us as their customers were asking them

for a cost solution,” says Mr. Burke. “We

don’t necessarily want to grow our own

services team: we are a product company

and remain focused on enhancing our

technology. Next in our product road map

is a cost management tool for calculating

the cost of printed circuit board

assembly.”

Dear readers,

The high-profile companies listed on the 2016 Dow Jones

Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Review underscored that investor

demand has increased transparency and communication, creating

a large and growing pool of data on corporate sustainability.

Resource efficient companies — those that use less energy and

water and create less waste in generating a unit of revenue —

notably tend to produce higher investment returns than their less

resource-efficient rivals. In this issue of Business Trends, several

world-renowned brands, including The Coca-Cola Company,

Mondelēz International, Dow Chemical Company, Office Depot,

Campbell Soup and Westpac Group, explain how they achieve

their sustainability targets, and how this works to the benefit of

all of their stakeholders.

Also in this issue, as you’ve come to expect from us, we highlight

several new and exciting technologies, including those developed

by Dresser-Rand, part of Siemens Power and Gas. The company

is a leading supplier of mission-critical, high-speed rotating

equipment solutions to the worldwide oil, gas, petrochemical,

and process industries. We highlight Dresser-Rand’s HALO™

state-of-the art sealing technology, which was originally

designed for the aerospace industry but is now applied to turbo

machinery for oil & gas applications. The HALO seal brings huge

benefits to offshore applications, including improved turbo

machinery performance, enhanced efficiency and reduced

assembly time.

You also don’t want to miss our report on RAK Ceramics, the

company whose ceramic tiles adorn some of the most iconic

buildings in the world, including the Burj Al Arab, Wembley

Stadium, and The O2 Arena. The company recently launched a

new corporate brand identity which is designed to unify all of its

global subsidiaries and drive RAK Ceramics forward to achieving

its vision, to become the leading ceramics lifestyle solutions

provider in the world, as Mr. Abdallah Massaad, Group CEO of

RAK Ceramics, explains.

We hope these and the other stories in this issue continue to

inspire you as you continue to grow your own business.

Ellen GroenEditor in Chief

Business Trends is an international business magazine

Publisher: Business Trends

Noorderhagen 7511 EL Enschede

The Netherlands

Tel: + 31 (0)53 574 55 47

Fax: +31 (0)84 877 01 15

e-mail: ellen@business-trends.nl

internet: www.business-trends.nl

Editorial Staff: Patricia Allen, Laura van Beest,

Bette Berlau, Karin Gourley,

Ellen Groen, Donna Lee,

Roberto Torres Luzardo, Clare Martin,

Monica Meijer, Christa Niemeijer,

Audrey Rhodes, Erna Welscher

Secretariat: Bette Berlau

Lay-out: Mooilucht, Hengelo, The Netherlands

www.mooilucht.nl

© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced

without the prior permission of the publisher. Photos accompanying the text are

published with company approval unless stated otherwise.

business 73 business magazine

for i n t e r n at i o n a l e n t e r p r i s e s

S E V E N T Y - T H I R D E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

2

trendsbusiness trends

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

3 4

business trends

One-stop engineering shop for LNG projects

An acronym of Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company, AG&P is among the world’s leading infrastructure service providers to the LNG industry. The company continues to expand on an international scale and recently announced a major investment in GAS Entec, a pioneering, Korea-based engineering and design firm dedicated to small- and mid-scale LNG applications. “With this equity stake and other strategic partnerships, AG&P provides access to a one-stop-shop from cutting edge engineering, proprietary technology to integrated project delivery, a single point of ownership and highly-skilled, diverse and experienced craftsmen,” explains Albert Altura, AG&P President.

engineered ‘e-houses’ to support power

for the massive project. “The e-houses

are incredibly value-dense because they

contain sophisticated electrical control

and monitoring systems which, when

installed, govern the power distribution

for the entire Ichthys LNG project and

provide the central intelligence and

control structure for the project’s massive

liquefaction plant,” Mr. Altura explains.

The complexity and sensitivity of the

machinery inside the e-houses was

environmentally-controlled and

explosion-proof throughout

construction and during onsite

operation. To achieve this, AG&P created

a comprehensive utilities hook-up

network at its manufacturing site to

maintain environmental conditions

within the e-houses and to fully test their

operational status before delivery to

Darwin. Setting a world-leading safety

record of over 24 million safe man-hours

without LTI, AG&P delivered the 29

modules via 13 staggered shipments over

14 months from March 2015 to May 2016.

At its peak, over 4,500 employees

including welders, fitters, painters,

insulators and electricians, worked day

and night, across three shifts to meet the

stringent delivery schedules. A large

number of the workers were from the

Batangas area. “These intelligent

modules demonstrate AG&P’s transition

away from just steel and pipe, to

innovative engineering, design and

construction,” Mr. Altura states. “When

AG&P’s e-houses arrived, they were fully

tested and plug-and-play ready,

expediting the Ichthys LNG Project’s

progression to production status.”

AG&P’s recent investment in GAS Entec

was announced following another

important announcement: the company

cleaner LNG as a primary energy and

industrial fuel source,” says Mr. Altura.

“AG&P is strategically positioned to offer

integrated services with a specific focus

on archipelago nations – Indonesia and

Philippines - where companies are

looking to distribute LNG to new

applications on coasts, up rivers and

inland. There is an immediate demand for

these solutions in these markets and

within widely distributed population

centers around the world.”

He adds that GAS Entec is an innovative

company with a can-do attitude not

dissimilar to AG&P. In addition to GAS

Entec’s conceptual and detailed

has obtained one of only three global

licenses to build specialized LNG

membrane tanks from the dominant

French company, GTT (Gaztransport &

Technigaz), which owns the technology

behind 70% of the world’s vessel-based

LNG tanks and now onshore tanks as

well. Combined with the significant stake

in GAS Entec, the license allows the

company to deliver complete

engineering, procurement, construction

and even operating solutions for all

aspects of LNG supply and use. “This

meets revolutionary demand for LNG in

archipelago nations such as Indonesia or

the Philippines, as well as in India, Europe

and North America which are shifting to

AG&P

28th Floor, Tower 2

Insular Life Corporate Centre,

Insular Life Drive,

Filinvest Corporate City

Alabang Muntinlupa, Batangas 1781

Philippines

Website: www.agp.ph

As President, Mr. Altura is the country

manager for AG&P in the Philippines

and is jointly responsible for AG&P’s

global joint ventures and partnerships.

The Philippines is where the company

is based; at its state-of-the-art

manufacturing facilities near Manila, it

builds the world’s infrastructure in Lego-

like pieces called modules. In the past

decade, it has built hundreds of highly

complex process modules spanning the

LNG value chain from gas compression to

liquefaction and transport. Its experience

in providing products and services to

major power plants also includes

fabricating, installing and commissioning

power plant components such as coal

bunker bays, transfer towers and LNG

storage structures. These are delivered

mainly to oil and gas, power and mining

majors directly as well as to the world’s

largest engineering, procurement and

construction (EPC) companies and

shipyards.

“We count some of the world’s most

complex infrastructure projects as our

case studies,” Mr. Altura points out,

highlighting the Ichthys LNG Project and

the Gladstone LNG project in Australia

(the former is the largest gas project in

the world) and the Whiting Refinery in

the USA. For the Ichthys Project, AG&P

was commissioned by the Japan Gas, KBR

& Chiyoda (JKC) Consortium to design,

construct and deliver 29 highly-

engineering teams in Korea, AG&P’s

engineers in the Philippines are focused

on detailing, fabrication/ assembly

drawings and execution planning.

AG&P’s English-speaking team interfaces

with their counterparts in Korea or with

its clients’ engineering teams throughout

project development. AG&P and GAS

Entec will also work collaboratively with

large, dedicated and specialist supply

chain groups responsible for planning,

execution, control, monitoring and

performance measurement of all

procurement activities.

“We expect AG&P and GAS Entec to

continue pushing the boundaries of the

rapidly growing, revolutionary LNG

industry by making LNG available to a

new generation of innovative developers,

power companies, ship owners, fishing

fleets and others in a way that it has not

been before,” Mr. Altura concludes.

AG&P’s manufacturing

facilities covering 150

hectares 80km south

of Manila are among

the largest in

Southeast Asia.

AG&P’s English-speaking,

highly skilled workforce

boasts one of the best

safety records in the world

with 39 million consecutive

safe-man hours without

Lost Time Incident (LTI).

Mr. Albert Altura, President AG&P.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

5 6

business trends

Earning client loyalty with outstanding technology

The Dresser-Rand business, part of Siemens Power and Gas, is a leading supplier of mission-critical, high-speed rotating equipment solutions to the worldwide oil, gas, petrochemical, and process industries. The company recently showcased its expanded solutions portfolio at one of the key industry exhibitions and conferences for the offshore oil and gas industry. This event, the 2016 Offshore Northern Seas (ONS), took place in Stavanger, Norway from 29 August to 1 September 2016, at the Stavanger Forum. Visitors to the Siemens booth were introduced to the Dresser-Rand business’ expanded portfolio and learned about specific products, services and technologies, including DATUM® compressors, KG2 containerized generator sets, the Siemens SGT-750 industrial gas turbine, control systems upgrades for offshore applications, E-Houses, and new seal technology for turbomachinery.

developed for vertical turbines to drive

forced draft fans on destroyers. On

January 1, 1987, Dresser Industries and

Ingersoll Rand formed Dresser-Rand, a

joint venture which merged the

worldwide compressor and turbo

machinery products of both companies.

In the period following the joint venture,

many new initiatives were launched and

significant investments were made to

improve technology and manufacturing

efficiency, productivity, quality and

throughput.

In June, 2015, the EU Commission

unconditionally approved Siemens’

acquisition of Dresser-Rand. In a press

release about the merger, Siemens AG

stated, “with Dresser-Rand on board, we

now have the opportunity to address the

needs of the market with world-class

products, solutions and services. The

current level of oil prices increases the

focus of our customers for ways to

reduce costs. So despite the challenges

of a low oil price, this also brings

opportunities as we focus our efforts on

offers that reduce costs and increase

efficiency. The long-term growth

trajectory for oil and gas remains intact.”

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the

Dresser-Rand business offers an

equipment portfolio that includes

turbo and reciprocating compressors;

steam turbines; industrial and aero-

derivative gas turbines; high-speed

engines; and modular power

substations. With the world’s largest

installed base, as well as one of the

world’s largest technical support and

service center networks, and a

presence in more than 150 countries

worldwide, the Dresser-Rand business

delivers local solutions and services on

a global scale. The company notes,

from a single supplier, with access to a

larger product and service portfolio, all as

a result of the integration of the former

Siemens compressor products and

services businesses, and the industrial

and aero-derivative gas turbine business,

with Dresser-Rand.

Showcasing its expanded solutions

portfolio, visitors to the Siemens booth

at 2016 ONS, were introduced to this

new and exciting portfolio and learned

more about specific products, services

and technologies. Part of this expanded

portfolio is the HALO™ seal technology.

The HALO seal is a state-of-the art

sealing technology originally designed

for the aerospace industry now being

applied to turbo machinery for oil & gas

applications. The ATGI HALO pressure-

with self-confidence, that no other

competitor can offer the Dresser-Rand

business’ global and financial strengths

combined with close client

relationships and rotating equipment

technology expertise in oil and gas and

environmental solutions. Notably, the

company operates manufacturing

facilities in the United States, France,

Spain, Germany, Norway, Brazil, India,

Russia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, China, and

the Netherlands.

Siemens together with the Dresser-Rand

business serve the oil and gas industry

through a breadth of electrification,

automation, digitalization, rotating

equipment and environmental solutions.

Through the merger of the two, clients

now have more choices available to them

West Tower 8

10205 Westheimer Road

Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77042

USA

Website: www.dresser-rand.com

The Dresser-Rand business has a history

of leadership from the very beginnings

of the energy industry. The company’s

roots trace back to the late 19th century,

when Solomon R. Dresser founded S.R.

Dresser and Company in Bradford,

Pennsylvania as a supplier to the

growing oil industry in the area. The

early 20th century saw many new

companies emerge, and existing

companies expand, to support the

growing demand for energy. One of

those companies was Ingersoll Rand

which began manufacturing

compressors in Painted Post, New York.

Ingersoll Rand received its first orders in

the early 1900s from the U.S. Navy for a

new technology that the company

balanced seal technology is a non-

contacting, self-adjusting, low-leakage,

dynamic, and compliant seal. It can be

set for any clearance gap desired, and

can accommodate both rotor off-set

and run-out variation in real-time during

operation. The HALO seal brings huge

benefits to offshore applications, which

include, improved turbo machinery

performance, enhanced efficiency and

reduced assembly time.

The Dresser-Rand business is

committed to earning client loyalty for

life by combining its outstanding

technology with operational and

service excellence. The company

emphasizes that it is well positioned

for continued profitable growth

through its expanded product

portfolio, extensive service network

and large installed base.

SGT-750 gas turbine,

Siemens AG

Siemens Oil&Gas at ONS in Stavanger, Siemens AG

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

7 8

business trends

Expanding partner programme in ECM

Alfresco Software, the leading open-source provider of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Business Process Management (BPM) solutions, has named Atos its Lead Partner in Japan. In this role, Atos will help Alfresco build relationships, sell and distribute its technology. Robert “Bob” Crissman, Vice President of Global Channel Sales at Alfresco, explains why Atos is a perfect fit for Alfresco’s new partner programme, which was rolled out earlier this year. The new programme is designed to make it easier for partners to grow their business working with Alfresco. It helps recruit and onboard global and super-regional solution providers, streamline the Alfresco OEM program and drive greater focus with the company’s key technology partners. Program components are focused around ensuring successful joint sales and marketing engagements, as well as training and support services to allow partners to build certified solutions based on Alfresco technology.

and commitment. Partners have access to

the newly developed partner portal, deal

registration and co-marketing funds, and

Alfresco-provided training and business

planning sessions with a dedicated

channel account manager. The new

portal includes the ability to sync with

Salesforce, lead registration, sales tools,

sales and marketing collateral, training

information, upcoming events, and

Alfresco-generated leads.

Mr. Crissman emphasises that the new

channel programme adds new partners

only when the market demands it, and

only when said partners meet Alfresco’s

standards. “We have a client renewal rate

of around 95% and we want to keep it

that way. New partners need to have the

ability to serve our clients equally well,

and have domain expertise that lines up

with the verticals we concentrate on.”

Serving tightly regulated sectors such as

healthcare, finance and government,

Alfresco provides modern enterprise

content management (ECM) software

built on open standards that enables

organisations to unlock the power of

their business-critical content. The

company prides itself on delivering

collaboration tools that are quick to

implement and easy to use across cloud,

mobile, hybrid and on-premise

environments. High-profile Alfresco

customers include Amnesty

International, Cisco, DAB Bank, FOX,

NASA, PGA Tour, and Sony

Entertainment.

Geographically, Alfresco considers the

whole world as its market but the

company is particularly strong in North

America. Asia is a growth market for

them, however. The company does not

have direct sales people in Asia in general

or Japan specifically, so this is where

partners such as Atos play a particularly

valuable role. Atos is global leader in

presence in Japan, which is why we have

chosen to expand our partnership with

Atos. They are incredibly dedicated to the

region with an office and staff in Japan

that make it well suited to serve the

business collaboration needs of the

enterprises there. In fact, Atos is already

helping local companies renew their

contracts with Alfresco.”

Mr. Crissman believes that Alfresco will

do well in Japan as it is a highly regulated

economy, without dominant players in

the ECM and BPM space. “We do realise

that Japan has its own business culture,

where relationships are built on trust.

That’s where our partnership with Atos

should help too.”

Overall he has set ambitious goals for

Alfresco’s new partnership programme.

“In two to three years from now we

digital services with annual revenue of

EUR 12 billion and 100,000 employees in

72 countries. It provides high tech

services to its customers worldwide and

now expands/strengthens its portfolio

with Alfresco’s solutions. “Atos has been

our partner in Europe for years so we

know them well,” says Mr. Crissman.

“They have grown aggressively in recent

years and now have a global presence, as

well as in-depth expertise in all of our

verticals.”

He adds that Atos’ profile in Japan will

likely increase over the next four years as

it is the official IT partner to the Tokyo

2020 Olympics, which partly explains

why they wanted to strengthen their

portfolio with Alfresco technology.

“Alfresco is equally committed to serving

the APAC region and having a strong

Alfresco Software Inc.

1825 S Grant St, Suite 900

San Mateo, CA 94402

USA

Website: www.alfresco.com

Founded in 2005, Alfresco’s U.S.

headquarters are in San Mateo, California

and European headquarters are in

Maidenhead, UK. Mr. Crissman joined the

company in 2015, from VMware, where

he was Senior Director of Partner Sales

and Marketing. Prior to VMware, he

spent 14 years at Microsoft, starting as a

product manager and leaving as the

general manager of the worldwide

partner group, where he led the teams

responsible for developing the future of

the partner program, specifically based

on Microsoft’s long-term product

strategy.

His move to Alfresco was inspired by his

love of building things, says Mr.

Crissman. Alfresco felt the need to

implement a predictable channel

program, robust through-partner

marketing and tight integration between

Alfresco’s direct sales assets and partners’

sales teams. “The company had a basic

partner programme in place, but it

needed a more mature one, particularly

as it was moving up the value chain and

starting to serve larger enterprise

customers,” he explains. Under

Crissman’s leadership, the company has

now launched a partner portal, and an

incentivisation scheme compensating

partners for landing new deals. “At a level

that is unique in this industry,” Mr.

Crissman points out.

The new global partner program, rolled

out in March of this year, also sets out to

recruit and on-board global and super-

regional solution providers. The program

is segmented into three partnership

categories—Strategic Certified, Premier

Certified and Authorized—with benefits

and features for each partner type, level,

should’ve increased business going

through channel partners from 60 to

70%, adding partners in all partner

categories. From a technological

perspective, our ambition is to

strengthen our position in BPM; right

now, we’re mostly known for our ECM

products.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

9 10

business trendsEngaging mobile audiences

InMobi, the world’s largest and most powerful mobile advertising and discovery platform, recently announced partnerships with leading demand-side-platforms (DSPs) Adelphic, AppNexus, The Trade Desk, TubeMogul, AudienceScience and Turn to scale high engagement mobile video ad formats across in-app programmatic inventory. With these partnerships in place, brand advertisers are now able to leverage mobile-first full-screen, auto-play, HD video on the InMobi Exchange, the company’s programmatic marketplace. Video is proven to be the most effective advertising format on mobile says Amine Melouk, VP & GM, Brand Advertising, Europe at InMobi. “We are unique in this industry with our focus on the creative space. Video fits in with our mobile advertising philosophy, which is to always strive for the most engaging experience for users.”

experience ever to advertising

consumers. So we do a lot of creative

work for our clients. We probably have

the largest mobile creative team

worldwide – our competitors typically

focus more on delivering the media,

rather than on being in the creative

space.”

Also from a creative perspective, video

is very important to mobile advertising.

“It’s the fastest growing ad format and

it’s proven to have the highest

engagement,” Mr. Melouk points out.

“Overall it is probably the best format

when it comes to storytelling.” Video

has been in InMobi’s offering for several

years. “Attention for video has grown.

Globally, we’re seeing more and more

advertising dollars that move to

programmatic on mobile. We want to

ensure that our clients, who are looking

for very premium, very targeted

audiences, can find and access the video

inventory they need on our InMobi

Exchange platform. That’s what inspired

our recent decision to partner with

Adelphic, AppNexus, The Trade Desk,

TubeMogul, AudienceScience and Turn.”

Launched in 2015, InMobi Exchange

offers buyers the promise of diversity on

eMarketer reports, one in three

consumers watch video on their mobile

devices, which means watching video on

mobile is already more common than

using devices to listen to music. Within

InMobi’s programmatic exchange,

campaigns running non-skippable video

formats have a 95 percent completion

rate, providing brands with optimal

viewability and engagement. Retailers

who used rich media ads that leveraged

the user’s location increased footfall by

79 percent by providing directions to the

nearest store or restaurant.

With all this talk about the advertising

potential of video and mobile in general,

it’s remarkable that comparatively,

mobile ad spending still is quite low

when compared to conventional

advertising and even when compared to

desktop advertising. “It’s actually an

injustice,” states Mr. Melouk. “In the

world today, mobile is the first medium,

the first screen for many. People spend

more time on their mobile than on

programmatic supply and access to

diverse audience personas. Powered by

Rubicon Project, it offers programmatic

buyers both native and video ad

experiences across thousands of mobile

apps, bringing to market the most

extensive and diverse set of engaging

mobile ad experiences, at scale.

According to InMobi, native and video

ads typically deliver between two and

five times the performance of standard

mobile ad units, delivering substantially

higher value than banners to both buyers

and app developers. “When you combine

the power of video with the power of

what rich media can do, and give users

the ability to interact with the content

when the video is done, you’re

guaranteed to make a very positive

impact,” says Mr. Melouk.

Advertisers’ growing preference for

immersive video-centric ad formats -

including vertical and 360 - on mobile

programmatic campaigns is consistent

with recent media consumption trends.

InMobi

475 Brannan Street, Suite 420

San Francisco, CA 94107

USA

Website: www.InMobi.com

More than five years after raising $200

mn from Japan’s Softbank and becoming

the first Indian company to be called a

‘Unicorn,’ InMobi today is globally

respected for its revolutionary

advertising and discovery platform,

enabling app developers, merchants,

and brands to engage mobile consumers

globally. The company has a strong

presence in both the western world and

in Asia, notably including China, which

probably explains the impressive

number of over 1.56 billion unique

mobile devices it reaches worldwide.

The global mobile advertising market is

predicted to reach $114 billion in 2018, up

from $50 billion in 2015, according to

ZenithOptimedia. In this dynamic

market, InMobi has positioned itself as a

global mobile advertising and discovery

platform. “We facilitate a brand connect

with audiences by connecting and

monetising a series of tens of thousands

of mobile websites,” explains Mr. Melouk.

“We put together various solutions for

advertisers to engage people in the most

effective and creative way possible.”

InMobi has two businesses: a brand

advertising business and a performance

business. Mr. Melouk heads their brand

business in Europe. “We interact with

agencies and advertisers, but also with

publishers. What sets us apart from

others in mobile advertising is our focus

on creative. From the start, InMobi’s

vision has been to make advertising on

mobile successful, you need to deliver

the most engaging advertising

traditional media. And for certain

demographics, mobile is pretty much the

only screen. Yet none of that is reflected

in how companies and agencies allocate

their advertising spend.” Mr. Melouk can

understand why, to some extent: “Mobile

advertising is quite a fragmented space,

and it’s challenging to create a highly

engaging experience on mobile

platforms. There is still some work left to

do there. But I actually believe that puts

InMobi in a favourable position. The fact

that we have a creative component to our

value proposition can bring mobile

advertising to the next level.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

11 12

business trendsLeading on sustainability

Snack and food brand giant Mondelēz International has once again been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for both the North America and World indices, confirming that it is a front runner in the food industry when it comes to sustainability. The DJSI is a globally recognised independent benchmark that conducts comprehensive assessments of a company’s economic, environmental and social performance with a strong focus on long-term value creation for shareholders. Jonathan Horrell, Director Sustainability at Mondelēz International, explains how they address major sustainability issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. “Through the Call For Well-being platform, we’ve made commitments in four areas where we can make a positive impact: sustainability, well-being snacks, communities and safety.”

labour rights issues. Although the

impact of our operations on the

environment is much smaller compared

to agriculture, we know making the

operations under our direct control

more sustainable and efficient is an

important contribution to the wellbeing

of our planet.”

Recent research by National Geographic

and GlobeScan shows that consumers

care deeply about the food they eat and

about how it is produced. “Today,

people around the globe are increasingly

interested in well-being and ensuring a

sustainable future – for themselves,

their families and their communities,”

agrees Mr. Horrell. “We know people

expect more from companies and the

products they make and sell. That’s why

we launched our Call For Well-being

platform in 2013. We strongly believe

our growth is directly linked to

enhancing the well-being of the planet,

the people who make and enjoy our

products, and the communities we

serve. Through the Call For Well-being

platform, we’ve made commitments in

four areas where we can make a positive

greenhouse gas reduction goal for

manufacturing, in line with its strategic

focus on climate change.

Now working towards meeting its

Sustainability 2020 goals, Mondelēz has

prioritised the fight against climate

change and the ambition to be the leader

in well-being snacks while driving down

costs and creating efficiencies to

accelerate growth. “We’re adopting

science-based targets to reduce absolute

CO2 emissions from manufacturing as

part of our ambitious end-to-end

approach,” Mr. Horrell explains. “We will

also implement deforestation

interventions in key agriculture supply

programs, such as Cocoa Life, and as

impact: sustainability, well-being

snacks, communities and safety.”

Overall, Mondelēz is pleased with the

progress it has made since 2013. In its

latest “Call for Well-Being” report,

published in June 2016, it announced it

accomplished its 2015 goals for

packaging, greenhouse gas emissions

and net waste a year in advance. It also

reported on considerable progress

against its other sustainable agriculture

and environmental footprint goals —

including meeting and exceeding its

waste to landfill and water goals. The

only disappointment for Mondelēz was

that it did not meet its energy reduction

goal as planned; it did however exceed its

progress is made on the ground will

publicly report the resulting end-to-end

carbon footprint reduction. We aim to

create a sustainable supply of critical raw

materials, support smallholder

livelihoods and food security with

signature programs focused on impact at

scale.”

As the largest buyer of cocoa in the world,

Mondelēz has pledged to lead the

transformation of the cocoa supply chain.

The company has set a goal to sustainably

source all its cocoa and remains on target

to achieve its goal. In 2015, 21% of

Mondelēz’ cocoa was sustainably sourced

(up from 12% in 2014), a percentage that

the company expects to grow

Mondelēz was founded in October 2012,

uniting the global snack and food brands

of the former Kraft Foods Inc that were

spun-off of its North American grocery

operations. The company today boasts a

world-class portfolio including many

several billion-dollar brands such as Oreo,

TUC, Belvita, LU, Nabisco, Milka, and

Côte d’Or.

Mondelēz has had a sustainability

strategy from day one, Mr. Horrell points

out. “Prior to that, as Kraft Foods, we

first published global sustainability

goals in 2005.” Sustainability is a key

focus area for not just for Mondelēz

International, but also for the wider

food industry, he adds. “Our business

depends on a steady, high-quality

supply of crops like cocoa, wheat and

other commodities to create our

delicious snacks. However, as demand

for these crops increases worldwide, our

global food system is facing numerous

challenges that are weighing down on

individual farmers and the land they use

– from extreme weather patterns and

climate change, to biodiversity loss and

shortages in resources, and the growing

competition for land. In addition, socio-

economic challenges persist in

agricultural supply chains, including

poverty, gender inequality, and land and

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

13 14

business trends

From fledgling to global playerGlobal multi-brand retail food franchisor Retail Food Group (RFG) is well known for achieving growth via strategic M&A programs. The company has grown from a fledgling Australian franchisor operating solely in the franchising sector to a global enterprise valued at over $1 billion with interests in retail food franchising, coffee and allied beverage manufacturing and global brand licensing. It recently celebrated its tenth year on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) by posting record profit and announcing the acquisition of Hudson Pacific Corporation, which Gary Alford, RFG’s CEO, believes to be transformational. “Through the pending acquisition of Hudson Pacific Corporation, RFG will also become a major food manufacturer, processor and distributor – completing our transformation into a genuine global food and beverage company.”

product of record FY16 EBITDA of

$110.2m, an increase of 24% on FY15.

Mr. Alford believes the company’s

exceptional performance was driven by

the Group’s increasingly diverse and

global business. “RFG’s ‘strength in

brands’ philosophy means that we are

able to share resources, leverage scale

and cross pollinate innovation across the

business, giving our franchise partners

best practice systems, market leading

products and of course, cost savings. Our

Brand Systems have been developed for

license within international markets, and

we have developed a highly capable

International Division to support,

develop and assist our partners in

launching a brand and growing their

business within their territory or region.”

He adds that in FY17, RFG’s key priorities

for growth include organic domestic

growth and international expansion. “We

are also looking to grow our coffee

business domestically and internationally

with the latter to be supported by coffee

hubs established in key strategic

locations. In addition, M&A activity

remains a central pillar of RFG’s growth

strategy, and we are constantly reviewing

both domestic and international

opportunities.”

With settlement of the acquisition of

Hudson Pacific Corporation scheduled

for late September, Mr. Alford expects the

group will enter a new era of growth.

Mr. Alford has been with Retail Food

Group (RFG) for more than twenty years.

He explains that the company’s proven

business models and support systems

have been perfected over more than 25

years of operation. RFG now is a global

franchisor, with more than 2,500 outlets

across 69 international territories, many

operated under Master Franchise

Agreements or licences. In addition, the

company is a significant coffee roaster

and wholesaler with coffee and allied

beverage throughput exceeding six

million kg per annum through brands

Retail Food Group (RFG)

Website: www.rfg.com.au

including The Coffee Guy, the Gloria

Jean’s Coffees Group, and Di Bella Coffee.

RFG’s appetite for growth continues to

drive positive outcomes for the Group,

with the Company recently announcing

the pending acquisition of Hudson

Pacific Corporation, marking its formal

entry into food manufacturing and

distribution operations. In addition to its

most recent acquisition, the company

announced its full year accounts to 30

June 2016, achieving record underlying

Net Profit After Tax of $66.4m, a 20.5%

increase on the previous period, and the

Mondelēz International, Inc.

3 Parkway North

Deerfield, IL-60015

USA

Website:

www.mondelezinternational.com

substantially as more farmers join the

Cocoa Life program. Cocoa Life was

launched in 2012 with a $400 million, 10-

year commitment to empower more than

200,000 farmers and more than one

million people in the company’s six key

cocoa growing origins by 2022.

Another one of the goals Mondelēz

achieved in 2015 was 75% of Western

European biscuit volume made with

Harmony wheat. At the end of 2014, the

company only was at 60%, but it was

able to make up 15 percentage points to

achieve its goal by the end of 2015.

Harmony was launched by Mondelēz in

2008 as a sustainable partnership in

Europe with stakeholders who are

considered key links in the wheat

production chain. The initial group of 68

farmers in France is now a partnership of

more than 2,269 farmers, 13 millers and

we’re partnering with UNDP, the

Indonesian government and others to

scale up sustainable palm, whilst we co-

chair the Consumer Goods Forum palm

oil working group.”

These and other initiatives have led to

Mondelēz having once again been named

to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

(DJSI) for both the North America and

World indices. The company improved its

overall score to reach the 95th percentile

of its industry. The company also

achieved perfect scores of 100 in health

and nutrition, raw material sourcing and

water-related risks. For the 2016

assessment, the world’s largest 3,400

companies from developed and emerging

markets were invited to take part. Only

companies scoring among the top 10

percent per industry were eligible for the

World Index, while companies in the top

20 percent per industry were eligible for

the North America index.

37 cooperatives across Europe. Harmony

farmers achieved a 25% reduction in

pesticide use, and in 2015, 14.3 million

bees and 16 species of butterflies were

observed in Harmony fields.

Addressing another major issue in the

food industry, Mondelēz met its pledge

to make all of its palm oil 100% R.S.P.O.

(Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil) in

2013, but the company continues to

increase the percentage of palm oil that

is traceable back to the mill. At the end of

2014, 70% of the palm oil sourced by the

company was traceable back to the mill,

a percentage that increased to 90% at

the end of 2015. Mondelēz believes that

while traceability to the mill is a good first

step, more needs to be done. “Through

our Palm Oil Action Plan, we are

addressing deforestation and promoting

sustainable production practices in our

palm oil supply chain,” says Mr. Horrell.

“We achieved RSPO three years early and

we’re going further. We are pleased with

our progress across a complex supply

chain and have acted against suppliers

that did not comply.” He adds that the

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has

recognised the work Mondelēz are doing

to go beyond its own supply chain and

catalyse change across the palm oil

sector: “We are the first company to

require suppliers to address our

requirements across their entire supply

base, not just the oil supplied to us. And

At a glance

Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) is a global

snacking powerhouse, with 2015 net revenues of

approximately $30 billion. Creating delicious moments of

joy in 165 countries, Mondelēz International is a world

leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered

beverages, with billion-dollar brands such as Oreo, LU and

Nabisco biscuits; Cadbury, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka

chocolate; and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a

proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, NASDAQ

100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

15 16

business trends

Phenomenex sells to best suiter

Headquartered in the US with operations worldwide, Phenomenex manufactures high-performance liquid chromatography, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, preparatory liquid chromatography columns, gas chromatography columns, sample preparation, and accessory products. Separation and purification consumables for liquid and gas chromatography are among Phenomenex’s more than 7000 products, which are designed to support applications in drug discovery and development, clinical research, forensic toxicology, petrochemical, environmental analysis, and food safety. In October 2016, Phenomenex said it has agreed to be acquired by Danaher for an undisclosed sum, in a deal that expands the buyer’s offerings in the life sciences, and specifically chromatography consumables. “Joining Danaher will allow us to maintain the high pace of innovation that our customers and international distributors have come to expect from us,” said Phenomenex CEO Fasha Mahjoor. “This is our opportunity to further expand our R&D activities, benefit our customers with a more diversified product portfolio, and reinforce our market leadership.”

products, Phenomenex now offers a

wide range of solutions for various

sample preparation techniques

including protein precipitation,

simplified liquid extraction (SLE),

preparation of hydrolysed urine, and

QuEChERS.

Phenomenex prides itself on being one

of the leading suppliers of separation

science consumables. “Because

Phenomenex is not involved in

instrument manufacturing, it allows us

to channel all of our efforts and

knowledge into creating extraordinary

consumables and allows us to be the

separation science experts in terms of

customer and application support,”

says Terrell Mathews, Sr. Marketing

Manager and spokesperson for

Phenomenex. “Because we are able to

focus solely on the separation portion

of the chromatography process, we

have been able to align ourselves

within Phenomenex to focus on and

support key industry verticals, so we

are not only separation experts but

separation experts in each industry

a narrower science and technology

focus—but a greater concentration in

life sciences businesses—by

announcing the spinout of its Test &

Measurement segment, Industrial

Technologies segment (except its

Product Identification platform), and

Retail/Commercial Petroleum platform

through the creation of a new entity,

Fortive Corp. That spinout was

completed in July.

“By joining the Danaher Life Sciences

division, Phenomenex will now have

the opportunity to utilise resources

such as the Danaher Business System

(DBS) as well as to work together with

complementary companies within the

Danaher portfolio such as SCIEX and

Pall,” says Mr. Mathews. “With the

availability of new resources, we plan

to continue to advance our R&D and

operations to provide the newest, most

innovative products for our customers

as well as to continuously improve our

customer service. When necessary, we

will be able to work together with

complementary Danaher companies

such as SCIEX to provide both of our

customers with complete, streamlined

solutions from column to detector.”

Phenomenex will continue to do what

it does best, develop and manufacture

solutions for the chromatography

vertical we support.” He emphasises

that Phenomenex products are used in

just about any industry; from

pharmaceutical labs and forensic

toxicology to food and environmental

testing. “In fact, Phenomenex products

were most likely used to test the safety

and quality of the shampoo you used

this morning!” In terms of geographical

markets, Phenomenex products are

sold in 99 countries worldwide, and

growing.

Mr. Mathews confirms that following

its acquisition by Danaher,

Phenomenex will continue to operate

as a standalone company within

Danaher and retain its namesake brand

as well as its workforce and locations.

The company will join Danaher’s life

sciences portfolio of businesses, which

include SCIEX, Beckman Coulter Life

Sciences, Pall, Leica Microsystems, and

Molecular Devices.

Industry analysts estimate that

Phenomenex generates about $200

million in annual revenues, making it

the smallest of Danaher’s recent

acquisitions. Danaher last month

disclosed it was buying Cepheid for

approximately $4 billion, and last year

completed its $13.8 billion acquisition

of Pall. Also last year, Danaher signalled

Phenomenex Inc.

411 Madrid Avenue

Torrance, CA 90501-1430

USA

Website: www.phenomenex.com

Phenomenex has been providing

laboratories with chromatography

products for 35 years, initially as a

distributor of LC columns, and then as

a leading manufacturer of LC, GC, and

Sample Preparation products. The

Phenomenex name became a standard

within chromatography laboratories

with the release of the Luna portfolio of

LC columns, which quickly grew to be

one of the world’s leading HPLC

columns. More recently, Phenomenex

has been known for its game changing

technology, Kinetex core-shell LC

columns. In the GC marketspace,

Phenomenex has continued to grow is

presence by growing its GC portfolio to

include application specific products as

well as accessories such as inlet liners.

In addition to advances with the LC and

GC markets, Phenomenex has also

greatly expanded its footprint in the

Sample Preparation market. Initially a

provider of Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)

market, he adds. “However, as a

member of the Danaher portfolio, there

may be opportunities to work together

with complementary businesses to

provide more comprehensive solutions.

Phenomenex wants to continue to

transform the world of separation

sciences by providing innovative and

effective products that help progress

the research and day to day activities of

our customers. With the support of

Danaher and the Danaher collection of

companies, Phenomenex plans to take

full advantage of the resources

available to us to speed up our R&D

processes, to work together to provide

complete solutions, and to better

support our customers and their work.”

Phenomenex CEO,

Mr. Fasha Mahjoor

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

17 18

business trendsHow to be a ‘green’ retailer

Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODP), a leading global provider of office products, services, and solutions, through its Office Depot and OfficeMax brands, recently announced that the company’s global headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, has been awarded Gold Re-Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system. The certification underscores Office Depot’s reputation as one of the world’s ‘greenest’ retailers. Molly Ray, Senior Manager, Sustainability at Office Depot, says that sustainability is an essential foundation of their company, as well as a valuable part of their business system. “We consider our sustainability strategy to be a business strategy that will support our industry leadership far into the future.”

Environmental Design (LEED) for

Existing Buildings: Operations and

Maintenance rating system. Gold LEED

certification means that Office Depot is

providing environmentally sustainable

benefits to its associates, community

and customers. In other words, by

promoting sustainable practices within

its headquarters, Office Depot is

decreasing its own environmental

impact and encouraging greener

practices from the people who work in

and visit the building every day. “To

achieve this, we focused primarily on

monitoring and documenting

environmentally sustainable programs

and elements within the facility,”

explains Ms. Ray.

In another recent sustainable initiative,

Office Depot went virtual with its

Green Book catalogue for the first time

in 2016, shifting to an electronic-only

version. Office Depot’s Green Book

features thousands of the company’s

greenest products and several pages of

educational content. The company

offers more than 12,000 products that

to continue to evolve the virtual

versions of its communication vehicles.

“With the vast information we have to

share about our resources: reporting

tools, sample Green Purchasing

Policies, etc., we want to make sure this

information is easily and quickly

accessible,” Ms. Ray states. “Our goal is

to create a ‘one stop shop’ for our

customers to support their greener

purchasing strategies. For example, if

you go to our virtual Green Book, you

will find our Greener Purchasing

Program guide there, as well as links to

customer case study videos, the

company’s Supplier Diversity Catalog,

our Shades of Green Product rating

system and many other useful tools

and resources.”

She adds: “Continuing to provide

transparency around our Sustainability

program and initiatives is an ever-

present goal for Office Depot. We look

forward to sharing more in the

upcoming launch of our Corporate

Sustainability Report. This year’s report

introduces our new framework from

which we will continue to capture data

and report. By supporting the triple

bottom line approach to sustainability,

which balances economic,

environmental and social metrics, we

can speak to a broader scope of our

progress and impacts. As we move

have above-average environmental

benefits compared to other products in

their category. These benefits include

reduced energy use, chemical use, and

waste. “Our largest initiative when it

comes to our customers is increasing

the awareness of strategies for greener

purchasing,” Ms. Ray adds. “Our

Greener Purchasing Program Guide is

our most comprehensive tool and

provides a step-by-step process to

follow on your path to greener

purchasing.”

Office Depot will also continue to

prioritise its packaging and distribution

systems, she points out. “With the

GreenerOffice Delivery program,

customers can receive items in reusable

bags and plastic totes versus cardboard

boxes with excess packaging. We will

continue to improve on the process and

provide innovations to the way that our

business customers receive their items.

For example, in Portland, Oregon, we

deliver via bicycle to many customers

in the downtown corridor. Our partner

in this initiative is a local bicycle

delivery company that we utilize and

promote through our delivery

collaboration.”

With the recent launch of its virtual

Green Book and Greener Purchasing

Program Guide, Office Depot is inspired

Office Depot, Inc.

6600 N. Military Trail

Boca Raton, Florida 33496

USA

Website: www.officedepot.com

Founded in 1986, Office Depot today is

a leading provider of office products on

a global scale. The company has annual

sales of approximately $14 billion,

employs approximately 49,000

associates, and serves consumers and

businesses in 59 countries with

approximately 1,800 retail stores.

Since 2003, the global office supplies

leader has developed and implemented

a number of green initiatives. The

company’s GreenerOffice program has

been in place since 2004.In 2006, it

notably launched a global

environmental policy and strategy to

‘buy greener, be greener and sell

greener’. “The strategy focused on

delivering sustainable value to our

shareholders and other stakeholders

through transparency, accountability

and responsiveness,” Ms. Ray adds.

“Key initiatives centred on sustainable

forest management, recycling, energy

efficiency, and growing markets for

green products.”

More recently, Office Depot’s global

headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida

was awarded Gold Re-Certification

under the U.S. Green Building Council

(USGBC)’s Leadership for Energy and

forward on this ongoing and always

changing path of sustainability, we will

continue to prioritize the sharing of our

own environmental and social metrics

as well as to support and help quantify

our customers’ greener purchasing

strategies.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

19 20

business trends

The Amazon of precious metals

Founded in 2011, you could argue that JM Bullion is a fairly new company in the precious metals industry. The Texas-based company is different from traditional players in this space as its founders come from an internet retail background. Their website, JMBullion.com, carries a large selection of popular gold, silver and platinum coins, rounds and bars that are available at some of the lowest prices online. Aside from bullion, they also offer a wide selection of certified coins and collectibles including modern commemorative, pre-1933 gold and copper bullion. They have one of the most user friendly websites with a simple navigation menu and secure checkout process which combined with competitive prices is likely the key to their success, as Thomas Fougerousse, VP Operations confirms. JM Bullion was recently recognized as the 40th most quickly expanding privately held company in the United States in 2016 by Inc. magazine. An annual list ranking companies based on their total increase in revenue over the last three years, the prestigious Inc. 500 has become a symbol of entrepreneurial achievement.

backoffice, a generally lean operation

with a relatively small team, as well as

a focus on the functionality of their

online retail store. This has clearly paid

off. The company has more than

doubled in revenue every year since

2011, quickly becoming one of the

most trusted names in the industry.

Fougerousse, who joined the company

in 2015, believes the secret of their

success lies in a combination of

factors, including aggressive internet

marketing and a high level of service.

JM Bullion has a customer service staff

which is available online via their Live

Chat feature or toll free. “We’re in a

business where customers are sending

tens of thousands of dollars to an

online company, so it’s crucial to win

their trust. Considering that many of

our customers are repeat buyers, I

believe we’re doing well. We’re as

transparent as we possibly can, are

known for shipping very quickly, and

buy directly from the mint; in other

words, we don’t sell second hand

products.”

Price is a thing in this industry too, of

course, and this is also where JM

Bullion has made its mark. The

company offers its products at some of

the lowest prices on the market, for

both physical gold and silver bullion,

as well as some of the cheapest

shipping rates in the industry (free

shipping on all orders). The spot prices

displayed on JM Bullion’s website

change by the second and are updated

during trading hours, making them

extremely accurate. Once a customer

has picked the coins or bars they want

to purchase and are in the checkout

process, the price is locked in for 10

minutes. On the subject of pricing,

Fougerousse points out that they

protect themselves against fluctuating

the first five years of our existence as a

company.” Considering that that

growth has been in the 6000

percentile, that’s fair enough.

It’s this pretty amazing growth rate

that has resulted in JM Bullion’s

inclusion in the Inc. 500 list as the

40th fastest growing company in

North America. “The Inc. 500 has

included such greats as Zappos,

Microsoft, and Oracle in the past, and

we’re honoured to be counted among

them,” Fougerousse attests. “It’s an

elite group, and we hope to stay on

this list for years to come.”

This marked JM Bullion’s first year of

eligibility for the Inc. 500. Earlier this

gold and silver prices by hedging their

inventory.

JM Bullion’s customers generally are

affluent individuals who invest in gold

or silver to hedge against their existing

investments, he explains. Investors in

precious metal are typically equated

with older age groups but there’s a

whole new generation of investors too,

JM Bullion is finding. “This is a

generation who doesn’t necessarily

have a lot of faith in the banking

sector,” Fougerousse points out.

There’s no reason to believe that

investors, whether young or old, will

lose interest in gold and silver any time

soon. Gold in particular has maintained

its value throughout the ages, unlike

paper currency, coins or other assets.

Gold has also historically been an

excellent hedge against inflation,

because its price tends to rise when

the cost of living increases. Over the

past 50 years investors have seen gold

prices soar and the stock market

plunge during high-inflation years. So

Fougerousse expects continued

growth for JM Bullion. “But probably

not at the rate we’ve been growing in

JM Bullion

11700 Preston Road Ste 660153

Dallas, TX 75230

USA

Website: www.jmbullion.com

You could be excused for thinking that

JM Bullion stands for Johnson Matthey

Bullion or that JMBullion.com is

associated with the Johnson Matthey

brand, but JM is actually a combination

of both JM founders’ first initials. Both

founders have a background in

internet businesses and they

structured the company as such: in

other words, no big and expensive

year, the self-named “Bullionaires”

were nationally acknowledged when

they earned the Bronze Stevie Award

for Customer Service Department of

the Year. In June, the Dallas Business

Journal named JM Bullion the fastest-

growing middle-market company in

North Texas.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

21 22

business trends

Bringing robotics to professional cleaning

Based in Copenhagen with operations worldwide, Nilfisk is uniquely positioned as global player focused on professional cleaning equipment. After years of internationalisation, the company has leveraged its focus on customer-focused innovation. One of the company’s most interesting projects in that regard is The Horizon Program, in which it has teamed up with Carnegie Robotics to develop a new family of intelligent cleaning products. The first of such products, an optionally manned scrubber/dryer, is scheduled for release in spring 2017, as Tina Mayn, Executive VP Products, Solutions & Marketing at Nilfisk, highlights.

perfect job one day, but not the next.

Robotics can ensure greater precision and

consistency, and also free up human

resources for value-added work.”

Nilfisk has trialled the first product to be

launched in The Horizon Program, an

optionally manned scrubber/dryer, with

select customers. The feedback has been

great, says Ms. Mayn. “We thought

consistency, precision and ease of use

would be the main selling points but

we’re also hearing that the cleaning

results they achieved with the new

technology are also significantly better.

And as the scrubber is fitted with

extremely precise sensors, it can get very

close to walls and objects without

bumping into and damaging anything. So

this is about more than straightforward

productivity gains: it can give contract

cleaners a competitive advantage,

particularly in environments with strict

hygiene requirements such as hospitals

and retail.”

The first Horizon Program product, the

optionally manned scrubber/dryer can be,

at the customer’s choice, autonomously

or manually operated. With only three

buttons, there is minimal training required

to operate it. Before it is officially

launched in spring 2017, Nilfisk will

showcase the product at trade shows,

where customers will have the

opportunity to experience it live. Ms.

Mayn says that how quickly other Horizon

Program products will be rolled out will

depend on customer feedback.

Part of the NKT Group, Nilfisk has sales

companies in 45 countries and this year

celebrates its 110th anniversary as a

leading developer and manufacturer of

professional cleaning equipment. The

company has a long and proud history of

innovation, says Ms. Mayn. “While we

were in a process of globalisation,

attention shifted to operations. But we’ve

since decided to refocus on those areas

where our main strengths lie; and in our

view our main strength lies in our in-

depth knowledge of the professional

cleaning industry. Cleaning is our

business, both from a horizontal and

Nilfisk

Website: www.nilfisk.com

vertical perspective. We know what

issues people in this industry deal with

on a daily basis, and we want to help

them address those issues.”

The Horizon Program is a manifestation of

Nilfisk’s increased investment in research

and development. The Program was

initiated as a response to changing

customer needs, Ms. Mayn points out.

“Cleaning companies are under increasing

pressure to optimise processes and

productivity. What we’re hearing from

contract cleaners at department stores,

for example, is that they can’t guarantee

consistency. Their operators might do a

Compliance partner to global pharmaDenmark-based NNIT, a global provider of IT services and consultancy, has partnered with SAP SE, the market leader in enterprise application software, to market leading solutions supporting regulatory compliance for Identification of Medicinal Products (IDMP) within the pharmaceutical industry. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is implementing five new standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Pharmaceutical companies will be required to submit data on medicines to EMA in accordance with common global formats and terminologies, as Rasmus Koch Nelund, VP Life Sciences at NNIT, explains.

of the value created by automation and

integration. “End of the day this a good

thing, not just in terms of promoting

patient safety but also in streamlining the

pharmaceutical company’s business

processes.”

Headquartered in Denmark with

operations worldwide, NNIT has more

than 2,600 employees. In 2015, their

revenue was DKK 2.6 billion.

NNIT was spun off from Novo Nordisk in

1994; it previously served as the internal

IT department of this global

pharmaceutical giant. As an

independent company, NNIT went

public on the Copenhagen Stock

Exchange in 2015. Today, while also

serving customers in enterprise and

finance sectors, it continues to leverage

its long experience in the life sciences

industry, says Mr. Koch Nelund. “We

differentiate ourselves in this field

through our deep domain knowledge.”

Helping pharmaceutical companies

to comply with regulation is a big part

of NNIT’s life sciences business. The

European Union in particular is pushing

for more transparency, standardisation

and traceability in the pharmaceutical

industry, as Mr. Koch Nelund explains.

“Complying with such regulation can

be challenging for pharmaceutical

companies as they’ve typically grown

through mergers and acquisitions over

the years. One company can have more

than five different ERP systems in place,

translating to 20 different IT systems.

Extracting data from such complicated

IT environments is almost impossible.”

To make the process towards IDMP

compliance easier, NNIT will introduce

tailored, innovative solutions intended

to secure successful IDMP compliance

NNIT

Østmarken 3A

DK-2860, Søborg

Denmark

Website: http://www.nnit.com

within the authority timelines. The

company has been working with SAP on

these solutions over the past two years,

says Mr. Koch Nelund. “We basically

have a co-development partnership.

We’ve mostly contributed by testing the

technology from a user perspective, and

by building SAP IDMP implementation

guidelines.” SAP has chosen to work

with NNIT on this as the Danish

company has proven IDMP expertise: it

has worked on over 20 IDMP projects

for global clients. By collaborating, the

two companies combine the powerful

capabilities of the SAP HANA platform

together with NNIT’s regulatory

expertise and profound legacy within IT

services outsourcing for the life

sciences industry.

Mr. Koch Nelund expects that the

IDMP compliance work should make

pharmaceutical companies more aware

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

23 24

business trendsReturn and minimise

At World Water Week in Stockholm in August, The Coca-Cola Company and its global bottling partners (the Coca-Cola system) announced they have met their goal to replenish, or in other words balance, the equivalent amount of water used in their global sales volume back to nature and communities. Based on this achievement, Coca-Cola is the first Fortune 500 Company to publicly claim achieving such an aggressive water replenishment target. Ulrike Sapiro, Director of Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company, explains how they managed to achieve their goals.

pollution and overuse. This isn’t a

straightforward mission, considering

that the Company’s beverage business

around the globe is highly dependent on

water, while often its bottling partners

operate in communities where many

people lack access to clean drinking

water. “Another factor is our network of

suppliers,” Ms. Sapiro adds. “We have

recognised that managing water at our

own operations can differ from what

happens at our suppliers. Supplier

engagement is key to aligning them with

Coca-Cola’s supplier guiding principles,

especially with respect to water. We

communicate to them what our

expectations are, and what our goals

are.” The main goal of replenish projects

is to balance, or offset, the direct water

use of The Coca-Cola Company and its

bottling partners across operations in

more than 200 countries.

The individual approach to all parties in

the Coca-Cola ecosystem seems to be

paying off. Coca-Cola reported that they

had already met their replenishment goal

at the end of 2015, five years ahead of

schedule. Based on a global water use

assessment validated by LimnoTech and

Deloitte, and conducted in association

with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the

Coca-Cola system returned an estimated

191.9 billion litres of water to nature and

communities in 2015 through

community water projects, equalling the

equivalent of 115 percent of the water

used in Coca-Cola’s beverages last year.

The Coca-Cola system also announced

progress against its water efficiency

goal. The company and its bottling

partners improved water use efficiency

by 2.5 percent from 2014 to 2015, adding

to a cumulative 27 percent improvement

since 2004.

The Coca-Cola system has achieved its

water replenishment goals through 248

Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The program

helps improve sanitation and water

quality, install rainwater harvesting

systems and educate residents about

water stewardship. In all, they have made

a $23.75 million commitment to support

the project through 2014. In addition,

Coca-Cola’s unique partnership with the

U.S. Agency for International

Development (USAID) addresses

community water needs in developing

countries around the world and

contributes to protecting and improving

the sustainability of watersheds,

increasing access to water supply and

sanitation services for the world’s poor,

and enhancing productive uses of water.

community water partnership projects in

71 countries focused on safe water

access, watershed protection and water

for productive use. In many cases,

projects also provide access to sanitation

and education, help improve local

livelihoods, assist communities with

adapting to climate change, improve

water quality, enhance biodiversity,

engage on policy and build awareness on

water issues.

In giving back to the community, Coca-

Cola’s global partnerships with NGOs

have also played a major role. It joined

UNDP in launching Every Drop Matters,

an effort to address water-related

challenges in communities across

Ms. Sapiro stresses that their water

replenishment efforts aren’t uniquely

focused on developing countries,

however. In Europe, Coca-Cola works

with international organisations and

local authorities to conserve and restore

vital wetland habitats, notably. She is

particularly proud of a water

replenishment project in Belgium, made

possible by financial support from The

Coca-Cola Foundation. Launched in

partnership with Belgian NGO

Natuurpunt, the project aims to improve

the water management in the

Stappersven nature reserve, located near

the Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE)

production plant in Wilrijk, in the

Ms. Sapiro directs the Coca-Cola

Company’s sustainability strategies,

programs and partnerships in Europe. In

particular, she focuses on the Company’s

water, agriculture and recycling

initiatives. Ulrike has been a part of The

Coca-Cola Company for almost 8 years.

Outside of her work at Coca-Cola, Ulrike

is the Chair of the Sustainable

Agriculture Initiative Program and is also

active in the European Trade

Organisation on food, soft drinks and

packaging.

She explains that as the world’s largest

bottling company, Coca-Cola aims to set

an example in how companies can

manage water risk in the face of climate

change and how they can work with

both their own staff and communities to

protect their water supplies from

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

25 26

business trends

The Coca-Cola Company

One Coca-Cola Plaza

Atlanta, GA 30313

USA

Website: www.coca-colacompany.com

Antwerp province. The 3,750-acre area,

characterised by a diverse landscape of

heathland, marshes and land dunes, is

suffering from poor water quality and

desiccation, which is threatening the

reserve’s biodiversity. Over the course of

five years, the project will restore

indigenous vegetation, allowing rain

water to easily penetrate the soil and

replenish the groundwater levels. “The

project also gives back to the

community, creating a lovely area for

leisure and nature walks,” Ms. Sapiro

adds.

On the production side, at each of its 863

plants globally, Coca-Cola requires

operations to determine the

sustainability of the water supply they

share with others in terms of quality,

quantity, and other issues such as

infrastructure to treat and distribute

water. Through this process, one of the

factors Coca-Cola plants must examine

is whether or not their use of water and

discharge of water has the potential to

its bottling plants through treated

wastewater.

Dr. Paul Bowen, Direction of Sustainable

Operations at The Coca-Cola Company,

points out that awareness of staff around

water consumption plays a major role in

increasing water efficiency. “Even being

more conscious of turning the water off

helps, as does repairing equipment that

cause leaks and drips. We also help the

cleaning companies we employ, for

example, to be more conscious of how

much water they use. Setting targets for

each individual Coca-Cola operation

increases the level of awareness and

motivates our staff.” Dr. Bowen has been

closely involved in this: he leads the

environmental sustainability program

across the Technical and Supply Chain

organizations of The Coca-Cola

Company. He is responsible for guiding

the team that helps meet their water and

energy sustainability commitments for

their manufacturing sites around the

globe. He is also the current president of

the Water Environment Federation, a

global organization of water stewardship

and quality professionals.

Now that the company has met its water

replenishment target, work is far from

done, as both Ms. Sapiro and Dr. Bowen

emphasise. “We need to continue to

engage our partners and stakeholders

and create awareness. From staff to

suppliers and governments, we need

more people to buy into the water

stewardship message. We also need to

continue to replenish the water we use

as our business continues to grow.”

negatively impact the ability of other

community members to access a

sufficient quantity and quality of water.

If so, or if there are areas where water

sources may still be unsustainable in

some aspect, Coca-Cola’s requirement

mandates that each plant develop and

implement a Source Water Protection

Plan which includes addressing current

or potential vulnerabilities. The plan,

among other things, engages others to

mutually seek solutions to promote the

sustainability of the local water source.

This may result in replenish projects or

other opportunities. While each plant

may not replenish all water to its direct

source, Coca-Cola’s policy is to require

that all plants work to ensure they do not

negatively impact water sources and

work with the community on longer

term solutions. In 2015, this approach

resulted in the Coca-Cola system

returning approximately 145.8 billion

litres of water used in its manufacturing

processes back to local watersheds near

For the new generation rails carsA specialist in the field of data collection and management on passenger rail vehicles, Quester Tangent enjoys a reputation for its ‘smart’ solutions, including flexible on-board train and locomotive monitoring, control electronics and passenger information systems. The Canada-based company will apply its expertise in this field to deliver Train Monitoring and Diagnostic Systems, Networks and Engineering Services for Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) new 7000 Series rail vehicles, as part of a contract it has won with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Limited, as William Collins, Quester Tangent’s Vice President and COO, explains.

technology we are delivering are

focused on meeting these two goals.

Delays in putting vehicles on track or

the delivery of vehicles with significant

deficiencies seems to be the norm in

North America these days. The CTA

7000 project team will prove that we

operate above the norm and that

quality and timeliness are our top

priorities. This should be borne out in

the coming months and years.”

Mr. Collins expects that in their niche,

exponential growth in demand for data

products will drive technology to faster

processors and higher speed data

communications. “We would like to

bring our thirty years of experience to

the fleet operators and car builders in

the form of data acquisition and

management products and services.

We can help to harness the power of

the data and improve passenger rail

transit.”

The contribution Quester Tangent

makes to ‘smart’ rails cars leverages the

company’s origins in ocean mapping, as

Mr. Collins points out. In the 1980s,

Quester Tangent designed and

manufactured computer systems for

the sole purpose of receiving,

validating and reliably storing and

presenting large amounts of water

depth and position data. The company

realised that if their technology worked

for ships, it should also work for trains.

“There was a striking similarity

between the growth of computer based

monitoring and diagnostics of marine

vessel data and that of trains,” says Mr.

Collins. “Firstly computers capable of

reliably working on a very dynamic

train car had to be developed. Safety is

critically important so sophisticated

failover circuitry was needed in

addition to high reliability components.

This is a specialised niche requiring an

Quester Tangent

Website: www.questertangent.com

in-depth knowledge of individual train

subsystems, a wide range of experience

in interconnecting each subsystem via

many different architectures and

ultimately a vision of how to enable the

train data highway. This combination of

experience and wisdom sets us apart in

the industry.”

The contract with CRRC to deliver

technology for the CTA’s new 7000

Series rail vehicles will allow Quester

Tangent to demonstrate the breadth of

its expertise. “It will likely be one of the

biggest new car builds in North

America this year,” says Mr. Collins.

“Our goal is to work with our customer

in delivering some of the most

advanced vehicles on the market. In the

rail business innovation is important

but the priority is to deliver the

vehicles on time and to the standards

of quality expected by the customer.

Our engineering activity and the

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

27 28

business trends

All in one connectivity platform

Ranked second among the top telecommunications companies in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the US, LILEE Systems delivers integrated, open, and reliable industrial IoT wireless connectivity solutions incorporating hardware, software, and services for fleet management, telematics, cargo services, and safety. The company continues to innovate and has high expectations for its new TransAir™ STS series gateways and T-Cloud platform for mobile and fixed distributed enterprises, such as bus fleets and retail franchises. The TransAir STS series gateways and T-Cloud platform enable organisations to more rapidly and reliably network, track, control and interact with their mobile and fixed assets to improve operations and reduce costs, as Jessica Sweeney, LILEE Systems’ senior director of market and product strategy, and René Hendrikse, managing director of EMEA, explain.

bus or train. If bus or railway operators

want a more robust and wider IoT

platform, however, they should come to

LILEE.”

LILEE’s technology accommodates

‘smart transport’. This can entail all sorts

of things on different levels. In one use

case, WeDriveU, a corporate shuttle bus

operator in the Bay Area of San

Francisco, has implemented LILEE

hardware and software to offer

extremely high bandwidth, high

reliability on-board WiFi so its corporate

customers can offer their commuting

employees a communications

experience that is essentially

indistinguishable from what they have

in the office. “Bus operators are in a

fiercely competitive market. Offering

highly reliable WiFi on-board can give

them a competitive edge,” says Ms.

Sweeney.

With the TransAir STS series, bus

companies and other distributed

hadn’t even thought of. “Here in the

Netherlands our technology may be

used to provide immediate and robust

WiFi connectivity at remote

construction sites that can’t be

immediately connected to a fixed

network, for example.” Bus companies

are a target market for LILEE in the

EMEA region, too. The growing

popularity of long-distance, Europe-

wide bus operations that compete with

railways are an interesting opportunity

in that regard.

Mr. Hendrikse and Ms. Sweeney also see

retail franchises as a target market for

the product. “We are seeing an

increasing move towards a store-within-

a-store — a kiosk for a specific product

in a larger store — and making that very

easy to deploy and manage is something

we are focused on.” Mr. Hendrikse adds:

“We’re also seeing that at European

airports, duty-free shops are often

moved from one location to the next.

Our technology is ideal for them as they

enterprises can also go beyond

providing a robust WiFi connection to

passengers, however. The platform

features more interfaces and a more

compact form factor than anything else

on the market, providing the ability to

wirelessly connect numerous devices.

On a bus, it can support collision

detection and emergency

communications, for example, and the

sharing of driver behaviour data with

the head office and general diagnostics,

for example. The device incorporates a

3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer

and support for GPS, Glonass, Beidou

and Galileo satellite navigation systems.

The robustness of the platform is key, as

Ms. Sweeney emphasises. “You can have

up to four SIMs so you can split traffic

between different carriers and load

balance between them.” Further

improving the robustness of TransAir

STS, fog computing provides a

decentralised computing infrastructure.

Computing resources and application

services are distributed in the most

logical, efficient place at any point along

the continuum from the data source to

the cloud. This improves efficiency and

saves costs by reducing the amount of

data that needs to be transported to the

cloud for data processing, analysis and

storage. Beyond efficiency, fog

computing in the TransAir STS series

also addresses security and compliance

issues.

With that much functionality packed

into one device (“five in a box” says Ms.

Sweeney), it’s no surprise that LILEE

envisages use cases beyond the

transport industry, its traditional target

market. Mr. Hendrikse, who builds

LILEE’s EMEA business from their new

office in Amsterdam, says that he’s been

pleasantly surprised by customers

coming up with ideas that LILEE itself

LILEE Systems

641 River Oaks Pkwy

San Jose, CA 95134

USA

Website: www.lileesystems.com

LILEE was founded in 2009 by seasoned

wireless communication experts who

were formerly at companies such as

Cisco and Apple. The company initially

gained prominence as a provider of

positive train control (PTC)

communications technology to the rail

industry, a market segment in which it is

considered a leader. It has since also

expanded into the wider IoT market,

however, with its own cloud-based IoT

platform T-Cloud. It contributes to that

wider IoT market with high-reliability

connectivity and mobile gateway

platforms.

Their new TransAir STS series gateways

and T-Cloud platform underscores their

position at the higher end of the

connectivity market, as Ms. Sweeney

points out. Contrary to competitors,

they look beyond basic connectivity:

“There are a number of connectivity

companies that can offer half-decent

WiFi connectivity for passengers on a

can deploy connected kiosks quickly on

the spot.”

As the TransAir STS series is a new

technology, LILEE works closely with its

customers to prove more uses cases in

the field. “In the longer term, to deliver

on our vision, we will need to work with

system integrators and partners

however,” says Ms. Sweeney. “We

strongly believe that the technology

works best as a platform for system

integrators to add value to, and build a

total solution around.”

High Value Remote Mobile or Fixed Assets

Onboard Applications

Enterprise applications and operational and management systems

Service Provider Network

Ubiquitous, secure and reliable connectivitypowered by the vLMC

Virtual LILEE Mobility Controller

LILEE DTS, LMS or STSonboard gateway

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

29 30

business trends

Delivering measurable impact

Campbell Soup Company has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the eighth consecutive year and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the seventh consecutive year. These independent rankings recognise Campbell’s leadership in supporting long-term shareholder value while creating a more sustainable environment and making a measurable difference in local communities says Dave Stangis, Vice President-Corporate Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer, Campbell Soup Company. He highlights some of their recent sustainability initiatives and explains why sustainability is important to the company not just from an ethical but also from a business perspective.

credited with helping the company

achieve its place on the Dow Jones

Sustainability Indexes and the 100 Best

Corporate Citizens List, and

recognition as one of the World’s Most

Ethical Companies.

This is a significant achievement,

particularly when considering the

complexity of food production, global

food supply chains and distribution.

Guaranteeing the environmental

impact of food and drink products can

present a real challenge. In an effort to

ensure its strategies are aligned with

the expectations of our stakeholders,

Campbell this year conducted a

materiality assessment to help identify

what is most important to their

stakeholders and to the company from

a sustainability perspective.    “As a

result, we have aligned our strategies

to focus on many of those topics that

rose to the top during this assessment

and those that are aligned with our

Real Food Philosophy,” Mr. Stangis

explains.  “At the core, we are focused

on ensuring that food is prepared with

care using ethical and sustainable

practices.    Three key areas we are

focusing on include sustainable

agriculture, responsible sourcing and

sustainable manufacturing.”

Mr. Stangis emphasises that Campbell

works very closely with its supply chain

partners to ensure they are aligned

with its sustainability goals. “For

example, we have worked with our

tomato farmers for the past five years

to track sustainability data, and we

now have a robust database of tomato

growing practices. The adoption of drip

irrigation practices among our growers

can save 25% of the water used per

acre on average and also reduce a key

With projects such as that in Toronto,

Campbell proves that sustainability and

responsibility are not only good for the

resources we all share and the

communities where we live and work,

but that they’re also good for business.

“Campbell is integrating sustainability

into the overall strategic agenda of the

company,” says Mr. Stangis. “We are

leveraging our purpose, Real Food that

matters for life’s moments, and that

greenhouse gas by about 50%. We

have clear line of sight on tomatoes

processed by Campbell. We know

which farm grew them, and even have

digital maps of which fields they came

out of. This helps us ensure we are

meeting our goals. “

Talking about some of the company’s

other recent sustainability initiatives

and results, Mr. Stangis highlights their

partnership with The Food Bank of

South Jersey to create Just Peachy, a

peach salsa using local New Jersey

peaches that would otherwise not be

sold in grocery stores. “These peaches

are undersized or slightly blemished

but still nutritionally sound. This

program helps reduce 850,000 pounds

of food waste by creating peach salsa

that is sold in local grocery stores and

food banks.” Campbell has also

recently completed a project at its

Toronto facility to reduce its

dependency on the grid. The Combined

Heat and Power project uses a natural

gas-fuelled engine to generate

electricity and produce heat, with the

heat generating steam that is used by

Campbell Canada to cook a variety of

soup products. The new plant now

supplies up to 93% of the company’s

annual steam requirements.

Campbell Soup Company

One Campbell Place

Camden, NJ 08103

USA

Website:

www.campbellsoupcompany.com

Campbell Soup Company is one of the

iconic brands in the American food

industry. Founded in 1869, the company

today has operations worldwide and

makes a range of products from high-

quality soups and simple meals, to

beverages, snacks and packaged fresh

foods.

Over the history of its operations,

Campbell has demonstrated its

stewardship of the natural environment

and the communities in which they live

and work. Mr. Stangis, who initially

joined Campbell as Vice President-CSR

and Sustainability in September 2008,

explains that while Campbell has been

focused on sustainability for many

years, their first sustainability report

was issued in 2008. “After joining

Campbell, I pulled together a working

group for some cross-collaboration and

set our long-term sustainability goals

and implemented a plan to help us

reach those goals.”

In his current position as Chief

Sustainability Officer, Mr. Stangis

designs Campbell’s corporate social

responsibility (CSR) and sustainability

strategies, goals, policies, and

programs. He leads the company’s

strategies and external engagement

related to CSR strategy, responsible

sourcing, sustainable agriculture, and

operational sustainability. He is

strategic agenda to build sustainability

into core business operations from

farm to spoon.   We see sustainability

adding value to the bottom line, to the

communities we live and work in, and

to our employees and consumers.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

31 32

business trends

Ceramics as a lifestyle product

RAK Ceramics, one of the largest ceramics’ brands in the world, recently announced the launch of its new corporate brand identity which is designed to unify all of its global subsidiaries. The official roll out will start effective immediately in the UAE, with subsidiaries expected to adopt the new brand identity throughout 2017. The repositioning exercise is one of many initiatives which are helping to drive RAK Ceramics forward to achieving its vision, to become the leading ceramics lifestyle solutions provider in the world, as Mr. Abdallah Massaad, Group CEO of RAK Ceramics, explains.

tableware, sanitaryware and faucets;

producing approximately 110 million

square metres of tiles, 5 million pieces of

sanitaryware, 24 million pieces of

porcelain tableware and 600,000 pieces

of faucets per year at 17 state-of-the-art

plants spread across the United Arab

Emirates, India, Bangladesh and Iran. The

company’s vertical markets are very

broad and include a wide range of

customers and sectors, as Mr. Massaad

points out. “We have a very wide and

varied customer base and we have

repositioned ourselves so that we can

better communicate with our customers.

Our product development has become

more design focused and our new brand

proposition focuses on ‘Room for

Imagination’. We want to empower our

customers and offer them true

customisation in every sense of the word.

At RAK Ceramics we want our products to

inspire and enable designers to create

without limitations. We want to give our

customers room for imagination.”

Underscoring his words are the many

high-profile projects RAK Ceramics has

contributed to: from the Burj Al Arab,

Atlantis on The Palm and Ferrari World, to

Wembley Stadium, The O2 Arena, and

projects of all sizes in between, RAK

Ceramics’ products feature in some of the

most iconic buildings in the world.

The launch of their new brand identity

reflects RAK Ceramics’ aspirations to

become the leading ceramics lifestyle

solutions provider in the world, says Mr.

fashion-led product, with constantly

changing trends. Fashion conscious

customers no longer want to wait 5-10

years to replace their tiles or

sanitaryware, but change them more

regularly to keep their interiors and

exteriors looking fresh and modern.

Ceramics are now used creatively both

indoors and outdoors in many different

ways, not just on walls or floors. People

are using ceramics outdoors to create

façades, for cladding, and decoration and

indoors to replace counter tops such as

kitchen and bathroom surfaces. It is a

very exciting time, the industry is moving

in the right direction, and we are always

striving to move ahead of it. The RAK

Ceramics CEO also identifies challenges,

however. “We cannot turn a blind eye to

the impact of the significant drop in oil

prices on some of the most vital sectors

of the economy, especially infrastructure

and real estate. Contingency measures

have been put in place to mitigate these

Massaad. “We have 25 years of ceramics’

expertise. It is this experience, our wide

product range, strong focus on

innovation and continued commitment

to delivering high quality products which

are the four main pillars upon which our

new proposition is based. In an

increasingly competitive industry, it is

vitally important that we play to our

strengths and clearly communicate them

to our customers. RAK Ceramics has

grown to become one of the largest

ceramics’ brands in the world, but our

research showed us that our brand

identity did not reflect our achievements.

Our new brand identity does this and

better reflects who we are and where we

are headed.”

Mr. Massaad points out that the

emergence of floor tiles as an eco-

friendly replacement for hardwood and

other flooring options is a key driver for

increased growth in the industry.

Ceramics is also now a design-orientated,

RAK Ceramics

Website: www.rakceramics.com

Ras Al Khaimah by H.H. Sheikh Saud Bin

Saqr Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme

Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who

aspired to have the best machinery, latest

technology, and to produce the best

products possible for sale in the world.

Mr. Abdallah Massaad joined RAK

Ceramics in 2006 as Deputy CEO,

responsible for operations management,

strategy development, implementation

and RAK Ceramics’ global interests. He

supported the Chairman and CEO with

strategic planning and expansion

initiatives enabling the company to reach

the milestone of 1 billion square metres of

global sales since it began. He was also

responsible for implementing Corporate

Governance regulations and overseeing

the strategic refocusing of the business

portfolio. He was appointed as Group

Chief Executive Officer in June 2012.

“As an organisation, we have much to be

proud of and over the last 25 years we

have helped to create icons and build

marvels all over the world,” says Mr.

Massaad. “As a complete provider of

inspirational lifestyle ceramics solutions,

we continue to grow and develop new

and exciting innovations to meet the

needs of our clients.” He adds that their

vision is to be the leading ceramics

lifestyle solutions provider in the world.

“In 2014 a Value Creation Plan was

implemented to support this vision. The

Value Creation Plan is aimed at

streamlining the business by investing in

core businesses and exiting from non-

core businesses. Today, RAK Ceramics has

a strong integrated network of

operations in India, Bangladesh, Iran,

Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany and the

United Kingdom and implementation of

our new brand identity will create a

unified experience for our customers,

partners and employees in all the regions

in which we operate.”

RAK Ceramics specialises in ceramic and

gres porcelain wall and floor tiles,

risks since 2014, which include

stringently following the ‘Value Creation

Plan’ to exit non-core businesses and

expand core businesses in our focus

markets. We are committed to remaining

focused on the Value Creation Plan and

have already successfully completed

many initiatives, unlocking hidden value

across the business. In line with the plan,

we are also enhancing our operations in

India, Bangladesh and Europe. In the

long-term, our vision is to build a well-

respected global organisation. Internally

this means fostering a culture that we are

committed to our vision of becoming the

world’s leading ceramics lifestyle

solutions provider by utilising our

expertise and focusing on our core

markets where we are strong. We want to

build a world class organisation. We have

applied our expertise in some of the most

prestigious and innovative projects

around the world and we aim to continue

to push the boundaries in new and

exciting projects as we move forward.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

33 34

business trends

Solar panel efficiency Sunny side upMiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp. is a producer of thin-film Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) solar cells and panels. The company recently partnered with General Membrane SpA, and Italian designer of waterproofing systems and materials for the construction industry. MiaSolé will supply its flexible thin-film CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide) solar photovoltaic modules to General Membrane, which will combine MiaSolé flexible modules with a General Membrane waterproofing layer (bituminous or synthetic). MiaSolé’s General Solar PV FLEX becomes an integral part of the roof and offers the double benefit of waterproofing and generation of electricity, and can be used on both flat or sloping roofs and roofs with a variable geometry (new or existing ones).

companies to create solutions to meet

today’s challenge of integrating solar

power generation. Case in point is

General Membrane, who partnered with

MiaSolé as they were looking to expand

their portfolio with solar.

MiaSolé is committed to continually

moving CIGS technology forward,

increasing efficiencies year after year.

Important to note in that regard is that

Poly-si and mono-si technologies of

traditional heavy rigid glass modules are

mature technologies to extent that they

do not offer much room for

improvement. The need to reduce the

cost of solar energy drives innovation.

Ultimately, energy is an economically

driven industry and solar energy must

compete with other energy alternatives

to be successful. One of the key ways to

drive down the cost of solar energy is to

improve efficiency, and MiaSolé has a

great opportunity to do this with its CIGS

technology, where there is still room for

technological advancement.

MiaSolé had raised in the neighbourhood

of $500 million in VC funding since its

founding in 2004 when the company was

merged with Hanergy, one of China’s

largest providers of renewable power, in

2012.

Since MiaSolé joined the Hanergy family,

solar attrition has subsided to mature

market levels with still plenty of value

creation opportunities. In this innovative

ecosystem, MiaSolé is the only company

to offer flexible modules with peel-and-

MiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp.

2590 Walsh Ave

Santa Clara, California 95051

USA

www.miasole.com

stick installation at efficiency levels of

>16.5%. The company claims that other

providers with lower efficiency can’t offer

customers the return on investment they

require the way MiaSolé does.

The efficiencies of MiaSolé’s powerful

lightweight solar modules, uniquely in a

flexible form factor, rival that of

traditional heavy glass panels. Their

flexible, thin, shatterproof modules

provide the customer with many

additional options for installation, on

vehicles, curved structures, and

floatovoltaics, among others. MiaSolé’s

modules can be adhered to surfaces, and

do not require the type of installation

that can cause additional problems such

as leakage in roofs and rust on vehicles.

The company’s value proposition is “solar

wherever the sun shines” – the company

believes its products allow customers to

install solar where they couldn’t before,

opening up a myriad of possibilities.

MiaSolé’s FLEX module also helps other

Improving the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s

Piramal Imaging SA, a division of Piramal Enterprises, Ltd., develops novel Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers for molecular imaging. The company’s first commercial product is NeuraCeq, a radiopharmaceutical tracer for PET imaging of patients being evaluated for Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive impairment. The technology makes it possible to rule out Alzheimer’s or to assist in its diagnosis, and is approved in the EU, US and South Korea. Dr. Ludger Dinkelborg, who leads the Imaging Division of Piramal Enterprises, explains why PET imaging has significant impact on the management of patients suspected of having Alzheimer’s disease, even though there is no cure for the disease just yet.

Scans improve the diagnostic work-up. A

negative Amyloid PET Scan indicates

sparse or no amyloid neuritic plaques and

reduces the likelihood that a patient’s

cognitive impairment is due to

Alzheimer’s. A positive Amyloid PET Scan

indicates moderate or frequent amyloid

neuritic plaques; this is typical in patients

with Alzheimer’s, but may also be present

in patients with other types of neurologic

conditions as well as older people with

normal cognition.

The main selling point for PET imaging in

Alzheimer’s is that it allows for changes

in patient management and enables new

drug developments. “We have found it

challenging to get reimbursement, as

more accurate diagnosis doesn’t change

the fact that there still isn’t an adequate

treatment available,” says Dr. Dinkelborg.

“But we strongly believe that Amyloid

PET Scans offer a valuable clinical

evaluation method for patients,

physicians and caregivers alike, a method

that could also potentially help identify

more efficacious interventions to help

prevent, halt or slow down this terrible

disease.” Notable in that regard is that

large Alzheimer’s treatment studies are

currently underway. For example, a new

drug called aducanumab, being

developed by Biogen recently showed

promising early data. Imaging was crucial

in this study to select patients with

amyloid plaques and to monitor their

disappearance. Confirmatory studies for

this and other drugs are underway to

further prove this.

The Imaging Division of Piramal

Enterprises was created through the

acquisition of worldwide rights for the

Molecular Imaging Research and

Development Portfolio of Bayer Pharma

AG. Dr. Dinkelborg was previously Head

of Diagnostic Imaging Research and

Head of Molecular Imaging at Bayer

HealthCare. He has more than 20 years

of R&D experience in the

pharmaceutical industry.

Piramal Imaging develops non-invasive

diagnostics for a number of neurological

diseases. NeuraCeq, its most advanced

product, is approved for use in the EU, US

and South Korea, while approval

processes in other parts of the world are

Piramal Imaging SA

Website: www.piramal.com/imaging/

on-going. The company has been

building and continues to build

partnerships with companies around the

world to manufacture, market and

distribute NeuraCeq, with local

representation already in place in several

regions. Just recently, a strategic

partnership and licensing agreement was

signed with PET Pharm Biotech Co. Ltd in

Taiwan.

Dr. Dinkelborg explains that amyloid PET

imaging addresses a critical issue:

research shows that an estimated 20-

30% of patients with dementia have been

misdiagnosed and often experience

extended diagnostic evaluations before

receiving a clinical diagnosis. Amyloid PET

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

35 36

business trends

Leaving a lasting legacy in Rio

The Dow Chemical Company has served as a Worldwide Partner of the International Olympic Committee since 2010. At the most recent Summer Olympic Games in Rio, the US-based multinational was involved in a great variety of activities and projects, ranging from sustainable venue construction through to educational programmes for children and livestock projects for farmers across Brazil. Júlio Natalense, Technology and Sustainability Manager, Dow Olympic & Sports Solutions, highlights some of these projects and explains how Dow-supported projects, particularly around carbon footprint reduction, will leave a lasting legacy in Brazil.

2016, which is part of Abraça – the Rio

2016 sustainability platform. He also leads

projects aimed at maximizing Dow’s

business from opportunities related to the

Company’s Worldwide Olympic

Partnership.

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Dow’s input

made a difference on many different

levels, as Mr. Natalense explains. From

stadium construction to transport and

broadcasting, Dow products and expertise

are everywhere in Rio. A highlight in Mr.

Natalense’s view is the innovative artificial

turf solution based on Dow’s polyethylene

(PE) and polyurethane (PU) technologies;

this was the official playing surface for

hockey competitions during the Rio 2016

Olympic Games, at the Deodoro Olympic

Park. The artificial turf consists of specific

high-performing materials formulated

together in multiple layers, delivering

enhanced durability for increased pitch

life, and a consistent field-of-play

throughout the busy Olympic competition

schedule. Beyond these technical benefits,

the turf system comes in a variety of

colours, which not only makes a striking

impression but which also allows players,

officials, spectators and the media to keep

their eyes on the ball more easily, because

it provides a high level of contrast against

the yellow ball and white lines.

sport here in Brazil, of course, but the

Olympics were a great opportunity to

familiarise children as well as their

teachers with new sports. We found that

Brazilian children love wrestling, for

example. Another opportunity for us was

to contribute to the educational

curriculum with sports-based science

projects, teaching children that science

can be fun.”

Aligning with its 2025 Sustainability Goals,

Dow served as the premier corporate

partner of Transforma and provided

content focused on science and sport.

Dow scientists worked in partnership with

Rio 2016 educators to develop nine digital

classes in physics, chemistry, biology and

environmental studies that are taught

through the lens of the Olympic Games.

With support from Dow and Bridgestone,

another Worldwide Olympic Partner,

Beyond the Olympic athletes, citizens of

Rio will largely benefit from the innovative

playing surfaces installed in Deodoro, as

the Park will remain as one of the main

legacy projects for the city after the

Games have concluded. Dow and its

customer plan to donate material to

support the construction of the Deodoro

pitches and enable the long-term use of

the fields.

This also underscores the social aspect of

Dow’s involvement with the Olympic

Games. The company has notably

contributed to evolve Transforma, the

official education program of the Rio 2016

Olympic and Paralympic Games. “We

supported the development of

programmes which support schools

across the country to engage in sports and

in science projects,” Mr. Natalense

explains. “Football is the number one

Transforma created free digital tutorials,

training for educators and classroom

content to engage 7 million students from

more than 12,000 schools in over 2,500

Brazilian cities since its creation in 2013, to

be precise. Dow’s specific support helped

Transforma expand to seven additional

cities in which the Company has

operations, including Guarujá, Jacareí,

Pindamonhangaba, Franco da Rocha,

Jundiaí (in the State of São Paulo), Salvador

and Candeias (in the State of Bahia). As a

result of this expanded reach, educators in

420 additional schools and 181,000

students benefited from training

opportunities and sports festivals.

The focus for Dow at the Olympics in Rio

was on sustainability, as Mr. Natalense

emphasises. In addition to being the

“Official Chemistry Company” of the

Olympic Games, the company also served

Founded in 1897, Dow has evolved to

become one of the world’s largest

chemical corporations. In 2015, Dow had

annual sales of nearly $49 billion and

employed approximately 49,500 people.

One of its many operations worldwide,

Dow Brasil was established in 1956 and

offers diversified portfolio of advanced

materials, basic chemicals and plastics,

performance products and systems, and

health and agrosciences, and delivers a

broad range of technology-based

solutions to customers in high growth

sectors such as electronics, construction,

water, energy and agriculture.

Dow currently employs some 3,500

people spread across 18 manufacturing

facilities and nine research centers across

Brazil. The São Paulo office is also Dow’s

headquarters in Latin America.

Dow solutions touch on virtually all

aspects of industry and indeed life itself;

sport is no exception. The American

company has a vested interest particularly

in Olympic sports: it has provided

technologies for the Olympic Games for

more than 30 years, and became The

Official Chemistry Company and a

Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games

in 2010. The aim of Dow’s Olympic

partnership is to provide innovative and

more sustainable solutions that improve

the Olympic experience for host

territories, athletes and fans everywhere.

Dow also takes an active role in partnering

with Organizing Committees, local

governments, constructors and other key

partners involved in the infrastructure and

delivery of the Games.

As the Technology and Sustainability

Manager for Dow Olympic & Sports

Solutions and for Dow’s presence at the

Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Mr. Natalense

has been extremely busy over the past

three years. He is also tasked with leading

the carbon mitigation program for Rio

Dow partnered with

Roncador Group in the

Brazilian state of Mato

Grosso to recover

degraded pastureland

and reduced carbon

emissions related to

livestock production

One of the carbon mitigation

projects implemented by

Dow utilizes renewable

energy to power one of

the Company’s main

manufacturing plants in

Bahia, Brazil

Dow’s support to the

Transforma education

program resulted in its

expansion to seven cities

beyond the original scope

and the addition of the

science-related content to

the platform

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

37 38

business trends

Options Group

121 E 18th St L

New York, NY 10003

USA

Website: www.optionsgroup.com

Founded in 1992, Options Group is a

leading global executive search and

strategic consulting firm for the

financial services industry with

headquarters in New York, and offices in

London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, São Paulo,

Bogotá, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Singapore,

Sydney, and Zürich. In recent years the

company has invested in working

towards achieving its goals for the firm’s

growth and development, Vision 2020.

“We’ve increased headcount globally

and have made significant investments

in technology to automate the

recruitment process and create user-

friendly mobile tools and applications

for our consultants,” Mr. Karp explains.

“We pride ourselves on having the best

intelligence and research platform in the

industry; that’s how we differentiate

ourselves. Our clients are mainly in the

financial industry, they operate in a

digital world and we need to fit into

their ecosystem. Generally, clients today

need real added value services from

their recruitment firm.”

Options Group has also grown through

acquisitions, with a focus on the Asia

Pacific region. Last year it bought

Whitney Correlate, a premier capital

markets search firm with offices in Hong

Kong and Singapore. Founded in 2009,

Whitney Correlate has won over 40

Options Group, a leading global executive search and strategic consulting firm, recently acquired Broadstreet Global, a financial services search and strategic consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia. The acquisition follows that of Hong Kong and Singapore based Whitney Correlate, in 2015. Michael Karp, Options Group co-founder and CEO, explains how the two acquisitions fit in with the firm’s vision for the future: the plan is to further digitise the recruitment process and expand internationally, with a focus on Asia Pacific and Latin America.

Recruiting all over the worldawards in investment banking, capital

markets, and the buyside in Asia

Money’s past twoHeadhunter Polls. The

more recent acquisition of Broadstreet

Global further strengthens Options

Group’s position in the region. “With our

larger presence in the region, we expect

to continue to win market share,” says

Mr. Karp.

Broadstreet Global specialises in search

and consulting for investment banking,

capital markets, structured products,

alternative asset classes and insurance.

Its client base includes some of the

world’s largest financial institutions,

regional banks, asset managers, insurers

and selective boutiques. Mr. Karp knew

Broadstreet Global’s founder, Adam

Gillibrand, as he had previously worked

for Options Group. Gillibrand will now

join Options Group Australia as a

Partner. “Australia is a great market for

us,” says Mr. Karp. “It’s a very robust

economy, and there are many Australian

expats in Asia who at some stage want

to go back home.”

He says they’ll continue to keep an eye

out for acquisition targets: in addition to

Asia Pacific, he identifies Latin America as

a growth market. “Through both organic

growth and targeted acquisitions,

we expect to grow our team to 300

consultants by 2020.”

The Dow Chemical Company

Website: www.dow.com

as the Official Carbon Partner of the Rio

2016 Organizing Committee. One notable

project in that framework was that Dow

AgroSciences partnering with Brazilian

farmers from the state of Mato Grosso to

implement more sustainable agricultural

practices that will generate climate

benefits to contribute with the mitigation

of Rio 2016’s direct carbon footprint. The

project is a key element of Dow’s

innovative “Sustainable Future” program

being implemented across Brazil and Latin

America, which utilises energy-efficient

technologies and low-carbon solutions to

minimize greenhouse gas (GHG)

emissions. Through the Sustainable

Agriculture project, Dow, in collaboration

with international and local experts,

provides variable rate technology and

expertise to farmers in Mato Grosso, one

of Brazil’s main ‘breadbaskets’.

points out. Farmers participating in the

project have access to services and

technologies such as satellite imagery,

precision harvest and profit maps,

intensive soil sampling and laboratory

analysis, weather monitoring, and

detailed review of cropping plans and

goals with variable rate technology

experts. Seeds and crop protection

solutions from Dow are also available to

help optimise production and increase

yields. The climate benefits of the

Sustainable Agriculture project will be

realised far beyond the Olympic Games,

creating a lasting legacy for farmers

participating in the program. Work with

farmers started during preparation for

the 2015 Brazilian soybean season, and

will continue through the end of the

2016 corn harvest. Carbon emissions

reductions will be tracked based on

productivity increase and reductions in

the use of fertilizers and fuel. The

climate benefits generated by the

Brazilian farms participating in the

project will be measured, reviewed and

verified by the third party Environmental

Resource Management (ERM).

Mr. Natalense is convinced that all of

these initiatives will make a lasting

impact. “Particularly the carbon

programme. We are proud that we have

engaged our own staff and all of our

stakeholders, not just in Rio but across

the country, from north to south and all

the way to Argentina. From a business

perspective, I believe that we have

succeeded in our ambition to

demonstrate that all of these projects

are economically viable. Our position has

always been that we don’t want to

subsidise projects for the sake of it: they

really need to pay off.”

The project is designed to minimize

environmental impact and optimize

productivity in corn and soybean crops

through higher yields, better varieties

and more targeted pest control

management. Implementation of the

precision and variable rate technologies

along with seeds and crop protection

solutions from Dow is expected to result

in lower rates of synthetic fertiliser

application, leading to a reduction in

emissions of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide

is a greenhouse gas (GHG) and is

produced as fertiliser decomposes. The

reduced GHG emissions from this project

will be applied towards Dow’s

commitment to mitigate 500,000 tons

of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq)

for the Rio 2016 Games.

The project also helps farmers to

produce more with less, as Mr. Natalense

One of the main pillars of

the Transforma program

is around training

educators to share

Olympic and Paralympic

values with students

The state of Mato

Grosso, home to two of

Dow’s carbon mitigation

projects, is one of

Brazil’s main agriculture

and livestock hubs.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

39 40

business trendsThe perfect match

Lancôme is expanding the market reach of its groundbreaking bespoke makeup experience, Le Teint Particulier Custom Made Makeup. The company says Le Teint Particulier is its most highly sophisticated and unique service in cosmetics, changing the way the world experiences foundation by offering each woman her very own custom blended formula. Nordstrom customers across California, Florida, Chicago, Washington and Virginia/Washington, D.C. can now experience Le Teint Particulier and its revolutionary technology used to detect individual skin tones. The proprietary system creates a one-of-a-kind match, delivering a highly-personalized, freshly blended foundation designed to emulate her unique complexion. Stacy Mackler, Vice President of PR & Communications for Lancôme US, explains that the new product has got a lot of women very excited. “Finding the right foundation is an issue many women struggle with.”

and highlight your natural skin tone. In

actual practise, however, some women

will spend a lifetime in a frustrating

search for the right product.

Ms. Mackler readily agrees. “At Lancôme

we’re very dedicated to creating

foundations and make-up for all skin

tones. With our current foundation

lines, we go up to 35 shades. We’ve put

a lot of research and time in creating

foundations that match the skin tone of

women of colour, in particular. But we

realised that we needed to recognise the

need for diversity even more. We knew

that here in the US, with its racially

diverse population, women of mixed

racial background and African American

women with a very deep skin tone in

particular were having a hard time. No

matter how hard we tried, foundation

on a very deep skin tone can look a bit

ashy, is one of the common complaints.

We have also heard stories of women

who mix three different foundations,

even from different brands, to create the

his or her habits and lifestyle. The

diversity of its brands and its products is

a testimony to its commitment to

enhance every type of beauty.” In this

way, the group makes diversity an

essential value that goes hand in hand

with respect for the individual.

Integrating the concept of diversity on

every level and in every area is to

recognise and accept differences but

also to promote them to enhance

performance.

right shade for them. Imagine having to

do that every day! So even while

Lancôme has already extended the

shade ranges of existing foundations,

we wanted to take it one step further.”

Interesting in that regard is that

Lancôme is widely recognised as a brand

that flies the flag for diversity. In 2014,

the company announced they’d be

adding Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o to

their all-star roster of campaign models.

This was a big deal — prestige brands

usually pick only one actress to

represent them in their campaigns each

year, and their first choice rarely is a

black woman. Engaging Mexican-

Nigerian actress Lupita Nyong’o iss seen

by the industry as a brilliant move that

has helped Lancôme expand its reach

amongst African American and Latin

women of Caribbean descent. The brand

practises what it preaches, too: with

parent company L’Oreal, it adheres to a

vision that beauty and diversity are

intimately related, and that the diversity

of their own teams is one of the success

factors. With a portfolio of 32

international brands, a presence in 130

countries, and 78,600 employees,

L’Oréal’s official ambition is “to meet the

needs of every consumer according to

Founded in France, in 1935, Lancôme

originally rose to fame as a fragrance

house before moving on to skincare. The

first Lancôme skincare product, Nutrix,

was launched in 1936 and is still

available today as one of the iconic

products of the beauty industry.

Lancôme was acquired by French beauty

multinational L’Oréal in 1964, and today

is one of the largest luxury skincare

companies in the world.

With Le Teint Particulier, one of its latest

innovations, Lancôme addresses an

issue that women of all ages and colour

recognise: it’s virtually impossible to

find a foundation that perfectly matches

their own unique skin tone. They find it

difficult to figure out what their skin

tone is- who can say with absolute

certainty that theirs is a “sandy beige” or

a “toasted almond”? Beauty experts

advise that the best way to match

foundation to the skin is to try a little bit

of the foundation on your jaw line: the

theory is that the right colour will

perfectly blend with your complexion

About Lancôme

Since visionary pioneer Armand Petitjean founded the brand in 1935, Lancôme

has epitomized timeless glamour with a quintessential French touch. Today the

world’s leading luxury beauty brand continues to inspire with its elusive je ne sais

quoi that exudes happiness, confidence and French chic appeal, as well as the

very best in quality, style, and transformative results. With a presence in 130

countries, over 20,000 beauty advisers in as many points of sale relay Lancôme’s

message of French excellence, with incredible service and iconic products such

as: L’Absolu Rouge, Hypnose mascara, Dual Finish, Teint Idole, Advanced

Genifique, Visionnaire, Absolu L’Extrait, Tresor and La Vie Est Belle. Lancôme

affirms that happiness is the most attractive quality and offers every woman the

opportunity to enhance her beauty and femininity, whatever her age and

whatever her skin colour, by giving her the best of science and innovation. The

brand continues to offer every woman the best in beauty through its Elite

Membership Rewards Program, which allows customers access to exclusive

offers, products and uniquely indulgent experiences through brand partners.

Lancôme’s ambassadresses include Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz,

Lupita Nyong’o, Lily Collins, Alma Jodorowsky, Daria Werbowy and muse, Isabella

Rossellini. Lancôme’s ambition is that every woman who comes to the brand to

look more beautiful leaves feeling happier.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

41 42

business trends

Prodrone Co., Ltd.

16F Bantane Sakae Building

2-4 Shinsakae-machi, Naka-ku

Nagoya City, Aichi

460-0004, Japan

Website: www.prodrone.jp

Fred Borda is the co-founder of Aerial

Innovation, a Silicon Valley consulting

firm focused on the advancement of

commercial unmanned aerial in the U.S.

and Japan. Prodrone has been a client of

theirs for some time. Different to most

other Asian drone makers, the Japanese

company focuses uniquely on industrial

and commercial applications. There is

great demand for such drones in Japan

itself, for infrastructure inspection

notably. Also driving growth in that

specific field are the next summer

Olympics, which will be held in Tokyo in

2020.

Prodrone for now does not

commercialise drones under its own

brand name. “Their business model

today is to provide contract R&D and

manufacturing of drones for large

industrial partners,” Mr. Borda explains.

He adds that the company’s

management team has ‘decades of

experience’ on both the hardware and

software side, gained in the remote

controlled aircraft industry, notably.

“These are top level engineers who like

nothing better than to be challenged,

and to solve complex technical issues.”

The PD6B-AW-ARM model serves as a

showcase in that regard, he explains.

“It’s amazing how quickly they

developed it: they went from sketch to

first flight within three days.” In

addition to the showcase at Interdrone,

the drone’s capabilities were

At Interdrone in Vegas, the International Drone Conference and Exposition held in Vegas earlier this year, Japan’s leading commercial and industrial drone maker Prodrone unveiled its new PD6B-AW-ARM model large-format drone, complete with two internally developed robotic arms, allowing it to carry out a wide variety of tasks. The 6-rotor drone can lift up to 10 kilograms and lasts for 30 minutes on a charge. It can even come to rest perched on a fence or railing, a feature that could be used for recharging while in flight. Fred Borda, international spokesman for Prodrone, explains that the drone serves as a showcase for the Japanese company’s engineering capabilities. The company co-develops drones for highly specialist, complex applications with industry partners. “What these drones can do is limited only by our own imagination.”

World first in dronesdemonstrated in a clip posted to

YouTube that shows it flexing its claws

in mid-air, delivering water and

flotation devices, and confidently

carrying away a metal chair. Mr. Borda

believes use cases will likely be “in

places where it would be too

dangerous for humans”, including

grasping cargo, cutting cables, turning

dials, flicking switches, dropping

lifesaving buoys and retrieving

hazardous materials.

Response to the PD6B-AW-ARM model

showcase at Interdrone has been

nothing short of overwhelming, says Mr.

Borda. The company plans to open an

office in the US later this year so that it

can further build on the initial contacts

it made there.

Lancôme USA

10 Hudson Yards, 29th Floor

New York, NY 10001

USA

Website: www.lancome.com

As other cosmetic companies, too,

expand their foundation colour ranges

in an attempt to court an increasingly

diverse/multicultural population, Le

Teint Particulier should give Lancôme a

distinct advantage. A programme this

fine-tuned allows more inclusivity than

anything off-the-shelf could offer, with

the bonus of enticing customers directly

to the beauty counter to find their

match.

Women with a Hispanic background and

African Americans with a deep skin tone

are particularly excited about Le Teint

Particulier, Ms. Mackler adds. “We’ve

been getting great feedback. We rolled

out our first Le Teint Particulier counters

last year, at two Nordstrom stores on the

west coast, and did very well there. We

took some time to evaluate, and how

much training staff would need, but we

now have everything in place to expand

the concept. We’re now at nine

Nordstrom locations, at eleven doors,

but the strategy is to roll out to more

doors. We’re in the US only for now, but

Europe could be next, hopefully in 2017.”

Currently available only at select

Nordstrom stores in the US, the

lightweight liquid foundation is freshly

mixed in-store using patented

technology that matches the shade to

more than 20,000 different skin tones.

Through a one-on-one consultation, a

beauty advisor will scan the client’s

complexion using a handheld gadget to

determine the correct shade with

fingerprint-like accuracy. Then the

precisely right pigments are blended in

an airtight machine to prevent oxidation

and protect colour integrity. The

foundation itself is long-wearing,

hydrating and free of oil, fragrance and

parabens.

The price of Lancôme’s custom

foundation is 85 dollars, which Ms.

Mackler believes is a fair price when

considering that Lancôme’s most high-

end custom range retails at 68 dollars.

She believes Le Teint Particulier will

appeal to anyone that’s having a hard

time finding a foundation that matches

their skin tone – and that’s including

herself. “I am Caucasian but especially

when I have a tan it is hard to find a

foundation that works. Tanned skin is

not a natural skin tone so foundation

brands find it very difficult to create a

foundation that matches it.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

43 44

business trends

Thorlabs Inc.

56 Sparta Ave

Newton, NJ 07860

USA

Website: www.thorlabs.com

Thorlabs is an integral part of the

photonics community serving the

needs of researchers and engineers

worldwide. Customers include the

National Labs, universities, medical

research facilities, commercial laser

companies, the military, defence

companies, and both large and small

photonics manufacturers worldwide.

The Thorlabs portfolio of products is one

of the most comprehensive in the

industry. “Using information technology

tools, we are able to weld several wholly

owned design and manufacturing

entities together into a cohesive

enterprise. Thorlabs has 15 substantial

design and production facilities located

in 9 countries throughout the world. Of

our roughly 20,000 products, Thorlabs

manufactures well in excess of 90% of

the items that we ship.”

Thorlabs puts a strong emphasis on

customer service, aiming to ship

products the same day orders are

received. Thorlabs looks to facilitate the

scientific efforts of its customers by

saving them time by offering transparent

pricing, same-day shipping on stocked

items, and a wealth of performance

specifications. “Instead of reacting to

fluctuations in the macro environment,

we stay focused on our core value

propositions and subsequent

competitive advantages. Hence, the

Thorlabs is a leading designer and manufacturer of photonics tools and systems for research, manufacturing, and biomedical applications. Its products range from optics and opto-mechanical positioning components to sophisticated optical imaging systems. Optics and photonics are the science and application of light. Photonics is one of the fastest growing high-tech industries in the world today.

Hungry for your thoughts! challenges that receive the most

attention revolve around improving our

portfolio of products and services.”

In 2015, Thorlabs acquired the Elliptec

assets of Pantec GmbH, bringing on

board a product line of highly dynamic,

high-precision, piezoelectric motors and

actuators. This technology is employed in

a multitude of applications but is

particularly well suited to those requiring

compact, quiet, energy-efficient motors.

The product portfolio of Thorlabs

Elliptec GmbH includes piezomotors

and piezoactuators, their drive

components as well as modules which

offer complete driving solutions

including electronics. Additionally,

Elliptec offers development of customer

specific motors and actuators.

Thorlabs believes the resulting products

will not only benefit its existing

photonics customers but also enable

a wide range of potential OEM

applications. “Our first product was a

filter slider and we are releasing two more

products, a rotation stage and a linear

stage. We have deliberately engineered

these products to demonstrate the high

volume low cost OEM potential of this

unique piezo motor technology. We are

proud to offer a custom design service for

this technology for those high volume

applications requiring quiet, compact

and cost effective motion control.”

Note: Based on a conversation with Keith

Dhese, UK General Manager.

Innovation in real estateNexity has established market leadership as the first integrated player on the real estate market in France and beyond. The company does not own assets but covers the full spectrum of property services as a developer, broker, and manager of residential, commercial, student and corporate properties. What also makes Nexity unique is their innovation strategy: the company wants to be a pioneer in delivering innovative, connected solutions to their occupants says Julien Carmona, Vice President at Nexity. Fitting in with that strategy is their partnership with Lucibel, the company that aims to become the first to commercialise light-enabled internet (LiFi) on an industrial scale.

expensive, but Lucibel want to scale it

up and we’re helping them to achieve

that. Due to its shorter range, LiFi is

more secure than WiFi, making it

suitable for the financial industry and

other companies with sensitive assets to

protect. We’re also seeing a future for

LiFi in shared offices.”

Microsoft is also implementing Lucibel’s

LiFi solution at its innovation center in

France. “We don’t want to be an

exclusive partner to Lucibel,” Mr.

Carmona points out. “The competitive

advantage we gain through innovative

technologies such as LiFi help bolster

our business and makes us less

vulnerable to the cyclical nature of the

real estate market.”

Nexity is publicly listed on the Paris

Stock Exchanged and posted revenue of

€1.36 billion in the first half of the 2016

financial year.

Spun off from Vivendi in a management

buyout in 2000, Nexity today is a

focused property development and

property services group. Their focus on

services is strategic, as Mr. Carmona

explains: “Real estate has changed and

we’ve come to realise that the value for

our clients is not in the assets but in the

value we extract from those assets, in

other words in the services we create.”

Nexity’s innovation strategy fits in with

that view. The company invests in

innovation in areas that aren’t

necessarily associated with classic real

estate business, such as car sharing and

flat sharing programmes, and an online

platform for property management

services. It has also become known for

Nexity

19 Rue de Vienne - TSA 50029

75801 PARIS cedex 08

France

Website: www.nexity.fr

pioneering a new generation of timber

office buildings and commercial

properties under the name ‘Ywood’.

Among their recent Ywood projects is a

six-story wooden tower in the

Mediterranean port city of Marseilles.

The innovation strategy of Nexity is

driven by a will to meet the needs of

occupants for connected living and

work spaces, flexible and oriented to

their well-being, says Mr. Carmona. “Our

co-innovation partnership with Lucibel

is a logical continuation of that

strategy.” In the first stage of the

partnership, Nexity has implemented

Lucibel’s LiFi technology at its

headquarters in Paris. “We’re testing the

technology right now. It’s still relatively

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

45 46

business trends

Optimise revenue from mobile apps

Tapjoy, best known for its strength and expertise in mobile gaming, helps free-to-play game developers generate income and advertisers connect with mobile audiences. Shannon Jessup, the chief revenue officer for Tapjoy, said: “The Tapjoy mobile advertising platform allows brands to connect with over 520 million people globally in the apps and games that they love. We work directly with leading app developers to design ad experiences that are authentically integrated into the app and user-initiated, meaning consumers proactively choose to engage with targeted, relevant ads.”

much deeper connection between

brands and consumers than brands are

able to establish through any other

types of ads. The results of the

extensive study confirm that Tapjoy’s

mobile advertising products were

found to be significantly more effective

for driving lift in key brand metrics

compared to mobile norms. The two-

year study examined 14 campaigns

from major global brands including

Olive Garden, Dodge, LEGO, Sephora,

Norwegian Cruise Line, am/pm, Citi,

Huggies and more.

“Our mission is to deliver fun and

personalized media experiences that

are unrivalled in their unique ability to

drive engagement, and this comScore

study proves that that approach works.

When consumers proactively opt-in to

engage with ads, and they are rewarded

for their participation, it changes the

entire relationship and dynamic

between advertisers and consumers for

the better.”

The mobile ad market is growing

quickly, but many advertisers are still

trying to find the right formula to meet

their branding and overall advertising

goals. Tapjoy’s platform enables

advertisers to integrate their

Tapjoy

San Francisco, California

111 Sutter St., 12th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94104

USA

Website: www.tapjoy.com

campaigns into contextually relevant

in-app moments when consumers are

most receptive to engaging with their

ads. “Developers simply have to

identify a cohort group - say, users who

have completed a certain level but have

yet to make an in-app purchase - and

can then decide what type of content

to serve to them, whether a special

discount on virtual currency or perhaps

an offer to earn free points by watching

videos. And the platform handles it all

automatically. The platform is synced

with our predictive analytics

capabilities, so it can even deliver

campaigns automatically based on

what we expect users to do in the

future.”

The Tapjoy model, which allows

consumers to earn in-app rewards in

exchange for engaging with targeted

advertisements, not only drives

performance for mobile advertisers but

increases brand sentiment: the

percentage of consumers who feel

positive toward a brand almost doubles

when the brand provides content for

the app, sponsors the app, or unlocks

experiences within it.

A recent study, conducted by Tapjoy

and comScore, a leading measurement

company, has shown that mobile ads,

when integrated into mobile games at

contextually relevant moments with

the right rewards, can help forge a

SAVVY® Telematic Systems AG

Webergasse 48

8200 Schaffhausen

Switzerland

Website: www.savvy-telematics.com

SAVVY® has been part of the SDAX-listed

INDUS Holding AG Group since May

2014. Mr. Kaeser is a shareholder in

SAVVY® and a founding member; with a

background in telematics, he notably

previously worked for Exact Software.

On the subject of software, Mr. Kaeser

points out that a software and process-

oriented approach helps SAVVY® to

differentiate itself in the fiercely

competitive telematics industry.

“Telematics companies typically have a

black box background. Our software and

process expertise makes us unique.

Following in the footsteps of other

industries, transport needs technology to

help them streamline processes and

integrate systems. And that’s exactly

where SAVVY® comes in.”

Mr. Kaeser considers rail transport their

biggest growth market. “Rail transport

has lagged behind automotive for a long

time, but we’re now seeing increased in

investment in new generation telematics

systems in this segment.” The key issue

train operators face is that they often

have no idea where their train is at any

given time, whether that train or tank

container is full or empty, or when the

train needs a maintenance job, says Mr.

Kaeser. SAVVY® addresses this issue with

the SAVVY® Synergy Enterprise Portal,

which gives operators real-time data on

positions, routes, mileage, route options,

goods or supply statuses, current tasks,

irregularities, responsibilities, risks, and

contact partners.

Hazardous goods logistics faces issues

similar to rail transport, as Mr. Kaeser

points out. The sector is heavily

regulated, so any tracking technology or

sensors in tanks need to comply with

SAVVY® Telematic Systems AG is an M2M technology provider for telematics and fleet management. SAVVY® combines hardware, software and process consulting to offer a comprehensive range of services and products. The aim is to quickly add long-term value for companies with a large pool of vehicles, containers and freightwagons through efficient work and logistics processes. Paul Kaeser, SAVVY® CEO, highlights their new technology for rail transport and hazardous goods logistics.

Transparency and efficiency in transport

extremely strict regulations. In an

industry first, SAVVY® has developed

CargoTrac ExR, which is ATEX-certified

and which for the first time opens the

entire spectrum of digital process

optimisation for hazardous goods

logistics. SAVVY® CargoTrac ExR is

approved for use in Zone 1 potentially

explosive atmospheres.

SAVVY® will continue to develop

solutions that make transport more

transparent and efficient, says Mr. Kaeser.

“Companies and operators used to see

investment in telematics as a necessary

expenditure. Our technology convinces

them of the fact that telematics can

actually create business value and a

competitive advantage. It is extremely

valuable for transport companies to

know where their trains and containers

are, what they contain and how much

mileage they’ve had since their last

maintenance job.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

47 48

business trends

The world’s most sustainable bank

Australian-based Westpac Group has retained its position as the most sustainable bank globally in the 2016 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Review, published in September this year. Siobhan Toohill, Group Head of Sustainability at Westpac, says that as they approach their 200th anniversary next year, they will continue to be focusing their efforts where Westpac Group is best placed to make a difference to their customers and the communities they serve.

highlights Westpac’s Reconciliation

Action Plan, which is currently in its third

generation and which aims to boost

employment opportunities for, and the

general prosperity of native Australians.

“No other culture has a history as long as

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander peoples - the oldest continuous

living culture on the planet,” Ms. Toohill

states. “That is something in which all

Australians can take pride. Our current

Reconciliation Action Plan is our most

ambitious yet. It has been ranked ‘Elevate’

status by Reconciliation Australia, the

highest status to be awarded, and has

almost 50 measurable commitments.”

Westpac meanwhile continues to invest

in CleanTech and environmental services,

addressing issues such as scarcity of

water and arable land, providing food for

a growing global population, responding

to climate change and transforming the

energy sector. “As a major financial

institution, we believe we have a broad

role to play in tackling these challenges in

the areas where we can have the most

influence. Westpac has a long term

commitment to finding economic

solutions to environmental challenges.

Across our business and with partner

organisations we will aim to deliver

programs and initiatives that will drive

change and deliver positive impact, and

through partnerships and business

relationships we hope to bring other

organisations along with us.”

Westpac has a long and proud history as

Australia’s first and oldest bank.

Westpac’s sustainability efforts have

received recognition globally. In 2014, it

was notably ranked the world’s most

sustainable company, topping the list

ahead of US biotech firm Biogen, Finnish

mining technology and capital goods

company Outotec Oyj and Norwegian

oil giant Statoil.

Leading the group’s sustainability

strategy, Ms. Toohill explains that in

1992, Westpac was the first Australian

bank to establish an environmental

policy. It now reports bi-annually

(including a significant annual

sustainability performance report)

on their progress against their

sustainability strategy, to ensure all

Westpac

275 Kent Street

Sydney, NSW 2000

Australia

Website: www.westpac.com.au

stakeholders are informed and engaged

in their progress.

Ms. Toohill points out that whilst they

address many general sustainability

issues such as digital transformation,

customer experience and organisational

culture, there also are some issues

specific to the banking sector. “These

relate to responding to conduct risk

issues in the banking sector, product

responsibility and treatment of distressed

customers, and the changing regulatory

landscape.” On a consumer level,

Westpac’s sustainability efforts also

include helping customers to better

plan for their future financial needs,

including superannuation.

Talking about some of their recent

sustainability initiatives, Ms. Toohill

Olympus Automation Ltd

A1 Parkway, Orton Southgate

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

PE2 6YN

United Kingdom

Website: www.oalgroup.com

OAL offers a complete range of process

systems, ranging from small

modifications and enhancements of

existing systems, to the implementation

of large turnkey projects to deliver real

advances in food processing. OAL is

guided by four key themes: Elimination

of waste; Ensure food safety and

traceability; Improve product quality;

Offer flexibility. “To do this, we need to

do more than just improve existing

processes. If you want something new

then you have to stop doing something

old. We need to start ‘a fresh’ in order to

find the best way to treat ingredients

and process them much more efficiently

than is currently being done,”

emphasised Jake.

Jake has been involved with OAL’s two

£1million UK government funded

Innovate UK projects seeking to

improve the cooking (steam infusion)

and cooling of food products

(cryogenic cooling). “We have invested

heavily in R & D to develop disruptive

technologies that can give our clients a

competitive advantage. Our latest

innovation is APRIL, a robotic chef that

links technologies to disrupt the way

we manufacture food.”

The advantages of using robots are

flexible manufacturing, yield

enhancement, improved quality and

consistency, a smaller factory foot

print, and a leaner labour force.

“Automatic processing and robotic

Olympus Automation Ltd, trading under OAL, specialises in designing, implementing and automating engineering solutions for the food manufacturing industry. OAL works with a wide variety of food and beverage clients, ranging in size from SME’s to multinationals. “We connect our unique blend of talented automation, electrical and process engineers with our clients’ teams to understand their challenges and deliver fantastic results.” said Jake Norman, Innovation and Marketing Manager.

Robotics transforming the food industry

ingredient loading will be able to

significantly reduce the number of

people involved on a production line. It

will remove all the pipe work, all the

platforms and basically make food

processing more efficient and much

cleaner,” explained Jake.

The APRIL robotic chef uses state of

the art cooking and material handling

technologies to process ingredients

with real care. By using robots to

handle ingredients and cook food, food

manufacturing can become more

efficient and safer.

OAL will be demonstrating APRIL’s

talents at the Food Manufacturing

2030 Conference. Guests are invited to

have their lunch cooked by APRIL and

to learn what food manufacturing

could look like in 2030. The event takes

place Thursday 13th October, 2016 at

the National Centre for Food

Manufacturing, Holbeach, UK. Leaders

from across the food industry will

provide insights into why and how the

food industry will change by 2030.

“The challenge is to educate the

industry and partner with visionary

early adopters to deliver disruptive

change to the food industry. In order to

meet these challenges, the industry

must transform itself with flexible

robotics and automation over the next

two decades,” believes Jake.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

49 50

business trends

Growing to meet increasing demand

Toyoda Gosei North America Corporation, the North American subsidiary of Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., continues to grow through acquisitions and expansion in the plastic and rubber automotive parts space. The company began operations at a new facility in Mexico earlier this year and also plans to increase the weatherstrip production capacity of another one of its four Mexican facilities to meet the rising demand caused by increasing automobile production in North America, and especially in Mexico. One of the growth drivers for Toyoda Gosei is the growing demand for plastic and rubbers parts as lighter weight and more environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional materials such as steel.

production capacity for weatherstrips to

approximately 1.5 times the current level

by 2020. This is being done to meet the

growing demand for these parts as

automobile production increases in

North America, especially in Mexico. In

addition to increasing the amount of

production equipment, TGASMX

acquired adjacent land and is expanding

its plant building to introduce trial

manufacture equipment for smooth

production preparation. This will help

the company to establish a system to

respond to the needs of customers with

production in Mexico, where

automobile production is growing

rapidly, as well as in the entire North

America region. The investment in

TGASMX will be US$34.5 million

(approximately 3.6 billion yen*).

Growing demand for plastic automotive

parts is largely a result of the

lightweighting trend n the automotive

industry. Automakers generally choose

plastic parts for a multiplicity of

performance features such as durability,

chemical resistance, mechanical

toughness, colouring and finishing ease,

but the fact that plastics are lighter in

weight than metal, for example, is

increasingly important to the industry.

Plastics have appreciably reduced the

weight of the average passenger car,

saving millions of gallons of gas yearly.

Plastics have penetrated automobile

parts such as bumpers, fenders, doors,

safety and rear-quarter windows,

headlight housings, side-view mirrors,

trunk lids, hoods, grilles and wheel

covers. Plastics additionally give

automobile designers more flexibility in

solving their design problems. With the

fuel tank, for example, plastics give

engineering teams the freedom to fit

tanks into the overall vehicle concept

they need and want—vehicles that are

lighter and sip, rather than guzzle their

fuel. It’s not just about making lighter

parts. Developing systems that have

fewer parts is another way Toyoda Gosei

is able to bring weight savings to the

factory floor. Simplified design gives

way to the modular approach. Even at

the end of a vehicle’s life cycle, there are

ways Toyoda Gosei is contributing to a

healthier environment. Toyoda Gosei,

working with Toyota Group companies,

has developed a breakthrough de-

vulcanization process for recycling

automotive rubber, traditionally one of

the most difficult challenges facing the

recycling movement.

Beyond that, the company also practises

what it preaches by at all of its

operations, in terms of commitment to

the environment. Just recently it

conducted a tree-planting even on its

rather than designing around this

unwieldy but essential part. In

automotive interiors, plastics used in

flooring, seats, dashboards and

panelling maintain their attractive

appearance and are easy to clean. On a

volume basis, more plastics than steel

are now used in today’s cars for a wide

range of components. With the end of

an automobile’s useful life, plastics parts

are recycled, or via incineration there is

energy recovery. Plastics’ versatility

assists the automotive industry in

complying with more stringent

requirements in terms of economic

performance, safety, comfort and

environmental factors.

Aiming to stay at the forefront of these

developments, Toyoda Gosei has

developed a line of advanced polymers

and other weight-saving materials that

give the world’s automakers just what

Toyoda Gosei

1400 Stephenson Highway

Troy, MI 48083

USA

Website: www.toyoda-gosei.com

Established in 1949 as a spin-off of

Toyota Motor Industry Co., Ltd.’s rubber

research division, and headquartered in

Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda

Gosei today is a leading specialty

manufacturer of rubber and plastic

automotive parts and LEDs. The group

provides a variety of high-quality

products internationally, with a network

of approximately 100 manufacturing

facilities and offices in 18 countries and

regions. The company’s main customers

include Toyota, General Motors, Fiat

Chrysler and Ford.

The company first entered the North

American market in 1986, and has since

grown rapidly there through both

expansion and acquisitions. With sales

at nearly 2 billion USD, it operates four

main product groups: safety systems,

weatherstrips, interior and exterior

plastic parts, and functional

components. Toyoda Gosei’s American

subsidiary now has 25 operations,

including four plants in Mexico.

These four include a new manufacturing

company in central Mexico, Toyoda

Gosei Irapuato Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

(TGIMX), which began production in

April 2016. It will supply radiator grilles,

console boxes, and other plastic parts to

automakers in the rapidly expanding

North American market. Another of its

Mexican subsidiaries, Toyoda Gosei

Automotive Sealing Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

(TGASMX), plans to increase its

plant grounds in Palmerston, in Canada.

Approximately 900 volunteers,

including employees and their families,

as well as local government officials

planted about 7,500 trees and shrubs.

The ‘Plant Afforestation’ project was

started in 2009 to honour the 60th

anniversary of Toyoda Gosei’s founding.

Since then, the Group has planted a

total of approximately 290,000 trees at

25 locations, three of which are in North

America. With this project, the Group

aims to make a positive impact in the

local environment, increase greenery at

Group company plants, raise employees’

environmental consciousness and

cultivate solidarity, and enhance ties

with local communities. The project fits

in with TG 2020 Vision, which sets forth

its long-term goals in implementing the

management philosophy of the Toyoda

Gosei Group.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

51 52

business trends

Benchmarks of Digital Transformation

Incorporated in 1998 in New Jersey, USA, Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS) focuses on high-end, niche technical skills, predominantly in the middleware, integration, service-oriented architecture and cloud integration areas. The company states with great confidence that all its digital enablement engagements are clear benchmarks of Digital Transformation with an Application Programming Interface (API) -driven Integration framework at its core.

it is a highly flexible and cost-effective

API management solution that offers

more than just an API gateway and a

developer portal. Moreover, THBS’s

experience in SOA Governance has

helped the company to keep pace with

the evolution through API

management that matured with other

THBS consulting offerings. The four

key blocks offered by the ‘API-o-

Blocks’ suite consist of blocks to

accelerate API and digital strategy –

“Strategize”, an API gateway solution

– “API Connect”, API guidelines and

processes – “API Govern”, and API

creation blocks – “API Enable”. The

blocks are completely open-standards

based and non-proprietary. The

company is confident that its

positioning of API-o-Blocks clearly

speaks for the maturity of the product

and the step-by-step approach

through which the company helps its

clients move into the API Economy.

Over the years, THBS has evolved

processes and systems that capture

critical client needs, and developed

customised solution accelerators that

help clients achieve their business

goals. Technical focus, leadership and

expertise within a worldwide niche are

the core of the company’s success.

Enhanced client service levels and

customer intimacy are two other key

driving factors for the company’s

leadership as it enjoys the highest

customer ratings in terms of value for

money. THBS has been recognised for

its Digital / API thought leadership by

almost all leading analyst firms in the

world. With its Centre of Excellence

competency centres around digital-

centric areas like User Experience,

Gamification, the Internet of Things

and Big Data.”

Looking at the future, the company

sees great demand for the combination

of skills and competencies it offers,

both in terms of strategic thought

leadership and execution capability in

the digital transformation and

Integration space. This is further

enhanced by leveraging its own

products, frameworks and solution

accelerators to help customers in

reducing cost and decreasing time to

market. “We will continue to invest in

building more solution accelerators as

they have clearly demonstrated value

and differentiation,” a spokesperson

states. “We see a trend where the rate

of change is much higher than our

customers’ abilities to adapt to

changing market needs. Many

enterprises require radical change to

stay relevant in these interesting times.

This is one area in which we have been

(CoE) and a range of interlinked

departments providing innovative

research and insights into multiple

industries and technology areas, THBS

brings practical solutions based on

hands-on experience from across the

globe.

The company believes that at present,

every business is a digital business,

while at the same time customer

behaviour has changed over the years.

The shift in a customer’s digital

lifestyle is transforming the identity of

traditional industries, forcing

businesses to reinvent themselves by

aligning their traditional offerings

with digital offerings, with Mobility

and API as the core. “This is THBS’s

core competency, which we have

engaged in and focused on in a

progressive way since 1998. We have

been playing in the core integration

space, connecting assets to work

together in an automated manner. To

complement our integration core

competency, we have set up additional

Torry Harris Business Solutions

536 Fayette Street,

Perth Amboy, NJ 08861

USA

Website: www.thbs.com

THBS is a specialised IT services

provider dedicated to providing

meaningful integration of applications

and data. In 1998, THBS started its

worldwide operations from New

Jersey, USA (HQ). The company now

has offices in Bangalore (India), Bristol

(UK), Dubai (UAE), Dublin (Ireland),

Munich (Germany), Rueil-Malmaison

(France), Vienna (Austria) and Gurgaon

(India). Well known for products,

processes and services in the Service-

Oriented Architecture (SOA) and API

Management space, the company

works toward recasting legacy assets

for digital enablement in order to

better exploit opportunities in the API

Economy driven by next-gen data

management. Although THBS’

expertise lies around SOA/API -based

digital transformation and

integration-centric projects, the

company has expanded this to include

integration projects around Cloud, Big

Data, Gamification, IoT/IoE and

Mobility. THBS views APIs as a way to

enable one’s business to serve as a

platform for ecosystem innovation,

which then forms a base for defining a

Digital / API strategy that covers

governance, life-cycle management,

development, testing and operation of

APIs.

THBS believes that its API lifecycle

governance suite ‘API-o-Blocks’

uniquely meets all the requirements

currently demanded by the market, as

helping our customers to reinvent their

respective organisations, not just from

a technological perspective, but also in

the way the business and IT work with

each other.”

THBS stall at Mobile

World Congress 2016,

Barcelona, Spain

API-o-Blocks – an end-to-end API

Management Solution from THBS

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

53 54

business trends

Guiding meaningful change in healthcare

Xerox recently released healthcare research showing large disconnects between patients and healthcare professionals providing and insuring their care. Across all participants in the U.S. healthcare system, there is still much to be settled regarding the transformation driven by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Rohan Kulkarni, vice president of Healthcare Strategy and Portfolio for Xerox, explains what the implications of the Affordable Care Act are for healthcare providers and at-risk organisations, and how Xerox can help with its population health management solution, branded as Xerox Health Outcome Solutions.

designed to help providers manage the

health of patient populations so they are

compensated for patient health

outcomes, experience and costs,” Mr.

Kulkarni explains. “We conducted the

research to help inform our strategy. We

added the consumer element of the

research so that when we speak to our

payer and provider customers, we have

evidence about what their patients/

members want and need, and can use

that insight to guide meaningful change.”

Specifically, the Xerox Health Outcomes

Solution works with healthcare providers

& ACOs to evaluate underperforming

value-based contracts and identify

opportunities to improve specific

contractual obligations. “Depending on

the situation, we’ll enable a combination

of analytics, clinical, technology and

administrative services that help improve

the health of patient populations so that

providers are compensated for successful

outcomes. The market has begun to

validate that healthcare should be

delivered, consumed and compensated

differently than it has been thus far, and

we think our clients are beginning to need

partners to help them on that journey.”

As the vice president of Strategy and

Portfolio for Xerox Healthcare Business

Group, Mr. Kulkarni designs and drives

the identification and pursuit of strategic

business opportunities within the

Xerox Healthcare

Website: www.xerox.com

healthcare market to drive profitable

growth.

The US healthcare market has seen

considerable change in recent years, also

in the form of the Affordable Care Act.

“Healthcare professionals are now held

more accountable for helping patients get

and stay healthy,” Mr. Kulkarni explains.

“Prior to the ACA, healthcare was defined

by trying to reduce costs without a focus

on the consumer. Now we’re seeing a shift

to value-based incentives from fee-for-

service care, so there is an urgent need to

help providers manage risk and deliver

healthy outcomes. We’re also seeing

patients become more active healthcare

consumers, and are more vocal about

their expectations around interactions

with their healthcare providers and

insurers.”

The ACA produces both challenges and

opportunities, in Mr. Kulkarni’s view.

“Providers have the opportunity to build

better relationships with their patients.”

The survey conducted by Xerox proves

that better communication is necessary:

while less than 6 percent of healthcare

professionals believe consumers take

complete responsibility for their health,

for example, fact is that nearly 50 percent

of consumers say they take complete

responsibility for their health. Xerox can

help providers to adapt to their new,

value-based care environment and

engage with patients in a more

meaningful manner with Xerox Health

Outcome Solutions. “The solution is

Nutrisystem, Inc.

Website: www.nutrisystem.com

Nutrisystem decided to partner with

Pnina Tornai following a recent survey

that found that nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults

who are married, engaged or planning

to be engaged in the next 2 years (29%)

say they want/wanted to lose weight

before their wedding day, reporting a

desire to lose an average of 39 pounds.

What’s more, close to 1 in 5 (17%) of

those who want/wanted to lose weight

said they are/were willing to go to

extreme measures (i.e., drastic calorie

reduction, crash dieting, cleanses) to

lose the weight.

These numbers were not surprising to

Ms. Tornai. “When brides-to-be come

into my boutique, I always speak with

them about their weight loss goals.

Oftentimes, they want their wedding

dress taken in a few sizes smaller in

hopes of losing weight. They also tell

me that they are willing to turn to

unhealthy solutions to lose the weight.

Women have even passed out right in

front of me during a fitting from

following drastic diets!”

Brides dream about having the picture

perfect wedding gown and will spend

12-18 months preparing to fit into the

gown of their dreams, Ms. Tornai adds.

“Sometimes part of that preparation is

getting into the best possible shape in

Weight loss specialist Nutrisystem has partnered with Pnina Tornai, lifestyle and fashion expert and star of “Say Yes to the Dress”. Tornai will be the focus of a fully integrated marketing campaign, including both traditional and social media, providing a unique perspective on wedding weight loss. “Nutrisystem is convenient and easy-to-follow,” says Ms. Tornai. “That’s why it’s the perfect solution for me to recommend to my brides. Nutrisystem takes the guesswork out of dieting, making it simple for my brides to learn portion control and balanced nutrition.”

As recommended by Pnina Tornai

order to fit into their gown. However,

they are often time-crunched from

planning all of the details for their

upcoming nuptials and find it difficult

to keep up with their health goals.

That’s why I like to recommend

Nutrisystem. The snacks and meals are

absolutely delicious! No one on this

plan will feel deprived from the food

they like. As a woman that has a sweet

tooth, I can tell you I feel very satisfied

with their mouth-watering desserts.

Another reason is when you stop

thinking about what you’re eating and

you have a set plan, it helps reduce a

very known phenomenon within the

bridal world called bridal anxiety. The

fewer things a bride needs to focus on

the better. Dieting is stressful, but on

the Nutrisystem plan, it really isn’t.”

Ms. Tornai advises brides to be to

‘listen to their body and be patient’. “I

understand that women want to look

and feel their best in a wedding gown,

but what is equally important is being

healthy and smart about their weight

loss habits. For those looking to try

Nutrisystem, they can visit www.

nutrisystem.com and enter the promo

code: PNINA for a special offer for

brides to be.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

55 56

business trends

A global force in automotive composites

Nikkei 225-listed Teijin Limited is a Japanese chemical, pharmaceutical and information technology giant. The company recently announced that it has agreed to acquire Continental Structural Plastics Holdings Corporation (CSP), a leading automotive composite supplier in North America, for USD 825 million. Through this acquisition, Teijin intends to establish the foundations of an automotive composite products business in North America, and to accelerate its expansion as a tier 1 supplier of high-performance composites to the global automotive market, explains Akio Nakaishi, Teijin Group Corporate Officer, who serves as General Manager of Teijin’s Carbon Fibers & Composites Business Unit and President of Toho Tenax. He emphasises that high-performance composites can play a considerable part in lightweighting vehicles, which in turn results in energy savings and lower emissions.

technology for carbon fibre reinforced

thermoplastic, with a production

interval time - or “takt-time” - of just

one minute. Teijin subsequently

established a technical facility in the US

and a pilot plant for the fully integrated

production of CFRTP in Japan. In 2012 it

branded the world’s first CFRTP product

- Sereebo™ - and has been preparing

this for commercial use via high-volume

production methods in collaboration

with domestic and international

enterprises. Meanwhile, Toho Tenax Co.,

Ltd., the core company of the group’s

carbon fibres and composites business,

has developed an integrated production

system for carbon fiber reinforced

plastic (CFRP) using its Tenax® Part via

Preform (PvP) technology that

considerably reduces carbon-fiber waste

compared to conventional preform

production methods.

By combining carbon fiber, resin and

CAE technologies, the centre develops

materials and composite solutions such

as glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP)

for the automotive industry. It provides

full-service engineering support, and

holds more than 50 patents covering

materials development and

manufacturing processes in composite

materials formulation and design. The

company has 14 facilities in the US,

Mexico, France and China and

approximately 3,200 employees. It

posted consolidated sales of over USD

634 million in the fiscal year ending

December 31, 2015.

The integration of CSP’s technical

expertise in thermoset composites and

Teijin’s leadership in complementary

thermoplastics creates significant

synergies for comprehensive multi-

material applications to meet

diversified demands from the

automotive industry. Mr. Nakaishi says

that by combining the strengths of

Teijin and CSP, they can together

establish a platform for wide range and

reliable solutions, notably for weight

reduction for automakers using

combinations of CFRTP, GFRP and

other materials. “Our customers will

benefit from our solutions for weight

reduction of whole components, from

the structure to external parts. We can

also provide a platform for weight

reduction for other fiber/plastic

manufacturers.”

composite products that offer

promising opportunities for the

application and popularisation of

Sereebo in various fields, including the

automotive industry. “TCIC can provide

solutions for automakers using

Sereebo’s mass-production capability

and the Center’s own evaluation

capabilities for materials and

components,” adds Mr. Nakaishi.

“Specifically, TCIC targets the use of

Sereebo for automobile structural and

semi-structural components.”

The acquisition of Continental Structural

Plastics Holdings Corporation (CSP), a

leading automotive composite supplier in

North America, should further

strengthen Teijin’s position in the global

market for automotive composites. “CSP

and Teijin complement each other in

material technologies, applications and

regions,” says Mr. Nakaishi.”CSP’s main

strengths are in North America, where it

has strong connections with the big

automakers, while Teijin has partnerships

with major automakers across North

America, Europe and Japan.”

CSP is a leading manufacturer of

thermoset composites in the

automotive industry and is the world’s

largest sheet moulding compound

(SMC) manufacturer for automakers.

Since its establishment in 1969, the US-

based company has provided leading-

edge technologies in lightweight

Teijin Limited

Kasumigaseki Common Gate West Tower

2-1, Kasumigaseki 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku,

Tokyo,

100-8585, Japan

Website: www.teijin.com

Founded in 1918 as Teikoku Rayon Co.,

Ltd., Japan-based Teijin today is a

technology-driven global group

offering advanced solutions in the

areas of sustainable transportation,

information and electronics, safety and

protection, environment and energy,

and healthcare. Its main fields of

operation are high-performance fibres

such as aramid, carbon fibres &

composites, healthcare, films, resin &

plastic processing, polyester fibres,

products converting and IT. The group

has some 150 companies and around

16,000 employees spread out over 20

countries worldwide.

To drive the group’s automotive

composites business, Teijin established

its Teijin Composites Innovation Center

(TCIC) in 2008 and has focused on

developing leading-edge composite

product technologies and applications.

In 2011 the company developed the

world’s first mass-production

The automotive industry has prioritised

finding lighter-weight alternatives to

metal as vehicle weight reduction saves

energy, minimises brake and tire wear,

and, perhaps most welcome, it cuts

down emissions. Lightweighting

vehicles is directly linked to lower CO2

emissions and improved fuel economy.

The benefits of even modest vehicle

weight reduction are significant.

Reducing an automobile’s weight by a

mere 50 kg (110 lbs) reduces up to 5 g of

CO2 /km and increases fuel economy

by up to 2%. Replacing metal parts

with parts wrought from Teijin’s high-

performance composites should help

ensure vehicle weight reduction.

Overall, Teijin’s ambition is to become a

total solution provider and reliable

partner for automakers, Mr. Nakaishi

states. “We are confident that the

platform for automotive composite

products business we will gain through

the acquisition of CSP’s complementary

technical expertise in thermoset

composites and GFRP know-how will

trigger further development of our

integrated high-performance materials

business, one of our key strategic

fields.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

57 58

business trends

INSIGHTEC

Website: www.insightec.com

Dr. Ferré brings over 20 years of

experience in the medical device

industry. He explains that the previous

CEO, Jacob “Kobi” Vortman, founded

INSIGHTEC in 1999. Vortman also is the

innovator of the company’s proprietary

Magnetic Resonance guided Focused

Ultrasound (MRgFUS) technology,

branded as Exablate Neuro.

Exablate Neuro is essentially a medical

device which guides ultrasound energy to

a target in the ventral intermediate

nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus through a

completely intact skull. The beams pass

through the brain and only at the focal

point where they converge is heat

generated to ablate the target tissue.

During the procedure, patients are awake

and responsive to evaluate treatment

response. Real-time thermal feedback

allows the physician to know what has

been treated, the thermal effect, if

adjustments are required as well as

immediate treatment outcome. Important

to note is that ultrasound waves have

been safely used for years in conventional

diagnostic imaging devices. With higher

energy levels, ultrasound waves can

generate enough heat to cause thermal

ablation, which destroys cells.

Exablate Neuro is FDA approved for

treatment of essential tremor and CE

marked for the treatment of essential

tremor, tremor dominant Parkinson’s

disease and neuropathic pain. Clinical

research, development and regulatory

approvals are ongoing for additional

neurosurgical applications and markets.

To date, more than 14,000 Exablate

treatments have been performed by

physicians at medical centers around the

world. “The approach that sets

INSIGHTEC apart from others is two-

fold,” Mr. Ferré points out. “First, our non-

INSIGHTEC, the global leader in MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) therapy, recently signed a strategic agreement with the global leader in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Siemens Healthineers. The strategic collaboration will involve the development of compatibility between INSIGHTEC’s Exablate Neuro and Siemens’ 1.5T and 3T clinical MRI systems, MAGNETOM Aera and Skyra. Maurice R. Ferré MD, INSIGHTEC’S CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, explains that the strategic agreement gives the company access to more patients.

Expanding access to novel neuro technology

invasive focused ultrasound platform,

Exablate, is able to treat tissue inside the

body without the need for incisions.

Secondly, Exablate procedures are

integrated with MRI, which provides high

resolution imaging for accurate targeting

and patient-specific treatment planning,

as well as real-time temperature

monitoring. This combined approach

results in treatments with a high safety

profile.”

The partnership with Siemens gives

INSIGHTEC access to more patients. The

two companies will collaborate to provide

access to Exablate Neuro for its installed

base, as well as new product installation

customers, according to Mr. Ferré.

Siemens as a global player represents

more than 40 percent of the global MRI

market. “Siemens has embraced our

technology and together we will bring our

therapy to significantly more patients and

providers. At INSIGHTEC, we remain

committed to continue investing in

research and development of MRgFUS

technology.” The company will focus on

growing essential tremor procedure

volume, expanding neuro indications and

drive reimbursement efforts.

Continued expansion for market leader

Krones, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of filling and packaging technology, has acquired a majority interest in the business of Trans-Market Sales & Equipment, Inc. Trans-Market is based in Tampa, Florida, and is a proven leader in providing process engineering and automation solutions for the liquid food industry.

logistical solutions, and thereby cover

the entire plant of its customers.

Keith Santi, CEO of Trans-Market, stated

in a press release on the subject,

“Partnering with Krones was a unique

opportunity to continue to build the

business my father founded 47 years ago.

Most importantly, we‘re looking forward

to bringing new capabilities to our

customers and new opportunities to our

employees.”

The previous owners of Trans-Market will

retain a minority share and will continue to

be actively engaged in the management

and operation of the business. Trans-

Market will be part of Krones’ “Machines

and Lines for beverage production/

Process Technology” Segment in the US.

“The headquarters and management of

Trans-Market will remain in Tampa,

Florida,” says Konie Brenneman, Head of

Marketing for Krones in the US. “Nothing

will change with respect to Dallas and

San Antonio offices. It will continue to

operate as a standalone company. There

will be no changes for Trans-Market

employees with respect to daily

operations or employment.”

The acquisition of Trans-Market fits in

with the group’s growth strategy, which

according to Brenneman aims for growth

through increased market share of

existing and new industry sectors,

through existing and new technology, as

well as through strategic joint ventures

and acquisitions.

Founded in 1951, Krones is one of the

world’s leading manufacturers of

packaging and bottling machinery. The

company has positioned itself as a

holistic systems engineer, integrating

several areas of expertise including

mechanical engineering, line expertise,

process engineering, microbiology and

information technology. Worldwide, the

company employs 13,346 people,

generating a consolidated turnover of

3.174 billion Euros in 2015. The group has

had a subsidiary in the US since 1966; it is

the leading provider of packaging and

bottling systems in the country.

While the group has seen considerable

organic growth, it has also expanded

through acquisitions, particularly since

Krones was converted into a stock

corporation as Krones AG in 1980.

Acquisitions of other companies have

Krones Inc.

9600 S 58th St

Franklin, WI 53132

USA

Website: www.krones.com

indeed been the building blocks for the

present-day complete range of machines

and solutions for the beverage industry.

With the recent acquisition of Trans-

Market, the company enhances its

process technology capabilities in the

US and expands its geographical

footprint in North America. Trans-

Market is a leader in sanitary process

systems, serving the food, beverage and

pharmaceutical industries for 47 years.

The company designs and builds

turnkey process systems with services

including Engineering, Automation,

Installation, Distribution and

Maintenance. Together with the

capabilities of Trans-Market, Krones can

offer its customers in North America the

complete product portfolio ranging

from process technology solutions,

filling and packing equipment to

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

59 60

business trends

Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

6024 Silver Creek Valley Road

San Jose, CA 95138

USA

Website: www.idt.com

Founded in 1980, and headquartered in

San Jose, CA, IDT today, employs about

1,500 people around the globe and holds

a broad line of products and solutions

with leadership in many applications

across consumer, computing,

communications, automotive and

industrial segments. Historically, many

technology companies have known IDT

best for its timing products, but in recent

years the company has also earned a

reputation with its memory interface

products, RapidIO interconnect and

wireless power solutions. “With our

acquisition late last year of German

company Zentrum Mikroelektronik

Dresden AG, we are now also increasingly

being viewed as an important player in

the automotive and sensing space, an

industry which represents a significant

new growth opportunity,” says Mr. Fan.

Finalised in December 2015, the

acquisition of Zentrum Mikroelektronik

Dresden (ZMDI) specifically extended

IDT’s technology leadership in high

performance programmable power

devices and timing & signal conditioning.

The company also expects continued

growth for its RapidIO family of products.

These include bridging and switching

products that are ideal for building peer-

to-peer multi-processor systems with

100ns latency, low power consumption,

reliable packet termination — all with

industry-standard based support at up to

50 Gbps per port. IDT’s Serial RapidIO

solutions are ideal for wireless base

station infrastructure, high performance

computing, data centers, server, video,

imaging, military and industrial control

applications.

Combining its RapidIO technology with

IBM’s POWER8-based servers means that

they can now asp be used at the edge

of wireless 4G advanced and 5G

networks for a variety of data-intensive

Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT), recently announced an exciting new high-performance computing solution for telecommunications “edge” networks that combines IDT’s RapidIO technology with IBM’s POWER8-based servers. Mr. Sean Fan, Vice President and General Manager at IDT’s Computing and Communications Division states, “The 100 ns latency and energy efficiency of our 50 Gbps RapidIO silicon is ideal for connecting the IBM POWER8-based servers for edge applications . The work with OpenPOWER technology has enabled this collaboration with IBM to advance 5G edge computing.”

The promising future of OpenPOWER technology

applications, such as networked robotics

control, network-assisted private and

public transportation, and video analytics.

These types of applications are possible

by deploying edge computing, in which

data and services are moved from a

traditional centralized location to the

edges of the network, speeding up the

results by enabling data management and

analytics to occur at the data source.

Mr. Fan believes OpenPOWER technology

has a very promising future, not in the

least because leading technology

companies are pushing it. ”IDT’s role in

this space is to help develop the

ecosystem. While we keep promoting the

high-performance computing community

and the advantages of a RapidIO-based

architecture, we are also committed

to keep an open-mind to new creative

approaches to advancing high-speed

data interconnect. At IDT, we work with

customers and industry thought leaders

to continue to explore the most

compelling solutions to pressing system

challenges.”

100 years of continuous innovation

Marietta Silos, part of The Marietta Group, recently announced the completion of an agreement to acquire the assets of San-Con Industries, Inc., Upper Sandusky, Ohio. The announcement was made by Marietta Silos CEO Dennis Blauser in conjunction with the company’s 100th Year Anniversary Celebration in Marietta. According to Blauser, the acquisition of San-Con increases the capabilities of Marietta Silos as the company expands into new markets throughout the USA.

company, The Marietta Group, where

Marietta Silos remains the driving force

behind the business with silo

construction, inspection and silo repair.

Looking to expand into new markets,

the company recently completed an

agreement to acquire the assets of San-

Con Industries, Inc., Upper Sandusky,

Ohio. Founded in 1995, San-Con

Industries, Inc. has serviced grain,

agribusiness, food processing,

industrial, energy, and mining markets

with design, construction, inspection,

modification and consultative services

associated with bulk storage silos and

allied applications. “The San-Con

company has remained a force in silo

construction and service by largely

serving markets parallel to those we

have known throughout out 100 year

history”, said Mr. Blauser. “San-Con has

built a reputation as an excellent

provider of silo construction, repair

and inspection work. Their staff is very

professional and highly qualified.

Their equipment is state-of-the-art,

and their resources will make an ideal

complement to those of Marietta Silos”.

In a sense, the San-Con acquisition

returns Marietta Silos to a 100-year full

circle as the company merges the

intimacy once found in chatting around

a farm table with today’s promise of

continuous innovation.

Marietta Silos has humble beginnings,

starting over 100 years ago, with Frank

Christy who spent a large part of his

early life working on and around the

farms of Washington County. During his

education, Frank learned of the modern

silo, invented and constructed from

wood by Fred Hatch of Illinois in 1873.

He started to construct his own silos

and his company, Marietta Silos, earned

a nation-wide reputation for quality and

customer service.

Mr. Blauser acquired Marietta Silos in

1985 with his business partner Richard

Wells. Under Mr. Blauser’s leadership,

the company focuses on a variety of

industrial clients, most of whom are

manufacturers of bulk materials such as

coal, ash, lime, glass, or clay. Storage

Marietta Silos

2417 Waterford Road

Marietta, OH 45750

USA

Website: www.mariettasilos.com

silos are now built by a variety of

methods, including slipform, jumpform,

and concrete staves. Concrete silos

range in size from 20-30 feet in diameter

and less than 100 feet tall, to silos more

than 65 feet in diameter that stretch

more than 200 feet into the air. While

construction and client needs have

changed, Mr. Blauser has stayed true to

the company’s roots. Marietta Silos

remains steadfastly focused on quality

construction and personalised service.

This includes working with clients to

identify their needs and making design

considerations that help accomplish

their goals in materials storage and

loading or unloading.

In 2016, Marietta Silos organised its

service sectors under an umbrella

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

61 62

business trends

Entersekt

Website: www.entersekt.com

Schalk Nolte brought extensive

experience in the African mobile space

(Vodacom, Celtel) to Entersekt when he

joined as CEO in 2009. Since then, the

company has won numerous high-profile

clients; this year it has notably signed,

among others, FirstBank of Colorado and

pan-African giant Equity Bank. The

company has also surpassed the 30

million user mark this year, with over a

billion transactions secured.

“Our strength lies in the trusted channel

we create between the user and their

institution, enabling a level of interaction

that was never possible before,” Mr.

Nolte states. “Banks and other financial

companies can now offer innovative new

services on the mobile without security

as an obstacle. At the same time, our

patented “one-touch” solution for push-

based authentication makes the user

experience convenient and frictionless.”

To support rapid expansion, Entersekt is

appointing local resellers to market and

sell its solutions in various countries.

“This year has been very exciting for us

in this regard, seeing that we have joined

forces with Crealogix and Netcetera in

Europe, global platforms provider

Backbase, US-based Blue Bay

Technologies, and of course IST

Networks in the Middle East,” says Mr.

Nolte. “We are very excited to have IST

Networks on board to distribute our

technology in one of the most security-

conscious banking regions in the world.

IST Networks has an excellent reputation

and track record with multiple financial

institutions in the region. “

Mr. Nolte believes that what he

describes as ‘the mobile centric lifestyle’

is forcing business and financial

institutions worldwide to adapt. “There

is a move happening where consumers

Entersekt, an innovator in push-based authentication and app security, recently partnered with IST Networks. A leading systems integrator in the Middle East, IST now offers Entersekt’s Transakt technology to banks and other enterprises operating in the region. Transakt is a patented multi-factor authentication and app security product that provides full protection from phishing and other attacks targeting the online, mobile, and card-not-present channels, and forming a trusted communication channel between service providers and their customers’ mobile phones or tablets. Entersekt’s CEO Schalk Nolte explains what the added value of Transakt is, and what his expectations are for growth in the Middle East and their international markets in general.

Taking away security concerns for mobile and online

are changing behaviour towards an

online and mobile first world. More and

more services are being offered via the

mobile channel, as it is a relatively cheap

channel, and also a very personal

channel that is available 24/7/365 to

users. Businesses and financial

institutions need to adapt to this new

consumer behaviour. Regulatory

requirements and security concerns have

been an inhibiting factor, limiting the

kind of services that can be offered on

the mobile and online channels.

Entersekt’s vision is to be the security

layer that enables financial institutions

and businesses to fully leverage the

mobile and online channels without

security concerns and without fear for

complying with the regulatory

requirements imposed in these channels.

By removing these inhibitors, we can

unlock the true value of these channels.”

Groundbreaking display technology for Europe

Leyard, a global leader in visualisation products, is expanding its investment in Europe and support for international customers with a new factory and showroom planned near Prešov, Slovakia. Rob Stewart, executive director of Leyard Europe explains that the new factory and showroom will enable Leyard to meet the growing demand for its digital displays and video walls from European customers, especially those who prefer to purchase digital display solutions built in the European Union.

critical market for the group as it

expands its global presence. “The new

factory in Slovakia will bring us even

closer to our European, Russian, Middle

Eastern and African customers while

enabling us to extend high-quality

manufacturing into a key region of the

world.” The building in Prešov is slated

for completion in early 2017. It is located

in an industrial park in the town of

Záborské near Prešov, a city that is a

growing hub for high-technology

manufacturing. On that note, Mr.

Stewart adds that going forward, the US

and Prešov factories will share

production of similar models with one

factory in China to better respond to

geographic needs.

The market for digital display solutions

continues to evolve: industry analysts

agree that digital signage is one of the

most promising and upcoming media in

the field of information and advertising

networks. According to Leyard Chief

Marketing Officer Jennifer Davis, the

growth drivers in visualisation include

growing customer demand for

engagement in public spaces, lower to

current costs, and the constant need to

communicate information or brand

messages in multiple vertical markets.

Leyard Europe

Jána Pavla II. 1

080 01 Prešov

Slovakia

Website: www.leyard.com

Founded in 1995, in China, Leyard has

gained significant market share in fine

pitch LED and offers indoor, outdoor,

fixed, and creative displays, as well as

other ancillary and lighting solutions for

the urban environment. The company

enjoys marquee installations globally,

and has strategic factories and

distribution points around the globe.

Three are in China, one in the United

States, and one in France.

Industry recognition for Leyard is also

global: case in point, earlier this year at

InfoComm 2016, the largest event in

North America focused on the

professional AV industry, Leyard was the

recipient of no fewer than seven

prestigious industry technology

honours. Two breakthrough products

featured at the show – the Leyard® TWA

Series fine pitch LED video wall and the

Planar® LookThru™ transparent OLED

display. The Leyard TWA Series is a

family of fine pitch LED video wall

displays featuring a unique design, low

power consumption and outstanding

image quality, while the first-of-its-kind

Planar LookThru transparent OLED

display is said to revolutionise display

technology offering glasses-free

augmented reality.

Mr. Stewart heads sales at Leyard

Europe, having served in a management

capacity at seven years at Leyard and

Planar, a Leyard company covering non-

US Markets. He says that Europe is a

Rob Stewart, vice president and managing director of

international sales Leyard Europe

Leyard CMO Jennifer Davis

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

63 64

business trends

Bromium

20813 Stevens Creek Blvd Cupertino, CA

95014

USA

Website: www.bromium.com

“Traditional security solutions rely on

detection of malicious content,

focusing on malware signatures,

behaviours or heuristics (knowledge

gained through experience) and don’t

work anymore except against the most

simple of attacks,” said Simon Crosby,

Bromium CTO. “Attackers have become

extremely sophisticated in eluding

detection. Innovating fast, continually

looking for new ways to enter an

enterprise and in general the way in is

an end point.”

Bromium Advanced Endpoint Security,

uses a revolutionary new architecture

that focuses on protection through CPU

(central processing unit) enforced

isolation. Bromium’s approach allows

end users to click on anything without

risk of a breach, providing holistic

protection against malware. Bromium

offers unparalleled protection and

remediation by leveraging endpoint CPU

virtualization to stop targeted attacks

using malware. By hardware-isolating

each user task that processes untrusted

content, Bromium dramatically reduces

the endpoint attack surface.

“Bromium provides comprehensive

real-time detection for any malicious

execution on every endpoint and each

hardware-isolated task. When an attack

occurs we get to observe it and deliver

real-time alerts with uniquely detailed

forensic intelligence for each attack,”

explained Simon.

“Bromium provides the world’s most

advanced endpoint security and no

Bromium end point has ever been

compromised by malware,” claimed

Simon. With absolute confidence in

their technology, Bromium invited

Infosecurity Europe 2016 attendees and

global remote users to provide copies

of the worst, most destructive malware

and use it to target a Bromium-

protected endpoint. Bromium offered

£10,000 for a successful hack and

promised to issue a press release

validating the compromise. Needless to

say, no such press release was required.

“Today, more than 99% of malware

morphs into new, undetectable

variants in under a minute, making

them more difficult to detect and

remediate. Bromium Endpoint

Protection provides protection at the

endpoint against all advanced malware.

We also wanted to highlight the false

claims of other endpoint vendors,

whose ‘detect to protect’ promises are

repeatedly proven bogus, so

participants were also asked to

challenge the claims of other endpoint

vendors in the same way, and request

to be able to run malware variants on

their systems. Security vendors must

be held accountable — both for

unrealized marketing promises and for

breaches they fail to prevent,”

emphasized Simon.

Bromium technology is trusted by the world’s most security-conscious governments and global enterprises as the only way to defeat unknown, targeted, and zero-day (software flaws, unknown to the vendor, exploited by hackers) attacks that routinely bypass other security products. Damage caused by data breach – lost intellectual property, customer and financial data and the resulting brand damage - can be staggering, in the tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars.

Protect, detect and respond Bringing scale and efficiencyFollowing their acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia now markets the industry-leading 7950 XRS core routing platform. The technology delivers the scale, efficiency and versatility required so that operators can address the full range of today and tomorrow’s core networking requirements. It is based on a highly programmable Network Processor (NP) architecture that also provides the capacity and capabilities needed as cloud service requirements evolve. Arnold Jansen, Nokia’s Marketing Lead for the 7950 XRS, emphasises that the technology is the most proven technology of its kind in the market. The XRS is deployed by over 62 network operators including 8 out of the top 10 in revenue.

China Unicom has deployed the 7950

XRS into metro networks in six

provinces - Beijing, Shandong, Jiangsu,

Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia and Qinghai -

and this year plans to scale out to an

additional four including Heilongjiang,

Henan, Zhejiang and Hunan to improve

speed and response times for the fixed

and mobile broadband subscribers.

With Nokia’s 7950 XRS platform, China

Unicom can address the full range of

core networking requirements with

room to also meet capacity demands

well into the future.

Mr. Jansen expects that the China

Unicom deployment will have a trickle-

down effect in the region. “Operators

generally want a technology to be

proven in the field before they invest in

it. That’s what places our XRS family in a

good position. It has more deployments

than any other technology of its kind

and is considered extremely stable and

efficient.”

The 7950 XRS was first announced in

2012 as Alcatel-Lucent’s entry into the

core routing market. Alcatel-Lucent

was acquired by Nokia at the start of

this year, so the 7950 XRS is now

Nokia

Karaporten 3

02610 Espoo

Finland

Website: www.nokia.com

branded as a Nokia Networks product.

Mr. Jansen points out that it is a major

product for the Finland-based

multinational: the addressable market

value for the XRS runs in the billions as

traffic demands continue to evolve, on

both the enterprise and consumer side.

“Streaming services such as Netflix but

also the growing uptake of cloud-

based storage and computing place

ever heavier demands on the speed and

capacity of networks. Our router

technology sits at the heart of it all,

carrying ever increasing traffic.”

The XRS also supports the move to

IPv6, which currently is one of the big

things that carriers continue to deal

with in 2016, especially in Asia, where

IPv4 address space has already been

exhausted.

Asia in general and China in particular

is a highly relevant market for Nokia’s

7950 XRS. In 2013, China launched its

Broadband China initiative to invest

$182 billion to boost the speed and

quality of Internet services across the

country. The aim is to reduce the digital

divide by providing businesses and

urban and rural citizens with national

broadband coverage by 2020. In

keeping with this initiative, Chinese

operators continue to improve the

scale and capacity of their networks

with Nokia technology. Among them,

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

65 66

business trends

Game changer in Laser Technology

Spectra-Physics has long been recognised as a laser technology leader, serving customers in over 70 countries around the world. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, the company designs, develops, manufactures and distributes premier lasers and laser systems for a variety of commercial and industrial markets including Semiconductor, Microelectronics, Life & Health Sciences, Industrial Manufacturing, Aerospace and Defense, and Scientific Research. In early 2016, Spectra-Physics introduced Talon 355-30 and Talon 532-40, new high power UV and green additions to its highly successful Talon family of Q-switched diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers.

unparalleled ability to provide the

advanced technology community with

not only outstanding products and

capabilities, but also invaluable

experience and expertise. On April 29,

2016, MKS Instruments, Inc., a global

provider of technologies that enable

advanced processes and improved

productivity, announced the

completion of the acquisition of

Newport Corporation, including

Spectra-Physics. In the accompanying

press release MKS Instruments stated

that the company is very excited by the

combination of MKS Instruments and

Newport Corporation, as it creates a

premier supplier of critical components

and subsystems for a diverse set of end

markets, from semiconductor to life

sciences, each with a common need for

highly precise technology enabling

solutions.

New in the Spectra-Physics portfolio

are the Talon® 355-30 and Talon 532-

40. These new high power UV and

green lasers are new additions to the

highly successful Talon family of

Q-switched DPPS lasers. “The Talon

family of lasers is unique in many

respects,” Dr. Chui says. “They are

highly reliable lasers as we use the

most robust techniques to make them,

from the design right up to the actual

manufacturing of the laser.” With the

new additions to this versatile laser,

Talon, with its single footprint and

identical interfaces for easy

interchange ability, is ideal for a broad

range of processes and applications.

Based on Spectra-Physics’, It’s in the

Box™ design, with the laser and

controller combined in a single,

compact package, Talon uses field-

proven technology to output >30 W

and >500 µJ per pulse of UV, and in

innovate you need the right team and

the right culture. At Spectra-Physics we

do not settle for something that is not

innovative, and if it is not good enough

we will not get involved, because we

always focus on the game changing

aspect.” Case in point is the fact is

Spectra-Physics has a history of strong

Research and Development investment

to stay ahead of the market.

Dr. Chui concludes that the company

sees a lot of new opportunities for

lasers in general as the technology

continues to evolve.

green models >40 W or 1000 µJ, with a

wide repetition rate range of 0 to 500

kHz, high pulse-to-pulse stability and

excellent TEM00 mode quality for tens

of thousands of operating hours.

In recent years, ultraviolet (UV)

wavelength lasers have been proving

their worth in many industries when it

comes to precision micromachining

applications. The driving factor for the

use of UV laser technology as a

solution, is its ability to cleanly and

accurately ablate a wide range of

materials at high speed in a cost-

effective way. Furthermore, the shorter

wavelength allows tighter focusing,

which is beneficial for processing small,

high-precision features in a noncontact

manner. Dr. Chui emphasises the fact

that in addition to the cutting-edge

performance of the lasers in a very high

power UV, the cost and cost of

ownership of laser is equally important.

“Talon 355-30 and Talon 532-40

provide the lowest cost of ownership in

the industry. We believe that to be a

very powerful combination and when

looking at the success rate of these

lasers, the market has recognized that

benefit.”

Dr. Chui is confident that the new

collaboration will produce new

opportunities for Spectra- Physics. “To

Spectra-Physics Headquarters

3635 Peterson Way

Santa Clara, CA 95054

USA

www.spectra-physics.com

Spectra-Physics is best known for

making precision lasers. It is singularly

focused on helping its customers use

precision laser technologies to advance

leading-edge science and propel

industries forward. The company does

so by offering ground-breaking

technologies, deep applications

expertise, disruptive cost-performance,

a commitment to world-class customer

experience, and the highest standards

for operational excellence and

continuous global improvement.

At its founding in 1961, Spectra-Physics

was the first commercial laser company

in the world. “We were founded less

than a year after the invention of the

laser,” says Herman Chui, Sr. Director of

Product Marketing at Spectra-Physics.

The company claims to have been a

catalyst for the laser industry, and has

been responsible for numerous

industry firsts in the laser technology

space.

It was acquired by Newport

Corporation in 2004. This acquisition

significantly increased the scope of

Newport’s expertise and product

offerings in its target markets, adding

to Newport’s product portfolio diode-

pumped solid-state lasers, high-energy

pulsed lasers, and ultrafast laser

systems, as well as photonics

instruments and components,

including light sources,

monochromators, spectroscopy

instrumentation, optical filters, and

ruled and holographic diffraction

gratings. As a combined force, Newport

and Spectra-Physics have an Semiconductor wafer processing with Spectra-Physics UV lasers.

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

67 68

business trends

Adding an extra sparkle to automotive

Based in the US with operations worldwide, Silberline is a global leader in the manufacture and supply of high quality special effect and performance pigments for coatings, inks, and plastics. One of the company’s main verticals is the global vehicle manufacturing sector. Silberline’s technological advancements have introduced high-lustre and sparkling effects with increased durability for automotive OEM processing and paint refinishes. Jeff Drusda, Technical Service Representative at Silberline’s plastics business, highlights the latest additions to their portfolio in this space.

a report by Grand View Research (GVR)

in March of this year.

Contributing to this field, Silberline

offers a comprehensive palette of high-

performance metallic pigments

designed for the demanding needs of

the automotive industry. Silberline’s

metallic pigments for plastics are

manufactured in several product forms

each designed to maximise ease of use,

safety in handling and compatibility

with virtually any plastics processing

application.

The diversity of visual effects that can

be created using Silberline metallic

pigments is unlimited, says Mr. Drusda.

When combined with chromatic

pigments pearlescent, copper, gold,

bronze and even stoneware effects can

be developed. Silberline pigments for

plastics can be used to create the same

high-gloss, high-definition appearance

of a painted part without concerns for

VOC or overspray. “Polymers containing

our metallic pigments can be moulded

to produce parts with intricate detail

and the appearance of having been

made from solid metal. For plastics, our

pigments provide an effective tool for

both the colour stylist and colour

creates subtle tones and a three-

dimensional image within the final

product. The Extra SPARKLE SILVET

series allows for low flow line

appearance while providing a stylist the

option to bypass mould

reconfigurations and offer new colour

designs quickly.

Also new in the Silberline portfolio,

SILVET E LT12882 and SILVET E LT12883

grades are economical leafing aluminium

pigments with corn flake geometry now

being produced in pellet form for ease of

handling and reduction of potential

airborne contaminants. This new SILVET

E series is engineered to enable

customer solutions for good opacity,

hiding, brilliance in reflectiveness and

brightness for the agriculture films and

other applications and opportunities.

“The products reflect the breadth of our

portfolio; from high end pigments

addressing specific colour design issues

such as the Extra SPARKLE SILVET series

to the SILVET commodity line, which can

be used on a variety of general plastics,”

says Mr. Drusda. He additionally

highlights Silberline’s TUFFLAKE line of

“circulation-resistant” pigments, which

are specifically engineered to withstand

mechanical forces and maintain their

targeted appearance.

matcher. As a family of products our

pigments offer a versatile choice of

particle sizes and pigment particle

geometries.”

Silberline’s new Extra SPARKLE SILVET

products were developed to provide

aluminium pigments with the potential

for creating new application designs

and paint-replacement opportunities

for the plastics market. Alluring and

novel aesthetics can be accomplished

with the unique shape of this

aluminium pigment series. Moving

from the traditional 2-dimensional

“flake” geometry to a 3-dimensional

“sphere,” the geometry provides

stylists and formulators a new

approach for colour design. Carried in

Silberline’s proprietary SILVET

technology, the Extra SPARKLE SILVET

Series allows formulators the ability to

create low-opacity metallic effects in a

wide range of polymers. This system

has proven effects for easy and safe

handling, incorporation, and dispersion

for a variety of processing options.

Processing options include injection

moulding, film & sheet and profile

extrusions. When formulated with

transparent pigments or dyes, the fine

pinpoint aesthetic character of Extra

SPARKLE SILVET 600-10-E1 products

Silberline

130 Lincoln Drive

Tamaqua, PA 18252

USA

Website: www.silberline.com

Silberline was founded in 1945 by Ernest

Scheller as a privately held, family-

owned business called Metals Powder

Incorporated in Stamford, Connecticut.

After its name change to Silberline in the

1960s, the company has remained

privately owned and has grown on an

international scale, both organically and

through acquisitions. It currently has

manufacturing and support operations

in seven countries on three continents.

Its product offering has grown and

diversified significantly, too: it now

provides a variety of pigments for

automotive, plastics, graphic arts and

printing applications. These are

marketed and sold through a network of

independent agents and distributors

worldwide.

Mr. Drusda, as Technical Service

Representative, is primarily focused on

supporting the company’s metallic

pigments that are used for coatings and

inks in the automotive plastics market.

Metallic pigments are versatile, eye-

catching and increasingly utilised to

differentiate products in automotive.

Growth in this space is primarily driven

by the lightweighting trend: carmakers

increasingly use plastic components to

reduce the weight of vehicles, which is a

cost-effective measure to reduce CO2.

On a volume basis, more plastics than

steel are now used in today’s cars for a

wide range of components, also

because the versatility of plastics assists

the automotive industry in complying

with more stringent requirements in

terms of economic performance, safety,

and comfort. The global metallic

pigments market overall is expected to

reach $1.20 billion by 2022, according to

Silberline continues to provide global

support in application development and

processing for these and all products in

the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

“Our goal is to continue to expand the

use of metallic effects to meet changing

market requirements,” says Mr. Drusda.

“We are known for our market

responsiveness: our development

efforts are aligned with the market and

our customer needs in order to provide

increased value with our offerings.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

69 70

business trends

Support on the go for travel agents

The Questex Hospitality + Travel Group of Questex LLC serves the worldwide hospitality, travel and related industries across the sector’s entire ecosystem, from tourism and hotel development and investment to hotel design, purchasing, management and operations. The company also delivers hands-on support to travel agents, notably through the Travel Agent University platform. This platform features a mobile responsive design offering agents the ability to work from anywhere, intuitive navigation, and a valuable resource center complete with sales enablement tools, the ability to track activity, and rewards. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world’s leading luxury boutique cruise line, recently became the latest travel organisation to implement Questex’s Travel Agent University, as Jennifer L. Rosen, Group Marketing Director of Questex Travel Group, explains.

they tend to sell more of them – i.e. more

hotel rooms, higher end suites, higher

yields, and so forth. So clients have made

it a priority to educate agents directly and

one of the best ways they do so is via

Travel Agent University (TAU). It’s a

completely seamless platform for agents

to use; they can use it anytime, anywhere

and from any device.”

Launched in 1993, Travel Agent University

is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a

week and graduates an agent from a

course every five minutes. The platform

currently has over 50,000 active

members. Over the years, it has become

100% mobile and tablet friendly. “We

also created an easy to use content

management system (CMS) with client

access, so they can continually update

their course in real time with up-to-the

minute content including new itineraries,

special offers, promotions, photos, and

anything else that will arm an agent with

the information they need to help them

close a sale,” Ms. Rosen adds. “We’ve

streamlined the user experience for travel

agents and clients, and also created a

centralised dashboard so agents can

track their progress anytime.”

Mobile functionality is important as

agents travel all the time, as Ms. Rosen

points out. “With a mobile friendly site,

important information they need, when

they need it, in an effort to help them

increase their commissions and fulfil

their clients’ needs.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise

Collection, the world’s leading luxury

boutique cruise line, recently announced

that it will deliver a new trade portal

featuring e-learning, an enhanced loyalty

program, sales tools and resources for

travel advisors, hosted through

Questex’s Travel Agent University. The

Private Label Trade Portal will enable

travel advisors access to special

information on how Uniworld Boutique

River Cruises are different from other

river cruise products on the market. “It

will be a robust resource center including

videos, a recognition and rewards

program, special offers, itineraries and

sales tools that will help advisors sell

Uniworld to their clients,” Ms. Rosen

explains. “Uniworld will use this portal to

engage with travel agents on an ongoing

basis, to recognise and reward

production, and to communicate

relevant offers, promotions and news in

a meaningful way to the important group

of clients they will serve via the portal.”

This new private label trade portal will be

available directly and via Travel Agent

University’s active member community

they can take the courses anywhere,

even from their phones (19% of our

members do!). The seamless navigation

makes it easy for them to run through

the course and digest the important

information, without them having to get

tied up in confusing site navigation

issues. Plus it was designed with the

active travel agent in mind, rather than

just a canned e-learning technology that

was built for another industry. This is

built to suit a travel agent’s hectic, busy

schedule and allow for them to glean the

Questex LLC

275 Grove Street Ste. 2-130

Newton, MA 02466

USA

Website: www.questex.com

The Questex Hospitality + Travel Group

supports every B2B segment of the

industry, from investment and

development to management

operations, sales and marketing of

hospitality and travel products to

destination development and marketing,

via proven demand generation, learning,

loyalty and rewards solutions as well as a

network of live events. This division of

Questex is aligned around three broad

market segments – hospitality, travel and

meetings – and supported by its digital

media staff. The Questex Travel Group is

arguably best known as the publisher of

Travel Agent and Luxury Travel Advisor

magazines, as well as for Travel Agent

University, the industry’s leading

e-learning platform with the largest

audience of travel agent members.

“Targeting travel agents is a critical

component for many travel suppliers’ B2B

strategies in this country,” says Ms.

Rosen. “With such a large audience of

travellers in the US, companies rely on

the travel agent to promote their

products to their discerning clients. With

that said, agent education is prime on the

list of deliverables in any B2B marketing

strategy. Companies know that when an

agent is educated about their products,

of over 50,000 certified members.

Expected launch date for the Uniworld

portal will be early 2017.

Meanwhile, as the leader in travel trade

education, Questex expects to continue

leading the pack as the travel agent’s

complete holistic resource for all their

needs including education, insights and

market trends, sales solutions, and

supplier information. Ms. Rosen: “As it is,

our readers consider us the authority in

all of those areas and going forward, we

will continue to stay ahead of the curve

with the most valuable editorial content

and technology solutions for our clients

and travel agent members via TAU and all

our content platforms.”

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

businessmagazine forinternationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

71 72

business trends

Real time support for publishers

PubMatic is the marketing automation software company that powers the advertising strategy for premium publishers. Its supply side platform helps publishers realise the full potential of their digital inventory and, through real time bidding and programmatic guaranteed offerings, enables them to have a steady supply of targeted ads on their sites. Bill Swanson, Vice President of EMEA at PubMatic, explains how both digital advertising and PubMatic’s place in this space have evolved, and highlights their new partnership with Proxama PLC, a leading mobile proximity commerce company.

a real time, automated auction that is

able to monetise impressions from many

different publishers across all devices

and formats, including mobile inventory,

which is becoming a larger and larger

part of internet advertising.

While PubMatic is known as a supply

side platform, Mr. Swanson says they

also work closely together with partners

on the demand side. “But what makes us

unique is that we’ve built our platform

from the ground up with the needs of

publishers in mind.” This is a key

differentiator as in the advertising

industry, at the advertiser side of the

ecosystem there are very large agencies

and agency holding companies that help

the marketers and the brands figure out

where to spend their advertising

budgets. Until PubMatic arrived at the

scene, large publishers were

significantly underserved in terms of

technology partners helping them to

maximise the value of their digital

assets.

Mr. Swanson was appointed in his

current position in September 2015; he

previously was Country Manager UK at

the company. A core part of Swanson’s

remit for EMEA is to grow PubMatic’s

portfolio of premium publishers and

media buyer partners, capitalise on

emerging technology opportunities, and

recruit and attract top market talent.

With more than 15 years commercial

digital experience, his previous roles

include Chief Commercial Officer at

Kalooga, Managing Director at The

Independent Digital and Commercial

Manager at News International.

The digital advertising world continues

to evolve, Mr. Swanson points out.

“When PubMatic started, mobile was a

very small part of our business and of

the digital ecosystem in general. The

proliferation of smartphones has meant

report, which detailed how high calibre

brands are increasingly using mobile

private marketplaces to target mobile

consumers with timely, relevant

advertising messages.

PubMatic was ranked by Deloitte as one

of the fastest growing companies in the

US for the fourth consecutive year in

2015. The company has offices

worldwide, and is headquartered in

Redwood City, California.

that more and more of a publishers

content is consumed via a mobile

device. This produces opportunities as

well as challenges for publishers. For

example, publishers can publish their

content across multiple platforms,

offering more opportunities for

advertisers to engage with their target

audiences. On the flip side, one of the

biggest challenges a publisher faces in

the mobile space is the share of mobile

advertising revenue that is being taken

by Google and Facebook. That’s not to

say that a publisher should ignore their

desktop offering, we are still seeing high

eCPMS for desktop Inventory.” The

acronym eCPM means ‘effective cost per

mille’. It is the outcome of a calculation

of the ad revenue generated by a banner

or campaign, divided by the number of

ad impressions of that banner or

campaign expressed in units of 1,000.

The ‘M’ for mille in the name comes

from the Latin meaning 1,000.

Active in this complex and highly

dynamic space, publishers welcome

technology partners such as PubMatic

to help them optimise revenue

performance. The PubMatic platform

already offers a wealth of functionality

such as real-time analytics, yield

management, and workflow automation

and continues to evolve. The company

also continues to expand its partner

ecosystem, by recently partnering with

Proxama PLC, a leading mobile proximity

commerce company. PubMatic provides

Proxama with a leading private

marketplace (PMP), enabling brands and

agencies working with Proxama to see

the premium ad space available before

deciding which placements to invest in.

This will ensure the right advertisers are

connected to Proxama’s publisher

partners and their audiences. This trend

is reflected in PubMatic’s Q4 2015 QMI

PubMatic EMEA

Level 2, 82 Dean Street

London W1D 3SP

United Kingdom

Website: www.pubmatic.com

Online advertising has been getting

both more popular and more

technologically optimised in recent

years. In particular, programmatic has

largely automated the process of buying

and selling ads. These technologies have

proved advantageous for both

advertisers and publishers alike, for

example, making it possible to place

targeted ads directly in front of website

visitors who match the demographics/

behaviour and other patterns selected

by the advertisers in real-time. This has

allowed advertisers to purchase relevant

impressions and get better returns on

their investments. Publishers also get

paid better for such impressions as every

impression is auctioned and sold to the

highest bidder. Supply side platforms

are the technology that helps them

accomplish this: put simply, they help

publishers get the best prices for their

advertising space.

Founded 10 years ago, PubMatic as a

leading supply side platform has

introduced some unique innovations to

the industry. Their platform gives

publishers access to hundreds of buying

partners. These resources make it

possible to negotiate optimum pricing

with the most appropriate partners.

Aside from top notch analytics and

reporting, PubMatic offers a one

platform solution. This platform powers

Bill Swanson,

VP EMEA

at PubMatic

businessmagazine for

internationalenterprises

business trends

seve

nty-

third

editi

on 20

16

73

The new generation shelf label

Displaydata is a leader in the design and supply of dynamic digital display solutions incorporating fully graphic electronic shelf labels (ESLs). The company has customers worldwide and recently signed a significant contract with the Germany-based Kaufland Group for the supply of ESLs to its stores across Europe. Kaufland Group operates more than 650 hypermarkets in Germany. The contract underscores the scalability, enterprise quality and diverse functionality of Displaydata’s technology, according to its CEO, Andrew Dark.

more. Our ESLs give consumers a better

shopping experience than they are used

to in a paper signed store, more similar to

what they’re used to online.”

The company’s latest customer win,

Kaufland, is based in Germany and is

significant for several reasons: it operates

more than 650 stores and sells a wide

range of goods with a focus on freshness,

underscoring both the enterprise quality

of Displaydata’s ESLs and the breadth of

its product portfolio. “We take into

account that one size doesn’t fit all:

labelling fresh fish, for example, is an

issue as fish acid seeps into the label,” Mr.

Dark explains. “We’re planning on

launching a fluid resistant product later

this year that will work within fish

counters, adding to our range of ESLs

which already includes sizes varying from

1.6 inches to 7.4 inches, as well as labels

for frozen products.”

Mr. Dark has been a Non-Executive Board

Director of Displaydata since 2005. He

became interim CEO in 2012 and was

appointed to the position full-time in July

2013. Under his leadership, the company

has focused on getting electronic shelf

labels into the mainstream. “The

Displaydata

Website: www.displaydata.com

technology has been around for a while;

it gained popularity in France when

retailers had to display prices in two

currencies as France migrated to the Euro.

Adoption of the technology was initially

driven by necessity, not the quality of the

solutions. We have changed the game on

several levels: by offering display quality

superior to that of any competing

product, by expanding the functionality

of the technology beyond displaying

price changes, and by making the

technology highly scalable, in other

words, easy to roll out for large retailers

across their stores.”

Displaydata’s ESLs, with the option of

integrated Bluetooth Low Energy

beacons, are fully graphic and display in

three colours. They are part of an

architecture designed in partnership with

retailers to be enterprise- ready. The

trusted platform is simple to install and

needs the least amount of in-store

hardware of any vendor. The wireless

network is secure and the robust

software enables the centralised

management of any number of ESLs,

across any number of stores.

There is a strong business case to make

for Displaydata’s ESLs, Mr. Dark adds.

“You can ensure that in-store pricing is

consistent with pricing on your website,

for example, and offer detailed and

constantly updated product information.

You can even display social reviews, stock

information, currency details and much