Representing Top Brands Easton, Riddell, Bell, Giro and Blackburn, Easton-Bell Plans to Source Sporting Goods and Sports Equipment from Pre-screened Global Sources Suppliers HONG KONG, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Easton-Bell, representing five top international sporting goods brands, is scheduled to meet Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL) suppliers at a Private Sourcing Event ( http://www.privatesourcingevents.com ) in Shanghai on Dec. 3. (Logo: http://www.xprn.com/xprn/sa/200708071747.jpg ) Easton-Bell owns five leading sporting goods brands -- Easton, Ridell, Bell, Giro and Blackburn -- covering baseball, football, cycling, hockey, snow sports products. Its sales in 2006 were US$600 million. Global Sources¡¦ Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "In October, we launched our Sports & Leisure B2B website and hosted the Sports & Leisure Pavilion at the China Sourcing Fairs in Hong Kong. And, this month, we published the inaugural issue of Sports & Leisure sourcing magazine. "In combination with Private Sourcing Events like this one, we offer an end-to-end platform for buyers and suppliers to trade -- from initial contact and communication to meeting and placing orders. This highlights our advantage over platforms which start and finish with online lead generation." Vice president of Global Sourcing for Easton-Bell Sports, David Ward, said: "We asked Global Sources to mine their vast database to find a very particular group of vendors in our biking and team sport product categories in a specific region in China that we were not able to adequately find through our own sourcing offices in Asia. "In a matter of two weeks they were able to locate over 40 qualified vendors and arrange private meetings for us to meet with them. I was extremely impressed with the results." World¡¦s Top Buyers Scheduled to Attend Upcoming Private Sourcing Events Some of the world¡¦s top buyers, including Lowe¡¦s, Metro and Sears are scheduled to attend upcoming Private Sourcing Events this month. The next three events are: -- Home Video Systems & Accessories -- Dec. 4, Shenzhen -- Promotional Gifts -- Dec. 6, Shenzhen -- Furniture -- Dec. 11, Shanghai Global Sources has scheduled more than 80 Private Sourcing Events for 2008. A complete list of Private Sourcing Events scheduled to be held next year is available at http://www.privatesourcingevents.com . Suppliers wishing to participate should contact csm@globalsources.com . Buyers may apply by contacting privatesourcingevents@globalsources.com . Specialized Global Sources Websites, Trade Magazines and Face-to-Face Events Private Sourcing Events are part of the company¡¦s sourcing and product information services which include Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ), Global Sources magazines, Global Sources Direct ( http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com ) and China Sourcing Fairs ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ). For more information, visit http://corporate.globalsources.com . About Global Sources Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media. The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 647,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 230 countries. The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 2 million products and more than 160,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and nine specialized trade shows which run 22 times a year across seven cities. Suppliers receive more than 23 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ) alone. Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 36 years. In mainland China it has over 2,000 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for Chinese-language media. Global Sources Press Contact in Asia: Camellia So Tel: +852-2555-5021 Email: cso@globalsources.com Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia: Eddie Heng Tel: +65-6547-2850 Email: eheng@globalsources.com Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.: James W.W. Strachan Tel: +1-480-664-8309 Email: strachan@globalsources.com Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.: Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc. Tel: +1-415-433-3777 Email: cpelz@lhai.com
Two-Phase, Single-Chip Interleaving Power Factor Controller Simplifies Design, Increases Energy Performance and System Reliability DALLAS, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) introduced today the industry's first single-chip, interleaved power factor correction (PFC) control circuit for multi-kilowatt communications, server and industrial systems. The new UCC28070 two-phase, average current-mode controller allows designers to simplify power design, increase system reliability and achieve a greater than 0.9 power factor rating, which improves energy efficiency. See: http://www.ti.com/UCC28070-pr . (Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20-min.jpg ) "The increasing need for better energy management is apparent in every area of our lives, especially at the business operations level. The magnitude of power requirements for data centers and telecom systems continues to drive industry-wide efforts to reduce wasted energy and improve power quality," said Bob Mammano, power management staff technologist and TI Fellow. "Today's announcement gives power engineers an innovative solution that raises the bar toward more efficient power supply control." Building on more than 20 years of PFC circuit development, TI's UCC28070 continuous conduction-mode controller provides unprecedented performance and reduces system cost in applications where high efficiency and high power factor requirements are important. These range from high-end communications systems to embedded white goods motor drives in refrigerators and air conditioners to HID lighting ballasts. In line-operated systems with power levels from 75 W to 1kW and above, the UCC28070 helps reduce total harmonic distortion, allowing today's systems to better maximize usable outlet power and accommodate extreme variations and disturbances in various AC line voltage levels used around the world. Meeting Strict Efficiency Requirements The UCC28070 helps designers meet the most stringent efficiency requirements for multi-kilowatt power systems. This PFC controller allows light-load phase management to enhance a system's performance -- achieving higher efficiency over the entire load range. Phase management allows a system to turn on or off phases of the power supply, so that only the phases required to power the load are enabled. In a 1.2-kW system, the UCC28070 can initiate an increase of up to 1.5-percent efficiency at a light 20-percent load condition, allowing designers to exceed energy guidelines set forth by industry initiatives, such as The Green Grid, Climate Savers Computing Initiative and Project Big Green. In a 240-watt supply at 20-percent load condition, for example, this increase in efficiency results in a 27-percent power savings. System Reliability and Protection The device helps increase system reliability by incorporating a unique 180 degree interleaving method, which reduces the amount of input and output current ripple and distributes the magnetics to improve thermal management. Average current mode interleaving allows a system to achieve between 50 and 100 percent reduction in ripple compared to today's typical non-interleaved PFC architectures. The UCC28070's optional programmable-frequency dithering mode allows a designer to spread the switching frequency over a range to minimize the generation of electromagnetic interference (EMI). The dithering feature helps reduce capacitor size, and it gives designers the ability to use a smaller, less expensive EMI filter. The UCC28070 offers several unique system control and protection features to improve overall system reliability. An output over-voltage protection scheme with an open-loop detection feature safeguards the system from common circuit board failures. Each phase current is accurately balanced with independent current sensing to prevent excess component heating in the device's dual-phase operation. In addition, the UCC28070 provides under-voltage lockout, cycle-by-cycle peak current limit, and a system over-temperature protection feature. Two-Phase Single-Chip PFC Controllers for Consumer and High-Power Applications In June TI introduced the UCC28060, which is the first single-chip, transition-mode, two-phase PFC controller for 75- to 800-W applications, including consumer applications, such as digital TVs, personal computers and entry-level server platforms. Both the UCC28060 and UCC28070 give designers the best options as they design power systems that support power factor correction in end-equipment designs. For more information on the UCC28060, visit: http://www.ti.com/UCC28060 . Available Today The UCC28070 is available in a 20-pin TSSOP package. It is sampling today, with volume production scheduled for January 2008. Suggested resale pricing in quantities of 100 units is $2.45. An evaluation board, power factor correction application notes and data sheets are available at power.ti.com. About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Education Technology business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ti.com Please refer all reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated Semiconductor Group, SC-07178 Literature Response Center 14950 FAA Blvd. Ft. Worth, TX 76155 1-800-477-8924 Trademarks All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Matt McKinney Texas Instruments Tel: +1-214-480-6894 Email: m-mckinney1@ti.com Heather Mills GolinHarris Tel: +1-972-308-9131 Email: hmills@golinharris.com
Localized service underscored by partnership with eLong BEIJING and BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Expedia(R) Corporate Travel (ECT), a full-service travel management company, today announced plans to launch service in China through a strategic partnership with eLong, Inc. Companies doing business in China will have access to fully localized service, global reporting capabilities and an in-country call center that is staffed with dedicated agents who speak both Mandarin and English. A key part of Expedia Corporate Travel's commitment to the Chinese marketplace is represented by a strategic partnership with eLong(TM), the second largest online travel company in China. Since its inception, eLong has built one of the broadest travel service distribution networks in China. The company utilizes Web-based distribution technologies and a centralized nationwide call center to provide consumers with consolidated travel information. The launch of service in China will mark ECT's first foray into the critical Asia-Pacific market. A dedicated local corporate travel team and call center are the first steps in a much larger strategy to meet the needs of its global client base. With the addition of China to its global offering, travel managers will be able to drive travel policy compliance across a broader range of markets. "Our entry into the Asia-Pacific region is part of our commitment to grow with the needs of our customers," said Jean-Pierre Remy, president of Expedia Corporate Travel. "Many of our existing customers and prospects already do business in China, so we have a clear opportunity to better service the needs of these clients by being where they need us to be." ECT's entry into China underscores the company's focus on balancing each new market's unique needs while maintaining a consistent, high level of service. In addition to global content across the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world, the partnership with eLong will provide ECT's customers with access to over 4,700 hotels in more than 330 cities across China, as well as flight options to more than 70 major cities in the country. "It's exciting to partner with Expedia Corporate Travel as they enter China to meet the needs of global businesses" said Guangfu Cui, CEO of eLong. "Our local market knowledge and relationships with regional suppliers, combined with ECT's outstanding level of service designed for the corporate travel market, ensures a strong corporate travel offering for companies doing business in China and beyond." ECT remains committed to giving customers direct access to their travel data so that they can make informed decisions about how to better manage their travel programs. As part of ECT's new offering in China, customers will be able to choose from a range of different product and service offerings based on their needs. Expedia Corporate Travel's move into China increases its global presence that already includes operations in the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain. About Expedia(R) Corporate Travel Expedia(R) Corporate Travel is the No. 1 online corporate travel agency and fifth largest travel management company in the world. As part of Expedia, Inc., (Nasdaq: EXPE), the world's leading online travel company, empowering business and leisure travelers with the tools and information they need to easily research, plan, book and experience travel, Expedia(R) Corporate Travel brings together the best of technology and corporate support in a single-source solution that drives down costs. Business travelers have access to specialized tools, while companies can take advantage of rich management and reporting features. About eLong, Inc. eLong, Inc. (Nasdaq: LONG) is a leading online travel company in China. Headquartered in Beijing, eLong(TM) has a national presence across China. eLong uses web-based distribution technologies and a center to provide consumers with access to travel reservation services. Aiming to enrich people's lives through the freedom of independent travel, eLong empowers consumers to make informed choices by providing a one-stop travel solution and consolidated travel tools and information such as maps, virtual tours and user ratings. eLong has the capacity to fulfill air ticket reservations in over 57 major cities across China. In addition to choice of a wide hotel selection in the Greater China region, eLong offers Chinese consumers the ability to make bookings at international hotels in over 140 destinations worldwide. eLong operates the websites http://www.elong.com and http://www.elong.net. Expedia and the Airplane logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. eLong and the Dragon logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of elong, Inc. in the United States and/or other counrtries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Jordan Rittenberry of Edelman Tel: +1-312-233-1226 Email: jordan.rittenberry@edelman.com
Global Real Estate Experts To Share Design Strategies And Ideas Atone Of The Most Prominent Events On The International Design Calendar GUANGZHOU, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CoreNet Global is pleased to announce that it will host a symposium on "Corporate Real Estate Design for Profit and Productivity" at this year's Guangzhou Design Week scheduled to take place at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Centre from November 29 to December 4, 2007. The symposium, which will be held from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on November 30 will bring together commercial property experts and thought leaders from around the globe for a day of information exchange, networking and discussions on issues pertinent to all aspects of corporate real estate (CRE) design. Co-organised by the Government of Guangzhou, the International Council of Interior Architects and Designers (ICIAD) and City Expositions Guangzhou, the forum is considered timely given the dynamic economic growth of the Pearl River Delta area and escalating demands across the region for commercial property ranging from manufacturing facilities to office space. The event will therefore not only provide audience members with a unique opportunity to learn more about a sector of crucial importance to the development of the Southern China region. More significantly, delegates will also benefit from insight into facility planning, strategy, management and methodologies, plus how best practices in corporate realty design can create value for their organizations. According to Mr. Alex Lam, CoreNet Global's Managing Director for Asia Pacific, identifying future commercial real estate design trends and creating business models to maximize return on property investments is integral to the success of Chinese companies operating in the Pearl River Delta area. Mr. Lam comments, "CoreNet Global is thus very proud to partner with the ICIAD and City Expositions Guangzhou to host an event dedicated to introducing the concept of corporate real estate design and why it is important for Chinese corporations to embrace CRE as part of their strategy for business success." The opening address for the symposium will be provided by Mr. Weiguang Guo, Vice Director of the Economic and Trade Commission of the Guangzhou Municipality who will set the scene for the one day programme by defining the economic outlook for Southern China, and the important contribution the real estate industry is likely to make towards the region's development and growth. The symposium will also feature engaging presentations from representatives of organizations including Motorola, Standard Chartered Bank, Cisco Systems, Siemens, Jones Lang LaSalle, DEGW and the International School of Beijing. In addition, subject areas to be discussed will range from `Design Trends in Global Business,' and `Corporate Design Standards,' to `What Makes a Good Real Estate Investment' and `Why Design is Important to Business Success.' About CoreNet Global CoreNet Global is the world's premier association for corporate real estate and related professionals. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the global learning organization is the industry thought and opinion leader, plus the only professional real estate group that convenes the entire industry. Today, CoreNet Global's members manage US $1.2 trillion in worldwide corporate assets of owned and leased office, industrial and other space. With nearly 7,000 members representing large organizations around the world, CoreNet Global operates in five global regions: Asia/Japan, Australia, Europe, Latin American and North America. For more information, please visit the CoreNet Global website at http://www.corenetglobal.org . For more information, please contact: CoreNet Global Jennifer Gao Tel: +86-21-6122-1251 Fax: +86-21-6122-1481 Email: jgao@corenetglobal.org Facility Media Janet Middlemiss Tel: +852-2857-3832/ +852-9195-7829 Fax: +852-2840-1284 Email: jm@facilitymedia.com
Global Real Estate Experts To Share Design Strategies And Ideas Atone Of The Most Prominent Events On The International Design Calendar GUANGZHOU, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CoreNet Global is pleased to announce that it will host a symposium on "Corporate Real Estate Design for Profit and Productivity" at this year¡¦s Guangzhou Design Week scheduled to take place at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Centre from November 29 to December 4, 2007. The symposium, which will be held from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on November 30 will bring together commercial property experts and thought leaders from around the globe for a day of information exchange, networking and discussions on issues pertinent to all aspects of corporate real estate (CRE) design. Co-organised by the Government of Guangzhou, the International Council of Interior Architects and Designers (ICIAD) and City Expositions Guangzhou, the forum is considered timely given the dynamic economic growth of the Pearl River Delta area and escalating demands across the region for commercial property ranging from manufacturing facilities to office space. The event will therefore not only provide audience members with a unique opportunity to learn more about a sector of crucial importance to the development of the Southern China region. More significantly, delegates will also benefit from insight into facility planning, strategy, management and methodologies, plus how best practices in corporate realty design can create value for their organizations. According to Mr. Alex Lam, CoreNet Global¡¦s Managing Director for Asia Pacific, identifying future commercial real estate design trends and creating business models to maximize return on property investments is integral to the success of Chinese companies operating in the Pearl River Delta area. Mr. Lam comments, "CoreNet Global is thus very proud to partner with the ICIAD and City Expositions Guangzhou to host an event dedicated to introducing the concept of corporate real estate design and why it is important for Chinese corporations to embrace CRE as part of their strategy for business success." The opening address for the symposium will be provided by Mr. Weiguang Guo, Vice Director of the Economic and Trade Commission of the Guangzhou Municipality who will set the scene for the one day programme by defining the economic outlook for Southern China, and the important contribution the real estate industry is likely to make towards the region¡¦s development and growth. The symposium will also feature engaging presentations from representatives of organizations including Motorola, Standard Chartered Bank, Cisco Systems, Siemens, Jones Lang LaSalle, DEGW and the International School of Beijing. In addition, subject areas to be discussed will range from ¡¥Design Trends in Global Business,¡¦ and ¡¥Corporate Design Standards,¡¦ to ¡¥What Makes a Good Real Estate Investment¡¦ and ¡¥Why Design is Important to Business Success.¡¦ About CoreNet Global CoreNet Global is the world¡¦s premier association for corporate real estate and related professionals. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the global learning organization is the industry thought and opinion leader, plus the only professional real estate group that convenes the entire industry. Today, CoreNet Global¡¦s members manage US $1.2 trillion in worldwide corporate assets of owned and leased office, industrial and other space. With nearly 7,000 members representing large organizations around the world, CoreNet Global operates in five global regions: Asia/Japan, Australia, Europe, Latin American and North America. For more information, please visit the CoreNet Global website at http://www.corenetglobal.org . Contact Details For more information, please contact: CoreNet Global Jennifer Gao Tel: +86-21-6122-1251 Fax: +86-21-6122-1481 Email: jgao@corenetglobal.org Facility Media Janet Middlemiss Tel: +852-2857-3832 / +852-9195-7829 Fax: +852-2840-1284 Email: jm@facilitymedia.com
Expansion Will Help Company to Meet Global Supply of Ceramic Substrates CORNING, N.Y., Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today celebrated the completed expansion of its clean-air products facility, Corning Shanghai Company, Ltd. (CSCL) in Shanghai, China. The additional capacity will help Corning to increase its manufacturing capabilities to meet anticipated local and global demand for advanced ceramic substrates for light-duty vehicle applications. Corning's Board of Directors approved a capital expenditure of approximately $15 million for the expansion in March 2006. (Logo: http://www.xprn.com/xprn/sa/200708141205-min.jpg ) "We are delighted to celebrate this important achievement with our customers, members of the Chinese government and our dedicated employees," said Corning's President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Volanakis, who presided at the event. "This investment further demonstrates Corning's continued support of the Greater China region. It also increases our ability to meet the demands of customers throughout Asia and the rest of the world." The future growth of light-duty ceramic substrates, the heart of catalytic converters, will be driven by the global adoption of new and tighter emissions control regulations. Corning's advanced ceramic substrates are robust, monolithic products that deliver high performance and reduced engine-out emissions. Corning's Celcor(R) product portfolio includes standard, thin-wall and ultra-thinwall substrates. "The advanced ceramic substrates that we manufacture at CSCL help our customers meet tightening emissions regulations," said Thomas Appelt, vice president and general manager, Automotive Technologies, Corning Incorporated. "In addition, our highly skilled sales and engineering teams provide technical expertise to help design, model and test emissions control systems that help our customers meet global requirements and achieve first-class standards." CSCL, which is wholly owned by Corning Incorporated, is a state-of-the-art, high-tech emissions control substrate facility that first began shipping product in early 2001. In addition to manufacturing advanced substrates, CSCL also includes sales, marketing and engineering operations that provide world-class service for Corning customers in China and throughout Asia. Corning is a leading supplier of advanced catalytic converter substrates and particulate filters, supplying the world's major manufacturers of gasoline and diesel engines and vehicles. The company invented an economical, high-performance cellular ceramic substrate in the early 1970s that is now the standard for catalytic converters worldwide. Corning also developed the cellular ceramic particulate filter to remove soot from diesel engine emissions in 1978. About Corning Incorporated Corning Incorporated ( http://www.corning.com ) is the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on more than 150 years of materials science and process engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone components that enable high-technology systems for consumer electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems; optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass solutions for a number of industries including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy and metrology. For more information, please contact: Media Relations Contacts: Lisa A. Burns Tel: +1-607-974-4897 Email: burnsla@corning.com Pamela W. Porter Tel: +1-607-974-9980 Email: porterpw@corning.com Additional Contact: Kenneth C. Sofio Tel: +1-607-974-7705 Email: sofiokc@corning.com
HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Deutsche Grammophon (DG), a division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, will become the first major classical record label to make the majority of its huge catalogue available online for download with the launch of its new DG Web Shop ( http://www.dgwebshop.com ). As the world's leading classical music recording company, Deutsche Grammophon will launch its DG Web Shop on 28 November, enabling consumers in 42 countries to download music at the highest technical and artistic standards. This global penetration includes markets where the major e-business retailers, such as iTunes, are not yet available: Southeast Asia including China, India, Latin America, South Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe including Russia. Michael Lang, President of Deutsche Grammophon, stated: "Our company was founded over 110 years ago, and since then, it has stood for innovation and quality. During the development of our new web shop, we remained true to these principles as we continue to expand the digital music marketplace with our range of download services." Almost 2,400 DG albums will be available for download in maximum MP3 quality at a transfer bit-rate of 320 kilobits per second (kbps) -- an audio-level that experts agree is indistinguishable from CD quality audio; and which exceeds the usual industry download-standard of 128-192 kbps (as well as EMI's 256 kbps on iTunes). Through the launch of this new portal, drawing on the existing strength of its 250,000 unique web site visitors per month, the company once again shows that tradition and technical progress can be combined, and that new distribution channels can be created to appeal to a wider range of music consumers. Among the highlights of the DG Web Shop are almost 600 album titles which are no longer available as CDs -- these have been specially converted into MP3 files for the DG Web Shop, making them available as downloads -- with more out-of-print titles to follow. The goal is to digitize all the great Deutsche Grammophon recordings to be accessible for download -- a treasure of music history, always available. Visitors to the web shop have the choice of buying entire albums, collections of albums and box-sets -- or individual movements, complete works, and individual pieces. In contrast to many other digital download services all tracks are available for sale regardless of length. To design and operate the DG Web Shop, Deutsche Grammophon has partnered with DDD (Germany) and Fresh Digital Inc. (UK). The DG Web Shop will begin by accepting purchases both in US dollars and euros, depending on the residence of the customer. Prices are competitive with current e-business pricing. For example, individual titles with a playing time of up to seven minutes will be priced as low as USD/EUR1.29; while regular-length albums -- with/without "e-booklets" (ie, cover-art, photographs, and liner notes) -- will sell for between USD/EUR 10.99 and USD/EUR11.99. All titles will be offered as 320 kbps MP3s without Digital Rights Management (DRM), as part of Universal Music Group's ongoing market trials of DRM-free downloads, announced earlier this year. This means that DG Web Shop downloads will be compatible with all portable music players including iPods and Walkmans; and, of course, burnable to CD. Michael Lang emphasized, "By launching this easy-to-use, intuitive DG Web Shop, we are not only expecting a significant growth in turnover but are also aiming to solidify and expand the digital future. In concrete terms, this means establishing innovative sales channels and concepts: by attracting the classical novice and, of course, those already steeped in the genre -- and everyone in-between -- as they transfer from being only CD buyers to exploring the advantages of downloading, in CD-comparable audio. This web shop's easy-to-use search function helps all music enthusiasts find and select music by categories such as genre, composer, artist, as well as filter by awards, reviews and series." Music fans without downloading experience will have easy access to the world of the DG Web Shop. "We're offering music consumers a user-friendly 3-click process -- the easiest way to load our music on their computer and MP3 player," explained Daniel Goodwin, head of Deutsche Grammophon's Marketing & Media department. "The shop is part of Deutsche Grammophon's ever-popular, newly redesigned web-site, containing news, e-booklets, promotion videos, tour dates, and more, as well as detailed information on the composer's works, recordings, and artists on Deutsche Grammophon. It now makes our web shop also a well-rounded music boutique". As Christopher Roberts, President, Classics & Jazz, Universal Music Group International, summarizes, "The DG Web Shop will play a defining role in the digital marketplace -- superior audio, easy-to-use and compatible with all players. Now the greatest classical music recordings are available world-wide." Industry insiders expect strong growth rates for downloading classical music during the coming years. Price Waterhouse Coopers, for example, in its study Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2006-2010 forecast that digital turnover will triple between 2007 and 2010. About Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon was founded in Hanover, Germany in 1898 by Emil Berliner and his brothers. After WW I the company grew into the most important German record company. Renowned, international classical artists on Deutsche Grammophon helped the company to achieve worldwide market leadership for classical recordings in the 20th century -- and today it is regarded as the premium brand in the classical world, winning this year's Gramophone magazine "Label of the Year" award. Now based in Hamburg, it's the largest dedicated classical music recording company today. Further information is available at http://www.deutschegrammophon.com . For more information, please contact: Cecily Chen Tel: +86-21-2405-0360 Email: Cecily_chen@cohnwolfe.com
HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Deutsche Grammophon (DG), a division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, will become the first major classical record label to make the majority of its huge catalogue available online for download with the launch of its new DG Web Shop ( http://www.dgwebshop.com ). As the world's leading classical music recording company, Deutsche Grammophon will launch its DG Web Shop on 28 November, enabling consumers in 42 countries to download music at the highest technical and artistic standards. This global penetration includes markets where the major e-business retailers, such as iTunes, are not yet available: Southeast Asia including China, India, Latin America, South Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe including Russia. Michael Lang, President of Deutsche Grammophon, stated: "Our company was founded over 110 years ago, and since then, it has stood for innovation and quality. During the development of our new web shop, we remained true to these principles as we continue to expand the digital music marketplace with our range of download services." Almost 2,400 DG albums will be available for download in maximum MP3 quality at a transfer bit-rate of 320 kilobits per second (kbps) -- an audio-level that experts agree is indistinguishable from CD quality audio; and which exceeds the usual industry download-standard of 128-192 kbps (as well as EMI's 256 kbps on iTunes). Through the launch of this new portal, drawing on the existing strength of its 250,000 unique web site visitors per month, the company once again shows that tradition and technical progress can be combined, and that new distribution channels can be created to appeal to a wider range of music consumers. Among the highlights of the DG Web Shop are almost 600 album titles which are no longer available as CDs -- these have been specially converted into MP3 files for the DG Web Shop, making them available as downloads -- with more out-of-print titles to follow. The goal is to digitize all the great Deutsche Grammophon recordings to be accessible for download -- a treasure of music history, always available. Visitors to the web shop have the choice of buying entire albums, collections of albums and box-sets -- or individual movements, complete works, and individual pieces. In contrast to many other digital download services all tracks are available for sale regardless of length. To design and operate the DG Web Shop, Deutsche Grammophon has partnered with DDD (Germany) and Fresh Digital Inc. (UK). The DG Web Shop will begin by accepting purchases both in US dollars and euros, depending on the residence of the customer. Prices are competitive with current e-business pricing. For example, individual titles with a playing time of up to seven minutes will be priced as low as USD/EUR1.29; while regular-length albums -- with/without "e-booklets" (ie, cover-art, photographs, and liner notes) -- will sell for between USD/EUR 10.99 and USD/EUR11.99. All titles will be offered as 320 kbps MP3s without Digital Rights Management (DRM), as part of Universal Music Group's ongoing market trials of DRM-free downloads, announced earlier this year. This means that DG Web Shop downloads will be compatible with all portable music players including iPods and Walkmans; and, of course, burnable to CD. Michael Lang emphasized, "By launching this easy-to-use, intuitive DG Web Shop, we are not only expecting a significant growth in turnover but are also aiming to solidify and expand the digital future. In concrete terms, this means establishing innovative sales channels and concepts: by attracting the classical novice and, of course, those already steeped in the genre -- and everyone in-between -- as they transfer from being only CD buyers to exploring the advantages of downloading, in CD-comparable audio. This web shop's easy-to-use search function helps all music enthusiasts find and select music by categories such as genre, composer, artist, as well as filter by awards, reviews and series." Music fans without downloading experience will have easy access to the world of the DG Web Shop. "We're offering music consumers a user-friendly 3-click process -- the easiest way to load our music on their computer and MP3 player," explained Daniel Goodwin, head of Deutsche Grammophon's Marketing & Media department. "The shop is part of Deutsche Grammophon's ever-popular, newly redesigned web-site, containing news, e-booklets, promotion videos, tour dates, and more, as well as detailed information on the composer's works, recordings, and artists on Deutsche Grammophon. It now makes our web shop also a well-rounded music boutique". As Christopher Roberts, President, Classics & Jazz, Universal Music Group International, summarizes, "The DG Web Shop will play a defining role in the digital marketplace -- superior audio, easy-to-use and compatible with all players. Now the greatest classical music recordings are available world-wide." Industry insiders expect strong growth rates for downloading classical music during the coming years. Price Waterhouse Coopers, for example, in its study Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2006-2010 forecast that digital turnover will triple between 2007 and 2010. About Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon was founded in Hanover, Germany in 1898 by Emil Berliner and his brothers. After WW I the company grew into the most important German record company. Renowned, international classical artists on Deutsche Grammophon helped the company to achieve worldwide market leadership for classical recordings in the 20th century -- and today it is regarded as the premium brand in the classical world, winning this year's Gramophone magazine "Label of the Year" award. Now based in Hamburg, it's the largest dedicated classical music recording company today. Further information is available at http://www.deutschegrammophon.com . For more information, please contact: Cecily Chen Tel: +86-21-2405-0360 Email: Cecily_chen@cohnwolfe.com
Brookside Capital Partners Leads Series C Round with Continued Participation by Sutter Hill, Farallon Capital and Chengwei Ventures BEIJING, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Youku.com, the leading online video sharing website in China, announced today it has completed a US$25 million round of private equity funding. This investment will be used to accelerate the company's rapid growth, expand sales and marketing efforts and further upgrade R&D and the video service standard of Youku.com. Officially launched in December 2006, Youku ( http://www.youku.com ) is the leader in online video in China. It is the leading destination for Chinese people to watch and share short-form videos all over the world. Youku currently delivers more than 80 million video views on a daily basis. With a broad user base and attractive demographics, Youku has provided interactive marketing solutions to advertising clients such as Dell, Samsung, Shanda, Ford Motors, Rising software, Hewlett Packard, Giant Interactive, etc. "Youku has achieved its leadership position in the last 12 months by growing more than 10 times in user base and number of videos viewed per day," said Victor Koo, Founder and CEO of Youku.com. "We are honored to have Brookside Capital Partners, a fund affiliated with global private equity firm Bain Capital, as our new investment partner, and continued participation by Sutter Hill, Farallon and Chengwei Ventures. With the support of these world-class investors, we are confident to build Youku into the largest and most profitable online video company in China." Besides closing a new round of financing, Youku also announced recently that it has entered into an online video strategic cooperation with Sohu.com. Previously, Youku.com formed a strategic partnership with Baidu, the leading search engine in China and the company also provides exclusive game video support to Shanda, the Nasdaq-listed online game operator in China. In the mean time, Youku has also cooperated with many leading media and entertainment organizations in China, including China Film Group, CCTV, Universal Music, Phoenix TV, Shanghai TV, Jiangsu Satellite TV and China Education TV, for example. "We are very happy to bring our firm's media expertise to this partnership with Youku," said Mark Moore, Director at Brookside Capital Partners. "We believe Victor and his team are well positioned to replicate the success of the leading Chinese internet portals in the video space and succeed in building another strong internet company in China." Before Series C, Youku successfully completed two rounds of venture financing of US$15 million in total from Sutter Hill Ventures, Farallon Capital and Chengwei Ventures. "We are very proud of what Youku has achieved in the last 12 months since we made our first investment," said Len Baker, Managing Director of Sutter Hill Ventures. "Online video is rapidly changing the media landscape both in the U.S. and China, and we are confident that Youku's management team will execute its business plan and capitalize on this tremendous opportunity in China." About Youku.com Founded in November 2005, Youku is the leader in online video in China. It is the leading destination for Chinese people to watch and share short-form videos all over the world. The Youku.com website was officially launched in December 2006 and has grown rapidly since -- Youku delivers more than 80 million daily video views as of November 2007. About Brookside Capital Partners & Bain Capital Brookside Capital Partners is an investment fund affiliated with Bain Capital ( http://www.baincapital.com ), a leading global private investment firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management. Formed in 1996, Brookside invests across a broad spectrum of industries including media & telecom, healthcare, consumer, industrial and financial services. Each investment is based on fundamental analysis of the company's business by professionals who are sector focused. Headquartered in Boston, Bain Capital has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, London, and Munich. About Sutter Hill Ventures Sutter Hill Ventures has financed technology-based start-ups and assisted entrepreneurs in building market-leading companies since 1962. The oldest venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, they have invested over 350 technology and medical start-ups and created over $100 billion in market value. About Farallon Capital Farallon Capital Management, L.L.C. is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm manages more than $16 billion equity capital for institutions and high net worth individuals, and its institutional investors are primarily college endowments and foundations. About Chengwei Ventures Chengwei Ventures, based in Shanghai, is one of the first independent venture capital funds and the only evergreen private equity fund to operate in China. Chengwei was founded in 1999 for the purpose of investing in high-growth potential companies in a variety of industries including communication software, IC design, niche component manufacturing, healthcare and media. Chengwei's investments in China include AAC Acoustic Limited (Stock Code: 2018), Sunny Optics (Stock Code: 2328), Huaya Technology, OneWave Inc., HDT, Inc., BabyCare Ltd. and AsiaInfo. For more information, please contact: Media Contact: Youku.com Karen Chen Tel: +86-10-8460-8668 Mobile: +86-135-0125-2100 Email: chenying@youku.com Stanton Crenshaw Communications Alex Stanton Tel: +1-212-780-1900 Email: alex@stantoncrenshaw.com
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Mylan Inc. (NYSE: MYL) today announced the appointment of Steven G. Zylstra as Vice President, Global Corporate Communication and Public Relations. Mr. Zylstra will manage and oversee all internal and external communications and provide communications and public relations counsel to members of Mylan's global senior management team in their various roles across the Company. Mr. Zylstra joins Mylan from the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Pittsburgh Biomedical Development Corporation where he served as President and CEO. He joined the Pittsburgh Technology Council et al after serving as Director, Business Development, for Simula Technologies Inc. Prior to joining Simula, Mr. Zylstra served as General Manager, General Pneumatics Corporation's Western Research Center, and, prior to that, he served as Technical Manager for Bendix Guidance Systems Division. Mr. Zylstra joins Mylan with nearly 30 years of public relations, senior management, business development, marketing, government relations and engineering experience, including the past seven years as a chief spokesman for the technology and manufacturing industries in southwestern Pennsylvania. Mylan Vice Chairman and CEO Robert J. Coury said: "In Steve, Mylan is adding yet another highly-seasoned, top-notch leader to further strengthen our senior management team. His rich and diverse background steeped in technology and manufacturing, makes him especially well suited to articulate the dynamic future and intrinsic complexities of both Mylan and of the generic and specialty pharmaceuticals industries." Mr. Zylstra said: "I am elated to be joining Mylan at this transformational period in the Company's already prosperous history. I look forward to working with the members of an extraordinary global management team and supporting them and their operations with a world-class communications program as Mylan becomes the leading quality generic and specialty pharmaceutical company in the world." Mr. Zylstra earned a bachelor's of science degree from Western Michigan University. Mylan Inc. is one of the world's leading quality generic and specialty pharmaceutical companies. The Company offers one of the industry's broadest and highest quality product portfolios, a robust product pipeline and a global commercial footprint through operations in more than 90 countries. Through its controlling interest in Matrix Laboratories Limited, Mylan has direct access to one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in the world. Dey L.P., Mylan's fully integrated specialty business, provides the Company with innovative and diversified opportunities in the respiratory and allergy therapeutic areas. For more information about Mylan, please visit http://www.mylan.com . For more information, please contact: Kris King Mylan Inc. Tel: +1-724-514-1800
SINGAPORE and WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- DuPont Titanium Technologies today announced a price increase for all DuPont(TM) Ti-Pure(R) titanium dioxide grades sold in the Asia Pacific region. Effective January, 15, 2008, or as permitted by contract, prices for all titanium dioxide grades (TiO2) will increase $150 USD per ton in Asia except People's Republic of China. Effective January 15, 2008, or as permitted by contract, prices in China will increase by 1.5RMB/kg. This increase is in addition to the global price increase actions announced previously and being implemented through 4Q2007 by DuPont. Input costs associated with raw materials, energy, fuel and transportation continue to escalate rapidly. The increases implemented to date in 2007 still leave prices well below the levels required to offset both structural changes in costs and recent rapid cost escalations. DuPont Titanium Technologies will continue to work to offset these increases with productivity initiatives, but such initiatives alone cannot be expected to support margins and reinvestment economics necessary to support the needs of our customers in the growing Asian markets. In addition to this overall portfolio increase announcement, DuPont Titanium Technologies will implement a price differential between selected elements of the standard offering and selected specialty offering elements in the product line. This will include some grades, some packaging and some logistics. DuPont Titanium Technologies is the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide, serving customers globally in the coatings, paper and plastics industries. The company operates plants at DeLisle, Miss.; New Johnsonville, Tenn.; Edge Moor, Del.; Altamira, Mexico; and Kuan Yin, Taiwan; all of which use the chloride manufacturing process. The company also operates a plant in Uberaba, Brazil, for finishing titanium dioxide and a mine in Starke, Fla. Technical service centers are located in Uberaba, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico; Mechelen, Belgium; Kuan Yin, Taiwan; Ulsan, Korea; Wilmington, Del.; and Shanghai, China, to serve the European, Middle Eastern, United States, Asian and Latin America markets. DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science(TM), and Ti-Pure(R) are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. Contact: Kimberlie A. Lantz United States 302-999-2361 kimberlie.a.lantz@usa.dupont.com Ricky Fu Ming law Singapore (65) 6586 3055 Ricky-Fu-Ming.Law@sgp.dupont.com
NEW YORK, Nov. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- United Nations -- The United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM, its Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman, and a large number of partners launched an Internet campaign on ending violence against women today. Titled, "Say NO to Violence against Women," the campaign invites people to add their names to a "virtual" book on a web site that has been developed specifically for this purpose: http://www.saynotoviolence.org . Urging hundreds of thousands -- even millions -- of people around the world to participate, the campaign aims to send a strong message to decision-makers to place ending violence against women high on the global agenda. "Violence against women is an appalling human rights violation," said UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman. "But it is not inevitable. We can put a stop to this. The more names we collect, the stronger our case to make ending violence against women a top priority for governments everywhere. This is why I was the first to sign my name." Statistics indicate that as many as one in three women will experience violence in her lifetime. Too often, this violence occurs with impunity for perpetrators and inadequate access to support for survivors. UNIFEM has been a leading advocate for decisive action to address the multiple manifestations of gender-based violence -- whether it be domestic violence, human trafficking or systematic rape in conflict zones. The task continues, however, to be an uphill battle, as fear and shame prevent many women from speaking out. Joanne Sandler, acting UNIFEM Executive Director, said: "The momentum to address violence against women is increasing. At least 89 countries, for example, have legislative provisions on domestic violence by now. But implementation of these laws is often insufficient due to a lack of political will, capacity and resources. As long as violence is pervasive and women do not dare to accuse their abusers, the issue needs to be much more prominent in public debate." UNIFEM's Internet campaign is a gateway to information on violence against women, including pointing out ways to get involved. Since resources are critical to tackling the issue, it also highlights the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, through which initiatives in developing countries have received much-needed support, in particular to advance the implementation of laws and policies. Major civil society organizations representing millions of members, such as World YWCA, Zonta International and the White Ribbon Campaign have come on board as launch partners, as have private sector companies like Avon, and UN partners such as UNICEF. The campaign will run until 8 March 2008, International Women's Day. It was developed on a pro bono basis by London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett, with additional pro bono support by companies arc, sky, vividas, tsunami, ITN source, MPC, and wave. For more information, please contact: UNIFEM Nanette Braun Tel: +1-212-906-6829 Email: nanette.braun@unifem.org Letitia Anderson Tel: +1-212-906-6506 Email: letitia.anderson@unifem.org
-- Orascom Telecom subsidiary in Bangladesh will use Comptel software to improve fulfillment processes for mobile services HELSINKI, Finland, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Comptel Corporation (OMX Helsinki: CTL1V), the leading vendor of dynamic Operations Support System (OSS) software, announced today that mobile operator banglalink, a fully owned subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), has selected Comptel Provisioning and Activation Solution. banglalink is the second announcement of an OTH subsidiary selecting Comptel software since the publication of Comptel status as preferred supplier to the group. banglalink has been pursuing an aggressive strategy of growth. In 2006 alone, banglalink grew its subscriber base by over 250%. However, banglalink identified that their existing activation solution would not be able to keep pace with their ambitions. As a result, banglalink selected Comptel Provisioning and Activation Solution to automate mobile service activation. Mr. Waleed El-Sonbaty, IT Director for banglalink, says: "Orascom Telecom chose Comptel's solutions based on their impressive track record and technological superiority in the telecoms marketplace worldwide. With the rapid increase of banglalink's subscriber base, over 5.1 million (Q2, 2007) in just over two years, it is imperative for us to continue providing our customers with the best available quality when it comes to our products and services, service delivery, service stability and overall credibility of our operations. Comptel's suite of products will also provide us the required flexibility and optimal time to market to tailor solution catering for our differentiated clientele base." Mr. Mohamed Kamel Selim, Application Development & Billing Support Manager at banglalink, continues: "banglalink is a key-player in Bangladeshi telecom market in products and services delivery. By selecting Comptel Provisioning and Activation Solution, we want to continue in delivering innovative products and services fast and reliable to our customers and also cost effective. We rely on Comptel's extensive experience and technical capabilities to achieve these targets and to continue as main key-player in the market." Comptel Provisioning and Activation Solution automates the service fulfillment processes. With a single interface, it covers the entire workflow -- from service order to start of billing. At banglalink, Comptel Provisioning and Activation Solution will be used to activate both voice and data services, for postpaid and prepaid customers. Mr. Kari Pasonen, Comptel's Senior Vice President, Provisioning and Activation Business, concludes: "banglalink's selection of Comptel is yet another proof of our leadership in fulfillment. It is also yet another success for Comptel on the subcontinent which is one of the fastest growing regions in the world for telecom services. And of course, this announcement reinforces our relationship with banglalink's parent company, Orascom Telecom." About banglalink banglalink is a fully owned subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Holding that started its operation in Bangladesh in February 2005. With aggressive strategies of network expansion, dedicated customer service and innovative marketing solutions banglalink became the fastest growing mobile operator of the country. According to declared results of June 2007, banglalink has network coverage all over the country with more than 5.1 million subscribers in the network. For more information: http://www.banglalinkgsm.com/ About Comptel Corporation Comptel ( http://www.comptel.com ) provides Comptel Dynamic OSS(TM) solutions, offering service-enabling mediation, charging and fulfillment capabilities to telecom service providers. For more information, please contact: Olivier Suard Comptel Corporation Tel: +44-20-78874513 Email: olivier.suard@comptel.com
JIANGSU, China, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. ("the Company", or "CSI") (Nasdaq: CSIQ) today announced it signed an annual solar cell supply contract with long-term supplier Gintech Energy Corporation of Taiwan. Total shipments to CSI under the contract amount are between 17MW to 22MW with fixed pricing and delivery schedules in 2008. The shipment will start in January 2008. Scott Kuo, Chairman of Gintech commented, "Gintech is committed to delivering solar cells of the highest quality at competitive prices to serve our clients. Our goal is to become the best and specialized solar cell producer with solid and diversified customer relationship. Our continued relationship with CSI, one of the leading solar manufacturing companies, brings us closer to this goal." Dr. Shawn Qu, CEO of CSI, said, "We were able to secure this new contract on competitive terms due to our strong relationship with Gintech, which has been a valued partner of CSI since 2004. At fixed pricing with scheduled delivery times, the contract provides added visibility into our supply channel to support our 2008 business plan. This is another example of our ability to achieve win-win relationships with companies across the solar value chain. The continuation of our collaboration with Gintech is in line with our long-term supply strategy, which includes direct purchasing from a selected number of long-term strategic cell suppliers in addition to our internal solar cell production." About Gintech Energy Corporation Gintech is a solar cell manufacturer based in Taiwan. Gintech's state-of- the-art equipment, facilities and cost-effective production line focus only on solar cell manufacturing. Gintech was founded in 2005 and is supported by several top executives from the petroleum, petrochemical, semiconductor and electronics industries in Taiwan with insight into the global trends of renewable energy. About Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: CSIQ) Founded in 2001, Canadian Solar Inc. (CSI) is a vertically integrated manufacturer of solar cell, solar module and customer-designed solar application products serving worldwide customers. CSI is incorporated in Canada and conducts all of its manufacturing operations in China. Backed by years of experience and knowledge in the solar power market and the silicon industry, CSI has become a major global provider of solar power products for a wide range of applications. For more information, please visit www.csisolar.com. Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release including statements regarding expected future financial and industry growth are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include general business and economic conditions and the state of the solar industry; governmental support for the deployment of solar power; future shortage or availability of the supply of high-purity silicon; demand for end-use products by consumers and inventory levels of such products in the supply chain; changes in demand from significant customers, including customers of our silicon materials sales; changes in demand from major markets such as Germany; changes in customer order patterns; changes in product mix; capacity utilization; level of competition; pricing pressure and declines in average selling price; delays in new product introduction; continued success in technological innovations and delivery of products with the features customers demand; shortage in supply of materials or capacity requirements; availability of financing; exchange rate fluctuations; litigation and other risks as described in the Company's SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 20-F originally filed on May 29, 2007. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For more information, please contact: For Canadian Solar Inc. In Jiangsu, P.R. China Bing Zhu, Chief Financial Officer Canadian Solar Inc. Phone: +86-512-62696755 Email: ir@csisolar.com For Canadian Solar Inc. In the U.S. David Pasquale The Ruth Group Phone: +1-646-536-7006 Email: dpasquale@theruthgroup.com For Gintech Energy Corporation Sales Gintech Energy Corporation Phone: +886-2-2656-2000 Email: sales@gintech.com.tw
LONDON, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Daval International Limited, a UK private company, announces MHRA and IRB (Ethics Committee) approval of a London based Phase IIB trial of AIMSPRO(R), its hyperimmune caprine serum derivative. This double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study will seek to detect a beneficial effect on bladder function in patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, following open-label observations over several years in a number of informed consent, "compassionate basis" patients. AIMSPRO has an "export only" listing on the Australian Registry of Therapeutic Goods and a TGA Orphan Status Designation for the treatment of Krabbe's disease. An IND application is being lodged for a further MS trial in the United States. AIMSPRO is a frozen medication, given as a 1ml sub-cutaneous injection every 4 days. It is believed to have a pronounced and sustained anti-inflammatory action with an associated, novel effect of lowering sodium channel triggering voltages in nerve fibres. MHRA applications for two further clinical trials are to be lodged within the next 3 months. Daval International Ltd. has recently been accepted as a member of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. "ABE" Daval International Limited Daval International Limited is a privately owned British pharmaceutical company, which, since 2001, has been developing an immunologically active human and veterinary medication derived from goat serum. Some 20.000 doses of Aimspro have been administered, mainly to human subjects with multiple sclerosis, with an excellent safety and tolerance profile. For more information, please contact: Daval International Ltd Email: email@davalinternational.com Dr. Bryan Youl Tel: +44-0-7793-526-096 Brian Quick Tel: +44-0-7764-828-114
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Investment Proposal Part of Three-Point Restructuring Plan for Linktone with the Goal of Repositioning the Company to Increase Shareholder Value BEIJING and HONG KONG, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lunar Capital Management ("LCM") and CDC Corporation (Nasdaq: CHINA) and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates ("CDC", and taken together with LCM, the "Strategic Investors"), today disclosed that they have presented a formal proposal for an investment in, and restructuring of, Linktone Ltd. (Nasdaq: LTON) ("LTON" or "Linktone"). The Strategic Investors have proposed to purchase either common shares or convertible preferred shares convertible into a minimum of 19.9% of the fully-diluted equity capitalization of LTON. The purchase price would be at a premium to Linktone's most recent closing price, in the case of convertible preferred shares, or at a discount, in the case of common shares. The Strategic Investors would seek to appoint up to 3 directors to Linktone's Board of Directors in order to effect a proposed restructuring of Linktone's business. Furthermore, the Strategic Investors would enter a lock up agreement not to sell the shares for a minimum of 6 months. The consideration for the transaction will be made entirely in cash. The Strategic Investors are making this proposal in order to reposition Linktone in China's wireless and media markets for the increased benefit of Linktone's shareholders. This repositioning would leverage the Strategic Investor's resources and the Company's talented management team. The Strategic Investors believe they have the operational expertise and skill set necessary to work with the Company to effect a restructuring of the business, and that this proposal offers an exciting opportunity for Linktone shareholders. If elected by the shareholders, directors nominated by the Strategic Investors will propose that Linktone: (1) restructure its core Wireless Value-Added Services Business through cost cutting, product refocus and leveraging greater synergies with partner companies; (2) restructure new media assets into a separate stand-alone entity with greater access to media expertise and clearer performance metrics; and (3) actively build a pipeline of transformative transactions aimed at increasing shareholder value through leveraging Strategic Investor resources. The Strategic Investors believe that this clear three-point proposal will build value for Linktone shareholders by leveraging outside expertise and re-clarifying business lines in order to focus and improving financial performance. Additionally, the Strategic Investors believe that the proposed restructuring will reposition Linktone as an internet, media and telecommunications asset with significant growth potential in China-one of the world's fastest growing telecoms, media and technology markets. The Strategic Investors believe that they have the resources and operational expertise to implement the above three point plan and deliver results. LCM is a China-focused private equity fund manager that takes selective stakes in businesses where it believes it can drive value creation through applying intensive operational expertise. Partners of LCM include former senior executives of China's leading publicly-listed wireless, internet and media companies and global financial services leaders. CDC has a proven track record of acquiring attractive, underperforming assets and growing them into industry leading enterprises. This has been demonstrated by CDC's acquisition and turn around of Ross Systems, Pivotal Corporation and IMI and their subsequent evolution into CDC Software, now independently ranked as 12th largest vendor of enterprise and supply chain software in the world. CDC's investments in the wireless sector include an investment in BBMF, one of the leading 3G mobile content providers in Japan. Accordingly, Linktone and its shareholders should consider LCM and CDC as value-added investors that will provide the Company with the merger and acquisition, China and global operational expertise to help the business evolve in a manner which delivers increased shareholder value. The Strategic Investors are confident that the proposed transaction is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders. This proposal is being made in good faith and is intended to be a friendly approach from value-added investors to assist the Company during this difficult period. The Investors have a high-degree of confidence in the Company and its Management, both of which are factors in deciding to proceed with this proposal. Strategic Investors additionally believe that the terms of the Transaction are appropriate for the acquisition of the proposed minority stake, particularly in light of the resources that the Strategic Investors intend to devote to the Company. The proposed transaction would be subject to certain closing conditions, including, but not limited to, the Strategic Investors' completion of its due diligence, the completion of definitive transaction documents, relevant regulatory requirements, Linktone's effecting the resignation of at least three of the current non-executive directors of and the election by the shareholders of three directors representing the Strategic Investors. The Strategic Investors will nominate directors that ensure that the Company is compliant with the independence requirements of both NASDAQ and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Furthermore, given potential concerns regarding CDC as an investor due to certain potential overlapping businesses, any director nominated by or affiliated with CDC will be asked to abstain from consideration, evaluation and approval of any proposed transactions that may arise between CDC or its affiliates and Linktone. The Strategic Investors believe that the addition of three new directors each representing shareholders with a substantial financial stake in Linktone's future is the best possible way to ensure a clear focus on building shareholder value and protecting minority shareholder interests. No firm response has been received from the Company. Speaking on behalf of the Strategic Investors, Maria Tsui, spokesperson for LCM, stated, "We believe that Linktone's shareholders would benefit tremendously if the Board of Directors were to approve our proposed transaction. We are presenting this proposal in a spirit of good faith because we firmly believe that it is clearly in the best interest of shareholders, and would assist the Company in meeting its goals of building a stronger business in China. Furthermore, we intend to fully involve management and make this a team effort to transition back to profitability and increased value. Lastly, we believe that the operational expertise that the Strategic Investors can deliver to the Company will result in an ability to generate greater returns from Linktone's tangible and intangible assets for shareholders." Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes statements relating to the ability of CDC and LCM, such as the ability improve efficiencies, improve customer service, drive cost savings and competitive advantage. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties and changes in circumstances. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements including, among others: the conditions of market, the continued ability to develop solutions, demand for and market acceptance of new and existing services, development of new functionalities which would allow companies to compete more effectively. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions proves incorrect, our results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. Further information on risks or other factors that could cause results to differ is detailed in filings or submissions with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission made by CDC Corporation in its Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2006 on Form 20-F filed on July 2, 2007. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to management as of the date of the press release, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward looking statements which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company assumes no obligation to update or alter the forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For More Information: Investor Relations Monish Bahl CDC Corporation Tel: +1-678-259-8510 Email: Monish.bahl@cdcsoftware.com Media Relations Maria Tsui Lunar Capital Management Tel: +852-3198-0162 Email: mtsui@lunarcap.com
BEIJING, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Huaneng Power International, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: HNP; HKEx: 902; SSE: 600011) announced that a 1,000MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired generating unit (Unit 4) at Huaneng Yuhuan Power Plant completed the 168-hour trial run on November 24, 2007. To date, the Company's total generation capacity on an equity basis has increased from 30,747MW to 31,747MW. Huaneng Power International, Inc. develops, constructs, operates and manages large-scale power plants in China nationwide, with a total generation capacity of 31,747MW on an equity basis and a total controlling generation capacity of 36,024MW. The Company wholly owns seventeen operating power plants, and has controlling interests in twelve operating power companies and minority interests in five operating power companies. Currently, it is one of the largest listed power producers in China. For enquiries, please contact: Ms. Meng Jing / Ms. Zhao Lin Huaneng Power International, Inc. Tel: +86-10-6649-1856 / +86-10-6649-1866 Fax: +86-10-6649-1860 Email: zqb@hpi.com.cn Ms. Christy Lai / Ms. Patricia Tse Rikes Communications Limited Tel: +852-2520-2201 Fax: +852-2520-2241
Attributed to Aggressive Product Innovation and Effective Marketing Strategy HONG KONG, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vitasoy International Holdings Limited (VIHL, Vitasoy or "the Group") (HKEx: 0345), a Hong Kong-based manufacturer and distributor of non-carbonated beverage and food, today announced that its turnover for the six months ended 30 September 2007 grew by 14.2%, to HK$1,514 million. The Group recorded a profit attributable to shareholders of HK$105 million, a healthy growth of 5.0% compared to the same period of the preceding year. Mr. Winston Yau-lai Lo, Executive Chairman of VIHL said, "Under an orchestrated campaign of aggressive product innovation and effective marketing initiatives, the four operating markets reported satisfactory operating performance. These efforts have also helped strengthening the leading position of many of our products in various markets. During the period, there was remarkable growth in the Mainland China and Australian markets, while Hong Kong also reported some solid growth. We achieved our goal of reducing the North American business operating loss, paving the way for further improvement. The Group strategically increased its advertising and promotional expenses in order to effectively launch new products and substantially reinforce the brand value of `Vitasoy'. We believe it will benefit the Group's expansion and brand value in the long run despite its short-term impact on the growth of operating profit." The Group's basic earnings per share were HK10.4 cents, representing 5.1% growth over the same period of the preceding year. The Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend of HK2.8 cents per share (2006/2007 interim: HK2.8 cents per share). During the interim period, Vitasoy reported an encouraging growth of 14.8% in gross profit, amounting to HK$894 million. Despite the general rise in production costs, the Group's gross profit margin stood at 59.0%, which is in line with the same period last year. Hong Kong In the Hong Kong market, Vitasoy continued its strong focus on product innovation and brand building, and recorded a 7.4% growth in domestic sales. The number of new products launched during the interim period was more than double the number of new products launched during the entire previous financial year. New Vitasoy products include VITASOY SAN SUI Tofu, VITASOY Jasmine Soya Bean Milk, reformulated VITASOY Chocolate Soya Bean Milk, VITA Double Chocolate Milk and VITA Less Sweet Lemon Tea. In addition, very hot weather during this year's summer months in Hong Kong stimulated healthy growth in all business segments, especially the on-the-go market. The water business also showed satisfactory sales growth, which was a result of effective selling strategy and market consolidation. Mr. Lo said, "Our emphasis on building our brand, expanding our product portfolio, and launching effective marketing campaigns has strengthened our leading position in the local beverage market. In the 2nd half of the fiscal year, we will continue to invest in brand reinforcement and promotion of our core products and newly launched items. Despite the challenges brought by increasing raw material costs and inflationary pressure, we will closely monitor all developments and adopt appropriate cost management measures. In addition, we will plan our promotional strategy carefully, in order to capture opportunities for effective price increases brought about by the revived economy and general inflation." Mainland China Thanks to the successful strategy of "core business, core brand and core city", Vitasoy China maintained strong expansion during the interim period, reporting a significant sales growth of 68.5% over the same period last year. "In spite of intensifying market competition, we are still able to maintain our leading position in the soymilk category in the Mainland market by offering premium products at premium prices. We have also applied our successful experience in Southern China to the eastern provinces. These factors, together with greater awareness of the benefits of soy and the Vitasoy brand among consumers in our target cities, have resulted in encouraging growth in our business in Eastern China." Mr. Lo noted. Mr. Lo added, "In the second half of the year, Vitasoy China will increase investment in brand building and customer education, continue to strengthen and expand our distribution network, and introduce a range of highly nutritious soymilk products. Australia Vitasoy Australia continued to report outstanding performance, posting growth of 28.1% in revenue and 15.0% in operating profit, thanks to the Group's concerted efforts in promoting existing products to capture a bigger market share and its robust brand position, along with the doubled production capacity of its production plant. These efforts have enabled Vitasoy Australia to pursue a more aggressive growth and expansion strategy. Vitasoy successfully launched six new products in September, as part of the result of its product innovation strategy. "We note that Australia has entered a period of slow growth and saw some market players recently cut their product prices drastically. However, since Vitasoy has a very strong brand effect and high consumer loyalty, the management believes that we can maintain our premium product position and premium retail shelf prices, hoping that we can beat our competitors and enlarge our market share," Mr. Lo remarked. North America The Group's North American operation has successfully reduced its operating loss by 41.2%, to HK$10 million, and recorded a mild growth of 0.5% in sales during the interim period, after the Group re-adjusted its business strategy to focus on core products and competencies. In order to further narrow its operating loss, Vitasoy USA will implement a three-pronged strategy: the launch of single-serve shelf-stable soymilk; enhancement of Vitasoy's leading position in the tofu market, and further development of the ethnic market. "Our efforts to improve our financial performance in North America will be further strengthened by cost rationalization measures and price revisions on selected products. In spite of the challenges of the market, we believe there is opportunity for Vitasoy USA to grow," Mr. Lo commented. Business Outlook Looking ahead, Mr. Lo said, "We will leverage our core competencies and focus on areas we excel in, including product innovation, brand building and cost management, to drive revenue growth and capture larger market shares, amidst the challenges brought by intensifying market competition, inflationary pressure and rising costs of raw materials. We will also explore new business opportunities to create greater long-term shareholder value." Vitasoy International Holdings Limited is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of non-carbonated drinks with a base in Hong Kong. Founded in 1940 and with production facilities in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Australia and the United States, Vitasoy currently provides consumers in 42 markets worldwide with over 1,000 stock keeping units (SKU). Over the years, Vitasoy has successfully established a corporate image as "the soy expert". Vitasoy is a constituent of the Morgan Stanley Capital International ("MSCI") Hong Kong Small Cap Index. For more information, please contact: Stella Lung, Public Relations Manager Tel: +852-2468-9644 Fax: +852-2465-1008 Email: pubrel@vitasoy.com Angela Hui / Paul Sham, Ketchum Hong Kong Tel: +852-3141-8091 / +852-3141-8068 Fax: +852-2510-8199 Email: angela.hui@knprhk.com / paul.sham@knprhk.com
SINGAPORE, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Welcome Real-time today released a new card applet, called SPICED, designed to make payment scheme brands more attractive and useful to merchants, so that brand acceptance and usage are encouraged and pressure on interchange fees is reduced. When a payment brand offers valuable features to merchants, not offered by other brands, there is a higher chance that merchants will encourage customers to use that brand over others, interchange fees are easier to justify, and the brand becomes more attractive to banks keen on receiving more interchange. When a payment scheme is SPICED, merchants can use data stored inside the cards to deliver targeted messages and promotional offers at the POS, at very low cost. For example, a coffee chain can recognize an infrequent customer that has not been to the chain in over 30 days, and print an offer at the bottom of the card receipt encouraging the customer to come back soon. Alternatively, merchants can avoid giving high value promotions to all customers by delivering their most valuable coupons after a certain number of visits or cumulative spending. "It is difficult and expensive for merchants to achieve similar results through data mining and direct marketing, whereas with SPICED, the feature is built into the payment transaction and the offer is simply printed at the bottom of the card receipt," said Sebastien Guillaud, Welcome's CEO. "There is no need for merchants to operate a separate database, perform complicated and sensitive integration with bank systems, or use equipment other than traditional payment terminals. Merchants simply accept card brands with the SPICED applet built-in and ask their acquirer to set up the campaigns of their choice." About the SPICED card applet The SPICED card applet supports a variety of promotions designed to help merchants attract and excite occasional customers: -- Competitive Shopper Messages/Coupons. Merchants can avoid losing customers to the competition by recognizing occasional customers that are probably shopping elsewhere and instantly offering an incentive on the next purchase. For example, a petrol retailer can recognize an infrequent customer that has not been to the chain in over 30 days, and instantly print an offer encouraging the customer to come back the next week. -- Smart Sampling Offers. Merchants can encourage customers to try higher margin products and services by giving a different surprise sample at each visit. -- Game Programs. Merchants can avoid the cost and trouble of complicated loyalty programmes and build continuity through games based on cumulative spending or number of visits. SPICED also supports promotions designed to help merchants reward frequent shoppers: -- Frequent Shopper Coupons. Merchants can avoid giving high value promotions to all customers by delivering their most valuable coupons after a certain number of visits or cumulative spending. For example, rather than offering a "Buy 1 meal and get 1 free" promotion to all customers, a fast food chain can give the offer only to customers that have eaten there 3 times in the last month, printed at the bottom of the customer's normal credit or debit card receipt. -- VIP Service Vouchers. Merchants can avoid loss of margins when offering high value services by identifying their best customers and surprising them with VIP treatment. The SPICED card applet is part of Welcome's XLS payment technology which is used by banks in 21 countries across the globe. Banks already using XLS can now upgrade their POS terminals to accept payment scheme brands equipped with the SPICED applet, and make their acquiring services even more valuable to merchants. About Welcome Real-time Welcome Real-time ( http://www.welcome-rt.com ) is the leader in card marketing enhancements that create added value at the moment of payment. Welcome Real-time adds value to the traditional payment transaction through an enhanced payment experience that provides benefits to cardholders, retailers and financial institutions. Welcome's technology drives credit and debit card programs in 21 countries across the globe and has received industry awards such as the "ROI of the Year Award" by The Banker magazine (2004) and the "Frost & Sullivan Industry Innovation & Advancement Leadership Award" (2006). Welcome Real-time is headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France, with offices and R&D facilities in Singapore, London, Milan, Madrid, Miami, Shanghai and Sao Paulo. For more information, please contact: Wong Wan Ling Tel: +65-6870-8609 Email: wl.wong@welcome-rt.com
Attributed to Aggressive Product Innovation and Effective Marketing Strategy HONG KONG, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vitasoy International Holdings Limited (VIHL, Vitasoy or "the Group") (HKEx: 0345), a Hong Kong-based manufacturer and distributor of non-carbonated beverage and food, today announced that its turnover for the six months ended 30 September 2007 grew by 14.2%, to HK$1,514 million. The Group recorded a profit attributable to shareholders of HK$105 million, a healthy growth of 5.0% compared to the same period of the preceding year. Mr. Winston Yau-lai Lo, Executive Chairman of VIHL said, "Under an orchestrated campaign of aggressive product innovation and effective marketing initiatives, the four operating markets reported satisfactory operating performance. These efforts have also helped strengthening the leading position of many of our products in various markets. During the period, there was remarkable growth in the Mainland China and Australian markets, while Hong Kong also reported some solid growth. We achieved our goal of reducing the North American business operating loss, paving the way for further improvement. The Group strategically increased its advertising and promotional expenses in order to effectively launch new products and substantially reinforce the brand value of ¡¥Vitasoy¡¦. We believe it will benefit the Group¡¦s expansion and brand value in the long run despite its short-term impact on the growth of operating profit." The Group¡¦s basic earnings per share were HK10.4 cents, representing 5.1% growth over the same period of the preceding year. The Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend of HK2.8 cents per share (2006/2007 interim: HK2.8 cents per share). During the interim period, Vitasoy reported an encouraging growth of 14.8% in gross profit, amounting to HK$894 million. Despite the general rise in production costs, the Group¡¦s gross profit margin stood at 59.0%, which is in line with the same period last year. Hong Kong In the Hong Kong market, Vitasoy continued its strong focus on product innovation and brand building, and recorded a 7.4% growth in domestic sales. The number of new products launched during the interim period was more than double the number of new products launched during the entire previous financial year. New Vitasoy products include VITASOY SAN SUI Tofu, VITASOY Jasmine Soya Bean Milk, reformulated VITASOY Chocolate Soya Bean Milk, VITA Double Chocolate Milk and VITA Less Sweet Lemon Tea. In addition, very hot weather during this year¡¦s summer months in Hong Kong stimulated healthy growth in all business segments, especially the on-the-go market. The water business also showed satisfactory sales growth, which was a result of effective selling strategy and market consolidation. Mr. Lo said, "Our emphasis on building our brand, expanding our product portfolio, and launching effective marketing campaigns has strengthened our leading position in the local beverage market. In the 2nd half of the fiscal year, we will continue to invest in brand reinforcement and promotion of our core products and newly launched items. Despite the challenges brought by increasing raw material costs and inflationary pressure, we will closely monitor all developments and adopt appropriate cost management measures. In addition, we will plan our promotional strategy carefully, in order to capture opportunities for effective price increases brought about by the revived economy and general inflation." Mainland China Thanks to the successful strategy of "core business, core brand and core city", Vitasoy China maintained strong expansion during the interim period, reporting a significant sales growth of 68.5% over the same period last year. "In spite of intensifying market competition, we are still able to maintain our leading position in the soymilk category in the Mainland market by offering premium products at premium prices. We have also applied our successful experience in Southern China to the eastern provinces. These factors, together with greater awareness of the benefits of soy and the Vitasoy brand among consumers in our target cities, have resulted in encouraging growth in our business in Eastern China." Mr. Lo noted. Mr. Lo added, "In the second half of the year, Vitasoy China will increase investment in brand building and customer education, continue to strengthen and expand our distribution network, and introduce a range of highly nutritious soymilk products. Australia Vitasoy Australia continued to report outstanding performance, posting growth of 28.1% in revenue and 15.0% in operating profit, thanks to the Group¡¦s concerted efforts in promoting existing products to capture a bigger market share and its robust brand position, along with the doubled production capacity of its production plant. These efforts have enabled Vitasoy Australia to pursue a more aggressive growth and expansion strategy. Vitasoy successfully launched six new products in September, as part of the result of its product innovation strategy. "We note that Australia has entered a period of slow growth and saw some market players recently cut their product prices drastically. However, since Vitasoy has a very strong brand effect and high consumer loyalty, the management believes that we can maintain our premium product position and premium retail shelf prices, hoping that we can beat our competitors and enlarge our market share," Mr. Lo remarked. North America The Group¡¦s North American operation has successfully reduced its operating loss by 41.2%, to HK$10 million, and recorded a mild growth of 0.5% in sales during the interim period, after the Group re-adjusted its business strategy to focus on core products and competencies. In order to further narrow its operating loss, Vitasoy USA will implement a three-pronged strategy: the launch of single-serve shelf-stable soymilk; enhancement of Vitasoy¡¦s leading position in the tofu market, and further development of the ethnic market. "Our efforts to improve our financial performance in North America will be further strengthened by cost rationalization measures and price revisions on selected products. In spite of the challenges of the market, we believe there is opportunity for Vitasoy USA to grow," Mr. Lo commented. Business Outlook Looking ahead, Mr. Lo said, "We will leverage our core competencies and focus on areas we excel in, including product innovation, brand building and cost management, to drive revenue growth and capture larger market shares, amidst the challenges brought by intensifying market competition, inflationary pressure and rising costs of raw materials. We will also explore new business opportunities to create greater long-term shareholder value." Vitasoy International Holdings Limited is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of non-carbonated drinks with a base in Hong Kong. Founded in 1940 and with production facilities in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Australia and the United States, Vitasoy currently provides consumers in 42 markets worldwide with over 1,000 stock keeping units (SKU). Over the years, Vitasoy has successfully established a corporate image as "the soy expert". Vitasoy is a constituent of the Morgan Stanley Capital International ("MSCI") Hong Kong Small Cap Index. For more information, please contact: Stella Lung, Public Relations Manager Tel: +852-2468-9644 Fax: +852-2465-1008 Email: pubrel@vitasoy.com Angela Hui / Paul Sham, Ketchum Hong Kong Tel: +852-3141-8091 / +852-3141-8068 Fax: +852-2510-8199 Email: angela.hui@knprhk.com / paul.sham@knprhk.com
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Nordson (China) Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq: NDSN) of Ohio, U.S.A., has moved their corporate offices to Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong, Shanghai. The 8,000 square meter facility will house 190 employees and operate as a Center of Excellence to demonstrate Nordson capability to customers in the appliance, automotive, container, nonwovens, electronics, furniture and wood assembly, life science, packaging, powder and liquid painting, product assembly, and semiconductor industries located in both China and the broader Asia Pacific Region. In addition to office spaces, the new location will have specialty customer demonstration labs for each division, an advanced training center that can hold 200 people, and 10 conference rooms. According to Bradley C. Davis, Asia Pacific Group Vice President, "this investment strongly supports our long-term growth strategies and initiatives in continuing the rapid expansion and success of our business in the fast growing and high potential China market. The strength of our growing and experienced local organization in China, coupled with the world-class capabilities of this new facility, allows us to fulfill our commitment to provide the highest level of sales and aftermarket service support to our customers in China and the Asia Pacific region, while also supporting Nordson's Mission: Best commitment that Nordson will be the best company in every market and location where we do business." Nordson China began in 1991 with a two-person Shanghai Representative Office. Four years later Nordson (China) Co., Ltd. was established in Pudong. The new facility will house the Packaging, Product Assembly, Nonwovens and Core Coating, UV Curing, Industrial Coatings and Automotive, Asymtek, EFD and March Plasma Systems businesses of Nordson in China. In addition, the departments for Finance & Accounting, Human Resources, Administration, IT, and Logistics for Nordson China will be located here. Nordson Corporation is one of the world's leading producers of precision dispensing equipment that applies adhesives, sealants and coatings to a broad range of consumer and industrial products during manufacturing operations. The company also manufactures equipment used in the testing and inspection of electronic components as well as technology-based systems used for curing and surface treatment processes. Headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, Nordson has more than 3,900 employees worldwide, and direct operations and sales support offices in 30 countries. Contact: Queenie Fan Marketing Communications Manager - Asia Pacific Group Tel: +852-2687-2828 Email: qfan@nordson.com
Talent Management Proves a Hot Topic Amongst Delegates Due to Attend the 6th Annual Corenet Global Asia Summit in Mumbai Next Year MUMBAI, India, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the 2008 CoreNet Global Asia Summit today announced that the decision to focus on ¡¥talent management in corporate real estate¡¦ as the main theme for its next conference is generating record interest from pre-registered conference attendees. The summit is being held in India on March 3-5, 2008, at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Now in its sixth year, the CoreNet Global Asia Summit is expected to convene more than 400 corporate realty professionals from across the globe to review how the industry can address this impending talent shortage, and to explore how developing and retaining corporate real estate talent can positively impact a company¡¦s success and growth. "From the Corporate Real Estate viewpoint, there is an increasing demand from the business for improved performance, solutions and results. This is creating competition within the industry¡¦s already shallow labour pool for the best talent," comments Mr. Mike Zamora, CoreNet Global¡¦s Asia Regional Chair. "Attracting qualified individuals, as well as developing and retaining the current workforce have consequently become priorities for today¡¦s Corporate Real Estate Organizations," he continues. "This conference is thus designed to discuss strategies for recruiting the right people, including approaches for developing your team and holding on to outstanding employees." To do so, Mr. Zamora explains that the summit will offer comprehensive coverage on how companies are attracting and retaining talented staff via a diverse conference programme that includes knowledge sharing workshops and educational tracks, plus the presentation of case studies and real life perspectives from Corporations, Real Estate and Human Resource experts. In keeping with the summit theme, the agenda will also explore key topics including, "Are staff management issues different from city to city in Asia, meaning Singapore and Hong Kong compared to Beijing and Mumbai?" Mr. Zamora adds that, "Fifteen years ago to attract and retain staff, all you had to do is offer money. Today, employees are also looking for career advancement, professional development, challenging work, along with working in a team which promotes this type of environment. Gone are the days where one person can do everything thus how people work together as a team is even more crucial." Mr. Zamora points out that this is the second time India has been chosen as the host nation for a CoreNet Global summit, with Mumbai once again selected given the spiraling demand from within the local real estate sector for a stronger, more creative talent base. "Similar to other locations in Asia, corporations in India are recognizing that competitive advantage is becoming increasingly dependent on having a talented workforce and a corporate culture that enables them to innovate at a greater rate than the competition," expresses Mr. Zamora. "Subsequently, people are the leading drivers of economic prosperity," concludes Mr. Zamora. "Companies therefore not only face the challenge of building a dedicated team of professionals, they also need to think about how they can support the creativity, innovation and needs of the people who work for them." Interested parties can register for summit by contacting Ms. Eleanor Estacio on (1) 404 589 3217 / eestacio@corenetglobal.org, or Ms. Jennifer Gao on (8621) 6122 1251 / jgao@corenetglobal.org. Alternatively, please visit http://www.corenetglobal.org for more details. About CoreNet Global CoreNet Global is the world¡¦s premier association for corporate real estate and related professionals. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the global learning organization is the industry thought and opinion leader, plus the only professional real estate group that convenes the entire industry. Today, CoreNet Global¡¦s members manage US $1.2 trillion in worldwide corporate assets of owned and leased office, industrial and other space. With nearly 7,000 members representing large organizations around the world, CoreNet Global operates in five global regions: Asia/Japan, Australia, Europe, Latin American and North America. For more information, please visit the CoreNet Global website at http://www.corenetglobal.org . For more information, please contact: CoreNet Global Jennifer Gao Tel: +86-21-6122-1251 Fax: +86-21-6122-1481 Email: jgao@corenetglobal.org Facility Media Janet Middlemiss Tel: +852-2857-3832/ +852-9195-7829 Fax: +852-2840-1284 Email: jm@facilitymedia.com
HONG KONG, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are expected to produce over 80 million digital still cameras in 2007 -- up 27 percent year-on-year, according to Global Sources¡¦ (Nasdaq: GSOL) China Sourcing Report: Digital Still Cameras ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/digitalstillcameras ). (Logo: http://www.xprn.com/xprn/sa/200708071747.jpg ) The report shows Greater China accounted for more than 73 percent of global shipments in 2006. It is forecast to take a greater market share in 2007, as manufacturers gear up to increase production and exports. President of Global Sources¡¦ Electronics Business Unit, Mark A. Saunderson, said: ¡§The global digital still camera market is highly competitive, both in terms of quality and price, with consumers very sensitive to both. ¡§Greater China manufacturers are acutely aware of this, and are increasingly targeting mid- to higher-end markets with feature-rich products and competitive pricing. This trend has weeded out many entry-level companies, leaving a more robust manufacturing base.¡¨ Greater China Manufacturers Expected to Expand Production Capacity in the Next 12 Months More than 65 percent of Greater China¡¦s manufacturers are preparing for an increase in output by expanding production capacity in the next 12 months, according to the report. Over half of these companies expect to achieve this by upgrading existing facilities or investing in new factories. Of digital still cameras manufacturers surveyed: -- 44 percent expect to increase capacity by 20 to 50 percent; -- 25 percent forecast capacity growth of up to 20 percent; and -- 31 percent intend to retain current capacity. The China Sourcing Report also shows these key trends for digital still camera manufacturers in the months ahead: -- mainstream product features include 5 megapixel resolution, 2.5in TFT LCDs and slim form factors; -- manufacturers intend to upgrade their management systems to shorten delivery times to export markets; and -- rising material costs continues to be one of the main challenges faced by manufacturers in Greater China. In-factory Interviews, Detailed Supplier Profiles and New Digital Still Cameras The 59-page China Sourcing Report: Digital Still Cameras provides proprietary market information from in-person factory visits to 11 manufacturers and interviews with 5 more suppliers. The surveys, price trends and supply forecasts aim to help buyers make better-informed purchasing decisions. Specialized Global Sources Websites, Trade Magazines and Trade Shows China Sourcing Reports ( http://www.chinasourcingreports.com ) are part of Global Sources¡¦ sourcing and product information services. These include Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ), Global Sources trade magazines, China Sourcing Fairs ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ) and Global Sources Direct ( http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com ). China Sourcing Report: Digital Still Cameras is available at: http://www.chinasourcingreports.com/digitalstillcameras . Information about Greater China digital still camera suppliers and products can be found at http://www.chinasuppliers.globalsources.com/china-suppliers/Digital-Camera-5.htm . (Note: If the URL above wraps to a second line, paste both lines into the browser.) About Global Sources Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media. The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 647,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 230 countries. The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 2 million products and more than 160,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and nine specialized trade shows which run 22 times a year across seven cities. Suppliers receive more than 23 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com) alone. Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 36 years. In mainland China it has over 2,000 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for Chinese-language media. Global Sources Press Contact in Asia: Camellia So Tel: +852-2555-5021 Email: cso@globalsources.com Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia: Eddie Heng Tel: +65-6547-2850 Email: eheng@globalsources.com Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.: James W.W. Strachan Tel: +1-480-664-8309 Email: strachan@globalsources.com Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.: Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc. Tel: +1-415-433-3777 Email: cpelz@lhai.com
2007年12月06日 報道機関各位 2007 年 12 月 6 日 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 株式会社 ザクラ(所在地:東京都品川区 代表取締役 鈴木研二)は、 『いい幹事モバイル』(URL:http://host.zakura.jp/mob/)ではPC版 「TRY Gate」は、全国に支店網を持つ「家庭教師のトライ」に登録する全国の
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