Toyota City, Japan, Nov 9, 2012 - Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) announced that Mazda's plant in Mexico, currently under construction, will produce a Toyota-brand vehicle for sale mainly in North America. The sub-compact Toyota-brand vehicle, to be based on the Mazda2, is to start production around the summer of 2015 at a pace of 50,000 units per year and will be sold through Toyota dealerships.

Mazda's plant in Mexico is scheduled to start production within the fiscal year ending March 2014, with Toyota investing an appropriate portion of production equipment costs and development costs related to the Toyota vehicle and also an appropriate portion of costs related to the plant's production-capacity increase.

Through the agreement, TMC aims to strengthen its North American vehicle lineup, while Mazda aims to increase production efficiency and contribute to its profitability.

Mazda Mexico Plant Outline (as of June 17, 2011 Mazda announcement)

Company name Mazda Motor Manufacturing de Mexico S.A. de C.V.
Location Salamanca city, Guanajuato state, Mexico
Products Mazda2, Mazda3
Production 140,000 units annually
Employees Approx. 3,000

About Toyota

Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of March 2012, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 50 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 160 countries and regions. For more information, please visit 　www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:

Toyota Motor Corporation
Corporate Communications Department
Public Affairs Division
Tel: +81-3-3817-9150

Singapore, 8 November 2012 – INTO MYANMAR ICT Global Summit: Mobile Telecom | Internet Infrastructure | Cloud Computing will convene in Yangon, Myanmar from 3 – 4 December 2012. The inaugural ICT summit will see telecom operators, service providers, ICT vendors & distributors, handset & device manufacturers and network technologists congregate to discuss new opportunities and current concerns faced by the privatisation of the Myanmar’s telecommunication and ICT sectors.

In view of the step-by-step privatization of Myanmar’s telecommunication
sector, this summit provides a unique networking opportunity for investors to meet with key stakeholders in Myanmar to do business. Foreign telecom investors, equipment providers and technology leaders are expected to be present to meet with key decision-makers in Myanmar's public and private sectors. In addition, the summit provides the latest updates on key regulatory updates in Myanmar's potentially promising telecom and ICT sectors.

Key issues to be addressed by top officials from the Myanmar investment
Commission and other key ministries as well as industry leaders include Myanmar's latest telecom market openings, regulatory updates on the new telecom licenses, roaming solutions, cloud opportunities, tariffs, pricing, monetization of value-added services, rural telephony, funding & investment guarantees for foreign investors and more.

VIP presence at the Summit are expected to include representatives from
the Ministry of National Planning & Economic Development, Ministry of Communications, Posts & Telegraphs, Myanmar Post and Telecommunication, Yatanarpon Teleport, Redlink Communications, Vodafone Group, Myanmar ICT Development Corporation/Yangon ICT Park, International Finance Corporation, J.P. Morgan, Asian Development Bank, Amara Communications, Herbert Smith LP, Union Attorney General’s Office, GSMA, Microsoft, ZDW Systems, National Institute of Informatics (Japan), Ayar Dragon Education Services, Ayeyarwady Bank, Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Limited, Myanma Oil & Gas Enterprise, Ministry of Health (Myanmar), SkyNet, Ministry of Science and Technology, Myanmar Computer Federation, Google, Myanmar Economics Corporation and more.

Sponsors at this Summit include platinum Sponsor: Digicel, which owns and operates mobile networks in 31 countries in the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific regions.

Optelian, a designer and manufacturer of carrier-grade, packet-optical transport systems for long-haul, metro and enterprise applications is the summit’s Gold Sponsor. Larry Perron, Director of International Development at Optelian commented. “Myanmar’s aggressive plans to open its communication infrastructure, positions it to take advantage of Optelian’s innovative technology that will allow the integration of fixed and mobile traffic over a Software Defined Network.”

Elaborating on the importance of the Summit, Maggie Tan, CEO of Magenta Global said “Myanmar is poised for significant investment in telecom and internet infrastructure. A new telecom law is in the works and clearer policies and regulations are being defined. This Summit is very timely with its comprehensive discussion of regulatory & policy issues, spectrum, deployment & migration challenges for Myanmar as well as broadband internet infrastructure needs. It is an opportune platform to explore areas for collaboration & cooperation between local and international players & spur developments in Myanmar”.

The summit will be held at Inya Lake Hotel.

Magenta Global, Singapore

Media Contact:

Ms Merilynn Choo
Marketing Executive
Tel: +65 6391 2549
Email: merilynn@magenta-global.com.sg

Muscat, Oman-Extreme adventure or action sports is one of Omanexpo’s main highlights in its 16th edition of the much-awaited Oman International Motor Show, which is taking center stage from December 11 to 14 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

This new feature, which will form part of the range of activities in the first-time Outdoor Adventure Zone, is in line with Omanexpo’s plans to launch bigger, more interesting and diverse features and sections for its entertainment platform.

Getting Oman’s biggest automotive show on the road and starting the adrenalin rush will be led by internationally renowned Red Bull, whose team of highly experienced and exceptionally skilled athletes and heart-racing lineup of freestyle and off-the-beaten track kind of sports such as mountain biking, freestyle motocross (FMX), windsurfing, cliff diving, snowboarding, wakeboarding, rally, Formula 1 racing, and many more, has dominated the international extreme sports arena.

Red Bull will showcase the rare talent of its FMX bikers and entertain Motor Show visitors with their thrilling and daring jumps and stunts. Adventure sports and motoring enthusiasts will be treated to three shows per day of non-stop action on all four days of the event. The shows will feature FMX champ and Red Bull athlete Nick de Wit.

General Manager for Operations Nader Abbas said “FMX biking is the fastest growing sport at present, and it is our great pleasure and honor to have Red Bull provide our visitors and patrons the opportunity to see this up close. This is the first time that Red Bull has

participated in Motor Show and we truly look forward to having them in the event.”

Apart from the remarkable display of cars from the world’s finest brands, Motor Show will also introduce educational sessions and demonstrations that will tackle the current pressing issue of road traffic safety.

Motor Show Oman, a landmark automotive event and a pioneer of motor shows in the Sultanate, was launched in 1990 as an exhibition platform to meet the rising demands of the automotive and aftermarket sector. It was granted international status as a UFI-approved event by the UFI-The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in 2009.

Motor Show 2012’s roster of sponsors includes Shell Helix, 3M, Mohamad & Ahmed Al Khonji V-Kool Oman, Sayarti, and Atlantic Grease and Lubricants.

For more information, call Ammar Ahmad at 925 97610 or send email to motorshow@omanexpo.com. You may visit the website at www.motorshow-oman.com.

###

Contact: Melissa Daleja
t: +968 24660122 f: +968 24660125/126
Email: melissa.daleja@omanexpo.com

MELBOURNE, NOV 5: Days after Australia unveiled an ambitious plan for teaching languages such as Hindi and Mandarin in schools, ex-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has appealed to the business community to keep a separate quota of jobs for students who can speak Asian languages.

Rudd hailed the Government’s move of issuing a white paper that suggests building strong and deeper ties with the Asia region.

Rudd said businesses also need to provide incentives for students.

The suggestion came days after the Federal Government rolled out a Whitepaper on the Asian Century which outlines the need to introduce Asian languages, including Hindi, in school.

The white paper calls for more students to be taught at least one of four Asian languages, Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi and Indonesian, in every school in Australia.

“They need to know there’s a career path for them,” Rudd was quoted by ABC News as saying.

“So if the 100 businesses which make up the Business Council of Australia were simply to say each of us will provide 10 graduate jobs for first-class Chinese speakers, Japanese speakers or whatever, each year, that’s 1,000 jobs on the Australian market,” Rudd said.

“Kids will respond to that and they will master these languages and become as they were, the army of the future in our economic engagement with the neighbourhood,” he said.

Rudd said the roadmap to 2025 set out in the white paper is comprehensive and a “wake-up call” to Australia.

“It draws together the various arms of what both Government, corporates and others in Australia are doing in their engagement with Asia and charts a framework for the future,” he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard last month released a sweeping policy blueprint entitled ‘Asian Century White Paper’ aimed at maximising links with Asia, which will power Australia into the world’s top 10 wealthiest nations by 2025.

“While Australia was changing, Asia was changing too. Whatever else this century brings, it will bring Asia’s return to global leadership, Asia’s rise,” Gillard, who was recently on her maiden official visit to India, had said.

All Australian schools will engage with at least one school in Asia to support the teaching of a priority Asian language — Mandarin, Hindi, Indonesian or Japanese, she had said.

SOURCE / The Hindu Business Line http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/international/former-australian...

VietNamNet Bridge – Most of the primary schools in Hanoi now run the international English teaching programs together with the standard program set up by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Rushing to learn English

Under the MOET’s program on teaching foreign languages in the national educational system in 2008-2020, students from third grade would learn English at school.

However, in fact, not only third and subsequent graders, but the students, who begin going to school, now also learn English under the programs arranged by the schools where they go to.

Vice Headmaster of the Trung Van School in Tu Liem district Giang Thanh Thuy said the school’s first and second graders now follow Phonics English teaching program.

Nguyen Thi Xuan Lan, Headmaster of the Khuong Thuong School, also said the English teaching in accordance with Phonics curriculum for the last five years. The curriculum has been provided by VP Box Company.

Lan went on to say that all the schools in Dong Da district all run extra English teaching programs to help first and second graders get familiar with the subject.

A parent whose child goes to the Ngoc Thuy Primary School in Gia Lam district said that the first and second graders of the school now follow either Language Link or Phonics, and third graders, besides the MOET’s standard curriculum, have to learn English with Phonics as well.

Thuy of Trung Van School said though the English programs are not compulsory for first and second graders, most of the students have registered the English learning. The teachers are the school’s teachers who have attended training courses to obtain better knowledge and new pedagogical methods.

Students have two English lessons a week, for which they have to pay 50,000 dong in tuition.

Since the 2012-2013 academic year, students would have four English lessons a week with Vietnamese teachers and the other four lessons with Australian teachers provided by the school’s partner. Therefore, the tuition has increased to 120,000 dong.

Meanwhile, the students of the Thai Thinh Primary School in Dong Da district reportedly pay 150,000 dong a month for two lessons a week. A parent of a Hoang Dieu School’s student said he was asked to pay 6 million dong for one-year English learning, or 600,000 dong a month.

How high are the teachers’ qualifications?

Lan affirmed that her students have been very interested with the international English curriculums, while they also have the opportunities to talk with native speakers. This explains why parents all let their children to attend the extra English classes. The standard curriculums compiled by MOET are believed to be too focusing on grammar.

However, some parents have complained that their children have been forced to follow the English teaching program, though they don’t want to. The parents said they still have doubts about the teachers’ qualification.

Phuong, whose daughter goes to the Ngoc Thuy Primary School, said that the girl, who began learning English with American teachers from an early age, discovered that the teachers at the school had bad pronunciations.

“I reported this to the school and asked for another teacher,” he said.

Phuong also thinks that with 60 students in every class, a teacher would not have time to take care for everyone.

“An ideal class should comprise of 25 students only,” he said.

Meanwhile, another parent said though paying 6 million dong a year for the child’s English study at the school, she still brings the child to an English center as well to be sure that the child can learn in a best environment.

Van Chung

More green plants are standing sentry on the outskirts of Beijing as authorities attempt to reduce pollution and make the city a more pleasant place to live.

By the end of October, more than 13 million trees had been planted over 138 sq km, mostly around the Sixth Ring Road.

Workers plant trees in the Caijiahe area of Beijing on Nov 1. Wang Jing / China Daily

The area was equal to more than 83 percent of the target the capital's forestry bureau had set for the project this year.

"Northwestern winds that hit the capital in winter usually bring sand and dust from the north to downtown," said Wang Shuqin, deputy director of the landscape and forestry bureau for the city's Yanqing district.

Newly planted poplars, pagoda trees and grass will help to reduce the pollution that at times fouls the air in Beijing's downtown, she said.

The 250-sq-km afforestation project is mainly being carried out in bordering areas between urban and rural parts of the city. It is meant to act as a protective screen and shield the city from the sand and dust that periodically blows into it from neighboring provinces.

About 95 percent of the trees that have been planted are growing well, according to the Beijing Municipal Landscape and Forestry Bureau.

In summer, winds carry dust and sand to the capital, a result of there being large stretches of bare land with little tree cover, Wang said.

As part of the 250-sq-km afforestation project, the district has planted trees on more than 13.8 hectares. Most of them have been planted by highways and railways.

The green guards are expected to help lower the amount of PM2.5, particulate matter with a diameter no bigger than 2.5 micrometers, in the air and reduce the chances Beijing residents have of developing heart and breathing conditions, as well as lung cancer, said Wang Qiuxia, a researcher for Green Beagle, an environmental protection NGO in Beijing.

According to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, 24.5 percent of PM2.5 contaminants in the capital come from neighboring provinces. Preventing them from coming in will greatly improve the city's air.

The newly planted trees are expected to prevent as much as 2,096 metric tons of dust from getting into the air each year, the bureau said.

"The channel for pollution in the past has turned into a natural protective screen, intercepting the dust before it can go further," Wang Shu-qin said. "The difference will be felt as soon as this project is completed."

The greenbelts will also render the community a more pleasant place to live, she said.

Beijing has set up 35 air-monitoring stations and has started releasing reports in real time on PM2.5 density, as well as the air's concentration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10.

One of the stations, in Changping, another northwestern district of the capital, is charged with studying how cities and suburbs near Beijing add to the pollution in the capital.

"We used to have some 50 coal yards in the district, and that made the city's air quality worse, especially in the winter," said Wang Xia, deputy director of the district's afforestation office. "About 30 of the coal yards have been moved out and the remaining 20 are to be cleared away in the near future and replaced using afforestation. So it's believed that the air quality will improve noticeably."

Future trends with their origins in Swedish design tradition will be featured in an exhibition courtesy of Materialbiblioteket at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair on 5-9 February. The exhibition is aimed at professional architects, designers and marketers, and has been produced in association with Oversight Trends.

The exhibition, which is called “Architects’ view on: Future Scandinavian Color and Material Trends”, showcases future color and material trends viewed from a Scandinavian perspective. Future trends are concretized using color palettes and a total of thirty different kinds of material in an experience-based exhibition.

“Designers and architects live their professional lives by understanding and interpreting the future. It may take 3-5 years before a product designed today is released on to the market. So it’s important for the designer to take note of the relevant colors and material forecasting. Presenting specific information about both colors and materials in this way is completely new,” comments Oliver Schmidt, who runs Materialbiblioteket at Stockholmsmässan.

The trends presented in the exhibition are derived from many sources, including in-depth workshops with a panel consisting of Sweden’s most exciting contemporary designers, daily contact with the Swedish design and architecture elite, as well as monitoring international materials research.

“Architects and designers from all over the world visit Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair to get a comprehensive picture of Scandinavian design. This exhibition looks beyond contemporary design and provides visitors with information that’s important for Scandinavian design of the future,” concludes Oliver Schmidt.

The exhibition is in Hall B and there will be showings every day in both Swedish and English.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair will be held on 5-9 February 2013 at Stockholmsmässan.

To find out more, please visit www.stockholmfurniturefair.com or contact:
Björn Florman, Materialbiblioteket Stockholmsmässan. Tel 070 789 44 82, bjorn.florman@stockholmsmassan.se
Ida Mlowe, Press Officer, Tel +46 70789 44 13, ida.mlowe@stockholmsmassan.se

Stockholmsmässan is one of the world's leading and most flexible organisers of meetings. We offer the perfect meeting place for everything from international summits to broad public fairs. Together with exhibitors and organisers we create well-organised meetings which offer the visitor inspiration, knowledge and business opportunities. As the leading organiser in the Baltic Sea Region, we organise some 60 industry-leading exhibitions as well as around 100 national and international congresses, conferences and events anually. Every year we welcome 10,000 exhibitors, 1.5 million visitors and more than 8,000 journalists from all over the world.

ECI International, the organiser of Tyrexpo Asia 2013, has announced that Dr Stephen Evans, Secretary General of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), has agreed to open the ninth staging of the bi-ennial event in Singapore next March.

Dr Evans is the head of the internationally-recognised IRSG, the authoritative source of statistical data and analysis for all aspects of the global rubber industry.

“I am delighted to accept the invitation to open and make the keynote presentation at Tyrexpo Asia,” says Dr Evans. “As an important regional event bringing together hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of delegates in Singapore, the show is of direct relevance and importance to the work of the IRSG. It will be a great opportunity to meet with and talk to people from all sectors of the international tyre industry.”

During a richly experienced professional career Dr Evans has worked with a range of leading chemicals businesses before moving into the elastomer sector with both Shell and Kraton Performance Polymers. He joined the Singapore-based IRSG as Secretary General in 2010.

Dr Evans will be a familiar face to visitors and exhibitors at the three-day gathering of international tyre and workshop equipment industry executives, having performed a similar role at the last staging of the show in 2011.

Rowena Suthers, sales director for ECI International, says: “We are delighted that
Dr Evans has agreed to be our keynote speaker next year; his keen and expert insight into the global rubber industry will be of great interest to everyone involved in tyre manufacturing, retreading and materials processing.”

Meanwhile, the show itself continues to attract exhibitors at an unprecedented rate. More than 200 businesses have now confirmed their involvement at the Singapore Expo Centre from 19-21 March 2013. In 2011, the exhibition drew around 160 exhibitors, itself a record figure at the time, but now easily surpassed by interest that continues to grow on a weekly basis.

Tyrexpo Asia 2013 will cover all aspects of the international tyre and workshop equipment sector. New tyres for all applications; retreads; repair materials; garage machinery and workshop equipment; tools; accessories; consumables and associated services will all be represented in-depth at the exhibition.

For more information and to pre-register for the Tyrexpo Asia 2013, visit the ECI website at 　www.eci-international.com

Ends

About ECI International: ECI International is a privately owned exhibition business.
In addition to Tyrexpo Asia the company is the owner and organiser of Tyrexpo India, Chennai (July 2013), Tyrexpo Africa, Johannesburg (March 2014) and Brityrex International, Manchester, UK, (October 2014). For more information, go to 　www.eci-international.com.

Media contacts:

Rowena Suthers
ECI International Ltd
T: + 44 (0) 1892 863888
E: eci.intl@btconnect.com

Or

Mark Harrison
Harrisons PR
T: + 44 (0) 1295 690 003
M: + 44 (0) 7776 182 506
E: harrisons@ndirect.co.uk

With only a few days left before the start of the 9th ASEAN-BIS in Phnom Penh, over 1000 attendees and more than 50 journalists from the region have registered at this key ASEAN business event. Organised by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and co-hosted by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, it is established as an official side-event to the ASEAN Leaders Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS), where no less than 16 Heads of States and Governments convene in the Cambodian capital.

“We are delighted to see such enormous interest in ASEAN and its business environment this year”, says Senior Minister, Minister of Commerce and ASEAN Economic Ministers Chair 2012, Cham Prasidh. “The attendance of US President Barack Obama, Chinas Premier Wen Jiabao and many other world leaders during the ASEAN Leaders- and EAS Summits in Phnom Penh proves that ASEAN has established itself on the world stage. In addition, we welcome over 1000 participants at the 2012 ASEAN-BIS. This is proof that the global business community places very high relevance on this marketplace, which offers some of the most attractive investment destinations in the world such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Delegates and speakers place a lot of confidence in the opportunities that arise in these frontier markets of ASEAN. The Kingdom of Cambodia as one of the most attractive investment destinations, and as host of this year’s summits, is very proud to attract so many key decision makers on ASEAN.”

The Business Summit sets the stage in highlighting the position of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) vis-à-vis the global community. The delegates will discuss the potential for renewable energy in ASEAN; inter-ASEAN connectivity and infrastructure developments; how to create more opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs; the socialization of the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), and how to further promote good corporate governance in ASEAN.

This year’s Summit includes prominent speakers such as H.E. Samdech Decho Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia; H.E. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce; H.E. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary General of ASEAN; Donald P. Kanak, Chairman of Prudential Corporation Asia; Gilles Plante, CEO Asia of ANZ Banking Group, and many more. Due to an extremely tight schedule during a week of extremely high-levelled meetings, it is hoped that some of the Heads of State visiting the Cambodian capital might also join the 2012 ASEAN-BIS.

The 2012 ASEAN-BIS continues to serve as a prime platform for knowledge exchange and networking between the regional business community and ASEAN’s political leaders. The summit provides insight into ASEAN developments by leading corporate, governmental and academic experts who are a major driving force for further ASEAN integration.

One of the highlights of the event is the ASEAN Business Awards (2012 ABA), which recognise the “Most admired ASEAN enterprises”. Renowned BBC ASIA journalist and ASEAN expert, Rico Hizon, will moderate key sessions of the Summit as well as the Gala Dinner and the awards presentation.

More information on the latest updates of the program can be found at www.asean-bis.com
Members of the media are cordially invited to attend the Summit, and to meet with the key decision makers in ASEAN. Please note that security is tight and late registrants might not be admitted. For urgent last minute accreditation, for interview requests and for information on your registration please contact asean-bis1@asean-bis.com

Media Advisory
The OECD Development Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, and the ASEAN Secretariat invite you to the launch of the:

SOUTHEAST ASIAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
With Perspectives on China and India - 2013 edition
18 November 2012, 14.45 - 15.00, Grand Ballroom

For an embargoed copy of the report, please contact elodie.masson@oecd.org.
The 2013 edition of the ‘Southeast Asian Economic Outlook: with Perspectives on China and India’ will provide an economic outlook for the 2012-2017 period and outline the development policy challenges for the Asian region. It will also include perspectives on China and India and country notes of ASEAN countries focusing on key structural policy challenges.

 OECD Deputy Secretary General Rintaro Tamaki will be on hand to discuss:
 What growth prospects for Asia in 2012-2017?
 What are the key structural policy challenges each country needs to address?
 What economic disparities and development challenges for the region?
 How can Asian governments narrow the development gaps both within and among Southeast Asian countries?

The report will be under embargo until Saturday 17th November 2012, 15:00pm ICT (Cambodia time). It will be available in English ahead of time.

Muscat, Oman, 12 November 2012- The technical committee of Middle East Artificial Lift Forum (MEALF), the recognized energy forum and exhibition on artificial lift in the region, met in September at the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates Hotel in Dubai to discuss abstract selection and new evaluation system and processes. Eighteen members of the MEALF 2013 Committee attended the highly significant meeting that centered on implementing new systems based on refocused objectives that will direct the future course of MEALF under the new chairmanship of Saeed Al-Shaheen.

The technical committee is composed of members from some of the biggest oil and gas companies in the region such as Kuwait Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO), Qatar Petroleum, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Saudi Aramco, Al Khorayef Petroleum Company, Baker Hughes Centrilift, Daleel Petroleum, Kuwait Gulf Oil Company, Lufkin Egypt, Occidental of Oman, Inc., Schlumberger, Tatweer Petroleum, Weatherford Oil Tool Middle East Ltd., and Wood Group ESP, Inc, and from Kuwait University and Sudan University of Science and Technology.

Based on the new system, the submitted abstracts were divided into seven categories: New Technology; Artificial Lift Selection, Diagnosis, Optimization and Reliability; Surveillance and Automation; Power Supply Quality and Harmonics; Handling Challenging Conditions; and Alternative Deployments. Among the selected abstracts, which totalled 32 out of 56 are “Integrated Near-Online Well Management”, “The Success of Hotline SA3 High Temperature ESPs in the Mukhaizna Field”, “Achieving Maximum PCP Run-Life and Production in South America”, “Stategy to Improve Productivity of Low Producer Gas Lifts Wells in Offshore”, “How Real-Time Surveillance Improves the ESP Run-Life, Uptime and Reduces Production Deferment”. The most number of selected abstracts came from Kuwait Oil Company.

For the first time, MEALF has extended its reach in terms of speaker, presenter, exhibitor and delegate participation as well as technical and steering committee membership to not only the regional countries but to South African countries like Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, and Libya.

The meeting also focused on new systems and criteria for paper, presentation, and training course evaluation, the sessions, and new online payment and registration system. The new criteria was developed by Dr. Eissa Al Safran, Associate Professor, Vice Dean for Research & Academic Affairs Director, KU Production Research Center (KUPRC) of Kuwait University and Dr. Tagwa Ahmed Musa, Assistant Professor of College of Petroleum Engineering and Technology of the Sudan University of Science and Technology.

In line with MEALF’s aim to involve and prepare petroleum engineering students for future challenges, it discussed plans to invite representative students from region universities to attend MEALF 2013 as delegates.

Al-Shaheen said “We are giving students the opportunity to get an actual glimpse of what it is like to be in the real world of artificial lift and learn its great importance to the industry. Their participation in MEALF will also provide them with the opportunity to be seen by the participating oil and gas companies and to be assessed for future employment.”

MEALF is a major bi-annual exhibition and forum that specializes in artificial lift technologies in the oil industry by providing the best technical solutions while creating a worldwide knowledge sharing among artificial lift users, suppliers and best practice center to meet future needs. The 7th edition will be held from February 5 to 7, 2013 at the Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi and will be once again managed by pioneer and leading exhibitions and conferences organizer Omanexpo.

For more information on MEALF, visit the website at www.mealf.com or call Gaith Aloul at +968 99712077.

###

Contact: Melissa Daleja
T: +968 24660122 F: +968 24660125/126
Email: melissa.daleja@omanexpo.com

12 November 2012 – Eight major trade fairs organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in October and November attracted nearly 200,000 buyers from all over the world, an increase of six per cent over 2011, creating business opportunities for more than 8,300 exhibitors, up nearly four per cent over last year.

The HKTDC’s autumn trade fairs were: the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition), the electronicAsia, the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), the Eco Expo Asia, the Hong Kong International Building and Decoration Materials & Hardware Fair, Sports Source Asia, the Hong Kong Optical Fair and the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair. The optical fair and the wine fair, both of which closed last week, drew nearly 13,000 buyers, up almost four per cent, and over 20,000 buyers, up five per cent, respectively, over 2011.

Nearly HK$1.4 Billion to Hong Kong
The eight trade fairs attracted close to 200,000 buyers from 163 countries and regions, some 60 per cent of whom came from overseas. Buyers from Asia were up nearly three per cent over last year, with the Chinese mainland and India up four per cent and almost five per cent, respectively, over 2011. Buyers from the BRICS countries were up nearly four per cent, while those from Eastern Europe up five per cent, with buyers from Russia up 13 per cent. Emerging markets, including Columbia, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Ukraine, each recorded double-digit growth in buyers.

According to an industry survey, an overseas business traveller spends, on average, about HK$11,000 during his stay in Hong Kong. Based on this, it can be calculated that the HKTDC’s eight trade fairs brought in nearly HK$1.4 billion to Hong Kong – and this does not include earnings from business orders and related trade-support services.

"In the face of challenging market conditions, manufacturers need to have effective promotional channels, while buyers should adapt to market trends and address the needs of consumers," said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau. "As Hong Kong provides world-class exhibition and trade services, we are confident that Hong Kong’s trade fairs will remain the top choice for suppliers and buyers," he added.

Market Potential: Asia and Latin America
The HKTDC commissioned an independent survey agency, the Nielson Company, which interviewed nearly 1,500 buyers and exhibitors at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition) and the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition). Their views were sought on such issues as market prospects, export outlook and product trends in the electronics and lighting industries. Half the respondents expect better market prospects in 2013, while 35 per cent expect no change.

Some 44 per cent of the interviewed electronics fair exhibitors and 39 per cent of the interviewed lighting fair exhibitors said that they would raise the prices of their products next year. Nearly 60 per cent of the interviewed buyers in the two industries said that they expected their sourcing costs to increase next year, mainly due to rising raw materials costs (80 per cent), higher labour costs (73 per cent) and exchange rate fluctuations (51 per cent).

The interviewed exhibitors and buyers were generally optimistic about sales prospects in emerging markets. The majority expects increases in sales to Asia (68 per cent), Latin America (63 per cent) and the Middle East (57 per cent). Over 40 per cent of the respondents indicated that they were interested in developing the Asian markets, while nearly 30 per cent said they intended to expand into Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Russia.

"The interviewed buyers and exhibitors are cautiously optimistic about market prospects, mainly because emerging markets still have good growth potential," said Mr Chau. "Consumers are increasingly interested in eco-friendly and high-tech products, generating new business opportunities for enterprises. Hong Kong companies should take heed of the fact that the middle class is expanding rapidly on the Chinese mainland and in India, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia, with strong consumption growth."

Eco-Friendly Products in Demand
When asked about product and market trends, the interviewed electronics fair exhibitors and buyers said that personal electronics products, including smartphones, tablets and related accessories, have higher growth potential, while more than 60 per cent of the interviewed lighting fair exhibitors and buyers said that LED lighting products have the biggest growth potential, followed by residential and commercial lighting products. About half the interviewed exhibitors indicated that they intended to comply with green-manufacturing requirements or invest more in R&D activities to add green features to their products and services.

In addition, the interviewed buyers generally agreed that consumers increasingly demand product quality and after-sales service. Consumers are now doing more price comparisons, while making more online purchases or relying more on social media to obtain product information. According to the survey findings, more than 70 per cent of the interviewed exhibitors and buyers agree that participating in Hong Kong’s trade fairs is the most direct and effective means to expand their customer base.

Small Orders Increasing
Survey findings also showed that demand for small orders is on the increase, with some 40 per cent of the respondents saying that, given the shortening of delivery time and low stock levels prevalent in recent years, they would choose suppliers willing to accept flexible terms. In view of the increasing demand for small-order suppliers, the Small-Order Zone was staged once again at the Autumn Electronics Fair and the Autumn Lighting Fair. An "Experience Corner" was added, allowing buyers to inspect or try out products. The Small-Order Zone at the two fairs featured more than 1,000 products from over 200 suppliers, attracting almost 31,000 buyer visits and generating about 21,000 trade enquiries.

Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:

Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

At a news briefing today, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau noted that more than 8,300 exhibitors and nearly 200,000 buyers from 163 countries and regions took part in the eight trade fairs organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in October and November. The overseas buyers and exhibitors, he added, brought in nearly HK$1.4 billion to Hong Kong

The majority of exhibitors and buyers agree that Hong Kong’s trade fairs offer the most direct and effective way to expand their business, according to Nielsen Company Director of Consumer Research Ken Lau, who also spoke at the press conference

3.5-Hectare Site Features 700 MHz Band Road-to-Vehicle Communications

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 12, 2012 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today began full-scale operations at its ITS Proving Ground, a new test site - within the grounds of the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture - established with the aim of reducing traffic accidents through Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technology.

The new 3.5-hectare ITS Proving Ground simulates an urban environment with faithfully replicated roads and traffic signals. The site is equipped with a road-to-vehicle communications system consisting of a vehicle detection system, a pedestrian detection system, a course monitoring system, traffic signals and control devices.

The communications system runs on the 700 MHz band, which was allocated for ITS by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in December 2011. The 700 MHz band is easily diffracted and reception over wide areas is possible, making it effective for communications with vehicles at intersections and other locations with poor visibility.

With the start of full-scale operations at the ITS Proving Ground, TMC will accelerate its research and development of environmental systems designed to improve fuel efficiency as well as safe driving support systems that seek to prevent accidents involving pedestrians and other vehicles in urban areas and at intersections.

TMC is also conducting research and development on next-generation vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems that support safe driving(1) and that have been designed to prevent accidents involving pedestrians and other vehicles at intersections with poor visibility through the continuous exchange of road-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian-to-vehicle information.

At the special-purpose ITS Proving Ground, TMC will work toward the early practical adoption of evermore reliable systems by repeatedly conducting testing and evaluations that can be difficult to perform on public roads with changing road environments.

TMC considers the elimination of traffic fatalities and injuries the ultimate goal of a society that values mobility, and is therefore conducting research and development on individual onboard safety devices and systems based on its Integrated Safety Management Concept(2), an approach that gives direction to safety technology and vehicle development. TMC is pressing forward with the development of safer vehicles and technologies and is intensifying its wide-ranging traffic-safety initiatives by participating in the development of safer traffic environments and promoting traffic safety education.

(1) A type of Intelligent Transport System that supports safe driving and prevents accidents by wirelessly receiving information from communications infrastructure and from other vehicles to notify the driver about traffic conditions and objects beyond his or her view
(2) An approach to optimal driver support in all stages through integration rather than considering each onboard safety technology and system individually.

About Toyota

Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of March 2012, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 50 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 160 countries and regions. For more information, please visit 　www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:

Toyota Motor Corporation
Corporate Communications Department
Public Affairs Division
Tel: +81-3-3817-9150

The first SCS-approved laboratory in Asia / Rapid indoor air quality testing for manufacturers in Asia applying for SCS' certification programmes

HONG KONG, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV Rheinland has announced a new partnership with SCS Global Services, on indoor air quality testing becoming the first SCS-approved laboratory in Asia. The TUV Rheinland Hong Kong VOC Emission Centre is equipped with more than 30 emission test chambers and accredited by DAkkS in accordance with ISO 17025 for the scope of most of the VOC and formaldehyde emission standards used in Europe and the US.

Figure legend: TUV Rheinland Hong Kong VOC Emission Centre

TUV Rheinland entered the Greater China market over 25 years ago. The company is familiar with domestic and international standards of product safety and quality management systems. It also offers advanced testing equipment and experienced technical professionals, all capable of integrating international resources and local services.

SCS offers indoor air quality certification for furniture, flooring, paints and coatings, adhesives, sealants, insulation, wall coverings, carpet, furnishings and more through its Indoor Advantage and Indoor Advantage Gold programmes, as well as through the Resilient Floor Covering Institutes' FloorScore® program. The VOC Emission Centre will provide rapid indoor air quality testing for manufacturers in Asia applying for SCS' certification programmes. This strategic partnership between TUV Rheinland and SCS will facilitate the swift, integrated solutions manufacturers need to gain fast access to the American market.

"Our indoor air quality certifications allow our certified clients to prove that their products contribute to creating a safer, healthier indoor environment for their customers," said Stan Rhodes, President and CEO of SCS Global Services. "This partnership will allow us to better serve manufacturers in Asia with faster turnaround time and a connection to local businesses."

TUV Rheinland provides independent test marks that prove the compliance of your furnishing, decoration and construction materials with the relevant regulations (such as EN717-1; ASTM D6007-02; ISO 16000-3, 6, 9 and 11; BIFMA X7.1-2007; and M7.1-2007). Our highly experienced team delivers the knowledge, direction and security you need to gain access to international markets and demonstrate your commitment to the environment and society.

SCS Global Services (formerly Scientific Certification Systems) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing and standards development for nearly 30 years. SCS is a chartered benefit corporation and Certified B Corp™, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

CONTACT:
Simon Hung
Tel. +852 21921000
Dir. +852 2192 1948
Fax +852 21921001
Simon.Hung@hk.chn.tuv.com
Source: TUV Rheinland

Cathay Pacific Airways today announced the launch of a new weekly freighter service to Colombo in Sri Lanka commencing 2 December 2012 (subject to government approval). The new service will expand Cathay Pacific's cargo presence in the South Asia region and give shippers in Sri Lanka greater choice and flexibility for connecting to the airline's international cargo network through the Hong Kong hub.

The Colombo freighter service will be operated on a Hong Kong-Chennai-Colombo-Hong Kong routing every Sunday using one of Cathay Pacific's Boeing 747-400F aircraft and will cater for the huge volumes of garments and perishables bound for the North America, Europe and Asia markets. The airline will become the only carrier to operate the 747-400F out of Colombo, offering more cargo space to meet growing demand.

Cathay Pacific Director Cargo Nick Rhodes said: "Sri Lanka is home to major garment and footwear manufacturers producing goods for well-known international brands, and also has sizeable exports of perishable products including tuna and lobster. We already carry sizeable quantities of freight in the bellies of our daily passenger flights to and from Colombo, but the new freighter service will enable us to better meet the demand for Sri Lankan products in major markets around the world."

Cathay Pacific is committed to expanding its freighter network and has also added services to Zhengzhou and Hyderabad this year. The airline recently took delivery of its eighth Boeing 747-8F freighter aircraft, with two more to be delivered in 2013.

Details of Cathay Pacific's new Colombo (CMB) freighter service from 2 December 2012 are as follows (all times local):

Hong Kong - Chennai (MAA) - Colombo (CMB) - Hong Kong freighter service

Source: Cathay Pacific Airways Limited

One in 10 married couples in Seoul live apart. The proportion of non-cohabitating couples rose from 5.8 percent of all married couples in 1995 to 9.5 percent in 2010.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday said the number rose from 131,000 households in 1995 to 211,000 in 2010, up a whopping 61.1 percent.

Meanwhile, as the numbers of divorced couples and singles increased, the proportion of households led by a married couple fell from 76.6 percent in 1995 to 63.4 percent in 2010.

The proportion of women between 25 and 29 who are single doubled from 40.1 percent in 1995 to 80.2 percent in 2010, and that of single men between 30 and 34 rose from 24.4 percent to 58.9 percent over the same period.

The number of people in their 30s who still live with their parents rose from 93,559 in 1995 to 322,313 in 2010. The divorce rate among Seoul citizens rose from 2.6 percent in 1995 to 7.4 percent in 2010.

Tokyo – Featuring the hot market expanding rapidly, a new exhibition “Automotive IT Expo” http://www.auto-it.jp/en/　will be launched in January 2013 at Tokyo. It will join “AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2013”, Asia’s leading exhibition & conference for advanced automotive technologies such as automotive electronics, EV & HEV and automotive weight reduction.

Along with the rapid popularization of connected vehicles equipped with constant internet access, the demand for IT solutions/services to make vehicles safer and more comfortable is ever increasing.

Mark your calendar for this brand new exhibition and further strengthened AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2013. [January 16-18, 2013 at Tokyo Big Sight]

♦ What is Automotive IT Expo?
Gathering all kinds of IT services/solutions, ITS related devices, human-machine interface, telematics services, etc., the show will become a prime business venue between the IT industry and the Japanese & Asian automotive industry. Held inside Asia’s leading exhibition for automotive technologies – AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2013, 30,000* visitors are expected from all the major OEM and Tier1 companies. (*figure of AUTOMOTIVE WORLD)

♦ Why automotive IT solutions now?
According to Fuji Keizai, global market scale of connected vehicles will expand by nine times by 2025 (3,900 million vehicles in the world), compared to that of 2011. All the major IT vendors such as Microsoft, Google, Intel, salesforce.com, Facebook, Fujitsu, NEC, etc. have already entered the automotive industry and business between the IT industry and the automotive industry is expected to be accelerated.

♦ The latest trends and technologies addressed at the co-held Technical Conference
Co-held with AUTOMOTIVE WORLD, the Technical Conference with more than 30 sessions will take place, where top executives and key persons from the leading companies address the latest trends and technologies. (Previous speakers include top executives from Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Nissan, Ford, Honda, Daimler, AUDI, Mazda, Robert Bosch, Denso, Infineon Technologies, and many others. >>Previous Program)

This year, sessions on connected vehicles will join it, making Automotive IT Expo more distinguished as the central hub of the latest trends and technologies and bringing more visitors even to the exhibition halls.

What is AUTOMOTIVE WORLD?
Annual event for advanced automotive technologies with Asia’s largest scale, 500 Exhibitors & 30,000 Visitors from around the world. (expected)

It consists of 4 specialised exhibitions, CAR-ELE JAPAN (5th Int’l Automotive Electronics Technology Expo), EV JAPAN (4th EV & HEV Drive System Technology Expo), 3rd Automotive Weight Reduction Expo and the new exhibition, 1st Automotive IT Expo.

The next show will take place from January 16 to 18, 2013 at Tokyo Big Sight.
<< Participate in 1st Automotive IT Expo / AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2013 >>
- Exhibiting Information Request >>CLICK
- FREE Invitation Ticket Request (Visitor Registration) >>CLICK
- Press Registration / Media Partnership >>CLICK

Contact us:
AUTOMOTIVE WORLD Show Management, Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd.
TEL: +81-3-3349-8518 / mailto:car@reedexpo.co.jp
Attn: Kyoko Nagakusa (Ms.)

Human activity has decimated the coastal and marine ecosystems of Myanmar over the past three decades, conservation experts said at a meeting last week.

Dr Kyaw Tint, chairman of the Mangrove and Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation Network (MERN), said mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Rakhine State, and Ayeyarwady and Tanintharyi Regions had depleted and degraded considerably since 1980.

“Total mangrove forest cover in Myanmar in 1980 amounted to 531,000 hectares but by 2010 only 312,000ha were left, according to Forest Department statistics. Total mangrove coverage in 2010 had been estimated at 659,033ha. But encroachments by agriculture, fisheries and others in the mangrove forests have occupied 346,590ha, leaving only about 312,443ha for mangroves,” he said.

The discussions took place at the National Consultative Workshop on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. The workshop was held at the Sedona Hotel on November 5 and 6, and was organised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Mangroves for the Future, MERN and Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem.

Dr Kyaw Tint said excessive wood cutting for fuel, agricultural expansion and the construction of fish and shrimp ponds were the main reasons for loss of mangroves. He added that natural mangrove forests in Ayeyarwady Region had suffered about 80 percent destruction due to Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 and the intrusion of agricultural land and fish and shrimp ponds, according to the survey conducted by the Forestry Department after Nargis.

He said the extent of mangrove forests in Ayeyarwady had declined by about 6475ha in the period 2007 to 2009.

U Maung Maung Pyone, secretary of the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association, said the consumption of firewood for commercial reasons threatens the future of forest conservation efforts in the area.

“We saw huge piles of firewood, sometimes larger than houses, for use in the dried prawn business when we visited to Pyapon township in Ayeyarwady Region. There are a number of such businesses in the area, and firewood demand is very high,” he said.

Dr Kyaw Tint said the forestry department survey had recommended the reforestation and protection of a five-mile strip along the coast, and the planting of trees for 100 metres on either side of big streams to help protect against bank erosion and to protect coastal dwellers from strong winds and sea waves.

He added that Myanmar’s rich coral species were also affected by human activities and climate change. Coral is sold at some beaches and fishing on coral reefs is increasing. Illegal dynamite fishing is widespread in coastal areas and is also a major threat to coral systems. Coral bleaching as a result of climate change has also been observed in Myanmar waters, he said.

Another issue discussed at the workshop is overfishing.

“A survey conducted in 17 fishing blocks near the Ayeyarwady delta coastline and in coastal and deep-sea areas off Tanintharyi Region in 2007 found that the catch was 85.92 kilograms an hour, down from 96.12 kg recorded by government surveys conducted in 1996 and 1998,” Dr Kyaw Tint said.

U Mya Than Tun, assistant director of Environment and Endangered Aquatic Animal Conservation Unit, Department of Fisheries, said that fish resources such as hilsa were significantly down because of the use of unsustainable fishing techniques.

The workshop recommended the development and implement of integrated ecosystem management, the formulation and implementation of integrated coastal management plans involving stakeholders, mainstream biodiversity conservation and climate change initiatives.

SOURCE / The Myanmar Times

You’ve made it through the heap of resumes and got a call back for an interview. You have all the technical skills and experience, but still, it doesn’t mean you’re a shoe in for the job. Hiring mangers look beyond skills and experience when choosing the right candidate for their company. They have a list of ‘must have’ personality traits that transcend all jobs, whether it’s a secretary or CEO.

Here’s a look at four character traits you want to have to help you land the job:

Hard Work Ethic
It’s no secret recruiters want to hire people that aren’t afraid to work hard, but they also want to see that you are willing to sacrifice in order to get the job done. According to Tom Gimbel, founder and Chief Executive of LaSalle Network, a staffing and recruiting company, that’s why it’s important to get across during the interview instances where you sacrificed personal things for your job. For instance, maybe you postponed a vacation to complete a huge project or perhaps you didn’t blink when you had to work ninety hours in one week. Whatever it was, as long as you are sincere it should resonate with the interviewee.

“The fact of the matter is most people that don’t work a million hours are usually talking about the work/life balance on the interview,” says Gimbel. “The hiring manager wants to hear that your career is your priority.”

Playing Well With Others
It’s easy for an employer to teach someone a new skill, but it’s not so easy to teach them how to get along well with others. That’s something that’s either in you or isn’t and the hiring manager wants to bring on the candidate that has it. “A lot of people aren’t team players,” says Gimbel. “Companies want people who can interact with other departments and communicate well.”

According to Terry Pile, Principal Consultant of Career Advisors, the best way to demonstrate you’re a team player is to tell the recruiter stories about how you stayed after work to help employees that weren’t on your team or how you trained co-workers on a new system. Giving real examples of how you are a team player should go a long way come decision time.

Showing Initiative
It’s easy to show initiative when you are on the job, but hiring managers also want to see that on the interview. The best way to demonstrate that: do you homework. Learn everything there is to know about the company, industry and if at all possible the person you’ll be working for and/or the one doing the interview. By doing that you’ll demonstrate you care enough about the job to educate yourself about the company and the cultural parts about it.
“Take something you read about the company and connect it to your own experience and abilities,” says Marjorie Terry, VP of client services at career advisory company Great on the Job. Researching the company will also put you in a position to ask insightful questions during the interview, which is what hiring managers want to see. “Showing you are interested and have some knowledge about the company and industry is impressive,” says Pile. Know the challenges the company faces, its competitors and how the industry is performing and address it during the interview, she says.

Strong Communications Skills
You may be a top programmer or great at what you do, but if you can’t communicate on the interview it will be lost on the recruiter. According to career experts, hiring managers want job candidates that can speak clearly and concisely. So if you were the one to give presentations for your team or was in charge of training new hires, make that known in the interview. If your strong suit is writing, let the hiring manager know you were in charge of writing the company manual.

“Being a strong communicator is key to getting hired and being successful once you land the job,” says Terry.

Originally published on Glassdoor

Taipei, Nov. 12, 2012 (CENS)--HTC and Apple jointly released a statement yesterday (Nov. 11) saying that both parties have reached a global settlement agreement to eradicate all patent litigations between the two parties and sign a 10-year mutual patent licensing contract, thereby ending over two years of patent war between them.

In the joint statement, Peter Chou, chief executive officer of HTC, expressed that “HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation.” Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, also pointed out that “We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC. We will continue to stay focused on production innovation.”

Cher Wang, chairperson of HTC, remarked that the settlement with Apple is a positive development for both HTC and Taiwan.

Both parties refused to reveal the settlement fee. Institutional investors estimated that under the mutual patent licensing agreement, HTC would pay less than US$5 per unit of royalty to Apple, similar to the amount paid by HTC to Microsoft for its Windows phone. Institutional investors wonder whether HTC would pass the royalty payment to consumers.

Institutional investors calculated that HTC will ship 30 million mobile phones this year. Based on the royalty of US$5 per unit, HTC will have to pay US$150 million (NT$4.37 billion) to Apple a year, accounting for one quarter of HTC’s net after-tax profits of NT$15.772 billion in the first three quarters this year.

HTC noted yesterday that the licensing contract for the settlement will not have major influence on the company’s finance, adding that its stands by its original forecast for reaching NT$60 billion of revenue in the fourth quarter.

Apple first filed suit against HTC with U.S. International Trade Commission and Delaware district court in March 2010, charging the latter for infringing on its 20 patents, including user interface and underlying architecture and hardware of iPhone. Two months later, HTC filed a counter charge with ITC against Apple for encroaching on its five patents. Last December, ITC rendered a final ruling according to which HTC only infringes on one patent of Apple. The final court verdict on the litigation is due to come out at the end of this month.

The settlement will pave the way for HTC to stage a comeback to the U.S. market, as its share in the U.S. smart-phone market has dropped to 6.4% now, compared with the peak level of 23%, due mainly to the litigation. In the future, it will not have to worry about the infringement on Apple’s patent right in marketing its products worldwide, since the mutual licensing agreement covers all current and future patents held by both parties.
(by Philip Liu)

Nov. 12th, 2012 – Taipei, Taiwan – Billion Electric Co., Ltd. (Taiex: 3027, trading as Billion), a leading Asia Pacific-based provider of networking and green power products, announced today to build a strategic partnership with Power Tracker, a well-known solution provider aiming to provide both residential and commercial customers with a cost effective, reliable and intelligent Smart Grid product range.

“We are excited about the strong partnerships built between Power Tracker and Billion Electric for energy saving market in Australia. For years, Power Tracker has been dedicated in PV and energy management markets which Billion Electric is able to provide ideal solutions to work with. Billion will further be assisting Power Tracker to meet the goal of reducing the carbon footprint and energy saving in Australian market.” said Tim Chen, CEO of Billion Electric.

“We are delighted to announce the partnership of the two companies within Smart Energy Management in Home Lighting Control and in PV Energy Management related application sectors. It is an exciting partnership bringing innovative smart applications to consumers and business at an affordable price. By creating the one gateway, the hub of the Power Tracker/Billion range, research and development continues within smart lighting and communications. The ever developing Power Tracker dashboard is an intelligent platform for data collection and display. The management and Board of Power Tracker are delighted to join forces with Billion and become a key provider in its field.” said Anthony O’Connell, CEO of Power Tracker.

About Billion
Billion Electric Co., Ltd. (Taiex: 3027, trading as Billion), was established in Taiwan in 1973. One of Asia Pacific area’s leading providers of power supplies, communication equipments and Smart Grid and Smart Energy Solution Provider. Billion has in-house R&D laboratories with over 185 engineers specializing in the fields of communications, networking, power, and energy management. The R&D teams are located at Taipei and Hsin-chu in Taiwan, Nanjing and Dong-Guang in China. They work together to meet the needs of Billion’s OEM/ODM/OBM partners from across the globe. Billion now employs more than 1,000 people and has manufacturing locations in Taiwan, Malaysia, and China. All the factories are ISO9002 certified and every product is 100% tested twice to ensure the best quality and zero defects. For more information, please visit our websites at 　www.billion.com and 　www.smartgrid.com.tw.

For additional information, please contact:
Media contact: press@billion.com / Sales contact: pem-sales@billion.com

About Power Tracker
Power Tracker is a privately owned company aiming to provide both residential and commercial customers with a smart platform for energy efficiency monitoring. Power Tracker software has been incorporated in a range of microinverters, the newest technology to hit the solar market. The company believes by customers having access and visibility to quality high generating systems, will assist them with the reduction of rising power bills. Residential are not the only benefactors, businesses, schools and community buildings can also see the advantages of this smart technology investment.

For further information visit our website at www.powertracker.com.au.
For additional information, please contact: sales@powertracker.com.au.

Power Tracker, Billion, and the logo are trademarks of Power Tracker and Billion Electric Co., Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

________________________________________

About BILLION
Billion Electric Co., Ltd. (Taiex: 3027, trading as Billion), was established in Taiwan in 1973. One of Asia Pacific area’s leading providers of power supplies, communication equipments and Smart Grid and Smart Energy Solution Provider. Billion has in-house R&D laboratories with over 185 engineers specializing in the fields of communications, networking, power, and energy management. The R&D teams are located at Taipei and Hsin-chu in Taiwan, Nanjing and Dong-Guang in China. They work together to meet the needs of Billion’s OEM/ODM/OBM partners from across the globe. Billion now employs more than 1,000 people and has manufacturing locations in Taiwan, Malaysia, and China. All the factories are ISO9002 certified and every product is 100% tested twice to ensure the best quality and zero defects. For more information, please visit our websites at 　www.billion.com and 　www.smartgrid.com.tw.

For additional information, please contact:
Media contact: press@billion.com / Sales contact: pem-sales@billion.com

About Power Tracker
Power Tracker is a privately owned company aiming to provide both residential and commercial customers with a smart platform for energy efficiency monitoring. Power Tracker software has been incorporated in a range of microinverters, the newest technology to hit the solar market. The company believes by customers having access and visibility to quality high generating systems, will assist them with the reduction of rising power bills. Residential are not the only benefactors, businesses, schools and community buildings can also see the advantages of this smart technology investment.

For additional information, please contact:
For further information visit our website at 　www.powertracker.com.au
For additional information, please contact: sales@powertracker.com.au

Power Tracker, Billion, and the logo are trademarks of Power Tracker and Billion Electric Co., Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

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