Singapore, May 8, 2014 -( ASIA TODAY )- Veolia Water Technologies is proud to be the first water solutions provider to install a wastewater treatment plant upon a floating platform in South East Asia. Based in Singapore, the project will see Veolia designing and implementing an integrated solution to treat lead and brackish water before it is safely disposed-of into the sea. The customised plant will incorporate proprietary Veolia technologies such as the Actiflo® Turbo clarifier, Discfilters, and HydrexTM coagulation and flocculation chemicals.

“This contract reaffirms Veolia’s position as one of the leading providers in the water solutions industry,” Aaron Seah, Regional Market Manager at Veolia, shared. “With 900 Actiflo® references worldwide successfully installed and operated over 20 years were one of the reasons why Veolia was selected for the project.”

Veolia’s solution stood out amongst others for further key reasons. The biggest benefit that the client derived from this project was the ability to obtain the full suite of required technologies from a single, experienced global provider like Veolia. This not only helped to keep project management time and costs to a minimum, it also allowed for a smoother implementation process as the client simply interfaced with Veolia for the entire plant.

Another dramatic key benefit was the small footprint of the Actiflo® system. Due to limited land area and an expanding population, Singapore is increasingly facing land scarcity challenges; so even for a floating platform, space efficiency is a priority. Compared to other available options, Veolia’s solution will occupy the smallest area on a floating platform, and therefore will enable the client to achieve minimum construction costs and maximum cost-savings. With this floating wastewater treatment plant, Veolia is able to offer a win-win solution by providing crucial wastewater technology while addressing land scarcity concerns.

Veolia’s Actiflo® solution is especially compatible for the treatment of lead and brackish water as it consistently produces sludge even under varying water conditions. Able to handle a flow rate of up to 17,000 cubic metres per day, Actiflo® incorporates microsand (ActisandTM) in the clarification process as it acts as a stabiliser, by dampening the effects of sudden variations in water conditions. With Veolia’s solution, this new application in Singapore will see an improvement in the quality of waste that is released into surrounding waters, and enable the marine life in the area to continue thriving.

Seah added, “With this floating application, Veolia hopes to be the benchmark for new innovative solutions, especially where land constraint is a factor. This project is Veolia’s first wastewater floating platform in Southeast Asia, and it further demonstrates our capabilities in offering first-class water and wastewater treatment solutions for our clients. We look forward to sharing similar implementations across industries in the near future.”

***
Veolia is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 200,000 employees* worldwide, the company designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them. Veolia Water Technologies specializes in technological solutions and design and build projects for water and wastewater treatment, serving industrial and municipal clients.

In 2013, Veolia supplied 94 million people with drinking water and 62 million people with wastewater service, produced 86 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 38 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia (Paris Euronext: VIE and NYSE: VE) recorded revenue of €22.3 billion* in 2013.
(*) Excluding Transdev employees and revenue currently under divestment

- Published on AsiaToday.com

Bangkok, Thailand -( ASIA TODAY )- Prospects for the green building industry in Thailand and ASEAN are bright, according to green building experts at the Thailand Green Building Industry Forum, organized recently by GBR Expo Asia 2014 – Thailand’s only international green building show, which will take place on 18th-20th September 2014 at Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

At the Thailand Green Building Industry Forum, experts from the green building industry joined to share insights into the outlook for green building in Thailand and ASEAN. In the experts’ opinion, Thailand presents significant opportunities for green building because of the large volume of existing buildings in the country. Moreover, the government aims to reduce energy consumption by 25 per cent in 2030, so will support projects that promote efficient use of energy in commercial buildings, development of new green building standards and application of green technologies.

Experts joining the forum included Dr. Somchai Harnhirun, Director-General, Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry, Mr. Oh Lock Soon, Managing Director of Keppel Thai Properties Public Company Limited and Chairman of the Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ayuthaporn Buranakul, President of Thailand Facility Management Association (TFMA), and Mr. Christopher C. Seeley, CEO of Climate Change Solutions Co., Ltd.

At the forum, Dr.Somchai Harnhirun, Director-General, Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry said that “To celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King’s 84th Birthday in 2011, the Ministry of Industry held an organization-wide launch of the Green Industry Project, including provincial industrial offices, institutes and industrial estates, to raise awareness among industrial firms about social and environmental issues and to reward environmentally-friendly industries by providing five levels of Green Industry certification. The first level is Green Commitment, with companies then able to progress through Green Activities, Green System, Green Culture, and Green Network. We also implemented the Eco Industrial Town program, and we hope that within the next few years, we will see some areas in Thailand adopt this eco business concept.

“In relation to full implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, many aspects are already in practice. For example, Thailand’s import duty already stands at 0 per cent for ASEAN member countries. Thinking beyond the AEC, I see opportunities to raise consciousness among the public about the environment. I believe green building assessment in Thailand may face challenges, and may not be as easily implemented as in Singapore, because of the geographic differences between our countries. Green building enjoyed success in Singapore because of financial support from the government. In Thailand, we try to provide incentives but these can also present challenges, as incentives mean you reduce costs for developers but you do not create demand.

“Compared to 10 years ago, the cost of construction and operations is lower, and the quality of residential buildings is higher, because materials are easier to find and the market has become more competitive. New technology can also help to improve product quality, while reducing prices. The government also has a role to play in providing policy frameworks that create demand.”

Mr. Oh Lock Soon, Managing Director of Keppel Thai Properties Public Company Limited and Chairman of the Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce added that “Keppel Thai Properties Public Company Limited is a subsidiary of Keppel Land Limited, the property arm of Keppel Corporation Limited, one of Singapore's largest multinational conglomerates with core businesses in offshore and marine, infrastructure as well as property. Right now the company is looking at ASEAN as a whole, and we are planning to ramp up our activities in Thailand. Our company strives to be a leader not only in Singapore but globally, and as part of this mission we hope to develop some well-known and respected projects in Thailand so that not only Thai people but also foreign investors recognize us as a good brand.”

Mr. Ayuthaporn Buranakul, President of Thailand Facility Management Association (TFMA) noted that “At TFMA, we manage facilities that are built by other parties. The core expertise of TFMA is in the fields of integrated architecture, engineering, client management, and CSR. We manage the 3Ps–People, Place and Process– especially in facilities management. In addition to security, office planning and waste management, we are also concerned about energy management in the building, because 48 per cent of greenhouse gas is produced by buildings, so we need to understand the building capabilities so we will know how to best manage them.

“Nowadays there are technologies available for efficient energy management and effective building maintenance. Some examples include HVAC systems and LED technology, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 45 per cent. Such technologies help building owners to increase their returns on investment.”

Mr. Christopher C. Seeley, CEO of Climate Change Solutions Co., Ltd. said that “Existing buildings represent interesting potential for Bangkok, given that there are approximately 1,500 buildings in the city, which is considered a large market. The opportunity to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings presents economic and cost saving opportunities that are of great interest to the private sector commercial building market. If a building owner takes an existing building and retrofits it, thus reducing energy consumption and energy costs, the value of the property will definitely increase.”

To increase demand for green buildings in Thailand, Mr. Seeley gave the example that “In 2015, electricity prices will increase about 15-17 per cent, so if people in the market realize that there are opportunities to reduce energy costs by increasing energy efficiency, hopefully this will spur more activity from building owners.”

The 4th edition of GBR Expo Asia 2014 in Thailand will act as a leading platform for the green building and retrofit industry, showcasing leading and quality new products, services and solutions to the 10,000 industry professionals from Building & Construction and Facilities industry expected to be present during 18-20 September 2014 at Hall 5, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

***

Media Contact
IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd.
Mr. Ajinveat Vhongthong
ajinveatv@impact.co.th
　www.greenbuilding-asia.com

- Published & distributed via AsiaToday.com

Taipei, Taiwan -( ASIA TODAY )- The most important events in the global automotive and motorcycle industry, the "30th Taipei AMPA,""9th AutoTronics Taipei,""9th Motorcycle Taiwan," and "4th EV Taiwan" ended in huge success today (12th) after attracting a total of 50,868 domestic and foreign buyers over its four-day run. The exhibition is Asia's most professional and effective international automotive and motorcycle industry exhibition, and even broke three records this year: first, it was the largest, with a total of 1,346 exhibitors and 3,665 exhibition booths; second, in the four day exhibition period, 7,017 international buyers from 128 countries came to visit, more than ever before; and third, the value of the total estimated on-the-floor and post-exhibition business was around US$600 million, showing how the 4-in-1 Mega Show has become Asia's best B2B exhibition for driving business in the automotive and motorcycle parts industry.

According to the exhibitors, the quantity and quality of this year's foreign buyers have grown significantly compared to last year, and much business was discussed during the exhibition. Also, the organizers provided customized buyer services, such as airport shuttle services, along with events held in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Taipei AMPA, such as the time tunnel and birthday celebration—all in all, the exhibition was a lively event. Exhibitors and buyers were very satisfied with this year's event, and are looking forward to visiting again in 2015.

Heavyweight buyers gather together for lively discussion

The 4-in-1 Mega Show gave buyers access to the complete automotive industry supply chain. Our 60 overseas offices and Ministry of Economic Affair's units invited over 100 buyers with an annual turnover of more than US$10 million to visit Taiwan; the top ten buyer countries included Japan, China, the United States, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There were also many heavyweight buyers with an annual turnover of more than US$100 million, including the largest U.S. aftermarket automotive distributor Advance Auto Parts, China's benchmark auto parts suppliers Delphi and Magna, and Turkish bus manufacturer Temsa Global San. Ve Tic. A. S. In addition, benchmark buyers at Motorcycle Taiwan included Sunstar Singapore Pte Ltd, German Magura, and French Technoglobe. Big buyers at EV Taiwan included German Rafi GMBH & Co. Kg, and Bulgaria’s Bulgarian Electric Vehicles Association. The 4-in-1 Mega Show was a great window into the high quality and fair prices offered by Taiwan's vendors, as well as the diverse and innovative products they offer; also, it is an important platform for professional international buyers.

The "One-on-One Procurement Meetings" held on April 9th invited 35 foreign buyers and 115 domestic suppliers for 284 business negotiations, which created US$33.01 million in procurement deals. Along with on-the-floor and post-exhibition deals, the total business generated from the four exhibitions amounts to approximately US$600 million.

Combining exhibitions between Taipei and Kaohsiung Maximizes Business Opportunities

2014 "Taipei AMPA,""AutoTronics Taipei,""Motorcycle Taiwan," and "EV Taiwan" ended in a huge success, and were followed by the "Taiwan International Fastener Show," held from April 14-15 in the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. The organizers provided buyers with free one-way HSR tickets and a number of separate events, giving foreign buyers a convenient opportunity to purchase all the auto parts and fasteners they need.

"Taipei International Auto Tuning and Repair Show" was added for 2015, making for a complete industry supply chain

"Taipei AMPA,""AutoTronics Taipei,""Motorcycle Taiwan," and "EV Taiwan" will be held from April 8-11, 2015, and will be held alongside the new-for-2015 "Taipei International Auto Tuning and Repair Show." We believe next year’s exhibition will bring buyers more unique products, and we look forward to seeing more business from all the buyers and exhibitors next year!
For more information please visit the official exhibition websites below:

Taipei AMPA: 　http://www.TaipeiAMPA.com.tw
Motorcycle Taiwan: 　http://www.Motorcycletaiwan.com.tw
EV Taiwan: 　http://www.EVtaiwan.com.tw
Taiwan International Fastener Show: 　http://www.fastenertaiwan.com.tw

- Published & Distributed via AsiaToday.com

New Delhi -( ASIA TODAY )- Messe Frankfurt India has announced that the third edition of Watertech India, India's leading international trade fair for water & wastewater treatment & management, will take place at Pragati Maidan from 10 – 12 September 2014.

The trade fair will present business opportunities for companies providing solutions for water & wastewater treatment and management. Re-locating from Gandhinagar in Gujrat to India’s largest exhibition center - Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, the show is set to attract key public and private sector professionals, government officials and decision makers keen to source wastewater management technologies and equipment.

Over the last two years, Watertech India has been recognised as the leading trade fair, providing innovative sustainable technology and solutions that have the collective support of business, research and government associations. Mr Raj Manek, Managing Director, Messe Frankfurt India
comments: “We have received support from major industry associations and government authorities for the third edition of Watertech India. Their strong backing has strengthened our commitment to provide a platform to identify green solutions that can be implemented at institutional and municipal levels.”

Show highlights

1. Exhibition space: 4,000 sqm gross
2. Exhibitors: Anticipated 125+
3. New venue: Watertech moves to India’s largest exhibition center, Pragati Maidan, in the nation’s capital
4. Concurrent national conference on Drinking Water Municipal & Industrial Waste Water Treatment & Management
5. Strong industry support and participation presenting advanced technologies in waste water management & systems.

After the very encouraging feedback from authorities and active involvement of municipal representatives from 18 states & union territories across India, the sector‘s players are embracing the show and recognising the need and importance of an event entirely dedicated to waste and water treatment sector. Shri Bharatsinh Solanki, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India at the inaugural ceremony of Watertech India stated: “I congratulate Messe Frankfurt for organising Watertech India and hope it will act as an important knowledge sharing platform in the advancement and sustainability of technology for water management systems.”

Looking forward to the 2014 edition of Watertech India, Yasmin Dubash, Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada remarked: “The exhibition last year was very useful, and we saw some very innovative solutions which have prompted us to participate again this year. We will be bringing our new technologies this year, which have practical applications in the industry. We hope to see all the latest developments in India’s wastewater management sector.”

Watertech India is a successful addition to Messe Frankfurt’s history of organising trade fairs on environmental issues such as Water Expo China, Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo, Eco Expo Asia and Building Solar China. The 2014 show will see the launch of three collocated events - Pollutech, Cleantech and Wastetech India covering the complete chain of waste monitoring and management technologies.

For more information about the event, please visit: 　www.watertechindia.com

-end-

Contact Person: Ruhi Shaikh
Email: ruhi.shaikh@india.messefrankfurt.com
Telephone: 61445900
Organization: Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt. Ltd.

- Published & Distributed via AsiaToday.com

San Francisco, May 14, 2014 — To mark its 60th anniversary, The Asia Foundation debuted today a living, interactive timeline of its six decades in Asia, including archival video, audio interviews, oral histories, photographs, documents, and multimedia. The timeline tells a compelling story of international development in Asia from the 1950s to present day while weaving in the Foundation’s milestones and programs in the countries it works in. It can be viewed on the Foundation’s website together with the annual report, also released today.

The debut of the timeline and the Foundation’s annual report coincides with an anniversary-themed Board of Trustees and Officers dinner in Washington, D.C. next Monday, where Senator Dianne Feinstein of California will be honored.
Providing a visual narrative of milestones in Asia, the interactive timeline is organized into three streams: Historical Landscape, Critical Issues, and Our Work. The narrative reflects the Foundation’s sixty years of work bringing together local individuals, communities, and governments who are shaping Asia’s future. Notable timeline features include interviews and images with prominent professional photographers who have documented the work of the Foundation, early Foundation leaders and current and past staff from on the ground in Asia, providing context for the dramatic transformation in Asia since it emerged from the devastation of World War II through the region’s extraordinary growth of today.

Designed as an evolving record – looking forward and back – the Foundation timeline will provide a dynamic, flexible platform to incorporate and communicate significant milestones in the years ahead. The Foundation welcomes input at timeline@asiafoundation.org.
The timeline is part of an overall 60th anniversary program announced earlier this year by President David D. Arnold featuring issue-based special events; expert analysis of critical issues identified by the Foundation on In Asia, the Foundation’s noted blog; and across its digital and social media channels.

Drawing on the expertise of local partners and its own development experts in the 18 countries where it currently works, the international development nonprofit aims to focus international attention on six critical issues impacting Asia today, including: lack of transparency and accountability in government; persistent poverty and rising income inequality; exclusion of women from political and economic life; ethnic and religious conflicts; access to justice and human rights; and disaster management, climate change, and water resource management.

- Targeting 1,000MW of installed capacity by 2016
- Further international expansion planned after successful Myanmar launch
- Renaming of Navigat Group as MAXpower Group

Singapore/Jakarta, Indonesia -- Media OutReach -- 15 May 2014 -- Navigat Group ("Navigat" or "the Group"), the South East Asian gas-to-power specialist, today announces the promotions of Arno Hendriks to Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and of Willi Goldschmidt to Executive Chairman, a newly created role. These appointments take effect immediately, broadening the board of directors. Arno and Willi will lead the Group into the next phase in its development. As CEO, Arno will head the entire Group, with a focus on building it into a leading distributed power company in the region. Willi, as Executive Chairman, will continue to drive the high-level development of Navigat and ensure its businesses in Indonesia achieve their long-term potential.

With effect from 15 May 2014, the Group will also change its name to MAXpower Group Pte Ltd. ("MAXpower Group") to better reflect its future potential as an increasingly important distributed power plant developer in the South East Asian electricity market.

Arno Hendriks is currently Chief Financial Officer of the Group, a role he has held since joining in May 2010. During this time he led transformational financing deals and secured USD104 million equity investment from high profile investors, including Standard Chartered Bank ('SCB')* and seasoned Indonesian investors**. He raised USD270 million in debt finance in 2013, from co-lead arrangers SCB and OCBC. In addition to financing the Group's expansion and leading a 45 strong accounting and analyst team, Arno has also played a key role in the international development of the Group into Myanmar and Thailand and the build-out of MAXpower's distributed power business across the region.

Willi Goldschmidt, co-founder and CEO of the Group and subsidiaries MAXpower and Navigat Energy since their formation, will become Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Navigat Energy installed its first GE Jenbacher ('GEJ') engine in Indonesia in 2004 and rapidly grew to become the leading distributor of GEJ engines in the region. In 2012 Navigat Energy was named GEJ's largest customer worldwide. MAXpower was launched in 2009 as a developer, owner and operator of gas-fired power plants in South East Asia, enabling the Group to build on its existing relationship with GEJ while dramatically increasing revenues and profit margins. To date, MAXpower has delivered 335MW of clean, scalable and affordable gas-fired power to some of the most remote and undersupplied parts of Indonesia and Myanmar. Led by Willi, the Group's revenue grew to c.US$ 200 million in 2013, demonstrating its fast ascension in the South East Asia distributed power industry.

Arno Hendriks said: "As CEO, my plan is to set the bar even higher and to grow MAXpower Group into the leading gas-fired distributed power provider in South East Asia. My objective is to deliver 1,000MW of clean, scalable and affordable gas-fired power to our core markets of Indonesia and Myanmar by 2016, to seek new markets for expansion, and to develop large gas fired projects in the region.

"I have every confidence that we will achieve our ambitious targets thanks to the strong support of our financing partners, General Electric, our customers and our exceptionally skilled and hardworking staff which will grow from 650 today to 1,000 by 2015.

"The success of our business model and approach has been clearly proven. We build scalable power solutions for undersupplied areas in record times. By bringing electricity to the most remote communities of South East Asia MAXpower Group also makes a considerable contribution to the region's economic and social development. Now all our efforts are focused on expanding our reach and scale."

Willi Goldschmidt commented: "I am extremely proud of what we have achieved over the past ten years, having begun as an engine distributor and evolved into an international integrated power company that services multiple markets across South East Asia.

"I am passionate about this business, and about the impact it has made on some of the most remote communities of Indonesia where we have supported PLN's efforts to bring the electrification rate to national levels."
Commenting on Arno's promotion to CEO, he added: "It is in full confidence that I cede the CEO role to Arno. He has been an exceptionally dynamic and result-focused executive over the past three years, and he is the right man to lead the Group into its next development phase."

*USD25 million investment from Standard Chartered Private Equity in December 2013, and USD58 million investment from Standard Chartered IL&FS Asia Infrastructure Growth Fund ("SCI Asia") in January 2012
** Mahanusa Capital and Gunung Sewu Group invested US$21 million on 5 May 2014

About Arno Hendriks
Arno Hendriks, CEO, is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Arno served as the Group’s CFO for 4 years. Before joining the Group in May 2010, Arno served as a Managing partner of Asia Green Capital, a corporate finance company in Singapore. Prior to that, he spent four years as Managing Partner of a renewable energy/carbon company which he founded in 2004 with activities in Europe and South East Asia and four years as a Managing Director of a subsidiary of Petroplus International, a midstream oil and energy company. Arno started his career as an energy consultant and has over 20 years of international energy business experience, of which eight were in South East Asia. Arno holds a MBA degree from the Rotterdam School of management and a Master in Science degree from the University of Technology in Delft, The Netherlands.

About The Navigat Group
The Navigat Group (or the “Company”) is SE Asia’s leading distributed power plant developer, owner and operator, with 335MW of installed capacity and operations in Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand. It is also the second largest global distributor of General Electric (“GE”) Jenbacher power equipment, having sold over 1,000MW of units through its distribution licenses in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. Navigat’s top holding company is incorporated in Singapore, and the Company is headquartered in Jakarta.

The Group’s main focus is the distributed gas to power market in SE Asia, and it typically pursues power projects of 5 – 100MW in size. Through its two major divisions, Navigat Energy (GE Jenbacher gas engine equipment sales and service) and MAXPower (IPP, BOOT and Rental projects), Navigat has the ability to pursue all distributed power opportunities along the value chain from equipment sales, to services, construction management, project development and asset ownership.

For more information: please visit Navigat /MAXPOWER website at 　www.maxpowergroup.com

Media contacts:
Alastair Hetherington/ Marylène Guernier/ Shelly Tong
RLM Finsbury
Tel: +852 3166 9886
Email: Navigat@RLMFinsbury.com

- Published & Distributed via AsiaToday.com

- Contributing to improvements in Myanmar's communication network through the provision of leading edge transmission equipment -

Tokyo, May 15, 2014 -( ASIA TODAY )- Sumitomo Corporation, NTT Communications Corporation and NEC Corporation have today been awarded the 42nd International Telecommunication Union - Association of Japan (ITU-AJ) Award (International Cooperation Field Accomplishment), by the ITU-AJ for contributions to the "Project for Urgent Improvement of Communication Networks" in Myanmar.

This project was completed in January 2014 and marks the first infrastructure construction project to utilize overseas development assistance from Japan following the Japanese government's change in economic cooperation policy with Myanmar from 2012.

In this project, Sumitomo Corporation, NTT Communications Corporation, and NEC Corporation, formed a consortium to install the equipment necessary for supporting communication infrastructure and improving the environment for accessing the internet.

As a result of building this communication infrastructure, there has been a significant improvement in the infrastructure that supports economic activity and daily life in Myanmar. This communications infrastructure has already delivered smooth telecommunications for the 27th SEA Games, which took place in Myanmar in December 2013. Moreover, Myanmar holds the chairmanship of ASEAN for 2014, hosting a wide range of international conferences and capitalizing on its newly implemented communications infrastructure.

Looking to the future, Sumitomo Corporation, NTT Communications Corporation and NEC Corporation aim to continue contributing to the development of Myanmar's communication infrastructure as part of elevating the country's international presence and expanding new social and business opportunities.
***
________________________________________
About Sumitomo Corporation
Sumitomo Corporation is a leading general trading company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with 116 locations in 65 countries and 24 domestic locations. The Sumitomo Corporation Group consists of nearly 800 companies and more than 70,000 personnel, and its business is continuously expanding into a diverse range of products and services. Its core business units are Metal Products; Transportation & Construction Systems; Environment & Infrastructure; Media, Network, Lifestyle Related Goods & Services; and Mineral Resources, Energy, Chemical & Electronics. For more information, please visit www.sumitomocorp.co.jp/english/

About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Communications provides consultancy, architecture, security and cloud services to optimize the information and communications technology (ICT) environments of enterprises. These offerings are backed by the company's worldwide infrastructure, including leading global tier-1 IP network, Arcstar Universal One™ VPN network reaching 196 countries/regions, and over 150 secure data centers. NTT Communications' solutions leverage the global resources of NTT Group companies including Dimension Data, NTT DOCOMO and NTT DATA.
www.ntt.com | Twitter@NTT Com | Facebook@NTT Com | LinkedIn@NTT Com

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.

NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. ©2014 NEC Corporation.

PRESS CONTACTS
NEC Corporation (Japan):
Seiichiro Toda
NEC Corporation
s-toda@cj.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511

Joseph Jasper
NEC Corporation
j-jasper@ax.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511

NEC Asia Pacific
Masako Hirano
+65-6379-2570
+65-9018-6652
M-hirano@nec.com.sg

- Published & Distributed via AsiaToday.com

Five universities in the Philippines made it onto the Top 300 Asian universities list of the London-based education and career network Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). State-run University of the Philippines-Diliman remains the country’s top school after it was ranked 63rd in the 2014 QS University Rankings in Asia.

UP’s latest ranking was higher than last year’s 67th spot. Its best performance was in 2011 when it was ranked 62nd among Asian universities. It was followed by Ateneo de Manila University at 115th place from last year’s 109th and the University of Santo Tomas, which ranked 141st from last year’s 148th.

De La Salle University remains in the 151-160 grouping. Ateneo de Davao University was included in the 251-300 bracket for the first time. The University of Southern Philippines, which was included in the 251-300 bracket last year, did not make it to the 2014 list.

“This is a much more encouraging set of results for Filipino institutions, following on from two years in which many of them have seen their ranking drop,” QS head of research Ben Sowter said in a statement.

“The proposed ASEAN Economic Community may help more Philippine institutions gain greater recognition in the coming years through greater inter-regional collaboration and exchange programs,” he said.

Sowter noted the Philippine universities scored relatively weak on the internationalization indicators, which measure the proportion of international students and staff, and participation in exchange programmes.

Despite making the top 50 for both academic and employer reputation, UP failed to make it to the top 200 in all four internationalisation indicators, Sowter said.

The National University of Singapore topped the ranking for the first time. In second place is the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, followed by the University of Hong Kong, Seoul National University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong landed in sixth place, followed by Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, China’s Peking University, South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology and the University of Tokyo.

UP has overtaken University of Indonesia (71) in the ranking. Also in the list are Malaysia’s Universiti Malaya (32), Thailand’s Mahindol University (40), Chulalongkorn University of Thailand (48), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (56) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (57).

The Top 300 universities were ranked by QS based on academic and employer reputation, faculty and student population and international students and faculty, among others.

- ARNO MAIERBRUGGER

The Philippines largest solar power plant is set to commence commercial operations on May 15. It is San Carlos Solar Energy Inc’s (SaCaSol) 22-megawatt solar power plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

“We’ve been eagerly awaiting the grand opening of this project, as it will benefit the grid greatly and help avoid the need for diesel plants to supply peak day time power,” said Jose Maria T. Zabaleta, chairman of Bronzeoak Philippines Inc, which is one joint venture partner in SaCaSol, with the other being European investment fund ThomasLloyd Group.

The solar farm, the largest to be put up in the country to date, is located in the San Carlos economic zone. The facility is expected to help improve the Visayas grid’s power supply especially amid projections of a possible prolonged dry spell in the coming weeks.

The SaCaSol consortium invested $44 million to develop the solar plant.

Michael Sieg, ThomasLloyd chairman, said SaCaSol will initially generate 13 megawatts of power within the first week and adding nine megawatts in the following week.

“Installation of the plant’s 88,000 photovoltaic panels is already a sight to behold,” he said.

Besides the project, Bronzeoak and ThomasLloyd also plan to put up two biomass power plants with a capacity of 45 megawatts in Negros Occidental and 30 megawatt in a still to be identified area in Luzon.

- ARNO MAIERBRUGGER

SINGAPORE -( ASIA TODAY )- One of the world’s largest and most prestigious LNG and natural gas conferences and exhibitions, Gastech, is coming to Singapore in 2015, reflecting the country’s growing strategic importance as a regional hub for the Asian gas market.

The build-up started on Thursday 15 May in Singapore, with a launch event hosted by dmg :: events, BG Group and the Energy Market Authority. The launch attracted over 200 VIPs and stakeholders from the gas industry including representatives from Chevron, Eon, the High Commission of Canada, Pavilion Energy, Singapore LNG Corporation, UK Trade & Investment, IE Singapore, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Shell, Government of Western Australia, Keppel Energy, Gazprom Marketing & Trading, and many more.

Addressing the press launch Matthew Meredith, Executive Vice President for dmg :: events (UK) Ltd, the organisers for Gastech said, “We are proud to be bringing Gastech 2015 to Singapore in October next year. After a successful partnership in London in 2012, we are pleased to be working once again with BG Group on what is already shaping up to be our biggest Gastech so far – 75% of the exhibit space has already been reserved.”

As Singapore celebrates its 50 year anniversary, it seeks to play an increasingly important role in the Asian gas industry, and with BG Group’s close affiliation with the region, Gastech 2015 arrives in Singapore at a pivotal time for the industry.

“As Singapore’s exclusive supplier and aggregator of LNG of up to 3 million tonnes per annum, BG Group is delighted to be hosting the Gastech Conference and Exhibition here in 2015. The long-term importance of Asia’s gas markets was one of the reasons why BG Group recently moved the centre of our Global LNG and oil marketing business to Singapore, so it is particularly fitting that one of the most important LNG conferences in the world should take place here next year.

“We look forward to welcoming all of the industry’s key players to Gastech in October 2015 and participating in some interesting discussions and debates on the future of the global and regional LNG market.” said Anthony Barker, General Manager for BG Gas Marketing Singapore who will play host to the 2015 event.

Jonathan Goh, Director (External Relations) for the EMA, organisers of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), said, “We are pleased Gastech will be held in association with SIEW 2015. As one of the leading gas events in the industry, it complements SIEW’s line up of existing programmes which range from upstream oil & gas, renewable energy, technology and financing.

The 8th annual SIEW 2015 will continue to bring together the world’s leading events from across the energy spectrum and participants will have the opportunity to build connections, exchange ideas and discuss energy issues, strategies and solutions.”

Held every 18 months Gastech brings together the international gas community to discuss the key commercial and technical issues affecting the industry.

The event attracts over 20,000 international visitors, 2,000 conference delegates, 500 international, regional and local exhibitors and is firmly established as one the world’s leading LNG and natural gas events.

Gastech brings together the industry on all levels through its Conference programme, international Exhibition and other show features. The 2015 Conference will feature 3 streams focusing on Commercial, Marine & Shipping and Gas & LNG Technology issues. Its invite only VIP programme brings together over 250 C-Level executives and government ministers, while the Gastech Student Programme and Young Engineers Programme gathers over 150 of the best international students and pre-qualified young professionals, to learn and network with people working across all areas of the industry. At the Exhibition, visitors are offered free technical seminars at the Centres of Technical Excellence (CoTEs) – a platform for experts to present the latest technologies across 3 specific industry sectors.

Gastech Singapore 2015 has already garnered much interest from key industry players and regional, as well as local, stakeholders. The 2015 Exhibition will feature zones dedicated to Offshore Technology, LNG Facilities & Infrastructure, and Ports and Marine. Companies confirmed to participate next year include BG Group, ADNOC, Qatar Petroleum, Cheniere Energy Inc, INPEX Corporation, BW Shipping Pte Ltd, Iberdrola, SKK Migas, ExxonMobil, Sembawang Shipyard Pte Ltd and more. The 2015 event is also supported by the International Enterprise Singapore (IE) and Singapore Tourist Board (STB).

Contact Person: Samantha Ling
Email: 　samanthaling@dmgevents.com
Telephone: +442036152870
Website: 　www.gastechsingapore.com
Organization: dmg :: events

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– Solutions for clean parts and surfaces
– Bilingual expert forum – Cleaning expertise for process optimization

Stuttgart/Hannover -( ASIA TODAY )- More and more parts are being coated to give them special functional or decorative properties. Surface quality requirements are also rising, not only for coating but also for other processes, such as laser welding or glue bonding. “The purpose of parts and surface cleaning is to ensure the cleanliness necessary for coating and joining processes. The exhibitors at this year’s edition of parts2clean are presenting a broader range of solutions than ever before,” says Olaf Daebler, the Deutsche Messe director in charge of the leading trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning. O&S, the international trade fair for surfaces and coatings, runs in parallel with parts2clean this year at the Stuttgart exhibition center from 24 to 26 June. “This gives visitors a prime opportunity to learn about innovations and trends in these areas of surface treatment technology with a single tradeshow visit.”

Many innovations and refinements in all areas
Exhibitors are presenting products and services for each and every link of the process chain. parts2clean offers the right solutions for everything from stabler cleaning processes, shorter treatment times and higher energy or resource efficiency to flexible cleaning, cleanliness control and documentation or compliance with cleanliness targets. Visitors can also look forward to many new and enhanced products. For example, a completely new approach to wet chemical cleaning using aqueous media, suitable for everything from rough to fine cleaning. Also being featured are special advances in cleaning media. An innovative tool for measuring ultrasonic power is also on exhibit. Exhibitors have robots and handling systems on hand for process automation, and solutions for reliable and cost-effective deburring are also being showcased at parts2clean. When it comes to cleaning containers and workpiece carriers, product innovations and refinements help reduce process times, optimize results and cut costs – not only thanks to their versatility, but also because they minimize costly and potentially harmful parts handling. Systems including dry-ice blasting and laser beam cleaning are on display for partial cleaning of surfaces for coating and other downstream processes. For quality control and documentation of the cleanliness achieved in the cleaning process, parts2clean offers solutions for both particle and film measuring tasks. Bath monitoring and maintenance are important for process stability, in particular with aqueous media. In this area new and refined devices, for example for continuous concentration measurement in liquids, are being presented. Innovations for corrosion protection, conservation and packaging are also on exhibit at parts2clean.

Bilingual expert forum – Cleaning expertise for process optimization
The three-day expert forum at parts2clean has become established internationally as a valuable source of knowledge about industrial parts and surface cleaning. The program is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Alliance for Cleaning Technology and includes a total of 29 presentations (with simultaneous German/English interpreting) on the topics such as process and procedure expertise, cleaning methods, pretreatment and coating, requirements-compliant deburring with the right method, efficient and cost-effective cleaning baths, and particle contamination methodology. The panel talk on quality organized by the German trade association for industrial parts cleaning (Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung, FiT) will focus on process chain analysis as a defect prevention strategy. Participation in the parts2clean forum is free of charge for tradeshow attendees.

LASYS, the international trade fair for laser material processing, and Automotive Expo will run concurrently with parts2clean at the Stuttgart fair grounds from 24 to 26 June.

For a detailed look at the forum program as well as further information and a complete overview of the products and exhibitors to be featured, visit 　www.parts2clean.de.

- - -

Contact for technical questions:
Doris Schulz, SCHULZ. PRESSE. TEXT.
Phone: +49 711 854085
E-mail: ds@pressetextschulz.de

Contact for tradeshow-related questions:
Silke Gathmann, Deutsche Messe
Phone: +49 511 89-31614
E-mail: silke.gathmann@messe.de

For more information, visit 　www.parts2clean.de

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Showcasing smart, safe and sustainable solutions that solve industrial automation challenges for improved productivity and profitability

Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, announced it will be holding its fourth Jakarta-based Rockwell Automation on the Move (RAOTM) event on 20 May at The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta, Mega Kuningan.

As the industry’s premier one-day event focused on innovative smart, safe and sustainable solutions, Rockwell Automation’s RAOTM events offer a plethora of educational and networking opportunities that demonstrate cutting-edge process and discrete control technologies. In conjunction with Rockwell Automation’s 111 years of Allen-Bradley brand equity, this year’s event will enable customers to see how to improve business productivity and profitability, optimise plants and supply-chain management, and make operations cleaner, safer, securer and more energy efficient.

Delegates from across Indonesia will have the opportunity to view state-of-the-art power, control, process and sustainable-production solutions at the extensive exhibits, staffed by Rockwell Automation and their partners’ experts. They can also participate in a variety of technical sessions featuring presentations on key industry issues and developments, experience Rockwell Automation products and technologies at hands-on labs, as well as network with industry, application and technology experts.

Rockwell Automation and its best-in-class suppliers in its PartnerNetwork™ programme will collaborate to discuss the latest industry trends, consult on standards and requirements, provide interactive demonstrations of leading automation technology, and present solutions for daily challenges in manufacturing automation and machine performance. These system integrators, strategic alliance partners, Encompass-referenced products and distributors will showcase products and services designed to work with Rockwell Automation to ensure that customers receive the best value for their automation investment. Together, they have extensive experience in a wide range of industry sectors including Oil and Gas, Consumer Packaged Goods, Mining and Cement, Automotive and Tyres.

“Our RAOTM events uniquely bring Rockwell Automation staff, partners and customers together in one venue, so the leaders in our ecosystem witness how closely we work together – overcoming vital industrial automation challenges, by leveraging technology and industry insights to help our customers grow and prosper,” said Bob Buttermore, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation.

Visit the RAOTM:
Date: 20 May 2014
Time: 08:30 – 18:30
Place: The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta, Mega Kuningan, 2nd Floor Ballroom 2

About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs about 22,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.

Follow ROKAutomation on Twitter
Connect with ROKAutomation on Facebook

Media contact:
Joy Francisco
Asia-Pacific Connections for Rockwell Automation
joy@apconnections.com
+65 6334 9045

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Singapore’s Largest Flash Deal Site to offer affordable luxury with new portal dedicated to luxury lifestyle

SINGAPORE -- Media OutReach -- 27 May 2014 -- Leading e-commerce site DEAL.com.sg is officially entering the online luxury space with D'Luxe, a space dedicated to luxury products. Leveraging on its international sourcing network, D'Luxe, aims to deliver the widest variety of current season goods from premium luxury brands at the best possible prices. In addition, the company will be opening a new Redemption Centre featuring an exclusive VIP Room in July. Online shoppers will now be able to have access to the luxury lifestyle, backed by one of the largest and most trusted e-commerce groups in South East Asia.

Showcasing premium brands such as Longchamp, Coach, Prada, Chanel and Hermes, DEAL.com.sg aims to offer luxury goods at the best price in the market, without compromising on quality or authenticity. Focusing on the variety of branded items in their offering, D'Luxe carries over 900 different models of branded goods, targeting to have over 1500 different models by the end of 2014, making D'Luxe one of the largest luxury shopping platforms in Singapore.

Patrick Linden, the Group's CEO, said, "We are glad to announce the launch of Singapore's largest online luxury sale. From Tory Burch to Chanel, Armani to Hermes, we spoil our customers with a choice of over 900 luxury items at best prices. In addition, most of the goods on D'Luxe will be current season items."

"DEAL.com.sg recognises the large swathe of space in the luxury e-commerce market that is currently not being served by any other players locally; most shoppers are forced to choose between hunting down the best price or opting for shipping from overseas with no guarantee or clear return procedure. By utilizing its local presence and international sourcing, DEAL.com.sg is able to fill this void", added Patrick.

To complement the launch of D'Luxe, DEAL.com.sg will be officially opening an exclusive VIP Room from July 2014. Located within the Redemption Centre the VIP Room will offer a white glove service manned by executives who will specialise in servicing VIP customers and handling luxury goods, completing the online shopping purchase with a polished luxury experience offline.

The new Redemption Centre will be located at 2 Kallang Avenue, CT Hub, #03-01/02, Singapore S339407 and will be open from 11.30am to 8.30pm everyday including public holidays.

For media enquiries and interviews, kindly contact:
Daniel Tan / Harpreet Kaur/ Cheryl Lee
PR Communications Pte Ltd
T: +65 6227 2135
E: daniel@prcomm.com.sg / harpreet@prcomm.com.sg / cheryl@prcomm.com.sg

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HONG KONG, CHINA--Media OutReach-- 26 May, 2014 -- The South China Morning Post (SEHK: 583) is pleased to announce the promotion of Romanus Ng as General Manager, Advertising & Marketing Solutions, reporting directly to Elsie Cheung, SCMP Group Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Romanus Ng, SCMP's General Manager, Advertising & Marketing Solutions

Romanus Ng will take the helm of the South China Morning Post's largest revenue centre, and lead a diverse team of over 100 media professionals in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore. His remit will cover Print and Digital advertising sales, the growing Marketing Solutions business that develops custom campaigns and events for SCMP's advertisers, SCMP Outdoor Media, and the Specialist Publications unit, which produces globally acclaimed titles including STYLE, Destination Macau and Good Eating.

Mr. Ng first joined the SCMP Group in 2007 as Senior Sales Manager in the Classified Advertising Department, and was later promoted and transferred to the Display Advertising Department as Assistant Director. There his track record earned him further promotion to the position of Head of Sales and Deputy Director of the department. Prior to his current promotion, he was instrumental in the ideation and development of numerous successful new products, and played a pivotal role in developing new business strategies across the SCMP's full suite of products.

"The SCMP Group places a high priority in people and organizational development, and over the past years, has invested heavily in growing and building the skills and expertise of our homegrown talents. Romanus has built an enviable track record of consistent delivery and sales leadership, and we are delighted to announce his promotion to General Manager, Advertising and Marketing Solutions", noted Ms. Elsie Cheung, COO of SCMP Group.

"In today's complex media environment, it is important to possess the ability to bring diverse skills and views together to solve our advertisers' marketing needs, and we are confident that Romanus will continue to help us raise the bar for the company as we look to grow beyond the borders of Hong Kong", continued Ms. Cheung.

"I am delighted to be part of the SCMP's leadership team, and keenly look forward to working closely with other department heads to navigate our core newsprint business and green shoot areas of growth to the next phase of growth", said Mr. Romanus Ng.

He continues, "having played an integral role in the SCMP's important and historic transitional milestones over the past few years, including the repositioning of the South China Morning Post, SCMP.com's landmark migration from a hard paywall to a metered model, and the evolution of our print products across mobile and tablet devices, I am confident that the Group will continue to be a strong player in the new media environment".

Media Contact
For further information please contact:
communications@scmp.com

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In order to implement the latest control system for trains, points and signals on railway traffic Bombardier installed the first cabinets in LKAB’s mine in Kiruna, Sweden. Eldon is the developer, producer and provider of floor cabinets to the LKAB model as well as other 10 different cabinet combinations that Bombardier will use as the basis of the control system OCS950.

"We were actively looking for a flexible supplier that was willing to work with us to develop a really good solution for our new and improved OCS950 system. It is also very important to be able to supply us with cabinets of the highest quality with fairly short lead times. Eldon has shown that they are willing and able to do that and we have a very good and constructive cooperation" says Benny Slotteborn the Product Manager at Rail Control Solutions (RCS), Bombardier.

In order to meet the high requirements of the project, the cabinets needed to be consistent in the structure of the interior so that they could be easily customized for the needs of each railway project. Eldon has met the needs of the system by using modules that are added to a basic configuration of OCS950.

Eldon is offering standard enclosures such as wall and floor mounted cabinets, but also customized solutions are developed for the customer’s needs. For Bombardier’s project that implies outdoor and harsh environments, Eldon has chosen an aluminium cabinet that has double walls. "(...) it provides a better climate inside the cabinet since it provides a cooling air flow in the air gap between the inner and outer walls. In addition, the cabinet will better be able to withstand stones from oncoming trains. Another major advantage is that our outdoor cabinets are burglary protected. These criteria helped Bombardier in their cabinet choice." says Janne Tengvall.

"The partnership with Bombardier’s engineers has been very rewarding. Together we have worked creatively to find better features for the various cabinet solutions and have developed a very good structure for the project. We have also been working internally to develop new procedures for the production to flow as smoothly as possible." says Jörgen Laago, Technical Project Manager at Eldon.
Within Bombardier, the implementation of the new system OCS950 has already generated several requests and positive contacts. Bombardier and Eldon will definitely continue to work in a productive cooperation with all new projects to come.

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Frankfurt / May 2014 –( ASIA TODAY )– The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), or TCEB, has announced the introduction of a comprehensive range of new internationally-recognised MICE Standards, boosting international competitiveness and offering assurance to the global marketplace that Thailand is a premier destination to host international standard events.

Making the announcement during IMEX 2014 held in Frankfurt, Germany, Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB remarked that, “As part of our role to elevate Thailand’s MICE capabilities in the global arena, TCEB is proud to be fostering industry-wide acceptance of new internationally-accredited MICE Standards for the benefit of both Thai MICE industry operators and our international customers, including those from the important European market. We are confident that these MICE Standards will help to boost Thailand’s MICE performance even further in 2014.”

TCEB’s initiatives to introduce MICE Standards are designed to create an international baseline for MICE professionals and organizations in providing world-class, internationally recognized services and opportunities. Standards covering the environment, energy, safety, management, core competencies and more have been introduced to date, with several more under development.

TCEB is raising the environmental bar with ISO 50001: Energy Management Systems. As Asia’s foremost Green Meetings destination, Thailand leads the way in emphasising MICE energy conservation. TCEB provides strong support to enable Thai MICE operators to gain ISO 50001 accreditation, with strategies to increase energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve environmental performance.

Complementing this is ISO 20121: Event Sustainability Management Systems. Under TCEB’s guidance, Thailand is only the second country in the world to implement and encourage certification with ISO 20121, which advocates management based on social, economic and environmental considerations.

The third Standard is ISO 22000: Food Safety Management Systems. Thailand’s renowned cuisine and culinary prowess are a major attraction for international event participants. To assure visitors of the highest quality food, TCEB is pushing the industry to acquire ISO 22000 – in addition to widely used GMP and HACCP certificates – the global standard and food management system for the whole food chain.

Also crucial to international best practice is security, with TCEB working hard to ensure adoption of TISI 22300: MICE Security Management System (MSMS). TCEB strongly supports all MICE operators to be prepared for any crisis, enabling Thailand to become the first country in the world to have a security standard for MICE business. Visitors and exhibitors can be assured that Thai MICE operators can manage any unforeseen situation, and restore their business operations after a crisis.

Interlinked with this is business continuity, a vital part of any overall corporate risk management strategy. In recognition of this, through ISO 22301: Business Continuity Management System, TCEB helps MICE operators protect against, reduce the likelihood of occurrence, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive incidents.

In addition to these standards – and in line with TCEB’s holistic approach to educate MICE professionals so that their capabilities are both in synch with industry demands and among the best in the world – the bureau has developed the Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) and National Skills Standard for the MICE industry. TMVS is a standard tool to systematically measure the quality of venues for hosting MICE events in Thailand, designed to raise standards and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop their potential in terms of systematic thinking in business, management and investment.

As well as fostering enhancements to the standard of Thai MICE industry operators, Mr. Maythaveekulchai explained that TCEB’s mission of creating a vibrant MICE sector is also achieved by direct outreach to in-bound MICE visitors, highlighting the bureau’s Thailand’s MICE Rewards scheme.

Key elements of the Thailand’s MICE Rewards scheme include Meetings Bonus, which offers organisers generous financial subsidies for groups of 200 or more delegates who visit Thailand for three nights or longer to attend corporate meetings or incentives travel; and the Conventions Bonus, which offers associations, PCOs, governments and educational institutions financial subsidies for groups of 300 or more delegates to international conventions in Thailand. Complementing these are TCEB’s Business Up 2 U initiative, a fixed subsidy programme for exhibitions based on their previous years’ performance which offers them TCEB’s guaranteed support; and Be My Guest, which aims to attract high-quality, international exhibition buyers and visitors with financial support for room night allocation.

Complementing this are three exciting online international marketing campaigns, designed to attract private sector MICE industry participation. They include Spice Up Your Business Agenda, a special privilege campaign aimed at registered MICE travellers joining trade exhibitions in Thailand, TCEB’s Itinerary Contest, a pre- or post-trip itinerary design contest that showcases creativity in choosing agenda items, destinations, and recreational activities, and TCEB’s Dream Meeting Contest, a Facebook-based marketing activity designed to invite MICE travellers worldwide to join online games in order to inspire the holding of MICE activities in Thailand to win special Thailand travel prizes.

All campaigns are designed to give a further boost to the strong performance of Thailand’s MICE industry. In reporting European market results for the first half of the 2014 fiscal year (October 2013 to March 2014), the TCEB noted strong growth in the Convention (visitors up by 14%, revenue by 12%) and Exhibition (visitors up by 12%, revenue by 10%) sectors, compared with the same period in 2013.

During the 2013 fiscal year, a total of 1,013,502 MICE visitors were attracted by Thailand’s endless choice of business destinations, global standards of service, and diverse business opportunities.

Highlighting the importance of the European market, Mr. Maythaveekulchai remarked that, “TCEB’s presence at IMEX 2014 demonstrates the importance we place on the region as part of our international outreach program. In 2013 we welcomed more than one million MICE travellers from all over the world, including 101,976 from Europe.”

Further demonstrating the strong position of the industry, TCEB also shared the diverse line-up of confirmed major upcoming MICE activities in Thailand, including incentive travel events such as the Unicity Global Convention, international conventions such as the 3rd Global Congress for Consensus in Paediatrics and Child Health, The 10th International Mycological Congress (IMC) and the FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014, and international exhibitions and trade fairs including INTERMACH 2014, ProPak Asia 2014 and Food & Hotel Thailand 2014, among others.

“The MICE industry has always played a key role in driving the broader economy. I am confident that the new international MICE Standards, complemented by the Thailand MICE Rewards scheme, our online marketing campaigns, and many other market promotions, will help drive further MICE sector growth. In 2014, TCEB forecasts growth in MICE visitor numbers of five per cent over 2013 targets to a total of 987,000 visitors, with revenue up 10 per cent to EUR 2.1 billion,” Mr. Maythaveekulchai concluded.

# # #

For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Division, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization)

Ms Arisara Thanuplang Tel: +66 2 694 6095 Email: arisara_t@tceb.or.th
Mr Pishnu Plaikaew Tel: +66 2 694 6000 Email: pishnu_p@tceb.or.th

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Around 140 participants from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Island, UAE, and US attended this event last year.

With the success of the previous conferences, marcus evans will be bringing back its 5th Annual Resorts and Entertainment conference. This conference which will take place on the 25 to 26 September 2014 in Macau, China will revolutionise innovative ideas shared by influential hospitality leaders in the process of continuous developments and expansion of world-class resorts to remain at its forefront in the ever competitive industry.

Experts from the hospitality industry namely MGM Grand Paradise, Macau, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Macau, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Taiwan, Sands China Ltd., Macau, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, Singapore, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, China, Far East Consortium International, Hong Kong, Minor Hotel Group, Thailand and Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hotels & Resorts, China will be joining the conference.

The two days conference includes a choice of two streams with stream one focusing on Master Planning, Design & Technologies and stream two on Commercialisation and Future Development.

Given the multi-billion dollar investment and close cooperation required to achieve a vision of world-class resorts, precise thoughts and meticulous planning must be implemented in assuring the success of these project pipelines.

Contact Person: Sharon Chew
Email: SharonC@marcusevanskl.com
Telephone: +60327236757
Website: 　http://integratedresortslse.marcusevans.com/EventDetails.asp?EventID=21246&PageID=520
Organization: marcus evans

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Marcus Evans has launched its 2nd Annual Company Secretary conference which will be held on the 15th to 16th September 2014 in Manama, Bahrain.

This new conference program comprises of a selected grouping of contemporary topics specifically designed for company secretaries such as Board of Director’s Assessment, Continuous Board Training, Board Induction as well as Governance, Risk and Compliance. The conference framework has been structured to enhance your knowledge and equip you with the skills to be a great advocator of corporate governance and integrity.

The main themes that will be of focused during this year’s conference are compliance for company secretary, future role of company secretary, board of director’s assessment and continuous board training.

During the two days conference, there will be a half day workshop on "Continuous Board Training and Evaluation” and a “Boardroom Role Playing Session” along with a panel discussion on ‘Managing Dual Role of Company Secretary and General Counsel: Implication on Good Governance”, expert presentation and case studies.

Confirmed speakers include Professor Collin Coulson-Thomas, Director –General for India, UK and Europe Operations of Institute of Directors, UK, John Tothill, Company Secretary of HSBC Middle East, UAE, Robert Ford, Gulf Steering Committee of ICSA Gulf, UAE, Saud Al Mazrooei, Board Secretary of Omantel, Oman and David Buckle, Partner of DMB Law, UK.

Contact Person: Sharon Chew
Email: SharonC@marcusevanskl.com
Website: 　http://www.marcusevans-conferences-middleeastern.com/marcusevans-conferences-event-details.asp?EventID=21328&SectorID=42
Organization: marcus evans

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Formex, which will be held August 13-16, will have a trend exhibition in Stockholmsmässan’s Entrance Hall presenting four of next season’s most important trends: Soft Nordic, Wild Wood, Dark Fragrance and Raw Rustic Junction. The designer behind the exhibition is Jan Rundgren.

“We are seeing several parallel styles as the fall approaches - and each one has a Nordic feature of some kind. So it makes sense to give this fall’s Formex the theme “Soft Nordic”. It is becoming increasingly common to find Scandinavian products wherever you go in the world. These products are acting as “good ambassadors” for our special approach to interior design. It feels like our design is easy to relate to and represents good quality that appeals to a broad market,” says Jan Rundgren.

The exhibition will display the following trends:

Soft Nordic
Soft Nordic is the strongest trend for the fall and winter and it is also the overall theme for the Formex exhibition. The design world is buzzing about the “New Nordic style”. Design that traces its roots back to Scandinavian design from the 1950s is experiencing a rebirth. The style is pure, the design unembellished and the shapes are round. The fabrics are exclusive and the expression simultaneously austere and playful. The palette consists of pastels such as pink, apricot and rust brown that are often combined with different shades of gray. Materials that are dominant include light wood and natural tan leather and wool. Furniture and cushions can be covered with buttons and they are preferably slightly over-sized. This enhances the playful feel of the design.

Wild Wood
The Wild Wood trend also finds inspiration in the Nordic region, although here it is primarily the landscape that is the major source of inspiration. The wide views coupled with contemplative solitude and silence. Food and nature go hand-in-hand. The Nordic kitchen is stronger than ever and more people are choosing local produce. The palette tends toward natural tones, which are combined with sooty black and white winter tones. Textile prints are inspired by nature - leaves, branches and seed capsules are some of the motifs. The materials include untreated wood, both new and aged, roughly hewn stone and ceramics. The interior design uses tall vases, generous platters on large tables, objects that take up space.

Dark Fragrance
Dramatic colors and design are common in the Dark Fragrance trend. Patterns are taken from the flower motifs of the Renaissance. Here, slightly stronger colors are mixed with bolder tones, for example ruby red with dark purple and pink tones or amber with warm brown tones, naturally with a splash of gold. To enhance the dramatic expression, there is a lot of black on both glossy and matte surfaces. This is evident mainly on wooden furniture, mirror frames and textiles. The trend is extravagant while being playful with colors and patterns, which are combined in a new, inspiring manner. It is either a lot of everything or a single striking object in an otherwise austere interior.

Raw Rustic Junction
This trend takes its inspiration from the ports of the world. The palette is inspired by different colored containers that are stacked onto one another and build random, exciting color combinations. Rusty surfaces are combined with materials with a lot of patina. Materials such as cement, wood and glass enhance the raw feeling. The recycled glass continues the effect, particularly in vases and products for the table. Textiles include rough canvas and linen with a lot of character in the structure and color. The textiles also include a lot of ethnic influence, particularly in the carpets and cushions. The palette tends toward strong colors combined with dark neutrals and blue tones in winter hues.

The trend exhibition is summarized in a trend guide with a color map that can be found in the Formex catalogue. Jan Rundgren will also be holding lectures about this season’s trends on the stage in Hall A.

To find out more, please visit www.formex.se or contact:
Christina Olsson, +46 8 749 44 28, christina.olsson@stockholmsmassan.se
Lotta Signeul, +46 8 749 43 36, lotta.signeul@stockholmsmassan.se

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Local Enterprises Leverage on Collaborative Industry Project (CIP) to Seed High-value Gun Drilling Expertise

Singapore - The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), has pioneered an evaluation, comparison and validation method to produce deep, straight holes in a variety of materials for downhole drill pipes, to enable oil and gas exploration venture into greater depths and harsher environments. With assistance from SPRING Singapore, SIMTech has launched an initiative under its Collaborative Industry Project (CIP) scheme to equip companies in the Oil and Gas sector with effective tooling, preparation methods and drilling parameters.

Partnership to Boost Capabilities
Gun drilling is a method for the reliable production of small diameters and a range of depths in downhole drill pipes with straightness and precision. Currently, holes of depths less than 600 to 800mm are fabricated by less than five local Precision Engineering companies and multinational corporations. Holes with diameters of 8mm or smaller and depths beyond 800mm, particularly those fabricated on hard materials, are usually imported. Given the material and complex machinery, an investment can amount to S$1.5 to S$2 million for a 2-metre long machine. Many local enterprises also lack the integrated expertise in the choice of tooling, materials, process parameters, tool changeover, alignment, regrinding and measurement in deep hole drilling.

The CIP aims to fill this gap. It will enable companies in the PE industry to acquire the required know-how that allows high precision holes to be accurately produced, in partnership with SIMTech and other tooling, coolant and material suppliers. It will also leverage on the strengths and expertise of partners in the supply chain and scientific methods provided by SIMTech to arrive at the optimum solution, in a manner that further reduces the cost and time for development.

Through the CIP, participating companies can maximise the usage of existing resources including machines, workforce, facilities and space to produce surface, subsea, and downhole components using other corrosion-resistant metals. The CIP is also expected to increase throughput, productivity and yield by 45 to 60 per cent through reduced rejects, rework and remake.

Extending SIMTech’s Expertise to the Industries
Dr Lim Ser Yong, Executive Director of SIMTech said, “The CIP is significant in raising the capabilities of local enterprises in high-value gun drilling operations to strengthen Singapore’s position as a hub for the Oil and Gas equipment manufacturing industry. Through the collaborative partnership model, SIMTech will develop the key technologies and know-how for high precision gun drilling operations for local companies to gain access to the capital-intensive and highly complex manufacturing of large Oil and Gas exploration tools.”

SIMTech will provide a structured methodology to enable the participating members to evaluate the compatibility of their products in relation to other critical resources in deep hole drilling. Participating companies will be trained and equipped with appropriate capabilities in tool engineering and process design, execution, analysis and inspection through a combination of classroom, laboratory and case-study based training. Leveraging on SIMTech’s capabilities, the performance of the tools and the effectiveness of the chosen drilling conditions and parameters will be objectively evaluated.

The participating companies of the CIP include local deep hole drilling service providers and international gun drills, specialty material and coolant manufacturers from Singapore, Germany, Japan, Korea, UK, and USA. Each participant will acquire the knowledge and know-how in drill designs, edge polishing, drilling parameters and strategy for unsupported deep hole drilling components of tough material using commonly available machining centres. The complete list of participating companies is in Annex A.

For media enquiries, please contact:

For A*STAR SIMTech:
Ms Lee Swee Heng
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
DID: 6793 8383
Email: leesh@scei.a-star.edu.sg

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