Otsaw Launches World’s First UV-C LED Disinfection Autonomous Robot

Local robotics manufacturer Otsaw Digital Pte. Ltd. (“Otsaw”) is pleased to announce that it has launched the world’s first UV-C LED Disinfection Autonomous Robot, named “O-RX”. Underscoring Otsaw’s strengths in the design and development of autonomous robotics and the integration of innovative UV-C LED technology, Otsaw has filed the relevant patents for this new innovation.

Key industry leaders in talks with CEO Mr Ling Ting Ming on ways OTSAW and the technological/robotics industry tackles COVID-19. (L to R) Kurt Wee (ASME President), Koh Choon Hui (Chairman, OTSAW), Ho Sing (CEO, YTL Starhill Global REIT Management Ltd), and Ling Ting Ming (CEO, OTSAW).

From conceptualisation, design, materials procurement, prototype testing to certification, the development of the O-RX was successfully completed in a short 8 weeks. As a testament to its high safety standards and product quality, the O-RX has undergone the relevant safety and testing under various conditions and it has been certified by internationally-accredited TUV SUD.

Eliminating the use of mercury lamps that emits harmful UV-A and UV-B radiations, the O-RX utilises the UV-C LED technology that emits only UV-C light, which is extremely effective when it comes to killing microbes, including harmful bacteria and coronaviruses such as COVID-19. Hence, the UV-C LED technology is much safer and non-cancerous to human skin.

Integrated with the innovative UV-C LED technology, the O-RX has a disinfection rate of more than 99.999% with a range of 2.5 meters and the UV-C LED technology is also more energy efficient than conventional mercury lamps by 70%.

Capable to be deployed for 5 hours on one full charge, the O-RX is also equipped with a 360-degree camera and lidar sensors with self-driving, collision avoidance and artificial intelligence technologies. The O-RX can be controlled and managed remotely via a fleet management control platform that is developed by Otsaw.

To help remove heat generated by the LED, the robot uses a thermal management solution developed by researchers at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech).

Otsaw will be collaborating with YTL Starhill Global REIT Management Limited, the manager of Starhill Global REIT, and will be running a trial of the O-RX at Wisma Atria commencing from 15 July 2020.

Otsaw’s founder and CEO, Mr Ling Ting Ming, commented, “Disinfection is a key part of protecting the health and safety of communities and more than ever, we need to accelerate the rate of automating disinfection as COVID-19 outbreak increased the demand and frequencies of disinfection but at the same time, manpower resources have been curtailed.

“O-RX combines innovative LED technology and robotics to allow the disinfecting process to be fully autonomous, mobile and much safer, thereby achieving a higher disinfection efficiency as compared to conventional methods and reduce the dependence of human resources.”

About OTSAW Digital Pte Ltd (“Otsaw”)

Established in Singapore since 2015, OTSAW was founded to improve business processes, safety, and everyday lives. With a global team that spreads from Singapore to Silicon Valley, OTSAW builds robotics solutions for security, delivery, and mobility applications, implementing our self-driving and artificial intelligence technologies into OTSAW’s cutting edge robotics. For additional information, please visit http://www.otsaw.com.

Issued on behalf of OTSAW Digital Pte Ltd by 8PR Asia Pte Ltd.

Media Contacts:

Mr. Alex TAN

Mobile: +65 9451 5252

Email: alex.tan@8prasia.com

Emerge 2020 HR Tech Summit

INDIA, June 8, 2020 – (JCN Newswire) – The COVID-19 pandemic is being battled across the world. The businesses and organizations have come to an ambiguous halt. In such uncertain times, businesses are reorienting their approach towards the new normal. Especially, for an industry like Events and Conferences, where the real essence is a large gathering of like-minded people which enables the creation of one of experience. Adapting to the new norm, Clavent is organizing a virtual conference on 25th and 26th June 2020 named the “EMERGE 2020 HR TECH SUMMIT”, in which they will be trying to recreate all those elements of an offline conference in an online environment.

EMERGE 2020 HR TECH SUMMIT will bring together the world’s most prominent HR leaders and innovators creating the future of work. It will be a virtual gathering of all evangelists who are not only thinking about the changes ahead but actually laying the groundwork for that future today. Emerge will cover the latest factors that are set to transform the future of HR technology and data functions. Not only this, but Clavent has successfully retained all the elements of an offline conference in a virtual world and thus enables a digital networking platform that will allow unrivaled real-time interaction and seamless networking experience with speakers, sponsors, and fellow delegates.

At EMERGE 2020, speakers will largely touch upon three trending themes – Innovation & Leadership, Talent Management, and Learning & Well-being.

Do have a look at the speaker lineup and the topics they will be discussing below:

– Role of Leadership in maintaining Work-Life Balance
Bhavya Misra, HR Director – PepsiCo

– Learning in the Age of Social Distancing
Ben Eubanks, Principal Analyst – Lighthouse Research & Advisory

– Science of Wellbeing
Varadharaju Janardhanan, Vice President and Head HR – [24]7.ai

– Building a Digital Culture
Komal Singh, Senior HR Business Partner – India & APAC – InMobi

– Attracting GenZ
Anil Kumar Misra, Vice President, and Chief People Officer – Magicbricks

– Myth of Employee Engagement
Jonas Prasanna, International HR Business Partner – Boeing

– In a Crisis: CHROs Step Up to New Challenges
Prithvi Shergill, Chief Business Officer – K PISOFT

– Future of work
Dr. Ankita Singh, Senior Vice President & Global Head HR – C ignex Datamatics

– Augmented Talent – Harnessing the Cognitive Capital of People at Work
Venkatesh Palabatla, CHRO – G MR Hyderabad International Airport

– Leverage on Tech & Analytics to keep a tab of Productivity & Engagement
Steven Yong, CAO HR – HSBC

– The Power of Collective Intelligence
Saswati Sinha, Head- Human Resources – C heil India

– Designing a Future Proof Learning Strategy
Susan Armstrong, Managing Partner – Global Training Transformation

– People, Process, Automation
Augustus Azariah, Human Resources Leader – IBM

– The Future of Work and HR
Manish Bahl, Associate Vice President, Center for the Future of Work – Cognizant

The speakers will demonstrate how technologies are being delivered in record time that accelerates their productivity and efficiency. Discover effective ways to enhance progress and create impact, directly from customers and professionals who are going to share their unique expertise.

Get ready to make the most out of this fantastic opportunity to gain more insights, learn about the latest trends that will influence the future of HR technology, and identify the measures that you are going to take to enhance your skills.

Event Website Link: https://www.clavent.com/emerge-2020-hr-tech-summit/
For more information drop an email at contact@clavent.com

Transforming the SMART GRID with Fibocom 5G Modules

Automatically determines, adjusts, and controls power usage making smart grids “smart”

Fibocom (SHE: 300638), a leading provider of cellular embedded wireless module solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), announced in April that its two 5G supported IoT modules, FM150(W) and FG150(W), had completed the first successful data call using an end-to-end data transmission service under a Chinese Standalone (SA) Structured 5G network. Download speeds skyrocketed, exceeding more than 2.5Gpbs under the ENDC mode.

5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks. Its objective is to support three generic services with vastly heterogeneous requirements: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (uRLLC). These capabilities make future scenarios more flexible, reliable, and secure when providing diverse services in the intended usage scenarios.

Both the Fibocom 5G modules FM150(W) and FG150(W) support 5G standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) network architectures, provide an integrated multi-network compatibility with 5G Sub 6 and millimeter-wave bands and work both with LTE and WCDMA standards. This gives customers an edge in harnessing the full power of 5G networks’ faster data transmission, vast network capacity, and ultra-reliable low latency.

The applications of Fibocom’s 5G smart modules bring efficient cost-effective advantages to a vast number of industries. In this paper, we will look at the application of these 5G modules in the utility industry, specifically in smart grids.

5G Network Slicing Meets the Needs of Smart Grid Effectively

The term “Grid” refers to an “Electric Grid” fundamentally describing the complete network which includes transmission lines, transformers, distribution substation and all accessories that are used for delivery of electricity from generation plants to home and commercial scale. These services require a flexible and orchestrated network, high reliability, and millisecond ultra-low latency for its diverse needs.

Smart grid systems have provided the possibility of enabling two-way communication between electricity consumers and the distributor, thereby allowing distributors to manage and effectively handle electricity distribution. One of the primary reason technologies like smart grids are in place is because of the capabilities of 5G Network Slicing. 5G accommodates the connectivity requirements of multiple end-points and delivers flexibility at a low cost.

In the era of 5G, heterogeneous services are allowed to coexist within the same network architecture utilizing network slicing. Network slicing allocates network computing, storage, and communication resources among the active services intending to guarantee their isolation and given performance levels. This strengthens the security, reliability, and control over the network by creating slices within the network.

5G IoT Modules Empowering Smart Grid Applications

Production and control scenarios include intelligent distributed power, distribution automation, precise load control, distributed power control, supervisory monitoring, and fault localization. These scenarios aim to address power distribution network requirements, including ultra-low latency (15ms), ultra-reliable communication (99.999% reliability), and high-security isolation.

Management and information scenarios include low-voltage power consumption information collection and smart grid video applications. Networks are required to meet 100 ms latency, 99.9999% reliability, and 4-100 Mbit/s bandwidth requirements, as well as thousands of connections per square kilometer.

Line Differential Protection

Future smart grids will look profoundly different from the power grids used today. The increased number of renewables, like solar panels, will increase the need for cost-efficient, reliable communication to ensure the correct operation of the grid. Using a 5G macro network in line differential protection can be handled with wireless ultra-reliable low latency communication. The protection service can be delivered on the same band handling Mobile Broadband traffic. Fibocom 5G modules embedded in the DTU can monitor the power line transmission status in real-time, anywhere, without using local wired deployment, thus lowering the costs of network deployments.

UAV Inspection

UAV inspection is an innovative and safe way for the assessment of transmission towers and power lines, eliminating human risk. UAV inspections are mainly for maintenance with drone cameras and robots to access dangerous areas. With 5G’s high speed and network capacity, Fibocom’s FM150(W) and FG150(W) enable data transmission of high-quality resolution (4K/8K) videos which require high bandwidth requirements of over 100Mbps. These devices transmit a crystal-clear view of the maintenance area, making it easier to identify problems in emergency repair scenarios, reducing labor costs, and grid downtime.

Advanced Metering

Automatic meter reading is adapted into smart meters, which leads to applications such as dynamic load management, time of day rates, and net metering to name a few. It has also fueled many behind-the-meter applications such as customer-owned renewables through advanced metering.

Power companies, consumers, and first responders will gain real-time wireless control with 5G-enabled AMI networks, and a variety of sensors monitoring variables including electricity quality, temperature, pressure, rate of consumption, and more. These sensors send readouts directly to utility companies, where data is analyzed and reformatted into diagnostics that help users better understand their averages and monthly use comparisons. This usage information benefits users to improve their energy efficiency and costs. With 5G speeds and access already reaching the consumer market on a limited basis, we will see better performance, faster power reconnection after outages, and more cost-effective measures across AMI-equipped homes and facilities.

5G low-power wide-area (LPWA) connectivity facilitates this need with a longer battery life of devices using 5G enabled modules and expanded geographic coverage for connected devices. Advanced metering will reach its intended potential with the full rollout of 5G with the ability to have multiple end-point connections with 99.9% reliability.

AI and Power Prediction

A smart grid can help utilities conserve energy, reduce costs and carbon emissions, increase reliability and transparency, and make processes more efficient. By combining the current generation of these smart grid cutting-edge technologies with AI, it is possible to automatically adapt to changing conditions so prevalent and modify the grid as needed to improve efficiency. AI will ensure that smart grids are more user friendly by analyzing grid data, scenario and routine learning, and take action without any form of human intervention. 5G will support AI’s high bandwidth and low latency requirements to improve power prediction patterns, energy production, and forecast usage more efficiently. Fibocom’s 5G modules will aid in the transmission of the data required for AI to be functional in real-time.

Conclusion

Network slicing can create a customized industry-specific network for the power industry to better meet the security, reliability, and flexibility needs of smart grid services. 5G slicing technology can give priority to ensuring high-priority power services, and when necessary, through flexible slicing resource allocation to meet the needs of emergency security services. Fibocom’s FM150(W) and FG150(W) 5G modules will enable the next leap in smart grids, reducing labor, costs, fossil fuel usage, and saving time. Eventually, leading to a sustainable greener environment.

About Fibocom Wireless Inc.
Founded in 1999, Fibocom is the first wireless communication module and Internet of Things (IoT) solution provider listed in China (Stock Code: 300638). Headquartered in Shenzhen, with R&D center in both Shenzhen and Xi’an, Fibocom is located globally in North America, Europe, India, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, serving customers over 100+ countries.

Fibocom’s main product lines include 5G, LTE, SoC, NB-IoT/eMTC, HSPA+, and GSM/GPRS wireless modules, empowering customers from industries of consumer electronics, wireless payment, metering, security surveillance, and connected cars, etc. With Perfect Wireless Connection as our DNA, Fibocom is envisioned to improve smart life and make the all-connected world within reach. Visit www.fibocom.com.

Media Contact:
Ellie Yuan
info@fibocom.com
+86 755-26733555
www.fibocom.com

Keep Your Enterprise Moving Forward by Backing Up Right

Always too late or never too late?

Enterprises know they need to backup. Time is money, and business data is the product of countless hours of labor and intelligence. Precious company goodwill, resources, productivity, and competitiveness can be lost due to accidentally or maliciously corrupted or deleted data, or data and applications made unavailable due to hardware disasters or criminal hostage by ransomware. Certain types of data are even irreplaceable. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance , cyberattacks caused 69% of small organizations to be forced offline for a while and 37% experienced financial loss. In 2019, cybercrime forced 10% of small businesses to shut down.

Yet, diligently backing up organizational data can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive. Many organizations only attempt to regularly back up the minimum assets, such as a few critical servers and workstations. The remaining data and applications, including work-in-progress documents, are left vulnerable to risks. Having data properly backed up offsite, as it should be, makes all this even more complicated.

Key Criteria in Choosing a BaaS Provider

Offered by an outside service provider, Backup-as-a-Service, or BaaS, addresses the complexity and overhead of traditional enterprise backup methods. As a virtualized cloud service, it is naturally offsite and managed by the provider. It requires no on-premises hardware, and can be fully automated. BaaS transparently handles all backup tasks in realtime, without relying on the effort or diligence of in-house human operators. There are no tapes or disks to manually rotate or keep track of, and it can be as specific or general as the enterprise desires, protecting several servers or the entire organization. In case of data issues, BaaS can offer easy and rapid data restoration so the company can quickly resume operations and get back to work. This highly convenient, cost-effective, and secure solution frees up staff so they can focus on more productive tasks, without compromising data and applications integrity.

When choosing a BaaS provider, several key criteria should be kept in mind:

– Compatibility – As a start, check whether the backup service supports your particular choices of operating systems and applications.
– Compliance – Consider whether your industry has compliance issues that impact usage of BaaS, and whether your organization can create policies to accommodate those compliance requirements.
– Security – Ask what security measures the service provider offers to protect your digital assets.
– Manageability – Check whether you can easily configure the service through a user-friendly portal, or do you need to call the technical support line to make adjustments and check on the status of your backups?
– Cost-effectiveness – Research and compare pricing among different BaaS vendors. The least expensive might not necessarily be the best value, if the BaaS is not reliable or cannot fully ensure your business continuity.

You should also consider other aspects of your IT infrastructure that can impact the performance and success of BaaS usage. Do you have sufficient bandwidth to support the realtime traffic to the BaaS provider’s offsite facilities, and does the bandwidth allow you to restore data in a quick enough manner? If not, check whether the service provider offers connectivity solutions alongside the BaaS, which can scale in realtime according to your needs, with high performance catering to the geographic locations you operate in.

Success with Managed Services

Indeed, aside from the technical aspects of the BaaS provider, you also need to consider whether the service provider offers a range of other relevant managed services. These services should at minimum include 7×24 customer support, and also give you confidence about the reliability of the underlying platform operating the BaaS solution. Professional consultation with certified experts is also a high priority for successfully helping you evaluate and design a reliable architecture that delivers the backup and disaster recovery functionality for your business needs.

Because you are planning for business success, you need to consider your future requirements for expanding into other markets around the world. A BaaS service provider with extensive points of presence and experienced local support will be instrumental to achieving your roadmap milestones. Although BaaS is cloud-based and should work from anywhere in the world, it is important your enterprise staff can contact knowledgeable professionals for inquiries and support. Ideally, your BaaS provider will have offices local to your own business points of presence, and competently support your team members in their own native languages.

Listed in Gartner’s Market Guide for BaaS – CITIC Telecom CPC

When researching the most appropriate BaaS solution provider for your enterprise needs, be sure not to overlook CITIC Telecom CPC, listed in Gartner’s Market Guide for Backup as a Service (May 2020) as one of the key BaaS hosters in China, the Middle East & Africa, Japan, and the rest of APAC. CITIC Telecom CPC’s SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR gives enterprises a full range of managed backup, replication and recovery services. It was created based on all the considerations discussed above, and provides operation modes that include onsite, offsite, and a variety of physical and virtual replication models. To speed up deployment, SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR supports “initial seed” transfers of your enterprise data to significantly reduce time and bandwidth needed for the initial full backup, and gives you the flexibility to have copies of your enterprise backup stored both in the cloud datacenter and locally on your premises for quick recovery if possible. SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR protects your sensitive data using encryption for both data-in-transit and data-at-rest giving your backup the most comprehensive data protection.

CITIC Telecom CPC also provides a user-friendly online management portal called ManagedCONNECT where your enterprise backup status and usage information can be easily accessed. ManagedCONNECT also provides visibility and configurability for other CITIC Telecom CPC flagship solutions your enterprise might choose to interoperate with SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR, including the SmartCLOUD(TM) cloud computing platform itself, TrustCSI(TM) comprehensive network security and enterprise protection (covering a wide range of modern threats including ransomware detection), TrueCONNECT(TM) carrier-class global and regional networking, and much more.

Similar to other BaaS solutions, SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR is offered on a subscription basis, with pricing based on the backup type. For example, backing up your enterprise’s physical servers, virtual machines (such as VMware and Hyper-V instances), and Microsoft Office 365 installations. The subscription pricing will also vary depending on your cloud storage and bandwidth requirements.

Act Today to Protect Your Data and Your Future

To help customers with inquiries and technical support for SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR and other solutions, CITIC Telecom CPC’s 24×7 professionals are always on hand, even offering native language support via the company’s many points of presence around the world. In fact, CITIC Telecom CPC is staffed by over 1,000 business and technology professionals with deep experience in their areas of expertise, including extensive IT industry certifications and vertical industry experience, all working at more than 140 points of worldwide presence, 18 cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 24×7 Security Operations Centers.

Whether your organization ultimately decides to use CITIC Telecom CPC’s SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR or another vendor’s BaaS solution, it is imperative this decision is made sooner rather than later. Every second your mission critical digital data is not properly backed up, it is exposed to countless vulnerabilities, including those catastrophic enough to cease business operations. To make sure your company stays competitive and maintains its forward momentum, protect its achievements by backing up with the right BaaS.

To enjoy hassle-free and flexible managed cloud backup services, simply scan the QR code and register for the latest SmartCLOUD(TM) BRR offers with FREE restoration test!

About CITIC Telecom CPC
We are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (“CITIC Telecom CPC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT(TM) private network solutions, TrustCSI(TM) information security solutions, DataHOUSE(TM) cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD(TM) cloud computing solutions.

As a leading Global Local ICT Solutions Partner with worldwide footprint across East to West and native presence, we truly live our motto, “Innovation Never Stops.” Being a preferred Digital Society Enabler, we lead our key markets at the forefront of pioneering ICT development, embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies to transform technical potential into real-world value for our customers, helping them achieve higher productivity, agility, cost-efficiency, and ultimately, Digital Globalization.

As one of the first managed service providers in Hong Kong to achieve ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017 ICT-related certifications, CITIC Telecom CPC delivers on our superior quality commitment through a broad global self-managed infrastructure encompassing some of the highest growth markets in Asia, Europe and America, with over 140 points of presence, 18 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 24×7 Security Operations Centers.

For more information please visit www.citictel-cpc.com

Media Contact:

Rowena Leung
CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited
(852) 2170 7536
Email: rowena.leung@citictel-cpc.com

New Study Underscores How Heated Tobacco Products Are Disrupting the Cigarette Industry

A new study shows that the entry of heated tobacco products (HTPs) triggered a remarkable reduction in combustible cigarettes sales in Japan. “The decline in smoking rates among adults in Japan is astoundingly impressive when you realize that this has only come about rapidly with the introduction of HTPs,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Director of the Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).

Canadian and American researchers looked at how trends in the sale of cigarettes in Japan between 2011 and 2019 correspond to the sales of HTPs that were introduced into the Japanese market in late 2015. Using data from the Tobacco Institute of Japan and Philip Morris International (PMI), the researchers concluded that the accelerated five-fold decline in cigarette only sales in Japan since 2016 corresponds to the introduction and growth in the sales of HTPs. Cigarette sales in Japan were declining slowly and steadily before HTPs were introduced in 2015.

Entitled “What Is Accounting for the Rapid Decline in Cigarette Sales in Japan?”, the study was published on May 20, 2020 in the peer-reviewed open access scientific journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

HTPs are smoke-free devices that heat, instead of burn, specially-designed tobacco units to release a flavorful nicotine-containing tobacco vapor. As tobacco is not burned, the levels of harmful chemicals produced by HNB products are significantly lower compared to combustible cigarette smoke. The most popular HTP brand is IQOS, a product of PMI.

Consumers’ interest and the regulatory environment shape markets, according to Professor David T. Sweanor of the Faculty of Law of University of Ottawa, one of the study’s authors. He explained that Japanese regulations precluded alternatives to combustible cigarettes, such as nicotine-containing vaping products. However, HTPs generated huge interest among smokers in Japan. “As more [smokers] adopted the alternative, they helped speed switching by others. I think this gives us an indication of just how much more rapidly countries could reduce cigarette use if there were many different low-risk alternatives available and policies and public education campaigns facilitated a widespread move away from [combustible] cigarettes.”

Prof. Sweanor believes Japan is a success story in tobacco harm reduction.

“We have seen the most rapid decline in cigarette sales ever witnessed in a major market. A third of the cigarette market was gone in a remarkably short period of time, and this was accomplished with a non-coercive measure. People who smoke cigarettes were simply provided with a viable alternative.”

Governments in the Asia Pacific region that seek to ban or limit the access of smokers to HTPs and other safer nicotine alternatives should look to Sweden which for decades has promoted the shift to low-risk non-combustible alternatives to cigarettes, said Prof. Sweanor. “Now we have evidence that a range of low-risk products can help us rapidly achieve the smoking rate targets of the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goals. To seek to ban or limit access to such products protects the cigarette industry rather than public health.”

Commenting on the future of smokers in Asia Pacific where HTPs will soon be available, Prof. Sweanor stressed that policies should empower people to take control of their health. “Ensuring that a range of low-risk alternatives are not only on the market but have regulatory and tax advantages over cigarettes has the potential to transform public health. We have long known that people smoke for nicotine but die from the smoke. Cigarette smoking is a public health catastrophe that can be massively reduced through science and technology if policies can be oriented toward replacing rather than protecting the cigarette business.”

The publication of the new study is timely as it comes on the heels of the celebration of World Vape Day on May 30, 2020. Observed a day before World No Tobacco Day, World Vaping Day aims to raise awareness on e-cigarettes or vapes and encourage smokers who are unable to quit on their own or with currently available smoking cessation tools to switch to safer nicotine products.

“Safer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, are the most disruptive influence on smoking in decades. These are the innovations that have the potential to save millions of lives in the Asia Pacific region as well as globally,” added Nancy Loucas.

According to Loucas, the most popular form of safer nicotine products in northern Asia are HTPs. Like Japan, Korea has shown similar sales and uptake of HTPs, with corresponding declines in combustible tobacco use. These data show that the substitution of combustible tobacco with reduced-risk products has the potential to be a highly effective tobacco harm reduction strategy, she explained. “So, it is very disheartening that countries in Asia Pacific, like Korea and the Philippines, are looking to either ban and/or reduce access and choice of all forms of tobacco harm reduced products for their smoking citizens.”

“Japan’s success in reducing smoking prevalence through HTPs should be a wakeup call to local policymakers. Quit or die aren’t the only choices for smokers,” said Peter Paul Dator, president of The Vapers Philippines.

“This new study lends further credence to adopting tobacco control policies based on a harm reduction model,” said Stephanie Thuesen, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at The Progressive Public Health Alliance in Australia.

“Policymakers in Thailand, which has been ranked the worst country in the world to be in if you are a vaper, should listen to Prof. Sweanor. Banning or limiting access to safer nicotine products only serve to protect the cigarette industry rather than public health,” said Asa Ace Saligupta who runs the ECST.

About CAPHRA

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is an alliance of consumer organizations from Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand that aims to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jena Fetalino (63)9178150324 jena@jfprc.com

Prof. David Sweanor, one of the study’s authors
“We have seen the most rapid decline in cigarette sales ever witnessed in a major market.”

Related Links
International journal of Environmental Research and Public Health https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/naABf5xr

Singapore Vet 2020 to be Postponed

SINGAPORE, May 21, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – To ensure a safe and smooth exhibition experience amid the latest developments of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the organiser of Singapore Vet – Closerstill Media has postponed the event, originally scheduled on 23-24 October to next year, 2021.

“While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our sponsors, partners, staff and community very seriously. We believe by rescheduling the event will enable us to provide a better exhibition / conference experience that our attendees expect and deserve in a safe environment,” said Andy Kiwanuka, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, CloserStill Media.

He added, “We would like to take this chance to thank our sponsors and partners for their continuous support, open discussions and encouragement thus far. We remain excited to host the event in 2021 and will share more information about our plans in the coming weeks.”

Singapore Vet will closely monitor the coronavirus situation in collaboration with the government, health authorities and Suntec Singapore, to ensure a high level of hygiene and safety at the world-class fair ground in October 2021. The team will be in touch with all confirmed exhibitors, speakers and partners to discuss their participation at the postponed events.

For urgent assistance, please email singaporevet@closerstillmedia.com

About Singapore Vet

After successful shows in Europe and the US, CloserStill Media has expanded into Singapore – one of the fastest growing animal health markets in the world. Singapore Vet is a two-day conference-led exhibition with a comprehensive high-quality CPE programme presented by world-class veterinary leaders, giving you the chance to connect with 1,500 vets from across Southeast Asia – including Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and many more – as well as international attendees.

Learn more at https://singapore.vetshow.com/

About Closerstill Media

CloserStill Media specialises in international professional events chiefly in the technology markets, across five global territories. Its portfolio includes some of the UK’s fastest-growing and award-winning events including Cloud Expo Europe and Data Centre World. Having delivered unparalleled quality and relevant audiences for all its exhibitions, CloserStill has been repeatedly recognised as a leading innovator with its teams and international events winning multiple awards in Europe and Asia including Best Marketing Manager – four times in succession – Best Trade Exhibition, Best Launch Exhibition, and Rising Star – two years in succession – among others.

For more information, visit www.closerstillmedia.com

Media Contact:

Winnie Ho

Marketing Manager

+852-2972 0628

Winnie.ho@closerstillmedia.com

Southern Asset Management’s Li Haipeng Sees Promising Future for Bond Index Funds

BEIJING – (ACN Newswire) – Since 2018, bond index funds have delivered an eye-catching performance as the bond market goes bullish, and bond index fund products have reported an exponential growth in not only the quantity but also the size, drawing increasing attention from investors. Southern Asset Management, as one of the earliest fund companies in China to develop bond index funds, has scaled up its bond index fund products continuously in recent years. According to Wind and the 1Q product reports, as of 1Q20, bond index funds managed by Southern Asset Management added up to more than RMB30 billion, ranking ahead in the entire market; China Southern China Bond 1-3 Years CDB Bond Index Fund has become one of the largest bond index funds across the whole market with a size of over RMB28 billion.

Mr. Li Haipeng, Deputy General Manager & Chief Investment Officer (Fixed Income) at Southern Asset Management, expects the bond index fund market to continue to grow in size and sophistication with the new business formats of the asset management industry. He says his company will further improve the index fund product line based on customer requirements, and provide customers with more diversified instruments.

Advantageous bond index funds onto a fast growth track

As early as in 2011, a bond index fund, namely China Southern CSI 50 Bond Index Fund, was made debut in China’s fund industry. It is the predecessor of China Southern China Bond 10-year Treasury Bond Index Fund. However, it was not until 2018 that the bond index market stepped onto a fast growth track in the real sense. Over the past two years, there has been a growth of more than RMB300 billion in the market size. As of 1Q20, the entire market had 103 bond index funds putting RMB367,953 million under management and covering many different classes of assets, e.g. policy-related financial bonds, local government bonds and unsecured bonds with high credit ratings.

Mr. Li said, rapid development in the past years is an inevitability for China’s bond index funds, and this is also an irresistible development trend of global mutual fund industry. According to the statistics of Bloomberg, as of 1Q20, bond index funds (including ETFs) in the U.S. had a size of about USD1.52 trillion, accounting for over 28% of all the fixed-income mutual funds. China’s bond index funds share a series of common characteristics with their foreign counterparts but they are also unique in their own ways: First, with a clear risk & return characteristic, bond index funds are an ideal instrument for customers to realize the strategy of allocating assets among major categories and also the timing strategy. Second, the clear and transparent operations of bond index funds make them suitable for penetrated management of underlying assets, which is right in the direction of regulatory policies in the era of new asset management regulations. Third, the management fees of bond index funds are usually lower than traditional money market funds and active bond funds. Therefore, they are more cost-effective. Fourth, from a long-term point of view, the performance of passive products may beat active ones. Especially in the current low-interest rate environment, there are relatively limited opportunities of getting an alpha, i.e. excessive return, and thus passive products stand out with their particular advantages.

Mr. Li also stressed, China’s bond index fund sector, in spite of a fast growth in recent years, is still in infancy compared with overseas, typically seen in: (1) a relatively small market size. In the entire market bond index funds account for about 8% of all the bond funds, a big gap from the 28% weight in the U.S.; (2)lack of product diversity. Bond index funds currently available in the market mostly invest in short- and medium-term policy-related financial bonds to reflect the common index performance. Their types and tenors call for innovation.

Promising bond index fund market to further enlarge volume

Mr. Li offered insights into the future development of bond index funds. He predicted the market volume and instrument nature of bond index funds would be further strengthened in the days to come. In the new era of pan-asset management, net worth-based product and penetrated supervision will define the development of financial industry. However, net worth-based product does not mean that customers can tolerate sharp fluctuations of product performance. In consideration of customers’ traditional wealth management habit, the ability to create sustained absolute return will become the core competitiveness of mutual fund companies, wealth management subsidiaries of banks and other asset management institutions. Because of the big volatility of single assets and the difficulty for them to get an alpha, to secure a long-term stable return must rely on a portfolio which is made up of different assets and takes asset allocations among major categories as the core strategy.

Mr. Li analyzed, in the above-mentioned context, bond index funds which boast a low cost, clear risk & return characteristic, good liquidity, high transparency, stable return and risk decentralization will possibly become the next type of superb instrument products under the new business formats of the asset management industry in the future and help wealth management subsidiaries of banks and other asset management institutions to construct multi-asset portfolios in a cost-efficient manner. Thus, broad development prospects are expected for bond index funds.

Concerning what kind of competitive landscape China’s bond index fund market will show in the future, Mr. Li said, “the development of bond index funds in the rest of the world obviously features ‘leader effect’ and ‘first-mover advantage’. The bond index funds managed by Vanguard Group which has accumulated decades’ experiences and been reputable in the industry approximate USD700 billion. iShares is a leader in the bond ETF sector, and bond ETFs managed by it exceed USD400 billion. In our opinion, the main reason lies in the fact that a larger fund decentralizes its liabilities and is thus more stable. This is conducive to the application of different asset strategies. What’s more, purchases and redemptions by investors usually have a small impact on fund operations and help to control the tracking errors. Moreover, a larger ETF usually has higher liquidity and lower discount/premium in the secondary market, thus in a better position to meet the trading needs of investors, form a loop of positive feedbacks and continuously push up the size. A leader effect is expected in China’s developing bond index fund market, just the same as the foreign markets, and the leading companies will become even stronger.

Southern Asset Management expanding bond index fund size to above RMB30 billion after years’ endeavors

Back to 2011, Southern Asset Management began to tap the bond index sector, and issued China Southern CSI 50 Bond Index Fund, which was transformed into China Southern China Bond 10-year Treasury Bond Index Fund in 2016. After nearly a decade’s endeavors, Southern Asset Management has become increasingly mature in the management techniques, system development and team building of bond index fund products. Its bond index funds post an annualized tracking error rate far lower than the average of comparable counterparts in the market during the operating period, and are more accurate in tracking indexes.

For many years, Southern Asset Management has made unremitting efforts to enhance the management capabilities of bond index funds and committed itself to building a China-famous bond index fund management brand. The long-term efforts have paid off. The company has accumulated rich experiences in the management of bond index funds and put in place an advanced management system. In addition, Southern Asset Management has continued to accelerate the deployment of index fund product line in a bid to provide institutional bond investors with a wide array of investment instruments. Since 2018, Southern Asset Management has taken faster moves in offering bond index fund products. By successively incepting and issuing index product series including China Southern China Bond 1-3 Years CDB Bond Index Fund, China Southern China Bond 3-5 Years ADBC Bond Index Fund and China Southern China Bond 7-10 Years CDB Bond Index Fund, the company has fully covered the yield curves of short-, medium- and long-term products. It has also successively issued a regional unsecured bond index fund, further enriching the product mix.

The years’ endeavors of Southern Asset Management have been well recognized by customers. According to Wind and the 1Q product reports, as of 1Q20, bond index funds managed by Southern Asset Management added up to more than RMB30 billion, ranking ahead in the entire market; China Southern China Bond 1-3 Years CDB Bond Index Fund has become one of the largest bond index funds across the whole market with a size of over RMB28 billion.

Following the general trend of increasing investment in bond index products, Mr. Li introduced, “Southern Asset Management will remain focused on two aspects in the future. At the product level, we will, based on customer needs, further improve the index fund product line and provide customers with more diverse instrument products. On the basis of having extended our interest rate bond products to all yield curves, we will place a high premium on index enhanced products, unsecured bond index products and innovative ETF products to further diversify our product line. Particularly in terms of innovative products, Southern Asset Management will deem the development of inter-market ETFs and inter-bank market convertible bond index funds a key project in line with the policy orientation, and make efforts to become one of the first group of fund companies to pilot and premiere innovative products.”

Company Overview

On March 6th, 1998, China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd. (Southern Asset Management) was officially established as one of the first domestic asset management companies approved and regulated by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), which symbolizes the start of our nation’s “New Golden Era for Funds”.

Southern Asset Management has stood the tests of time and sweeping change in the Chinese capital markets. By showing stable and sustainable performance and providing improved and professional services, Southern Asset Management has managed to continuously build trust and recognition through a wide range of investors including mutual fund investors, the National Council for Social Security Fund, corporate annuity clients and high-net-worth clients.

Southern Asset Management has grown to become an industry leader, with a diverse range of products, comprehensive business activities, exceptional investment performance and a large scale of assets under management. As of March 31st, 2020, Southern Asset Management and its subsidiaries had combined assets under management (AUM) of USD 160.8 billion. Visit www.southernfund.com.

Media Contact: Si Chen

E: chensi@southernfund.com

China Southern Asset Management

URL: https://southernfund.com

SMC Electric Limited Announces Proposed Listing on Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

SMC Electric Limited (“SMC Electric” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, collectively referred as the “Group”) has recently announced the details of the proposed listing of its shares on Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HKEx”) (the “Share Offer”).

Investment Highlights
– Long history in the PRC-based electric tools and electric fans export industry.
– Stringent quality control.
– Established relationships with reputable overseas customers.
– Close relationships with customers and reliable suppliers.
– Cost effective production operations.
– Highly experienced professional management team.

SMC Electric plans to offer a total of 500,000,000 shares, subject to re-allocation, comprising 50,000,000 Public Offer Shares and 450,000,000 Placing Shares (comprising 225,000,000 sale Shares), at an Offer Price HK$0.25 per Offer Share. The Public Offer opened at 09:00 a.m. on Tuesday, 19 May 2020 and will close at 12:00 noon on Friday, 22 May 2020. The allotment results will be announced on Monday, 1 June 2020. Dealings in shares on HKEx are expected to commence on Tuesday, 2 June 2020, under the stock code 2381.

Red Sun Capital Limited is the Sole Sponsor. Elstone Securities Limited acts as Sole Global Coordinator. Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers are Elstone Securities Limited, CMBC Securities Company Limited, Essence International Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, First Fidelity Capital (International) Limited, Kingkey Securities Group Limited, SPDB International Capital Limited, Zhongtai International Securities Limited, Conrad Investment Services Limited, Realord Asia Pacific Securities Limited, KGI Asia Limited and Innovest Securities Investment Limited.

Company Overview

SMC Electric engages in the (i) manufacturing and selling of rechargeable electric tools and (ii) sourcing and selling of electric fans. The Group is headquartered in Hong Kong with its manufacturing operations in the PRC. SMC Electric sells a range of rechargeable products including fans, work lights, vacuum cleaners and other electric tools.

Business Model

SMC Electric manufactures and sells a wide range of rechargeable electric tools including cordless fans, work lights, vacuum cleaners and other electric tools mainly to the U.S. and sources and sells electric fans for oversea customers and under the Group’s own brand name, “SMC”.

SMC Electric chooses to manufacture rechargeable electric tools sold to the U.S. customer due to the relatively more stringent quality standard required by its customers, and a relatively higher level of technical difficulty needed in the products’ production process. However, as the design and production of the Group’s electric fans have matured and stabilised, SMC Electric has outsourced the production process to its suppliers, who are manufacturers, to help produce such electric fans.

Financial Highlights
The total revenue of the Group was approximately HK$251.0 million, HK$266.1 million and HK$278.0 million for FY2017, FY2018 and FY2019, respectively. The net profit of the Group was approximately HK$31.2 million, HK$34.6 million and HK$45.4 million for FY2017, FY2018 and FY2019, respectively. The net profit margin increased from approximately 13.0% in FY2018 to approximately 16.3% in FY2019.

Competitive Strengths

The Group believes that its success is attributable to the following competitive strengths:

Firstly, the Group is one of the long-established suppliers of electric fans in the PRC electric fans industry, and therefore is well positioned in capitalising on the growth in overseas fans market. Moreover, SMC Electric has established its own brand of electric fans, “SMC”, since the 1950s. Through the Group’s sales and marketing of the “SMC” brand over the years, SMC Electric has been able to expand the sales of such electric fans to different overseas markets, including different parts of Asia, Africa and Oceania.

In addition, the Group places top priority on the quality of its products. SMC Electric has developed and implemented stringent quality control procedures to ensure that every stage of production adheres to its high quality standards, including tests on raw materials, work-in-progress as well as finished products.

The Group also maintains long-term business relationships with various large-scale customers. Such long-term relationships with its customers, supported by its strong positioning in export of rechargeable electric tools, distinguish the Group from its competitors in the PRC which similarly manufacture and export electric tools to overseas markets.

Moreover, the Group believes that its dedication to quality rechargeable electric tools and electric fans and competitive pricing over the years have contributed to its long-term relationships with its customers. In relation to the Group’s top five customers, the Group has had a working relationship ranging from approximately 11 to 19 years. The Directors believe that the Group can leverage on its established relationship with its customers to further develop new business opportunities in the rechargeable electric tools and electric fans industries.

Besides, the Group has electric tools production facilities in Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong Province, the PRC. The Directors believe that the Group’s operation allows it to maintain a highly competitive cost structure as it is able to benefit from economies of scale, cost effectiveness and efficiencies in its operations. The Group’s efficiency in its purchasing of raw materials including electric motors and moulds enhances the Group’s bargaining power to negotiate better prices on such raw materials.

Last but not least, the Group’s senior management team has extensive industry experience including raw materials sourcing, manufacturing, staff training and development, sales and marketing, and corporate governance. The Directors believe that the depth and breadth of the complementary experience of the management team enhances the Group’s capability in delivering quality products and providing high calibre services to its customers, which in turn help to achieve its business objectives.

Mr. Yung Kwok Kee Billy, Non-Executive Director and Chairman of SMC Electric concluded, “We are pleased to witness this significant milestone in the Group’s history. Through our listing on the Main Board of HKEx, we will tap into the international capital markets. This will not only broaden our capital and shareholder base, but will also provide us with capital to fund our expansion plan, which will finally strengthen our position in the industry and further enhance our competitive advantages, thereby driving the Group’s long-term development.”

For further enquiries, please contact Bright Communications International Limited:
Ms. Ashley Kung
Mobile: (852) 6608 9927
Email: ashley.kung@brightcommns.com

Factsheet

Details of Share Offer:

Number of Offer Shares: 500,000,000 Shares
Number of Public Offer Shares: 50,000,000 Shares (subject to re-allocation)
Number of Placing Shares: 450,000,000 Shares (comprising 225,000,000 Sale Shares) (subject to re-allocation)
Offer Price: HK$0.25 per Offer Share
Board Lot Size: 10,000 Shares
Nominal Value: HK$0.01 per Share
Public Offer Period: Tuesday,19 May 2020 – Friday, 22 May 2020
Announcement of Allotment Results: Monday, 1 June 2020
Expected Listing Date: Tuesday, 2 June 2020
Stock Code: 2381

Use of Proceeds:

The aggregate net proceeds from the Share Offer (after deducting underwriting fees and estimated expenses payable by the Group in connection with the Share Offer), assuming an Offer Price of HK$0.25 per Offer Share, will be approximately HK$42.5 million. The Group currently intends to apply the net proceeds from the Share Offer in the following manner:

Use of Proceeds / % of Net Proceeds
Improvement of the Group’s efficiencies in its daily operations: Approximately 14.8 %
Strategically expanding the Group’s manufacturing capabilities: approximately 60.9 %
Devoting resources on new products and applications: Approximately 24.3 %

Track Record:

For the year ended/as at 31 December
FY2017 FY2018 FY2019
HKD000′ HKD000′ HKD000′
Revenue 250,982 266,056 277,974
Gross profit 71,055 80,739 87,459
Gross profit margin 28.3% 30.3% 31.5%
Profit before tax 38,876 44,778 57,007
Profit for the year 31,206 34,628 45,367
Net profit margin 12.4% 13.0% 16.9%
Listing expenses – 5,340 9,147
Profit before listing expenses 31,206 39,968 54,514

2020 Global Cloud Shopping Festival from Shenzhen’s Nanshan District

SHENZHEN, CHINA, May 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Shenzhen’s Nanshan District has launched “2020 Global Cloud Shopping Festival, Trip to Nanshan”, from April 25 to June 30, to revitalize consumption and boost the district’s economy. The festival is issuing benefits to consumers in the form of discounts, coupons and raffles, delivered via online platforms. This event is organized by Shenzhen Nanshan District Industrial and Commercial Bureau (Bureau of Commerce) along with domestic internet giant Tencent and Chinese online lender Lexin.

Hotels, restaurants, travel agents and other businesses in Nanshan are boosting their sales with collected coupons and discounts available via a WeChat mini-program named ‘Yungou Nanshan’, or ‘Cloud Purchase Nanshan’, while high-tech companies are on a special raffle page at ‘Fenqile’, by Lexin. Raffle entrants have the chance to win various brand items including drones and intelligent robots provided by local companies DJI and UBTECH, among others.

The district not only gathers retail, accommodation, catering, tourism and technology companies to propose deals and discounts to the festivals shoppers, but it helps participating businesses with preferred displays and media communications during the event.

As a strong economic and technological district, Nanshan is committed to innovation and strives to provide an international first-class business environment for local enterprise. Nanshan has successfully nurtured world-renowned technology companies such as Tencent, Huawei, DJI, and many others.

As a win-win event which brings benefits to enterprises and the public, the 2020 Global Cloud Shopping Festival, Trip to Nanshan, is warmly welcomed by the citizens of the district. Nanshan looks forward to people from around the world learning about it and coming online to join in!

Media Contact:

Shenzhen Nanshan District Industrial and Commercial Bureau (Bureau of Commerce)

Phone: +86 755 26667554

Interactio Remote Interpretation Connects World Leaders to Support Gali in the Fight Against Coronavirus

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, May 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Interactio, a remote interpretation platform, has partnered with the European Commission to connect political leaders and philanthropists at the international pledging conference “Coronavirus Global Response.” In the midst of the global crisis, Interactio assisted the European initiative in the joint effort to raise 7.5 billion EUR in donations to Gali, the vaccine alliance fighting the COVID-19.

As strict quarantine regulations divided the states geographically, the common cause to find timely and affordable treatment brought the five continents together in a multilingual hybrid meeting. To ensure the precision and quality of simultaneous interpretation, Interactio connected onsite interpreters from European Commission premises with the world leaders joining the event remotely.

Through the integration of the audio and video stream in partnership with Televic Conference equipment, the message was successfully shared in English, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese languages in real time.

The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, and leaders of more than 40 other nations from Europe, Australia, Asia, North, and South America united against Coronavirus digitally on the Interactio remote participation panel.

During the remote conference, Melinda Gates shared an important message for humanity, followed by a generous donation of 100 million American dollars from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“COVID-19 has reminded us that viruses don’t obey borders or custom laws. They don’t care what nationality you are,” said Gates.

“Interactio became the platform of choice for this event. The Heads of State and Government as well as other major donors and research institutions connected to the smooth, user-friendly and performant platform and pledged substantial amounts for the common fight against the pandemic. This successful high-level event was a milestone for everybody involved, and we would like to sincerely thank Interactio for their tireless preparation work, dedication, availability and unrelenting support throughout the event. We are very much looking forward to further cooperation.” states Frederic Pirotte, Head of the Technical Compliance Team, DG Interpretation, European Commission.

Overall, a total of 7.4 billion EUR was fundraised during the pledging conference, leaving high hopes for the speedy development of the treatment. As the world unites in a humanitarian effort to protect the disadvantaged in an unexpected outbreak of the Coronavirus disease, Interactio remains loyal to its ongoing mission of transmitting powerful ideas despite the geographical barriers.

About Interactio

Interactio (https://interactio.io) is a Lithuanian-based remote interpretation platform which provides remote participation for multilingual online and onsite meetings. Connected on an interactive panel via desktop or mobile device, attendees can exchange ideas in a live-chat, cast votes, and show essential information through a screen sharing function.

For further media queries, please contact:

Simona Andrijauskaite

+441644717778

s@interactio.io

https://interactio.io/