DuPont and Chenguang Announce Joint Venture to Leverage Fluoroelastomer Expertise in China

Zhonghao Chenguang Chemical Research Institute Company Limited and DuPont Fluoropolymer Solutions have come together to announce a 50:50 joint venture (JV) that will focus on providing industry-leading science and technology solutions, as well as high-performance sustainable applications to the China market. Chenguang is a subsidiary of ChemChina. The fluoroelastomer market in China has been experiencing rapid development over the past few years, and with the two companies forming a JV to produce and market fluoroelastomer pre-compounds and gums in China, supply volumes are poised to witness an expansion.

Fluoroelastomers are regarded as being very critical to a number of applications thanks to their unique characteristics. Some of these applications include the design of efficient and safe automobiles, building more durable chemical process equipment, aiding the development of high-performance airplanes, and assisting the development of solutions centered on renewable energy.

As part of this new initiative, the strategic alliance between the two companies will address the unmet needs in the rapidly-growing fluoroelastomer market in China. The JV is largely geared toward promoting investments ahead of new product launches, optimizing technology and capacity, focusing on establishing a regular supply of high-quality fluoroelastomers and so on. 

Even as the two companies embark on this strategic journey, they continue to discuss new areas where collaboration can be considered. The new JV will be known as DuPont Haohua Chenguang Fluoromaterials (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The fluoroelastomer products being sold under this company will be branded Viton® and Chenguang. 

The companies added that the new JV will further the technology leadership of both companies and expand their manufacturing footprint at the same time. In addition to these initiatives, the two companies will jointly invest in the establishment of a new Shanghai-based pre-compound manufacturing unit.

Toxics Release Inventory Shows 14% Increase in Toxic Pollution Levels Between 2012 and 2013

The Toxics Release Inventory that was released in December 2014 brings to light a spike in toxic pollution levels across the United States in 2013. For starters, the report reveals that industrial facilities released about 500 million more pounds of toxins into the surrounding environment. This translates into an increase of 14% from 2012 to 2013, the report shows. Experts have expressed concerns that this is the highest ever increase in the amount of toxins released in the environment in recent years.

Much of this increased release of toxic wastes could be attributed to the metal mining industry. Data gathered in 2013 shows that organizations reporting to the U.S. EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) released 0.5 million more pounds of toxic materials into the ground, water, and air as compared to 2012. This takes the annual total of toxin discharge to a whopping 4.1 billion pounds.

Of this, the metal mining industry alone was responsible for releasing 518 million pounds more in 2013 as against 2012. This is an increase of 35%. According to the data available in the report, other significant contributors to the discharge of toxic materials include electrical utilities, petroleum bulk terminals and chemicals manufacturing units.

On the brighter side, a few industries reported a decline in toxic material discharge – these include industries such as primary metals, hazardous waste, solvents recovery, and fabricated metals. But these declines were not significant enough to mitigate the increased toxic waste discharge from the aforementioned industries. 

From the regional standpoint, Alaska was reported to have released the highest amount of toxic wastes in 2013, at 970 million pounds, a great part of which could be traced back to the metal mining industry that is very active here. 

Experts that have analyzed the report expressed concerns over the direction in which industrial pollution in the United States is heading. 

Factory Profits in China Sag to Two-Year Low, Show Figures From China’s National Bureau of Statistics

After recent reports about China’s economic growth slipping to the lowest in 24 years, reports about factory profits in China reaching a two-year low are now emerging. Leading news agency Reuters stated in a report on Tuesday that the 2014 factory profits reported by Chinese manufacturing facilities are showing growth rates that are the weakest in two years. With these new reports, the challenges faced by the Chinese economy are only underscored. China’s National Bureau of Statistics states that between 2013 and 2014, large industrial facilities in China registered a 3.3% increase in profits. This is the slowest since 2012 (November). The Bureau also stated that the country’s factory profits contracted by about 8%, which is the worst performance in about 12 months.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, a vice minister from the country’s Ministry of Industry and IT said that it would be a while before China overcame this slowdown. He said that China’s economy is entering a phase of ‘new normal’ where downward pressures on the industrial sector are more evident and impactful than ever before. Weak innovation capabilities are also hampering growth to a great extent, the minister added. The government of China has now revised its goal of growth in the industrial sector from 8.3% in 2014 to 8% in 2015.

As China’s economy fast approaches maturity, the definition of what is ‘normal’ from the economic context is now undergoing a sea change. Officials said that the government is now focused on facing this transition with growth rates that are slower, but offer better quality. 

Financial institutions and banks are feeling the heat of the slowdown, as the ration of bad debts of Chinese banks scaling a five-year peak, according to the national bank regulator. The manufacturing market in China has been sagging for a while now, and the hectic pace of investments in China has been cooling off too. All of these factors have combined to rein in the economic growth of China’s economy to 7.4% as of 2014, which is the lowest since 1990 – the year that marked heavy sanctions on China in the wake of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Greenville Technical College and Clemson University Establish US$25 million Center for Manufacturing Innovation

A whopping US$25 million is being invested by the Greenville Technical College and the Clemson University to establish a new center that will offer hands-on training to students so they can land high paying jobs in sectors such as transportation, automotive, and others. This new facility will be christened the ‘Center for Manufacturing Innovation’. The initiative also marks a strategic partnership between the two institutions as well as the local school district. A number of top manufacturers located in the area will also form a part of this partnership. These include names such as General Electric, BMW, Bosch Rexroth and Michelin.

The ground breaking ceremony for the new center was held at Greenville, near Clemson’s I-CAR, an institute that is committed to automotive research. The Center for Manufacturing Innovation will be dedicated to helping increase the number of skilled workers for manufacturing facilities in the South Carolina upstate region.

Students will be able to enroll for dual-credit programs at the center, and they will also have the option of working at Greenville County schools to encourage more students in advanced manufacturing careers. A part of the this program is dedicated to encouraging more younger students to enroll for high-tech manufacturing programs so as to carve out a career in highly skilled areas. Officials running the program hope to achieve this through informative camps and organized tours of the Center for Manufacturing Innovation.

Apprenticeships and internships are an integral part of this course, where students will be able to work alongside experienced members of the faculty and engineers.

A US$25 million bond issue was approved for Greenville Tech in 2013 by the Greenville County Council approved. According to Greenville Tech’s president Keith Miller, the new center could mark a game-changing approach to education.

PepsiCo Jordan Creates Signs One-Year Deal with Employee Union for Higher Wages and Other Benefits

In an endeavor to improve the working conditions employees working in PepsiCo-Jordan facilities, the company has pledged JOD 1 million to the General Union of Food Industry Employees. The agreement, signed for a one-year period, was signed by key management personnel of PepsiCo-Jordan and the president of the Employee Union.

The agreement kicked off with a salary raise for all employees of PepsiCo-Jordan, which would be effective 1 January, 2015. In addition to this, the company also offered a bonus to employees with an L3 Stratis and lower ranking. Staff members who were yet to complete a year in the company received a bonus amount based on their total tenure in the company.

This was the third year in a row that employees of PepsiCo-Jordan received a bonus, as part of the Performance Program. In yet another initiative, the company announced cuts to the amount it deducted by way of health insurance premium for all employees, besides modifying its existing class of medical services to Class A. The coverage amount for the approved network was raised as well.

Speaking on this development, a senior official from the company said that the partnership between the employees’ union and management reflects that it stands committed to fostering a motivating work condition that also has a positive effect on the personal lives of employees. 

The president of the employee union said that the latest agreement further extended the endeavor to ensure a motivational and safe working environment that also offers job security to employees.

Over 50% Americans Are Skeptical About Foods Claiming to be ‘Natural’ and ‘Organic’: Study

Labels might well be regarded as a way to up sales in the booming nutrition industry, but a latest study reveals that Americans still remain skeptical about these claims. Ironically, this distrust doesn’t stop them from shelling out more money to buy products in the belief that they are eating healthy. The Nielsen study, released on 20 January, 2015, states that consumers show distrust in assertions that involve the use of terms such as ‘heart healthy’ which are not easily verifiable.

About 30,000 people from about 60 countries participated in the online poll. From these figures, it emerged that about 56% respondents from North America stated that they did not trust the claims made by nutritional products. Market watchers said that the trend of nutritional food is just about building up into something big, and these revelations show that this significant degree of distrust will create an interesting scenario in the backdrop of more and more people wanting to consume healthier food.

In the same study, it emerged that about 43% respondents said gave great importance to GMO-free food and natural ingredients. Similar sentiments were observed about food items without artificial flavors and colors. 

The report also noted that in many cases, manufacturers are entirely eliminating or bringing down the amount of ingredients such as saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium, and transfer in food. In place of these ingredients, a number of manufacturers are using ingredients such as protein and fiber in foodstuff. An official from Nielsen said that there remains scope for more action on this front from manufacturers because there is an escalating demand for food products with labels that state ‘organic’ and ‘natural’. While sales for ‘organic’ products have increased by 28% between 2012 and 2014, the same for ‘natural’ food products have gone up by 24% in the same duration.

About 33% respondents added they would pay more money for organic products. On the other hand, older respondents said that they were not heavily influenced by health factors when making a purchasing decision.

Cheer Among Indian Alphonso Traders as EU Lifts Ban on Imports

The Commission Committee of the European Union (EU) has voted unanimously to revoke a ban on the importation of Alphonso mangoes that was slapped on India in 2014 on account of sub-standard quality. All shipments of the fruit from India to the EU were suspended in May 2014 after inspection officials found fruitflies in a number of consignments.

Speaking about the development, Britain’s minister for natural environment, Lord de Mauley, said that the decision to revoke the ban is reflective of the many improvements that India has brought about to its export system. He also added that it is imperative for India to uphold these quality benchmarks to keep trade between the two countries on the smooth track. Mauley said that it was also equally important to keep the health of consumers in Britain in mind.

Officials close to the development said that the EU would resume imports from India in about a month, after the EU adopts the new legislation formally, and the European Commission publishes it.

While this development brought much cheer for the mango trade committee in India, the same cannot be said about exporters dealing in four other banned products – bitter gourds, patra leaves, aubergines, and snake gourds. The imports of these vegetables continue to face a ban on account of sub-standard pest control standards, added de Mauley.

Sanjay Pansare, the director of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee, based in New Mumbai, said that the development marks good news for traders of Alphonso mangoes in India, especially after the ban caused losses to a number of exporters in the country last year.

As for the other vegetables that are still barred from being exported from India to the EU, officials from the latter said that they would review the possibility of revoking the ban only after they have enough evidence of the safety and pest-control standards. After the UK, the markets of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany are among the important ones for fruit and vegetable exporters from India.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Industry and Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate is Expected to Reach USD 9.35 billion in 2020

A New Market Report Titled “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market (SLS Liquid and SLS Dry), Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Industry (SLES) and Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) for Detergents & Cleaners, Personal Care, Textile & Leather, Oilfield Chemicals and Other Applications - Global Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020,” which observes that the global SLS, SLES & LAS market demand was valued at USD 6.60 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach USD 9.35 billion by 2020, expanding at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2014 to 2020.

Browse the full Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Industry and Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate report with TOC: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-market.html

Browse the full Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Industry and Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate report with TOC: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-market.html

Increasing sodium lauryl sulfate market (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulfate market (SLES) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) from detergents & cleaners and personal care industries is expected to drive the global SLS, SLES & LAS market in the next five years. However, hazardous effects of SLS & SLES on human skin are projected to hamper market growth. Furthermore, the shift towards bio-based surfactants, especially in developed countries, is likely to restrain the growth of the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate market in the near future. However, new applications and production methods for these surfactants are expected to offer immense opportunities for manufacturers in the industry.

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate emerged as the biggest product segment of the global SLS, SLES & LAS market in 2013, accounting for a market share of 76.6%. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate is a cheaper option and possesses good emulsifying, cleansing and foaming properties. Hence, it is widely used in household detergents & industrial cleaners. In terms of volume, sodium lauryl ether sulfate is projected to grow at a moderate rate owing to its milder nature as compared to sodium lauryl sulfate. In terms of volume and revenue, SLS is anticipated to grow at a sluggish rate during the forecast period owing to its adverse effects on human skin. There is high demand for SLS liquid as it is easily soluble and relatively cheaper.

Detergents & cleaners application was the largest consumer of SLS, SLES and LAS in 2013. In terms of volume, detergents & cleaners application was followed by personal care, which is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2014 to 2020. Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl ether sulfate are predominantly used in personal care applications due to their high skin penetration properties. However, demand for sodium lauryl sulfate in the personal care application is estimated to decrease in the next few years due to the toxic effects of sodium lauryl sulfate on human skin. Other emerging applications of SLS, SLES & LAS include oilfield chemicals, textile, leather, plastics, etc.

Asia Pacific dominated the global SLS, SLES & LAS market in 2013, in terms of volume and revenue. Increasing production of detergents & personal care products has been driving the market in Asia Pacific over the past few years. Additionally, rising disposable income in Middle East, Brazil, etc. is boosting Rest of the World market. Rest of the World emerged as the second-largest consumer of SLS, SLES and LAS in 2013. The market in Europe and North America has reached maturation; hence, these regions are expected to grow at a sluggish rate during the forecast period

The market is highly fragmented with no clear leader in the market. Major players in the market include Croda International, Rhodia SA, Solvay S.A, The Dow Chemical Company, Stepan Company, Clariant Corporation, Sasol Limited, BASF SE, Akzo Nobel N.V. and Oxiteno among others.

Get full Segmentation and Press Release, here:

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-market.htm

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company’s exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR’s experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR’s data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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Russian Chemist Union to Hold Polymeric Packaging Conference in June 2015 in Moscow

In June 2015, Moscow will host an international polymeric packaging conference conducted by the Russian Chemist Union (RCU). The conference will touch upon a number of issues ranging from chemical safety to plastic packaging restrictions to legislative initiatives and the supply dynamics within the polymeric materials market. The event will be a part of RosUpak, an exhibition dedicated to the packaging industry.

In an official statement issued by the RCU, it says that the voices against polymeric packaging are getting stronger and sentiments toward using glass and aluminum in packaging are becoming more favorable. A large chunk of this criticism has been directed at plastic bottles, noted the RCU. According to the Union, about 40% of the entire packaging industry in Russia still relies on the use of polymeric materials, and this figure continues to rise year-on-year.

To prepare for the conference, the RCU will be setting up a committee that will feature industry experts ranging from researchers, chemical industrialists, public representatives, and scholars.
Some of the themes that will be touched upon during the conference include: the chemical safety associated with polymeric packaging, plastic waste recycling technologies, the regulatory environment, and trends in supply and packaging in both domestic and international markets.

A number of environmental organizations in Russia have been critical of the polymeric packaging industry of the country. Watchdogs also disprove of the fact that the biodegradable packaging materials that are used by the Russian packaging industry do not comply with the required benchmarks and are often marketed on false claims.

According to Mikhail Anshakov, who heads the Society for Consumer Rights Protection, the polymeric bio-packaging industry is Russia does is not developed and can often carry misleading information. Despite these gaps, the prices of the so-called ‘bio-packaging’ materials are up to three times higher than regular packaging.

UK’s Kier Group Bags Prestigious Construction Projects Worth US$220 Million in the Gulf Region

UK-based Kier Group, a leading player in the country’s construction sector, has bagged multiple contracts amounting to approximately US$ 220 million in the Gulf region. In an official statement issued by the company, it said that it had emerged as the preferred bidder for a development in Dubai that would be used for mixed purposes. This project is worth GBP 100 million. The company would also be commencing work on two other infrastructure contracts, together worth GBP 15 million, for an ambitious leisure park.

The group has also secured a project in Saudi Arabia, where it will work alongside a state-owned company in the country’s eastern region. The value of this project is pegged at GBP 30 million. Kier said that all of these projects will be kicked off in January 2015.

In its official statement, the company said that the new contracts are an addition to their substantial growth in the international business domain. Kier has doubled its revenue in the last year, and has been chosen for a number of prominent projects in the Middle East region. The company’s latest projects are being built for companies in verticals such as education, leisure and finance. Among these are: a GBP 105 million JV with an Abu Dhabi-based spa hotel, a joint project worth GBP 87 million with Mercury to construct UAE’s Bank’s new data center, a GBP 26 million construction for the Dubai University, and a GBP 47 million deal for Dubai Parks.

According to the CEO of Kier, Haydn Mursell, these prestigious international projects are reflective of the company’s strong presence and solid relationship with clients in the Middle East. He also said that the projects stand testimony to the company’s extensive capabilities in the construction sector.

Researchers Create Advanced Biosensors with Smelling Abilities at Par with Humans

A new biosensor, whose ability to smell exceeds that of humans, could pave the way for the development of a whole new breed of biosensors that can diagnose problems with a sniff. The breakthrough was achieved under the leadership of an Indian-origin researcher. The biosensor’s functioning is based on the fact that every odor possesses a specific pattern. By distinguishing these inherent patterns, the nose is able to tell one odor from another.

A machine that needs to accomplish this relies on a combination of proteins that are joined to transistors. With this, machines can tell the difference between two smells that bear a resemblance to one another. These are known as chiral molecules. This is the first time such a feat has been achieved, according to news reports.

The human nose is able to distinguish between different molecules that are similar to each other, but when present in disparate forms, can take on a different odor. Machines from the earlier generation weren’t evolved enough to spot this difference.

However, with this new development, a whole new generation of highly sensitive biosensors can be created. With their acute sense of smell, they can virtually ‘sniff’ out problems. Equipped with this advantage, the new-generation biosensors can be utilized for a variety of industrial uses, such as determining the level of pollution by ‘smelling’ the air.

This breakthrough was achieved by researchers from the UK’s University of Manchester and the Italy-based University of Bari in Italy. The teams have been successful in creating a biosensor that makes use of a special protein that binds odors – in the human body, they occur in the mucus lining of the nose. The pioneering move came after researchers found a way to artificially manufacture proteins in small quantities that could be integrated with biosensors.

UK’s Shale Gas Revolution Moves at Snail’s Pace; Only 11 Exploratory Wells to be Dug in 2015

On paper, the UK government may have had ambitious plans for bringing about a shale gas revolution. But in reality, things haven’t been as exciting – at least that’s what the figures show. The plan for digging new exploratory wells was touted as a solution that would effectively address the country’s energy concerns. As things stand today, the project has barely moved beyond its starting blocks – only 11 new shale gas exploratory wells are planned this year. It is important to remember that the full impact of the rapidly sliding oil prices is yet to be fully felt across the industry.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has, on several occasions, reiterated that his government will be focusing intensely on shale gas exploration. However, the number of new wells that are scheduled in 2015 can be described as being a “handful” at best, according to media reports. Of these, fracking will be carried out at just nine wells, of which eight are new.

According to the UK Energy Research Centre’s director Professor Jim Watson—who has also recently authored a report on the possible potential that shale gas holds for the UK—the recent statements made by politicians regarding the potential of shale gas in the country could be termed as being “speculative”. Watson opined that the number of such wells that have been drilled in the United Kingdom are very low. This naturally translates into a low degree of real experience in producing shale gas. Hence, estimating how much shale gas could be obtained from these wells would be premature. Watson said that David Cameron’s statement that these new wells could meet the gas requirements of the UK for the next three decades come across as being optimistic.

Europe Wearable Technology Market is Expected to Reach USD 2545.51 Million in 2019

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research “Wearable Technology Market - European Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019,” this market was valued at USD 308.69 million in 2013, growing at a CAGR of 42.1% from 2014 to 2019 to account for USD 2545.51 million in 2019.

Wearable technology market is a niche market with current domination of a few players. As the technology is new and there are few players, the prices of the products are high. However, the applications of wearable devices are currently spanning across sectors such as fitness and wellness, infotainment, healthcare and medical and industrial and military. Additionally, the applications of these new technology products are expected to increase with further development in the devices, over the forecast period.

Browse the full European Wearable Technology Market report: 
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/europe-wearable-technology-market.html

The wearable technology market is segmented by application into fitness and wellness, infotainment, healthcare and medical, and industrial and military. Various products such as smart clothing and smart sports glasses, activity monitors, sleep sensors, smart watches, augmented reality headsets, and monitors in the wearable technology market are further included under these applications. These are further segmented into products with several features. For example, outdoor activity watches have been segmented into watches with altimeter, barometer and compass. Similarly, running watches have been segmented into watches with heart rate monitors and without heart rate monitors. Other products have been further segmented and covered in the report. Among these, the fitness and wellness segment accounted for the highest market share in 2012 and is expected to maintain its position throughout the forecast period due to rising adoption of wearable technology products.

Germany acquired the largest market for wearable technologies with a share of 32% in 2012. Technological innovations presented through various conferences on wearable technologies have created awareness and increased its adoption in the country. An example of such conference is Wearable Technology Conference (WTC) in Germany conducted by Wearable Technologies Service GmbH, a key player in the European market. This conference provides a platform for experts in this industry and further accelerates the growth of wearable technology in this country. In addition, developments are taking place in the field of self powering wearable devices in the country.

Browse the full Press Release of this report: 
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/europe-wearable-technology-market.htm

A large number of developments have been taking place in the wearable technology market in UK. In 2014, Wearable Technology Show was held in London which showcased innovative products in wearable technology. Moreover, the UK show also saw an alternative to Google glass, Optinvent Ora. These augmented reality glasses put a see through screen which is three times larger than the Google Glass. Active developments are also taking place in the field of smart clothing. A UK based textile firm Intelligent Textiles develops electrically active woven fabrics for commercial products ranging from body armor to heated bedding and garments connected to iPods. This company supplies its fabric throughout Europe and the United States. Owing to all these technological developments and new product launches, the demand for wearable technology is expected to rise in UK in the coming years and thus the region is analyzed to grow at a CAGR of 41.8% over the forecast period.

Scandinavian region include three countries namely Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Wearable technology market players in these countries are involved in the development of new wearable products through technical innovations. In Sweden, scientists are developing ways to power wearable devices through blood. These devices will use naturally occurring processes in human body to generate electricity. The energy will be stored in biofuel cells and can be utilized to power medical applications of wearable technology. The developments in Denmark and Sweden are steady however; they are expected to increase with the entry of key players in these counties. Thus, the country is analyzed to witness a CAGR of 43.1% over the forecast period of 2014 to 2019.

For better understanding of the wearable technology market, we have included a detailed analysis of the value chain. A detailed Porter’s five forces analysis has been provided for a better understanding of the intensity of competition present in the market. Major market participants profiled in this report include Google Inc. Microsoft, Sony, Samsung, Nike and Adidas among others.

Wearable technology Market: By applications

• Fitness and Wellness
• Infotainment
• Healthcare and Medical
• Industrial and Military

Wearable technology Market: By products

• Smart clothing and smart sport glasses
• Activity monitors
• Sleep sensors
• Smart watches
• Heads-Up displays
• Smart glasses
• Continuous glucose monitor
• Drug delivery
• Monitors
• Wearable patches
• Hand worn terminals
• Augmented reality headsets

About Us

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR’s experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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2014 Saw Amazon Adding 6000 Permanent Jobs in the EU Region; More Jobs on the Way in 2015

E-commerce behemoth Amazon.com has said that the surging U.S. market has prompted it to create as many as 6000 permanent jobs in Europe to cater to the increasingly robust demand. These new jobs were created in 2014. According to sources from the company, all of these are permanent jobs – an indication that companies are indeed putting their money behind the resurgent U.S. economy. With the new additions, the total number of people employed by Amazon has gone up to 32,000 in the European Union alone.

The new positions are located across various segments such as supply chain management, logistics management, software development, customer support and service, and supply chain design. 

Amazon intends to continue creating new jobs and scaling up investments in the European region with an eye on the possibility of brisk business in the United States. According to the company’s EU retail vice president Xavier Garambois, Amazon.com is still in the investment phase, and hopes to continue creating more jobs in the year ahead. 

It’s not just demand in the U.S. that is surging, consumer demand in the European region was looking strong as well, said the Amazon official. While United States is the biggest market for Amazon, Germany holds the next place of significance in the company’s overall growth plans. In fact, of the 6,000 new jobs that were created in the EU region in 2014, Germany grabbed 1,200. Currently, Amazon employs about 10,000 warehouse staff in Germany and it also falls back on as many seasonal workers to meet the yearly holiday season demand spike. However, the company has recently suffered setbacks in the country after hundreds of workers went on strike to protest working conditions and pay.

After Germany, Amazon.com created a considerable number of jobs in Britain as well, where demand has been encouraging.

Report Notes Dip in U.S. Orders for Manufacturing Technology in November 2014

In November 2014, the total volume of orders for U.S. manufacturing totaled US$378.06 million, the Association For Manufacturing Technology has reported. According to the Association, this figure marks a 15.5% slide over October 2014. When compared year-on-year, the manufacturing output marks an decline of 14.5% as the total output in November 2013 was US$442.01 million. However, the total output of 2014, as compared to that of 2013 is up by 2.6% - the year-to-date figures for 2014 stand at US$4,556.60 million. The report was recently published by the AMT.

According to the president of the Association for Manufacturing Technology, the figures might indicate a downward trend, but the manufacturing technology market remains bullish on the overall growth prospects of the U.S. industry. Strong performance is expected in two key sectors – automotive and factory production, with the two combining to make manufacturing technology poised for steady growth in the years ahead.

According to the AMT president, the numbers in November 2014 appear to have declined because numerous manufacturers decided to ‘pause’ and re-assess the challenges that face the industry. Some of these challenges include a shrink in the manufacturing activity in Europe, China and Russia. Another aspect that has had a bearing on the manufacturing technology sector is the fact that oil activity has been relatively sluggish in the backdrop of the steep drop in oil prices. The AMT president said that 2015 looks like a promising year, and the United States’ economy will be led by the manufacturing sector. Growth is expected to be positive, he said. The data was presented in the report titled United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO).

Could Synthetically-formulated Triglyceride Oil Provide Fresh Hope for Huntington’s Disease?

According to the results of an early study, triheptanoin – synthetically-formulated triglyceride oil could offer fresh hope for those suffering from Huntington’s disease. It is an inherited disorder that leads nerve cells breaking down within the brain. This break down is most pronounced in areas of the brain that control movements, behavior, emotions, and memory. Studies have shown in the past that if a parent suffers from Huntington’s, there is a 50% chance that the child will develop it too. The study appears in the January edition of the medical journal Neurology, which is published by the American Academy of Neurology.

The symptoms of Huntington’s disease begin to appear around the age bracket of 30 years to 50 years. According to the author of the study, Fanny Mochel, MD, PhD, the study indicates that the synthetically-formulated triglyceride oil could hold the ability to improve the metabolic profile of the brain at the outset of the disease.

Mochel also added that the results of this study should be taken with caution considering that both participants and researchers were aware of whether they were getting the synthetically-formulated triglyceride oil or not. After studying the patients during month-long therapy, researchers noticed improved motor skills and movement among those suffering from the disease.

The energy profiles of the patients were analyzed using MRI brain scans before, at the time, and following the visual stimulation of the brain in nine patients who were diagnosed as being at the early stages of the disease. 13 people without the disease were also a part of the analysis. The same test was carried out a month later, and in those that did not have Huntington’s disease, it was observed that stimulation wasn’t required to increase the metabolism of the brain, and it then went back to the normal level. However, in patients suffering from Huntington’s disease, no change in metabolism was observed. In the second section of the study, only those diagnosed with Huntington’s disease were administered triheptanoin. After a month of this, the brain metabolism was observed to be normal. Researchers said that if the findings of these studies are confirmed, it could provide a ray of hope for those suffering from Huntington’s disease.

China Based Food Delivery Start Up Receives Shot in the Arm with Tencent Funding

Line0, a China-based start-up offering food delivery services has recently managed to secure funding from Tencent – one of the largest internet conglomerates in China. On the brink of pocketing a whopping US$ 30 million via funding, the start-up says that it will now implement major plans for expansion over the next couple of years. William Wu, the founder and CEO of Line0 has stated that his plans include taking advantage of the latest trends in the booming market for online orders and delivery.

The trend is much stronger among younger consumers who are comfortable with simply logging on to food ordering portals and choosing their takeaway order. The demand for takeaways has been rising over the years, remarked Wu. However, the weak point in this industry, in the Chinese context, is that small and medium enterprises do not have the required infrastructure to build their own delivery systems. And the giants, on the other hand, prefer not to invest in this process either. Wu considers this to be an opportunity that can be taken advantage of.

He also said that his start-up would consider looking at location-based services that operate on the offline-to-offline platform. Consumers in China, according to Wu, are showing an inclination for online services and food ordering apps.

Tencent is not the only company to have pumped money into Line0. 2012, Gobi Partners had funded the start-up, whereas in 2014, the firm raised money from Sequoia Capital. Line0 currently runs operations in five major cities in China – Wuhan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Now, with the multimillion dollar investment by Tencent, Line0 wants to set up cutting-edge services such as one-hour delivery in as many as 20 cities in China.

US FDA Shoots Warning Letter to Chinese Ingredient Manufacturing After Noting Manufacturing Problems

The US Food and Drug Administration have made it clear time and again that it wants to deploy more inspectors in China. The federal agency recently issued yet another warning letter, this time to an active pharmaceutical ingredients’ supplier operating from Wuxi, an industrial town in China. The letter stated that the supplier had violated fundamental manufacturing regulations on several fronts. 

In October last, during an inspection, inspectors from the US FDA observed that the Novacyl Wuxi Pharmaceutical facility’s employees did not maintain the stipulated log of raw data verifying that their products met mandates. The FDA then went on to issue a warning letter to the firm in December 2014, describing that maintaining such records was a ‘basic responsibility’, and justifying their concerns in detail in the letter.

A blog in the Wall Street Journal, which touched upon this topic stated that they had approached the Chinese firm’s France-based parent company Novacap, and were awaiting a comment. According to this blog, the FDA’s warning letter does not specify the exact ingredients produced at the Chinese facility. However, a look at the website of Novacyl shows that this ingredient could possibly be acetaminophen.

The FDA noted that other reasons that promoted it to shoot a warning letter to Novacyl in China were: failure to appropriately investigate/document discrepancies, set up and implement appropriate lab controls or document GMPs.

Of late, the increasing reliance of pharmaceutical companies on China as a manufacturing base has been a concern. Many of these companies manufacture products that form a part of the product supply chain in the United States. In 2008, for instance, the FDA established an office in China after the blood thinner heparin had to be recalled after reports confirming that a fake active ingredient was used in it. Matters were made worse because 246 reportedly died in the U.S. owing to this product.

Microsoft Endeavors to Gain Firm Foothold Over Government Sector with New Clouding Computing Offerings

Microsoft is making some more additions to its existing suite of software solutions designed especially for the public services sector. The newest additions are taking place in the cloud computing domain, with the company rolling out upgraded versions of Dynamics CRM and the Azure platform. These will soon be a part of Microsoft’s Office 365 Government package, widening the existing cloud portfolio that the firm currently runs for the government sector. The news came from the tech giant last week, and an official announcement is expected to be made this week by Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft when he attends a conference in Washington this week. The company says that this latest offering is a public-sector-specific unified cloud solutions, and will mark an important step ahead in the company’s government-centric business products. 

Microsoft’s VP of federal sales, Greg Myers, said that these new products mark a major “milestone” for the company in so far as announcing where the firm is headed and how it is offering differentiated value to its existing customer base. The highlight of these cloud offerings will be their ability to merge collaboration between teams and productivity. 

Office 365 is currently being used by about 3 million users working in the public sector, the company states. The CRM suite and cloud-based platform offerings of the company will receive a further boost as the company tries to gain a firm foothold in the government services sector. While the core functionality of many of these products is not drastically different from other CRM and cloud computing products, the company is working toward updating deployment options so as to meet the specific and often unique needs of the government sector.

As Demand for Chips Soars, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Likely to Respond with 3D Packaging Technology

The largest manufacturer of contract chips in the world - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co – is reportedly preparing to unveil technology for 3D integrated circuit packaging as well as testing in 2015. This was reported in a latest report from a market research group on December 31. The Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC), which comes under the purview of the state-sponsored Institute for Information Industry, stated that the technology has been at the development phase for several years. Now that the company’s team is in the final phases of testing the possibilities of this technology, TSMC is likely slated to launch the 3D integrated fan out in 2015.

The integrated fan out is a packaging technology that works at the wafer-level. It allows for denser packaging of semiconductor chips, and to provide an increased number of input/output connections over currently prevailing packaging methods. The technology is expected to prove highly beneficial to the latest trend of low-cost chipsets that are also more compact in size. 

The MIC expects that with the introduction of the InFO technology, TMSC will be able to slash operating costs. To do this, it will replace its existing 2.5D IC technology that is being used for packaging and testing. With the growing adoption on Internet of Things, and the massive market for wearable devices, this new technology will help TMSC responsively meet expanding demand from chip suppliers globally. The Internet of Things is a rapidly developing concept that enables interconnectivity between day-to-day devices right from smartphones to vacuum cleaners to security systems. According to industry analysts, these efforts by TSMC will further intensify competition in the semiconductor industry.

Beijing’s Modern Manufacturing Industry Taking Precedence over Conventional Energy Guzzling Industries

The modern manufacturing industry in Beijing is on an upswing, with recent reports showing that it soared to 841.53 billion yuan, with 2013 profits rising to an impressive 64.62 billion yuan. These statistics were revealed by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics’ vice director Wu Wanbiao. According to Wanbiao, the profits translate into a 23.2% spike in five years.

The industry’s growth lifeline has witnessed a paradigm shift with heavy industries such as steel making way for medical and automobile manufacturing industries. Take for instance the relocation of steel manufacturer Shougang and the closure of several other energy-guzzling industries. These now account for only a small proportion of all industries in Beijing.

In Beijing, the modern manufacturing sector is eating into a larger share of the market revenue pie. Reports show that the automobile industry is gaining predominance as far as the revenue share is concerned, with a healthy share of 17.6% in the large scale industries in 2013 in Beijing. As compared to 2008, this is an 8.2% increase, making it the manufacturing industry with the highest growth in Beijing. Similarly, the medical industry didn’t disappoint, earning an 18% profit to income ratio in 2013, registering a 5.4% jump over 2008.

The third economic census in Beijing clearly shows that the number of online stores in the city as of 2013 was about 7.9 times higher than the 2008 numbers – this marks an exceptionally commendable growth rate of 54.8% annually. There has been a tenfold rise in volumes of goods that are now being sold via online retail channels. Online sales in Beijing constitute about 15.4% of all successful sales transactions in Beijing from January to November 2014.

Over 1 Million Public Sector Jobs in the UK Will Face Axe Through 2020: Report

Over the next five years, as many as 1 million jobs in the public sector in the United Kingdom will face the axe, as budgetary restrictions continue to squeeze tighter. The country’s government has already scaled down the number of public sector employees by one fifth since it began effecting these job cuts four years ago, in 2010.

However, according to the Office of Budgetary Responsibility the worst is yet to come, as far as job cuts in the public sector are concerned. According to these estimates, by the time we ring in 2020, the number of people employed in the UK’s public sector would have fallen by at least 1 million, taking the total number of job cuts to 1.3 million.

However, it is not just job cuts that civil servants will have to worry about. George Osborne stated recently that since 2010, the state had saved nearly GBP 12 billion through a freeze on the salaries of public sector employees in two years and a 1% rise in their salaries. Osborne recently stated that he was positive of reporting similar savings during the next parliament.

According to some officials, this could potentially mean that over the next four years, public sector employees will likely have to forgo any increase in their pay. These salaries, when adjusted against inflation, already show a slide by 1/10th since the 2008 recession. Concerns are now being raised about how these measures could de-motivate public sector employees and could affect the ability of public sector establishments to carry out their tasks efficiently.