2007'02.11.Sun
Former Microsoft Chairman EMEA, Patrick De Smedt, Joins the Board of Directors of WISeKey to Assist the Company with the Further Expansion of its International Growth
January 15, 2007
-- A picture can be downloaded free of charge under:
http://www.presseportal.ch/de/story.htx?firmaid=100006027&lang=2
--
GENEVA, Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- WISeKey, the
leading Internet Trust and Digital Identification company
is pleased to announce that Mr. Patrick De Smedt has joined
WISeKey's Board of Directors.
While at Microsoft, Mr. De Smedt refined the strategic
directions and initiatives of Microsoft in Europe, Middle
East and Africa. Mr. De Smedt joined Microsoft in 1983 and
holds a Commercial Engineer degree from the University of
Louvain.
Prior to be appointed Chairman of Microsoft EMEA, Mr.
De Smedt held diverse and important functions at Microsoft
not least being the Vice President for Central, Southern
Europe and Africa as well as Vice-President responsible for
Microsoft's sales, marketing, enterprise partners and
services towards enterprise customers in the EMEA region.
Mr. De Smedt established the Benelux subsidiaries of
Microsoft in 1986.
Mr. Carlos Moreira, Founder and Chairman of WISeKey
S.A. said: "I am confident and pleased that the
appointment of Patrick De Smedt to the company Board of
Directors will cement WISeKey's role as the world's leading
provider of Internet trust services and digital
identification at a time when the company enters into the
phase of consistent growth. Patrick's unquestionable
experience in building companies and expertise will be very
valuable and welcome to our Board of Directors"
Referring to his appointment Mr De Smedt said: "I
am really excited to join the Board of an organization as
vital and innovative as WISeKey and to have an opportunity
to help realize its potential. It is an honour for me to
join the WISeKey Board of Directors and to assist the
company with the further expansion of its global
reach".
ots Originaltext: WISeKey SA
Internet: www.presseportal.ch
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ybarra
VP Corporate Communications
Tel: +41-22-594-3000
Email: dybarra@wisekey.com
SOURCE WISeKey SA
PR
2007'02.11.Sun
Horizon Wi-Com Selects Navini for Its Wireless Broadband Deployment
January 12, 2007
Deployment of First 802.16e WiMAX Network in the Northeast
US Region
RICHARDSON, Texas, Jan. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Horizon Wi-Com is launching its high-speed wireless
broadband service in the Northeast US region using WiMAX
802.16e equipment from Navini Networks, the global
leader(1) in providing plug-n-play broadband wireless
access solutions with the most experience in commercial
deployments.
The FCC recently approved Horizon's purchase of the WCS
A Block spectrum previously owned by Verizon. Phase I of
the deployment will implement service in Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, Pittsburgh,
Buffalo, Richmond, and Cincinnati.
"We selected Navini due to their experience,
customer base and proven technology," said Ron Olexa.
"Our objective is to provide wireless last mile access
to residential, business and emergency restoration markets.
We will start building the network in 1Q07, with a view to
ongoing expansion and additional network deployments in the
latter part of 2007."
"We are delighted that Horizon has chosen us for
this very significant network deployment in major U.S.
cities," said Roger Dorf, Navini's president and CEO.
"Delivering WiMAX in the U.S. is a key strategic
opportunity for us."
This is a turnkey Management and Support Services deal
for Navini, which will allow Horizon to make the most of
their network from day one. Services include Network IP
Design, Turn-Key Deployment Services (Commissioning, Test
and Turn-up/Cabinets and backhaul equipment), Network
Management and Support Services, and Network Optimization.
The deployment features Navini's Ripwave(TM) MX8
platform that is being certified for 802.16e mobile WiMAX
with Navini's Smart WiMAX(TM) solution. Smart WiMAX(TM)
combines the Smart Beamforming technology currently in
commercial service around the world, with beamformed MIMO,
which can reliably double the data throughput for WiMAX
subscribers.
This will allow Horizon Wi-Com to deploy less base
stations with more complete coverage and higher speeds.
About Horizon Wi-Com LLC:
Horizon Wi-Com is a Wireless System Operator
headquartered in Alexandria, VA. Horizon owns 10 MHz of A
Block WCS spectrum in MEA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, and 13.
These MEA's include the cities of Boston, New York,
Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington
DC, Richmond, and Cincinnati Dayton. Horizon Wi-Com is
currently planning deployments in these markets which will
provide wireless broadband service to customers. Service
is planned to commence in the second quarter of 2007.
http://www.horizon-wicom.com
About Navini Networks:
Navini Networks is the leader in providing portable,
plug-n-play broadband wireless access solutions, with the
largest commercial deployments in the world, over 70
commercial networks in 6 continents and strategic
partnerships with industry leaders. Navini is the only
company that has the patented Smart Beamforming technology,
enabling personal broadband for the mass market today, with
a seamless upgrade to the Mobile WiMAX standard to deliver
Smart WiMAX(TM). (Smart WiMAX(TM) is the combination of
mobile WiMAX with Smart Beamforming & MIMO). Navini's
Ripwave(R) MX portable, zero-install(TM), non-line-of-sight
(NLOS) solution consists of customer modems, base stations,
and element management systems (EMS) that run in the full
range of spectrums with software upgrades to the IEEE
802.16e standard.
Navini Networks is a principal member of the WiMAX
Forum and the IEEE 802.16e committee. Headquartered in
Richardson, Texas. http://www.navini.com .
(1) "State of the Market Wireless Broadband
Analysis Report 2006 - 2010 & SkyLight Research
Wireless Broadband Five Year Forecast 2006 - 2010" by
SkyLight Research (published June 2006)
For more information, please contact:
Maryvonne Tubb
Navini Networks, Inc.
Tel: +1-972-852-4247
Email: mtubb@navini.com
Ron Olexa
Horizon Wi-Com LLC
Tel: +1-770-983-1544
Email: rolexa@horizon-wicom.com
SOURCE Navini Networks, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Germany Scales Up Its Investment Promotion Activities
January 12, 2007
New investment promotion agency `Invest in Germany'
BERLIN, Jan. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The federal
government announced today the merger of the two agencies
"IIC - The New German Laender Industrial Investment
Council GmbH" and "Invest in Germany GmbH."
The new organization's name is "Invest in
Germany." Its mission is to promote Germany as
location for business, investment, and technology and to
actively identify business opportunities for international
investors.
Dr. Horst Dietz, President of the new organization
"Invest in Germany," called the move a clear
signal to investors and the international competitors:
"With the new Invest in Germany we will be in a much
stronger position to promote Germany even better as a
leading business and investment location. And it will allow
us to support and advise international investors even more
effectively and comprehensively. The new organization will
combine our two major objectives, namely the international
marketing for the business location Germany and the
acquisition of foreign investors for Germany. This new
focus further strengthens Germany's competitiveness as one
of the world's most attractive locations for foreign
investment. A larger budget as well as additional highly
qualified personnel allows us to build on the successes of
the past."
The "IIC" has up to now been responsible for
attracting investment into the former East Germany -- the
so-called new federal states. The company was founded in
1997 and has since then acquired investments totalling 4.7
billion Euros. Dr. Horst Dietz has been president of the
IIC since 2002.
The mandate of the old Invest in Germany was to promote
and market the business and investment location Germany in
its entirety.
The new company will be headquartered in Berlin with 90
employees and will have offices in the United States, Japan,
and China.
For more information, please contact:
Invest in Germany GmbH
Eva Henkel
Friedrichstrasse 60
10117 Berlin
Tel: +49-30-20657-173
Email: henkel@invest-in-germany.com
Web: http://www.invest-in-germany.com
http://www.iic.de
SOURCE Invest in Germany GmbH
2007'02.11.Sun
Omnicom Agencies Take Top Honors in Adweek's AOY Ranking: TBWA Named Global Agency of the Year; Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Named U.S. Agency of the Year
January 12, 2007
Advertising Age Also Honors Omnicom, TBWA and Goodby
NEW YORK, Jan. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Group
agencies TBWA and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners took
Global Agency of the Year and U.S. Agency of the Year
honors respectively in Adweek's annual Agency of the Year
ranking.
In choosing TBWA Adweek noted the agency came together
with enviable global business gains, proving its mettle as
a worldwide network. As Adweek described it, "The
growth was impressive, and creatively, as in years past, it
just doesn't get any better than TBWA under Chairman and
Chief Creative Officer Lee Clow."
Honoring Goodby, Silverstein & Partners as U.S.
Agency of the Year, Adweek wrote: "The shop
transformed itself for the digital age without skipping a
creative beat. The year's work proved that the agency has
turned a page in the history of its evolution; the agency's
creative output is now split evenly between traditional and
nontraditional. The San Francisco-based shop's evolution
was driven by its unyielding desire to be the
best..."
This week, TBWA and Goodby also were honored by
Advertising Age magazine which listed the pair at the top
of the publication's Agency A-List. Advertising Age also
named Goodby, Silverstein & Partners' work for
Hewlett-Packard as U.S. Campaign of the Year. Goodby's
"The computer is personal again" campaign was
praised for "making the PC stand once again for
`personal computer' and not for what it has become -- a
personal commodity."
In its first ever selection of Executive of the Year,
Advertising Age chose Omnicom President and CEO John Wren
for demonstrating "how the large agency holding
company should function." Wren, the publication
observed, places the emphasis on recruitment, retention and
development of talent while insuring that operating units
have the right resources to deliver world class client
service and prepare for future changes in the business.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (
http://www.omnicomgroup.com ) is a leading global marketing
and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded
networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising,
strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional
marketing, public relations and other specialty
communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than
100 countries.
For more information, please contact:
Pat Sloan
Tel: +1-212-415-2109
SOURCE Omnicom Group
2007'02.11.Sun
Nigeria to Increase Telecommunications Competition and Services Throughout the Country Through the Award of Radio Spectrum
January 11, 2007
ABUJA, Nigeria, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bilateral
agreement, as part of a broader development of economic
relations between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, the
Nigerian Government has agreed to licence spectrum in the
1800MHz and 900MHz bands to the Mubadala Development
Company of the United Arab Emirates. The detail of the
licensing agreement and its implementation will be managed
by The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In addition, the Board of the NCC is pleased to
announce its intention to proceed with the licensing of
radio spectrum in the 3G and 450 MHz bands. These new
licences will encourage the deployment of advanced
technology to continue the development of
telecommunications in Nigeria. The new licences will also
provide an opportunity to attract additional new operators
and more investment into this rapidly growing market in
Africa's most populous country.
Importantly, the release of more spectrum supports the
Government's policy of improving access to communication
services and extending coverage, especially into rural
areas. Subscribers can also expect to receive an increased
range of services, improved quality of service and better
value for money.
The NCC will ensure that the process of awarding
spectrum will be competitive and fair. Engr. Ernest
Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, reaffirmed that
"the NCC is committed to implementing Government policy
on telecommunications by having open and transparent
development within this important part of the Nigerian
economy and infrastructure."
The process for awarding new licences has included the
appointment of PA Consulting Group, a leading firm of
international management and telecommunications
consultants. John Buckley of PA said, "we are pleased
to be tasked by the NCC with assisting in developing and
overseeing the process for the award of licences, to ensure
it meets international best practice."
The next step will be the issue of a 'Public Notice,'
which will provide more details about the process, the
spectrum on offer and the indicative timeframes involved.
All information and press releases will be made available
through the NCC website.
About the NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission is the
independent National Regulatory Authority for the
telecommunications industry in Nigeria. The Commission is
responsible for creating an environment that enables
competition among operators in the industry, as well as
ensuring the provision of quality and efficient
telecommunications services throughout the country. To
achieve its mandate, the Commission has put in place the
necessary licensing and regulatory framework for the supply
of telecommunications services.
http://www.ncc.gov.ng
About PA Consulting Group
PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems
and technology consulting firm. Operating worldwide in
more than 35 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and
experience of 3,000 people, whose skills extend from
initial generation of ideas, insights and solutions through
to detailed implementation. Its work and support is based
on deep sector insight and expertise across the private and
public sectors. It has particular strengths in
telecommunications, financial services, energy, life
sciences and healthcare, government and public services,
manufacturing and defence.
http://www.paconsulting.com
For more information, please contact:
Nick Greenway
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
Email: spectrumauction@ncc.gov.ng
SOURCE The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
2007'02.11.Sun
FTSE Xinhua Index Announces Index Changes
January 11, 2007
China Life (A) is fast track addition to FXI series
Regular Review adds China Merchant Bank (H) to FXI China
25
BEIJING, HONG KONG, Jan. 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- FTSE
Xinhua Index (FXI), the independent China index provider,
will add the newly-listed China Life (A Share, 601628) to
its suite of equity indices from Tuesday, 16 January 2007.
FXI's user-friendly index methodology allows newly listed
large capitalisation stocks to be added to the index series
immediately as fast track entrants, and China Life meets
this rule.
Following China Life's successful IPO on Shanghai Stock
Exchange on 9 January, 2007, the country's largest life
insurance company, will become a member of FTSE Xinhua
China A50, 200 and all other applicable indices with the
total shares in issue of 20,823,530,000 and an
investability weighting of 5%, 5 trading days after its
debut. To balance the index, Guangdong Electric Power (A
share, 000539) and Hubei Chutian Expressway (A Share,
600035) will be removed from A50 and 200 indices
accordingly. For details of the changes please refer to the
full technical notice here
Separately, the FTSE Xinhua Index Committee held its
regular quarterly review meeting on 9 January 2007 at which
it reviewed and approved a number of constituent changes to
the FTSE Xinhua Index Series, including the FTSE Xinhua
China 25, A50, 200, 400 and small-cap indices. All changes
will be applied from Monday, 22 January 2007.
In the FTSE/Xinhua China 25, China Merchant Bank (H
share 3968) is added while Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical
(H share 0338) is deleted to rebalance. This index is used
internationally as the basis of several ETFs, listed on New
York, Hong Kong and London Stock Exchanges. With over USD
6.4 billion of linked assets, the index is a leading
measure of the Red Chips and H share market.
Moreover, the Committee has also approved two additions
and deletions to the FTSE/Xinhua China A50 Index: Shanxi
Taigang Stainless Steel (A share, 000825) and Beijing North
Star (A share, 601588) were added while Tianjin Port (Group)
(A share, 600717) and Shandong Aluminium Industry (A share,
600205) were deleted accordingly. Used by domestic
investors, and the growing QFII community as the basis of
many investment products, the FTSE/Xinhua China A50 index
is a leading measure of the dynamic China A share market.
There are also eleven turnovers in FTSE Xinhua China
200 index, and the inclusions include Huadian Power
International (A share, 600027) and Hainan Airlines (A
share, 600221), etc. For details of the changes please
refer to the full technical notice at
http://www.ftse.com/xinhua/english/Indices/Domestic_Investors/Index_Changes.jsp
.
For more information about FTSE Xinhua Index, please
refer to http://www.ftsexinhua.com .
Notes to Editors
About FTSE Xinhua Index
Established in late 2000, FTSE/Xinhua Index (FXI), a
joint venture between Xinhua Finance Limited and FTSE, came
into being to facilitate the creation of real-time indices
for the Chinese market. The indices can be used as a basis
for the trading of derivatives, index-tracking funds,
Exchange Traded Funds and as performance benchmarks. The
combination of FTSE's expertise in international indexing
with Xinhua Finance's strong presence and capabilities in
China creates a level of expertise in the Chinese market
that is unprecedented. Providing the combined coverage for
the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, all of the FTSE/Xinhua
indices are designed according to internationally proven
index methodology to ensure products are transparent, clear
and consistent. For daily data and further information,
please visit http://www.ftsexinhua.com .
About FTSE Group
FTSE Group is a world-leader in the creation and
management of indexes. With offices in Beijing, London,
Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Madrid, Paris, New York, San
Francisco, Boston, Shanghai and Tokyo, FTSE Group services
clients in 77 countries worldwide. It calculates and
manages the FTSE Global Equity Index Series, which includes
world-recognized indexes ranging from the FTSE All-World
Index, the FTSE4Good series and the FTSEurofirst Index
series, as well as domestic indexes such as the prestigious
FTSE 100. The company has collaborative arrangements with
the Athens, AMEX, Cyprus, Euronext, Johannesburg London,
Madrid, NASDAQ Thailand and Taiwan exchanges, as well as
Nomura Securities, Hang Seng and Xinhua Finance of China.
FTSE also has a collaborative agreement with Dow Jones
Indexes to develop a single sector classification system
for global investors.
FTSE indexes are used extensively by investors
world-wide for investment analysis, performance
measurement, asset allocation, portfolio hedging and for
creating a wide range of index tracking funds. Independent
committees of senior fund managers, derivatives experts,
actuaries and other experienced practitioners review all
changes to the indexes to ensure that they are made
objectively and without bias. Real-time FTSE indexes are
calculated on systems managed by Reuters. Prices and FX
rates used are supplied by Reuters.
About Xinhua Finance Limited
Xinhua Finance Limited is China's unchallenged leader
in financial information and media, and is listed on the
Mothers board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399)
(OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and
the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions,
corporations and re-distributors through four focused and
complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial
News and Investor Relations. Founded in November 1999, the
Company is headquartered in Shanghai with 20 news bureaus
and offices in 19 locations across Asia, Australia, North
America and Europe. For more information, please visit
http://www.xinhuafinance.com .
SUMMARY OF INDEX CHANGES IN XINHUA FTSE QUARTERLY
REVIEW
FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index
Inclusion: 1
Exclusion: 1
FTSE Xinhua China B 35
Inclusion: 3
Exclusion: 3
FTSE/Xinhua China A50 Index
Inclusions: 2
Exclusions: 2
FTSE Xinhua 200 Index
Inclusions: 11
Exclusions: 11
FTSE Xinhua 400 Index
Inclusions: 33
Exclusions: 33
FTSE Xinhua Small Cap Index
Inclusions: 34
Exclusions: 12
For more information, please contact:
Beijing
Catherine Song
FTSE Xinhua Beijing office
Tel: +86-10-5864-5275
Email: catherine.song@xinhuafinance.com
Shanghai
Joy Tsang
Xinhua Finance
Tel: +852-3196-3983 / +86-21-6113-5999
Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com
Meredith Blakemore
FTSE Asia Pacific
Tel: +852-2230-5801
Email: meredith.blakemore@ftse.com
New York
Lynne Sims
FTSE Americas
Tel: +1-212-641-6168
Email: lynne.sims@ftse.com
London
Sandra Steel
FTSE Group
Tel: +44-20-7866-1821
Email: media@ftse.com
SOURCE Xinhua FTSE Index
2007'02.11.Sun
CTM Macau Selects Comptel Provisioning and Mediation Solutions to Support 3G Services
January 11, 2007
Selection Strengthens and Extends Existing Relationship
with Leading Joint-venture Operator
HELSINKI, Finland, Jan. 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Comptel Corporation (OMX Helsinki: CTL1V), the leading
Operational Support System (OSS) software vendor for
convergent mediation, charging, provisioning and network
inventory, announced today that Macau's CTM, a joint
venture of Cable &Wireless, Portugal Telecom and CITIC
Pacific, has chosen Comptel's Provisioning Solution to
support its 3G service. CTM is also extending its 2G
deployment of Comptel's Event Mediation solution for next
generation mobile services.
With the planned roll-out of mobile 3G services in
2007, CTM needs to ensure that it had the right systems in
place to be able to provision customers and services
efficiently, as well as collect usage information to bill
them correctly. With new services continually emerging,
flexibility and speed are essential to ensure these
processes are carried out to the satisfaction of CTM and
its customers.
Phil Green, CEO of CTM says: "We have chosen
Comptel to supply provisioning and mediation solutions to
support our 3G services. Based on the track record of our
business relationship, we are confident that Comptel will
be able to deliver the solutions we need."
The Comptel Provisioning Solution automates the user
provisioning and service activation processes. With a
single interface, it covers the entire fulfillment workflow
-- from service order to billing. At CTM, the Comptel
Provisioning Solution will have interfaces with the CRM
system, Ericsson network, mobile banking and other
gateways.
The Comptel Event Mediation Solution allows usages from
multiple sources to be collected and forwarded to billing
and other systems. At CTM, the existing Comptel Event
Mediation deployment will be extended to collect usage from
GPRS, SMS, MMS gateways as well as content servers.
Mr. Mika Korpinen, Managing Director of Comptel
Communications Sdn Bhd and Head of Sales APAC says:
"CTM joins the growing list of operators across the
world that are using both our mediation and provisioning
solutions. This is proof of the quality of Comptel's
solutions as well as the trust operators have in Comptel's
ability to deliver."
About CTM
Macau's only full telecom service provider, CTM (
http://www.ctm.net ) is a world-class communications
company that continues to play a major role in the ongoing
development of Macau's infrastructure.
About Comptel Corporation
For more information, visit http://www.comptel.com .
For more information, please contact:
Olivier Suard
Marketing Director
Comptel Corporation
Tel: +44-207-887-4513
Email: olivier.suard@comptel.com
SOURCE Comptel Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
Xinhua Far East China Ratings Assigns the Issuer Ratings of Six Chinese Commercial Banks
January 11, 2007
HONG KONG, Jan. 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua Far
East China Ratings ("Xinhua Far East") today
assigned the issuer credit ratings for the following six
Chinese national joint-stock commercial banks:
Bank Name Stock Code Long-term Outlook
Rating
Issuer Rating
Bank of
Communications
("BoComm") HK 3328 AA
Stable
China Merchants
Bank ("CMB") HK 3968,
SH A 600036 AA- Stable
Shanghai Pudong
Development
Bank("SPDB") SH A 600000 A+
Stable
China Minsheng
Bank Corporation
("CMBC") SH A 600016 A-
Stable
Hua Xia Bank
("HXB") SH A 600015 BBB
Stable
Shenzhen
Development
Bank ("SDB") SZ A 000001 BBB
Stable
The ratings reflect Xinhua Far East's positive view on
Chinese listed joint-stock commercial banks in what is a
buoyant economy and a market characterized by growing
levels of deposits. The ratings also incorporate concerns,
however, about intensifying competition faced by national
joint-stock commercial banks, which continue to rely
heavily on interest income and have somewhat immature risk
management systems. The ratings also consider the banks'
varying corporate governance and information disclosure
standards, as well as their differing abilities to weather
economic cycles and obtain shareholder support in times of
financial difficulty.
Despite structural imbalances and risks within the
economy, we expect the Chinese banking industry's growth to
maintain its momentum, with the eco-political situation
remaining stable and depositor confidence in the banking
system remaining strong. These are the key factors
supporting the long-term ratings of Chinese banks. The
industry should continue growing rapidly, although the
growth rate could be moderated by government macro-economic
control policies, the trend towards disintermediation
(withdrawal of funds from banks to flow directly to users)
and the regulatory capitals limitations.
On the other hand, national joint-stock commercial
banks face intensifying competition, with reforms of state
banks accelerating and more foreign players entering the
market. Although it takes time for the efficiencies,
service standards and credit cultures in state-owned banks
to be improved, and most foreign players will be more
likely to focus on niche commercial banking and private
banking due to disadvantages in franchises, joint-stock
commercial banks still need to formulate clear strategies
and sharpen their execution abilities to win in the
market.
Xinhua Far East is also concerned that the credit
risks, interest rate risks and certain hidden risks still
face Chinese banks, in view of their immature risk
management systems and a heavy reliance on interest income.
With certain sectors in the economy experiencing over-supply
and profit squeezes, credit risks could be mounting,
especially as a strong credit culture has yet to be firmly
established in Chinese banks. Interest rate hikes could
also affect the performance of many sectors, thereby
compounding the credit risks faced by Chinese banks. They
could also put downward pressure on the growth rates of
loans and the prices of securities in which the banks
invest. Hidden risks could also be significant among those
banks lacking strict internal control systems, as is
evidenced by the practice of some banks lending to
problematic borrowers through third parties, with some
risks also hidden in off-balance sheet arrangements (e.g.
entrusted loans/ investments, guarantees, acceptance).
However, the risks should have no significant impact in the
short run due to the overall booming economy.
Xinhua Far East also recognizes the importance of
banks' governance and transparency in boosting investor
confidence and supporting bank credit profiles. Despite
significant progress in recent years, Chinese listed banks,
especially purely A-share listed banks, need to further
improve their disclosure of non-financial information,
including strategy, market prospects, market position, and
internal controls, as well as financial information in
segment reporting, risk disclosure, off-balance sheet items
and migration of NPLs.
In summary, we believe domestic banks need further
internal reforms in respect to product structure, risk
management and corporate governance to be competitive in
the long term. Those with more diverse income streams,
better risk management practices, greater information
disclosure and transparency and stronger government or
shareholder support will have a greater ability to
withstand risks and therefore maintain better credit
profiles.
BoComm: The AA rating for BoComm reflects the strong
support that it is expected to receive from the government
as a result of its being majority-owned by government
entities. Its capital status, product development,
corporate governance and risk management systems are
improving as well, especially after its IPO and with HSBC's
participation as a strategic partner. However, Xinhua Far
East believes that its loan portfolio is still skewed too
far towards the manufacturing sector, and that its special
mention loan ratio is relatively high and NPL coverage
ratio relatively low.
CMB: the AA- rating for CMB reflects its leading market
position for retail banking, its fast-growing non-interest
income stream and its relatively strong prudent risk
management system. Both its debit and credit cards lines
have strong market recognition and strong consumer uptake.
The high percentage of its retail client base, relative to
other joint-stock commercial banks, helps it attract ample
deposits, enjoy lower financing costs and achieve rapidly
rising non-interest income. Its risk management system is
relatively better as well, as evidenced by its prudence in
provisioning and comparatively low exposure to the
manufacturing and real estate sectors.
SPDB: the A+ rating for SPDB reflects the bank's
strength in corporate banking and its strong shareholder
support. SPDB's strength in corporate banking and its
regional focus on the Yangtze River Delta region enables it
to leverage this fast growing market, but also increases its
business concentration risks. SPDB's NPL ratio has been
improving over the years, with its NPL coverage ratio the
highest among Chinese banks. Its loan portfolio is skewed
towards the manufacturing and real estate sectors, however,
and it has some geographical risks. As a bank
majority-controlled by companies owned by the Shanghai
government, it is nevertheless in a favorable position to
obtain government support in the event of financial
difficulty.
CMBC: the A- rating for CMBC reflects its position as
the fastest growing listed national commercial bank in
China - the result of its innovative culture and incentive
schemes. However, Xinhua Far East is concerned about the
bank's aggressive growth strategy and mounting risks in its
relatively concentrated loan portfolio, despite having the
lowest NPL ratio. We also note CMBC's continual financing
needs due to more stringent capital requirements and the
limited financial capacity of its current major
shareholders. It also has liquidity risk challenges as most
of its deposits come from corporate clients.
HXB: the BBB rating for HXB reflects Xinhua Far East's
belief that HXB will grow to be a more
commercially-oriented bank, rectify its historical weakness
in corporate governance and information disclosure, and make
progress in risk management in the current favorable market
environment and with the introduction of foreign investors.
However, its relatively weak market position in the
increasingly competitive market, its dependence on
corporate deposits, its continuous financing needs, its
loan portfolio concentration, low coverage ratio and weak
profit generating ability prevent it from obtaining a
higher rating at this time.
SDB: The long-term BBB rating for Shenzhen Development
Bank (SDB) is primarily based on the fact that its
financial position and risk management is improving
following the introduction of Newbridge as its leading
shareholder. It is also based on the expectation that it
will enhance its market position by adopting a more focused
strategy on working capital and trade financing loans.
However, its low capital adequacy ratio limits its further
expansion and poses risks to depositors, which has limited
its potential to be enhanced in the short run due to its
stagnancy in non-tradable shares reform. Further, its
relatively weak market position in the increasingly
competitive market, its legacy asset quality problems, its
loan portfolio concentration, low coverage ratio and high
loan-to-deposit ratio prevent it from getting a higher
rating.
For the full rating report, please contact us via
xfe@xinhuafinance.com .
Note to Editors:
About Xinhua Far East China Ratings
Xinhua Far East China Ratings (Xinhua Far East) is a
pioneering venture in China that aims to rank credit risks
among corporations in China. It is a strategic alliance
between Xinhua Finance (TSE Mothers: 9399), and Shanghai
Far East Credit Rating Co., Ltd. Shanghai Far East became a
Xinhua Finance partner company in 2003 and the first China
member of The Association of Credit Rating Agencies in Asia
in December 2003.
Capitalizing on the synergy between Xinhua Finance and
Shanghai Far East, Xinhua Far East's rating methodology and
process blend unique local market knowledge with
international rating standards. Xinhua Far East is
committed to provide investors with independent, objective,
timely and forward-looking credit opinions on Chinese
companies. It aims to help investors differentiate the
credit risks among the corporations in China, thereby,
cultivating their awareness and promoting information
disclosures and transparency in China market.
For more information, see
http://www.xfn.com/creditrating .
About Xinhua Finance Limited
Xinhua Finance Limited is China's unchallenged leader
in financial information and media, and is listed on the
Mothers board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399)
(OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and
the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions,
corporations and re-distributors through four focused and
complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial
News and Investor Relations. Founded in November 1999, the
Company is headquartered in Shanghai with 20 news bureaus
and offices in 19 locations across Asia, Australia, North
America and Europe.
For more information, please visit
http://www.xinhuafinance.com .
About Shanghai Far East Credit Rating Co., Ltd
Shanghai Far East Credit Rating Co., Ltd. is the first
and leading professional credit rating company with
comprehensive business coverage in China. It is an
independent agency established by the Shanghai Academy of
Social Sciences with the mission to develop internationally
accepted standards for capital market in China. The company
is a pioneer in conducting bond-rating business in China.
For years, it has been authorized by the Shanghai branch of
the PBOC to undertake loan certificate credit rating.
Since establishment, it has rated over 1,000 corporate
long-term bonds and commercial papers, based on the
principles of objectivity, fairness and independence. The
company has also maintained over 50% market share in the
loan certificate-rating sector in Shanghai for three
consecutive years. With its strong local presence and
knowledge, it provides investors with unique and the most
insightful credit opinion.
For more information, see http://www.fareast-cr.com .
For more information, please contact:
Hong Kong
Joy Tsang, Corporate Communications Director
Xinhua Finance
Tel: +852-3196-3983
+86-21-6113-5999
+852-9486-4364
Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com
US
Taylor Rafferty (IR/PR Contact in US)
Ms. Ishviene Arora
Tel: +1-212-889-4350
Email: ishviene.arora@taylor-rafferty.com
SOURCE Xinhua Far East China Ratings
2007'02.11.Sun
PodShow to Unveil PodShowTV for AMD LIVE!(TM) Entertainment Suite at CES
January 11, 2007
PodShowTV Optimized for AMD LIVE! Solution to Bring
'Networked Entertainment' Into the Home
SAN FRANCISCO and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 11
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- PodShow(TM), the #1 new media
network, today announced an agreement with Advanced Micro
Devices (NYSE: AMD) to deliver an optimized version of
PodShowTV(TM) for the AMD LIVE!(TM) Entertainment Suite.
PodShow also announced that PodShowTV for AMD LIVE! will be
unveiled in a preview demonstration at 2007 International
CES.
PodShowTV(TM) is an advanced version of the company's
acclaimed PodShow Network, developed specifically for
television audiences tuning in through media-enabled PCs
and, in the near future, through advanced digital set-top
boxes, Net-connected DVRs and IPTV. PodShowTV provides
through-the-television-access to the best in independent
audio and video podcasts; short form and feature video;
featured music from top new artists and legends; and direct
interaction with user-generated profiles and content, along
with thousands of hours of mainstream media content.
PodShowTV enables users to directly interact with their
PodShow+ accounts, viewing their profiles, watching their
favorite internet videos and shows on television, creating
channels of content to be shared with other PodShow users
and accessing the PodShow Network from televisions and PCs
enabled with the AMD LIVE! solution.
Through PodShow+ accounts ( http://www.podshow.com ),
users of AMD LIVE! PodShowTV can direct content to their
TV, PC or mobile media players. The special PodShowTV
preview has been optimized for AMD LIVE! PCs, and can be
seen at the AMD exhibition booth in the South 3 hall at
CES.
PodShowTV, the latest in a series of product
initiatives from PodShow, is designed to bring the power,
flexibility and excitement of entertaining media from the
internet to the television. PodShowTV features a powerful
selection of PodShow+ features, completely integrated into
television's "ten-foot" viewing experience,
enabling the audience to join PodShow's online audience
discovering and sharing the best serialized and
user-generated content on the Net, creating, uploading and
editing videos, making their own shows, creating custom
channels, and connecting with others -- all without leaving
the comfort of the couch.
"PodShow has created a new media network that
bridges the gap between social networks and short-form
video sharing sites, and mainstream television, cable and
radio networks, and we already provide direct access to
over 1,000,000 hours of content in over 135 categories and
multiple languages to computers and mobile devices around
the world" says Ron Bloom, co founder and CEO of
PodShow. "PodShowTV will extend our network into the
home, bringing the best of PodShow+, the PodShow Network --
all of our media properties -- to television viewing
audiences, along with the chance to join the show!"
"The AMD LIVE! Solution is designed to help
consumers get more enjoyment from all forms of media,"
said Aaron Feen, director of Consumer Marketing, AMD.
"The addition of PodShowTV to the AMD LIVE!
Entertainment Suite will delight AMD customers with easy
and free access to exciting videos, music and podcasts from
around the Internet."
Bloom added, "We believe that the next big thing
in home entertainment comes in two steps. First, we want to
provide a compelling reason to use the computer and the TV
together in the home. Secondly, we want to empower people
to create, connect and share content from their TV. With
the AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite, we are taking a major
step in demonstrating the real power of what I refer to as,
networked entertainment."
About PodShowTV
PodShowTV enables users of IPTV to directly experience
the best in new media entertainment, and allows the
audiences to join the show! Through PodShowTV, audiences
will access the most popular PodShow+ features and PodShow
Network serialized programming, enabling individuals to
choose from thousands of high-quality mainstream and
independent video and audio programs, create and connect
with friends, and build and share customized channels of
programs. Additionally, PodShowTV enables television
audiences to interact with programming and with other
people on the network.
Key features of PodShowTV:
-- PodShowTV Video Network -- Now you can get the most
popular videos from all across the Internet and
share
them with your friends, all in one place. Make your
own video channel, or try ours.
-- PodShowTV Music Network -- PodShow's Podsafe Music
Network is the home of the most exciting and
influential new and famous artists who are
connecting
with show producers and their fans. The Music
Network
spotlights the best unsigned, indie and mainstream
artists in Podsafe music.
-- PodShowTV Personal Media Collection -- On PodShowTV
you can collect content in almost any form and
organize
it into personalized channels which you can enjoy
directly on your television or via any connected
device.
It is the most powerful way to collect shows,
photos,
music, videos, and episodes and organize them, enjoy
them on your television or share them with friends.
-- PodShowTV People Network -- Through PodShowTV, you
can
connect with the most creative people on the
internet.
PodShowTV enables you to connect to your PodShow+
profile and see yourself on TV! You can make your
own
show, join in on other shows, or just browse the
network
and connect with some of the most outrageous and
creative
people in the US and the world.
About the PodShow Network
PodShow provides direct access to over 1,000,000 hours
of audio and video entertainment in over 135 categories to
audiences in the US and around the world, including.
thousands of hours of exclusive programming from over 1500
producers, and the ability to join the show! Registered
users can collect, share and create and upload content for
free on the PodShow Network as well as join the most
creative community on the internet. PodShow has created
partnerships in distribution around the world, enabling the
company's original productions and exclusively independent
properties to be distributed to an audience of
tens-of-millions using the internet, mobile platforms and
televisions at home.
About PodShow+
PodShow+ showcases the hottest videos, music, people,
and the best in podcasting and other killer content,
whenever and wherever you want it. PodShow+ features
original programming from PodShow Productions, as well as
direct access to the most popular independent shows
produced in the US and UK and the best in mainstream audio
and video content. Coming soon, more original productions
will be available across an almost limitless number of
categories, as well as an increasing collection of hot, new
and independently-produced shows from around the world. All
of this content can be accessed through PodShow+ and
delivered on PCs, mobile devices, and, through PodShowTV,
television viewing audiences as well.
About PodShow, Inc.
PodShow is the #1 new media network, addressing a
global audience of tens-of-millions, comprising PodShow+,
PodShow Network, PodShowPDN, Podcast Alley, indiePodder and
the Podsafe Music Network. PodShow+ makes independently
produced media more accessible to an audience of millions,
providing resources for producers, and enabling marketers
to take part in the digital media explosion. PodShow
Productions produces serialized content and specials in
audio and video for the PodShow Network. BTPodShow.com is
a co-branded service from PodShow LTD in partnership with
BT, enabling consumers in the UK and Ireland to create,
connect and share their content on the PodShow network.
PodShowTV is a version of the PodShow Network developed
specifically for television viewing audiences, distributed
through products like AMD Live! CastBlaster Software
enables thousands of producers to create and distribute
audio podcasts and other productions on the windows
platform. The PodShowPDN(TM) is the first high-performance
content delivery network meeting the specific needs of
podcasting, delivering a comprehensive creation,
production, and delivery and monetization solution for
independent producers and mainstream media companies. In
every way, PodShow has greatly simplified the production
experience for artists and listeners around the world.
PodShow is a privately held company, backed by leading
venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers,
Sequoia Capital, Sherpalo Ventures and DAG Ventures. For
more on PodShow, visit: http://www.podshow.com , and for
all queries visit: http://www.podshow.com/contactus.html
.
NOTE: PodShow, PodShow+, PodshowTV, Podsafe Music
Network, Podcast Alley, and PodShowPDN are trademarks of
PodShow, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
For more information, please contact:
Aaron Burcell
PodShow, Inc.
Tel: +1-415-247-6889
Mobile: +1-650-740-3134
Email: aaron@podshow.com
SOURCE PodShow, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
PCIG: Dedicated to I-Gaming in Asia
January 11, 2007
ST. CHARLES, Mo., Jan. 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- River
City Group is bringing i-gaming companies together to
diminish the cultural gap between East and West and capture
their most sought after market: Asia. Recent government
legislation in certain countries has forced companies to
reinforce their global efforts to remain competitive. The
Pacific Congress on I-Gaming is the solution for global
i-gaming companies to expand their knowledge base necessary
to cater to these players and retain their loyalty.
Decision-making executives, developers and CEOs are
gathering in Macau February 26-27 for the fifth annual PCIG
to exchange ideas and create business partnerships.
Representatives within the Pacific Region, which include
Asia, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and
elsewhere, are planning to attend.
Located in the luxurious ambiance of the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel, this i-gaming conference has been designed
for growth, interaction, and exchange of expertise among
regional executives and prospective business partners
taking on the Pacific market.
River City Group CEO, Sue Schneider, speaks
enthusiastically about the response within the industry,
"Attendance (for the conference) in 2007 is expected
to be even higher because of the increasing interest that
exists among both Asian and other global
entrepreneurs."
Playtech is the Title Sponsor for the event. The
cocktail reception, which stages key social and business
networking opportunities, has been sponsored by Continent 8
Technologies. Other sponsors include FunTown, Microgaming,
Everest Poker, and FutureBet.
The conference includes various, idea-exploring
seminars that have been designed with the Asian market in
mind. Topics include:
-- Asian Culture/Market Discussion for Westerners.
-- Exploring Solutions for Payment Processing.
-- The Rise of Mobile Gambling.
-- Lottery/ Gaming Operation in China.
-- Asian Players and Poker?
-- Player-to-Player gaming.
-- Macau- The New Vegas!
-- Horseracing in Asia.
The i-gaming industry has faced some challenges over
the past year, but 2007 looks promising because of the
desire to cross cultural boundaries and establish solid
business relationships within the Asian market. PCIG
delivers the platform from which i-gaming business gets
done in this dynamic region.
Additional information can be found at
http://www.rivercitygroup.com/pcig .
For more information, please contact:
Sue Schneider
River City Group
Tel: +1-636-946-0820
Email: sue@rivercitygroup.com
SOURCE River City Group
2007'02.11.Sun
The9 Obtains Exclusive License to Operate Ragnarok Online 2(R) in Mainland China
January 10, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The9
Limited (Nasdaq: NCTY), a leading online game operator in
China, today announced that it has, through its subsidiary,
entered into an agreement with Gravity Co., Ltd., an online
game developer and publisher, for an exclusive license to
operate Ragnarok Online 2(R), a massively multiplayer
online role playing game ("MMORPG") in mainland
China. The term of the license is for four years from the
date of commercial launch of the game in mainland China.
In addition, The9 also entered into an agreement for an
exclusive license from Gravity Co., Ltd. to operate the
Emil Chronicle Online(R), also a MMORPG, in mainland China
for a period of three years from the commercial launch of
the game.
Ragnarok Online 2(R), subtitled "Epic of the
Light", is the original sequel of Ragnarok Online(R),
a cartoon style 3D MMORPG with compelling storyline,
splendid scenes, as well as gorgeous graphical effects
absorbing various elements from myths and history of
different cultures in the world. Currently, Ragnarok
Online 2(R) is in initial closed beta test in Korea and, as
of January 8, 2007, was voted as the most anticipated Korean
game by Chinese gamers on 17173.com, one of the largest
games information portal in China.
Emil Chronicle Online(R) is a cartoon-style 2.5D MMORPG
that was commercially launched in Japan, with the most
recent upgrade introduced in early December 2006.
Mr. Jun Zhu, The9's Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, commented: "We are very excited that The9
obtained exclusive licenses to operate Ragnarok Online 2(R)
and Emil Chronicle Online(R) in mainland China. This
cooperation not only testifies again as to our market
position as the "Partner of Choice" in China for
renowned overseas game developers, but also further
demonstrates our commitment to offer the highest-quality
games to Chinese online gamers. We are especially proud of
the addition of Ragnarok Online 2(R) to our already strong
pipeline, which we believe truly diversifies The9's game
portfolio. In the future, we intend to further leverage
our resources and strengths to bring additional fantastic
games to online game players in China."
Mr. Il Young Ryu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Gravity Co., Ltd., said: "We are very pleased to
have The9 as our exclusive partner for Ragnarok Online 2(R)
and Emil Chronicle Online(R) in China. With a proven track
record and impressive operational expertise for the Chinese
online game market, we are highly confident that The9 will
lead the game to be a huge success in China. Gravity Co.
Ltd., of course, will work closely with The9 and provide
our full support."
About The9 Limited
The9 Limited is a leading online game operator in
China. The9's business is primarily focused on operating
and developing MMORPGs for the Chinese online game players
market. The9 directly or through affiliates operates
licensed MMORPGs, consisting of Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s
World of Warcraft(R), MU(R) and Mystina Online(R) and its
first proprietary MMORGP, Joyful Journey West, in China.
It has also obtained exclusive licenses to operate
additional MMORPGs in China, including Granado Espada(R),
Soul of The Ultimate Nation(R), Guild Wars(R), Hellgate:
London(R), Ragnarok Online 2(R) and Emil Chronicle
Online(R). In addition, The9 is also working on the
development of a 3D fantasy MMORPG game, Fantasy Melody
Online.
About Gravity Co., Ltd.
Based in South Korea, Gravity is a developer and
publisher of online games. Gravity's principal product,
Ragnarok Online(TM), is a popular online game in many
markets, including Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, and is
currently commercially offered in 21 markets. For more
information about Gravity, please visit
http://www.gravity.co.kr .
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements.
These statements are made under the "safe harbor"
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by terminology such as "will,"
"expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates" and similar
statements. Among other things, the business outlook and
quotations from management in this press release contain
forward-looking statements. The9 may also make written or
oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 20-F
and 6-K, etc., in its annual report to shareholders, in
press releases and other written materials and in oral
statements made by its officers, directors or employees to
third parties. Statements that are not historical facts,
including statements about The9's beliefs and expectations,
are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of
important factors could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but
are not limited to, The9's limited operating history as an
online game operator, political and economic policies of
the Chinese government, the laws and regulations governing
the online game industry, information disseminated over the
Internet and Internet content providers in China,
intensified government regulation of Internet cafes, The9's
ability to retain existing players and attract new players,
license, develop or acquire additional online games that
are appealing to users, anticipate and adapt to changing
consumer preferences and respond to competitive market
conditions, and other risks and uncertainties outlined in
The9's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its annual reports on Form 20-F.
The9 does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statement, except as required under
applicable law.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Dahlia Wei
Senior Manager, Investor Relations
The9 Limited
Tel: +86-21-5172-9990
Email: IR@corp.the9.com
Website: http://www.corp.the9.com
SOURCE The9 Limited
2007'02.11.Sun
ChemBridge Announces Their New Fragment Library for Screening
January 10, 2007
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ChemBridge
has assembled an exemplary collection of small molecules
useful for fragment-based screening: the new Fragment
Library. The emergence and development of high throughput
X-ray crystallography and NMR methodologies for drug
discovery have contributed widely to the acceptance and
implementation of fragment based screening. The ability to
detect low affinity binders has proven invaluable in the
introduction and promotion of this aspect of drug discovery
and design. The Fragment Library set, comprising
approximately 12,000 compounds, was chosen based upon the
commonly accepted Astex "Rule-of-Three" (MW
<300, H-bond donors/acceptors <3, cLogP <3) as
well as the established proprietary ChemBridge substructure
filters. The set includes compounds with available, as well
as protected, functionality. All compounds in the
collection are available in stock and may be cherry-picked
or taken as a complete set.
Upon independent analysis of ChemBridge's Fragment
Library, an industry expert from a well respected
pharmaceutical company regards the collection as both
attractive and diverse, commenting that it is the largest
commercial fragment library currently offered to his
knowledge.
"The fragment collection has been assembled using
industry standard chemometrics coupled with ChemBridge's
knowledge of small molecule pharmacophore profiling,"
said ChemBridge's Reg Richardson, Ph.D. "The result
is the largest commercial offering of `discovery
chemistry-relevant' small molecule fragments. I am certain
the Fragment Library will be valuable to those engaged in
fragment based screening to identify and construct new
chemical entities having excellent lead-like
properties."
About ChemBridge Corporation
ChemBridge Corporation, http://www.chembridge.com , is
a leading global discovery chemistry CRO with an impeccable
track record of quality and deliverability. ChemBridge was
founded in Chicago in 1993 and has grown to a global
company with 350 employees. ChemBridge has its corporate
headquarters in San Diego, European office in the UK, and a
marketing agency in Japan. It also operates a large,
state-of-the-art offshore discovery chemistry research site
in Moscow, Russia. Over 400 pharmaceutical and biotech
companies and universities worldwide have taken advantage
of ChemBridge's portfolio of advanced discovery chemistry
services and products, including its library of 700,000
diverse drug-like small molecule compounds.
For more information, please contact:
Reg Richardson
Ph.D. of ChemBridge Corporation
Tel: +44-1386-765-519
Email: sales@chembridge.com
SOURCE ChemBridge Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
Texas Instruments Unveils Integrated HDTV Processor and Development Platform with Full HD Video Processing
January 10, 2007
TI Demonstrates a Suite of Compelling HDTV and Networked
DTV Solutions at CES 2007
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Extending a
field-proven portfolio of digital television (DTV)
solutions, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN)
today announced the new TVP9010 integrated high-definition
television (HDTV) processor and development platform.
Using sophisticated video processing techniques and based
on TI's world class mixed signal system-on-a-chip (SoC)
design expertise, the highly integrated TVP9010 HDTV
processor produces exceptionally high quality, full HD
1080p resolution images, as part of a cost-effective
solution that fulfills the broadcast requirements for ATSC
and DVB-T standards. The TVP9010 combines advanced video
processing with optimally integrated, field-proven analog
functions. In support of the upcoming DTV transition, TI
is also unveiling an ATSC to NTSC converter box development
platform based on the TVP9007, another processor in the
TVP9x family, with integrated 8-VSB/QAM demodulator and
TVP9x HDTV processor. Demonstrations are available via
invitation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January
8-11, 2007, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn:9080/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg
)
New Solutions Create Outstanding HDTV Picture Quality
and Audio Performance
The innovative video processing technology found in the
TVP9010 adds a new level of performance to TI's
well-established TVP9x line of HDTV products.
Technologically advanced video processing developed by TI
produces sharp, clear moving images, vibrant colors, high
contrast and lifelike skin tones for a natural video
appearance. Advanced image filtering and correction
techniques mitigate picture noise, and high-quality,
field-proven 3D Y/C decoding of composite inputs provides
compelling digital output from analog input signals.
Manufacturer-controlled parameters enable differentiated
picture characteristics by selectively tuning picture
parameters, such as sharpness, contrast and color. The
TVP9010 ATSC HDTV development platform leverages TI's
extensive portfolio of video solutions by including
TI-supplied 8-VSB/QAM demodulation, audio processing, and
power management functions. Included in the TVP9010
development platform is TI's TAS3208 audio processor; an
audio digital signal processing (DSP) solution. The
TAS3208 enables fully-differentiated sound processing,
enhancing the viewing experience particularly in flat panel
displays with limited speaker options.
Carrying Forward a Tradition of DTV Technology
For more than a decade, TI has supplied advanced
decoders, processors, converters, DLP(R) HDTVs and other
important functions for digital TVs.
"TI has shipped two million HDTV processors for
the ATSC market and fifty million NTSC/PAL 2D/3D video
decoders worldwide, demonstrating our experience in
providing field proven key TV components," said
Xucheng Wang, worldwide general manager, digital video
business, TI. "With the TVP9010, designers can create
great looking pictures on large screens from either an
analog or digital source. Combined with TI's networking
and multi-format codec/transcode technologies, our
customers can develop next-generation TV products with
future-proofed architectures."
Expertise and Vision for the Next Generation of HDTVs
To extend the functionality of the TVP9010 HDTV
development platform and enable manufacturers to further
differentiate and add value to their line-up, TI is
demonstrating a networked DTV solution with an array of
networking solutions based on its industry-leading
DaVinci(TM) technology. DaVinci technology supports
multi-format encode and decode and is used by many leading
IP set-top box providers. Utilizing TI's networked DTV and
flexible DaVinci technology, manufacturers will be able to
develop differentiated HDTV sets that can stream rapidly
growing IP content in real time.
Availability
TI's new TVP9010 HDTV processor and development
platform along with the TVP9007 converter box development
platform are available now to selected customers.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements. In addition to
Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Educational
& Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas,
Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in
more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located
on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com
Trademarks
DaVinci is a trademark of Texas Instruments. DLP is a
registered trademark of Texas Instruments. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Groswirt
Texas Instruments
Tel: +1-214-480-2512
Email: s-groswirt@ti.com
Tara Hanney
GolinHarris
Tel: +1-713-513-9561
Email: thanney@golinharris.com
SOURCE Texas Instruments
2007'02.11.Sun
Apple Introduces New AirPort Extreme with 802.11n
January 10, 2007
Five Times the Performance & Twice the Range
MACWORLD SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Apple(R) introduced the new AirPort Extreme(R), a simple
and elegant wireless networking solution delivering up to
five times the performance and twice the range of the
previous AirPort Extreme. Based on 802.11n,* AirPort
Extreme extends a wireless network to even more areas in a
home or office and makes streaming digital content and
transferring large files faster and easier. The new AirPort
Extreme Base Station features a sleek, new design with
connections for networked computers, printers and a USB
hard drive to quickly and easily share files or back up
valuable data and content.
"The new Airport Extreme is the most powerful and
easy to use Wi-Fi base station that we have ever
made," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice
president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With five
times the performance and twice the range, now you can
transfer bigger files faster and get access to the Internet
and your favorite digital media from many areas in your
house you couldn't reach before."
Using MIMO (Multiple In Multiple Out) smart antennas
and 802.11n technology, AirPort Extreme now delivers
greater data throughput and extends the reach of wireless
connectivity to more areas of the home, business or school.
With the ability to operate in either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
wireless frequencies, AirPort Extreme also reduces the
possibility of interference from appliances and cordless
phones that operate in the 2.4 GHz frequency. AirPort
Extreme is backward compatible with Macs and PCs using
previous generation 802.11b/g wireless technologies.
The AirPort Extreme Base Station features a simple, new
design that is just 6.5 inches square and 1.3 inches tall,
and a built-in USB port allows users to print wirelessly to
a USB printer or turn any external USB hard drive into a
shared drive so they can share files or backup valuable
data from multiple computers on a network. New AirPort
Utility software included with every AirPort Extreme makes
it very easy to set up a secure, wireless network for up to
50 simultaneous users within minutes. Users can also set
security restrictions, including Internet access limits on
their childrens' computers.
The AirPort Extreme Base Station also includes:
-- 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;
-- MIMO (Multiple In Multiple Out) smart antennas;
-- dual-band antennas for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
frequencies;
-- three 10/100 Ethernet LAN ports;
-- one 10/100 Ethernet WAN port;
-- one USB port;
-- Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA-2), 128-bit WEP
encryption; and
-- a built-in NAT firewall.
Pricing & Availability
The new AirPort Extreme Base Station will be available
in February through the Apple Store(R) (
http://www.apple.com ), at Apple's retail stores and Apple
Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $179
(US). Nearly all currently shipping Macs** support 802.11n
when updated with 802.11n Enabler software, which ships
with the AirPort Extreme Base Station.
* The AirPort Extreme Base Station is based on an IEEE
802.11n draft specification and is compatible with IEEE
802.11a, IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g. Achieving the
fastest data rates requires that all users have an
802.11n-enabled computer. Actual performance will vary
based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of
network and other factors.
** All Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Xeon Macs except the
entry 17-inch iMac(R) with 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
processor support the 802.11n technology.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the
1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal
computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple
continues to lead the industry in innovation with its
award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X
operating system, and iLife and professional applications.
Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution
with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online
store.
NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh,
AirPort Extreme, Apple Store and iMac are trademarks of
Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of
their respective owners.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit
Apple's PR website ( http://www.apple.com/pr/ ), or call
Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.
For more information, please contact:
Janette Barrios, Apple
Tel: +1-408-974-7608
Email: jbarrios@apple.com
Teresa Brewer, Apple
Tel: +1-408-974-6851
Email: tbrewer@apple.com
SOURCE Apple Computer, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts Opens 2007 With Portfolio Growth
January 10, 2007
Los Angeles Debut Marks Important West Coast Presence
LONDON, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- InterContinental
Hotels Group (IHG) (LON: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)) and Sumitomo
Realty & Development Co., Ltd. announce the debut of the
InterContinental Los Angeles Century City, located at 2151
Avenue of the Stars in Los Angeles, California.
The 363-room hotel, owned by Tokyo-based Sumitomo
Realty, will be managed by IHG's Americas operations
division, The Hotel Management Group, under a long term
management contract, effective today.
"The addition of the InterContinental Los Angeles
Century City to our global portfolio reinforces IHG's
strategic growth plan," said Andrew Cosslett, Chief
Executive of InterContinental Hotels Group.
"InterContinental is growing at a faster pace than
ever, fueled by an enhanced brand position that is highly
relevant to today's traveler including a world leading
concierge program. We are pleased to be working with
Sumitomo Realty & Development Co., Ltd. on this
exciting project."
The announcement of the InterContinental Los Angeles
Century City hotel kicks off a third year of good growth
for the InterContinental brand with the addition of 16 new
properties opened across 10 countries over the last two
years. November 2006 saw the introduction of new
generation of flagship properties with the openings of
InterContinental Boston and InterContinental London Park
Lane. The brand will continue its global expansion
throughout 2007 including three new openings planned in
China -- Chengdu, Shenzhen and Jiuzhaigou -- and the
opening of the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
Formerly the Park Hyatt, the re-flagged 363-room
property offers private balconies with city and mountain
views and 12,500 square feet of function space. Guests can
take advantage of the central location in the heart of
Century City, just minutes away from Westwood, Bel Air and
Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
"We have been looking for an opportunity to expand
IHG's presence in Los Angeles with the introduction of the
InterContinental brand to the market," said Kirk
Kinsell, SVP and chief development officer, The Americas,
InterContinental Hotels Group. "This new deal
reflects the brand vision and further solidifies our growth
of luxury properties in the United States."
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts continues to
strengthen its collection of properties in the Americas
region. The InterContinental Milwaukee opened its doors at
the end of 2006. The company also announced several new
hotels that will open over the next few years, including
InterContinental San Francisco, InterContinental
Sacramento, InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in
Scottsdale, Ariz., and the InterContinental Resort &
Residences Orlando, Fla.
The InterContinental brand is located in more than 60
countries, operating 138 hotels worldwide and 48 hotels in
the Americas region. For reservations, visit
http://www.intercontinental.com .
About InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom
(LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)) is the world's largest hotel
group by number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group
owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various
subsidiaries, 3,680 hotels and 543,775 guest rooms in
nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The
Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected
hotel brands including InterContinental(R) Hotels &
Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R) Hotels & Resorts, Holiday
Inn(R) Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express(R),
Staybridge Suites(R), Candlewood Suites(R) and Hotel
IndigoTM, and also manages the world's largest hotel
loyalty programme, Priority Club(R) Rewards.
InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and
online reservations for all its hotel brands at
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com and information for the
Priority Club Rewards programme at
http://www.priorityclub.com .
For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group,
visit our online Press Office at http://www.ihgplc.com/media
.
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Beachy
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Tel: +1-770-604-2429
Email: lisa.beachy@ichotelsgroup.com
Charles Yap
IHG Asia Pacific
Tel: +65-9829-0310
Email: charles.yap@ichotelsgroup.com
For Greater China, please contact:
Sharona Tao
Brand Public Relations & Communications Manager
Greater China
InterContinental Hotels Group
Tel: +86-21-2893-3309
Email: Sharona.tao@ichotelsgroup.com
SOURCE InterContinental Hotels Group
2007'02.11.Sun
WHO Plans to Increase Treatment Access for Victims of Rabies and Snake Bites
January 10, 2007
GENEVA, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Although more
than 12 million people each year are bitten by dogs or
snakes, or stung by scorpions, the world's capacity to
treat them is inadequate. Effective treatment for these
conditions is critically dependent on therapeutic sera*,
but this essential drug is often unavailable or
unaffordable in the countries where it is most needed.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn:9080/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg
)
* A therapeutic serum is a pharmaceutical preparation
that contains
antibodies against one or more specific antigens.
These
therapeutic sera are manufactured by fractionating
plasma collected
from animals (typically horses) that have been
immunized against
relevant antigens and that as a result develop
neutralizing
antibodies. The plasma is pooled in batches of
tens to hundreds of
litres, and processed to extract the active
immunoglobulin fraction.
To address this neglected public health issue, the
World Health Organization (WHO) is creating a five-year
plan to boost production in developing countries, help
authorities forecast market needs and strengthen regulatory
capacity. On 10 January, the health agency will bring
together the top experts in the area as well as recipient
and donor countries, international organizations and
manufacturers to agree to a global action plan.
Production of therapeutic sera in industrialized
countries is dropping due to inadequate profitability,
linked to uncertainty about the quantities needed. In
developing countries, affordability is an issue, and
production is also quantitatively limited and often does
not reach the quality standard required to make these
treatments effective and safe. WHO estimates its plan to
boost access to treatment will cost US$ 10 million.
"We need to boost local manufacturers' capacity
and improve the delivery of products to remote rural
areas," said Dr Howard Zucker, WHO Assistant
Director-General for Health Technologies and
Pharmaceuticals. "There are effective solutions that
could save millions of lives."
Rabies is the tenth most common cause of death due to
infections in humans. It is 100% fatal but 100%
preventable when post-exposure treatment using therapeutic
sera is readily available. An estimated eight million
people need to receive anti-rabies serum each year after
being exposed to animals suspected of carrying rabies.
Almost half of those requiring the therapeutic sera and
those dying of rabies are children less than 15 years old.
More than 99% of all human deaths from rabies occur in
Africa and Asia.
Close to five million snakebites and scorpion stings
are recorded each year in the world (mostly in Africa, Asia
and Latin America), 50 to 75% of which need treatment with
therapeutic sera to prevent death, amputation or severe
neurological disorders. The main populations affected are
young agricultural workers and children. Available
epidemiological data on the incidence of snakebites,
including the degree of associated mortality and long-term
morbidity are largely hospital-based and therefore
underestimate the true scale of the problem. A majority of
snakebite victims seek traditional treatment and may die at
home unrecorded.
Since the 1970s, the number of manufacturers of
anti-venoms against African snakebites has dropped
dramatically. It is estimated that there are one million
snake bites each year in Africa alone resulting in over
20,000 deaths and a much higher incidence of chronic
disability resulting from neurological sequelae and
physical handicap from necrotic effects requiring
amputation.
Over 10 million vials of anti-venom sera would be
needed to treat snake and scorpion bites worldwide, with an
estimated 2 million vials required for Africa alone. An
estimated 16 million vials of anti-rabies serum would be
needed each year if current international guidelines for
post-exposure prophylaxis were to be fully implemented.
The crisis in the availability of therapeutic sera
calls for an international effort to facilitate the
transfer of technology to affected countries and address
major logistic problems in distribution, particularly in
ensuring maintenance of a cold chain. In addition, a lack
of knowledge about the correct medical management of bites
and stings from venomous animals, including the appropriate
use of sera, further compromises the efficient clinical use
of the limited quantity of product available.
WHO is planning the following actions, which will be
discussed at the 10 January meeting:
-- Define a global standard for the production,
quality control, and
regulation of therapeutic sera to be used as
guidance by local
regulatory authorities and manufacturers;
-- Conduct regional educational workshops to help the
implementation
of quality and safety requirements for production
of therapeutic
sera following the principles of good manufacturing
practices;
Train inspectors and manufacturers on the critical
parameters of
the production of therapeutic sera;
-- Facilitate transfer of technology to developing
countries;
-- Establish a therapeutic sera pre-qualification
scheme based on WHO
experience in pre-qualification of other
therapeutic products;
-- Develop guidance and training materials on the
prevention,
diagnosis and management of diseases treatable by
therapeutic sera.
All press releases, fact sheets and other WHO media
material may be found at http://www.who.int .
For more information contact:
Dr Ana Padilla,
WHO Scientist
Tel: +41-22-791-38-92
Mobile: +41-79-793-0786
Email: padillaa@who.int
Charlotte Wiback
Media Officer
Tel: +41-22-791-1346
Email: wibackc@who.int
Jacqueline Sawyer
External Relations Officer
Tel: +41-22-791-3921
Mobile: +41-79-509-0649
Email: sawyerj@who.int
SOURCE World Health Organization
2007'02.11.Sun
Craig Ehrlich Re-Elected as Chairman of the Global Trade Association for Mobile Operators
January 10, 2007
LONDON, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The board of the
GSM Association, the global trade association representing
more than 700 mobile operators, has re-elected Craig
Ehrlich, a board member of Hutchison Mobile Communications,
as chairman for the term 2007-2008.
"Over the past four years, the GSMA board led by
Craig Ehrlich has expanded the Association's mandate to
address the strategic, commercial and public policy issues
facing the mobile industry, while maintaining its
long-standing focus on ensuring operators' services are
interoperable and work across national borders," said
Rob Conway, GSMA Chief Executive and board member. "On
behalf of the GSM Association, I would like to congratulate
Craig on his re-election as the Chairman of the board for
the next term."
"The GSM Association has assumed a leading role in
the strategic, commercial and public policy matters of
importance to the operator community," said Mr.
Ehrlich, the first GSMA chairman to be re-elected for a
third-term of office. "But we cannot stand still. As
the mobile phone increasingly becomes the remote control
for life, the GSMA needs to further broaden its expertise
and the scope of its work so it can guide the mobile
industry through this extraordinary period of growth and
change."
During Mr. Ehrlich's tenure as chairman, the GSMA has
removed or lowered many of the barriers, from handset costs
to technological incompatibility to excessive regulation,
limiting the take-up and usage of mobile services in both
developed and developing markets. Mr. Ehrlich has committed
the board and senior management to make innovation a
cornerstone of the GSMA's agenda.
"By tackling some of the most thorny technical and
regulatory issues facing our industry, the GSM Association
is playing a major role in making mobile services more
cost-effective, attractive and useful for people across the
world," said Hamid Akhavan, CEO of T-Mobile
International. "I am pleased that Craig has focused
the GSMA on innovation, particularly in the areas of
applications, content and services. Such innovation has a
direct impact on operators' revenues and we fully support
this agenda."
"Under Craig's leadership, the GSMA has done much
to encourage the uptake of mobile communications in
developing countries," said Wang Jianzhou, Chairman
and CEO of China Mobile. "Since he became chairman of
the GSMA, the number of global GSM connections has risen
from less than 800 million to more than 2.2 billion.
Nowhere has that expansion been more dramatic than in
China, where GSM is fuelling significant social and
economic development."
"During Craig's tenure as chairman, the GSMA has
proven adept at running highly-focused projects to bring
down the cost of handsets and remove mobile-specific taxes
and regulations, enabling mobile communications to flourish
in countries like India," added Sunil Bharti Mittal,
Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel and member
of the GSMA's board. "I look forward to working
further with Craig and the GSMA to develop new markets and
services that exploit the many strengths of the GSM
ecosystem."
For more information on Mr. Ehrlich please see:
http://www.gsmworld.com/about/people/chairman.shtml
For more information on the GSM Association please see:
http://www.gsmworld.com/about/index.shtml
The GSM Association is the global trade association
representing more than 700 mobile phone operators in 215
countries.
For more information, please contact:
David Pringle
Media Relations Manager
GSM Association
Tel: +44-795-755-6069
Email: press@gsm.org
SOURCE GSM Association
2007'02.11.Sun
GSM Association Announces 2007 Global Mobile Awards Nominations
January 10, 2007
LONDON, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The GSM
Association is proud to announce the Global Mobile Awards
nominations for 2007.
Now in its 12th year, the Global Mobile Awards
programme continues to grow with the industry that it
represents. Each year the number of submissions increases,
and this year was no exception, with a remarkable 20 per
cent more entries than 2006.
The volume of entries for these coveted Awards made the
role of the 2007 judges (
http://www.gsmawards.com/judges/index.shtml ) particularly
challenging. Each entry has been evaluated by the
independent judging panel of globally based wireless
analysts, journalists, academics and subject experts -- all
industry professionals with in-depth knowledge of the mobile
industry and its applications and influences on today's
world.
The 2007 Global Mobile Award nominations can be found
at http://www.gsmawards.com/nominees.shtml .
Rob Conway, GSM Association CEO, said: "After
twelve years, the standard and support for these Awards
continues to rise, once again exceeding our expectations
and reflecting the ability of the mobile and entertainment
industries to not only impress but to genuinely surprise.
The nominated entrants have survived the scrutiny of some
of the industry's most discerning experts and truly earned
their place in this year's exceptionally strong field of
compelling products, initiatives and solutions."
The Award winners will be announced at the world's
largest mobile industry event, the 3GSM World Congress in
Barcelona, and celebrated at the Congress highlight: the
12th Annual Awards Gala evening in Barcelona's magnificent
National Palace (Palau Nacional) on Tuesday 13 February
2007.
For full details of the Awards, please visit
http://www.gsmawards.com .
For full details of the 3GSM World Congress, please
visit http://www.3gsmworldcongress.com .
About the GSM Association
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade
association representing 700 GSM mobile phone operators
across 215 countries of the world. In addition, more than
180 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association's
initiatives as key partners.
The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile
phones and wireless services work globally and are easily
accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers
and national economies, while creating new business
opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The
Association's members serve more than two billion customers
-- 82% of the world's mobile phone users.
For more information, please contact:
Mark Smith / David Pringle
The GSM Association
Tel: +44-7850-229-724 / +44-795-755-6069
Email: press@gsm.org
SOURCE The GSM Association (GSMA)
2007'02.11.Sun
Stena Line Stays Cool and Saves Money with Bekaert Window Film
January 09, 2007
Maritime Industry Benefits from Innovative Window Film for
Energy Conservation
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Stena Line
selects Bekaert to help conserve energy among its fleet of
ships. With the installation of Bekaert advanced solar
control window film, industry leader Stena Line minimizes
fuel consumption, improves comfort for passengers and
employees and significantly lowers air conditioning use.
The savings based on the cost of air conditioning has been
calculated to be approximately 247,000 kWh/year, which
could equal fuel savings of 58 cubic meters/15,321 U.S.
gallons for one ship.
The collaboration between Stena Line and Bekaert
creates vast opportunities, both for the maritime industry
leader and the environment.
Protecting the environment and profitability
Stena Line is the leading international transport and
travel service company and one of the world's largest ferry
operators. Lars-Erik Hellring, project manager for Energy
Saving Project, explains why Bekaert was the most
beneficial solution for Stena Line.
"As one of the largest ferry operators in the
world, we realize that it is our social responsibility to
do everything possible to protect the environment through
energy conservation techniques," said Mr. Hellring.
"One of the immediate and highly-efficient solutions
to meet our needs was Bekaert window film, which has been
successfully installed on the windows in nine of our ships.
We are anticipating the rest of our fleet to be equipped in
the coming months. According to tests by ECIS (Energy
Consultants in Sweden), the measured surrounding air
temperature decreases up to +6 degrees Celsius/42 degrees
Fahrenheit in a cabin with Bekaert window film installed,
compared to a similar cabin without film installed --
depending on the weather conditions over the year. The
result is approximately 247,000 kWh/year less air
conditioning consumption, which could equal fuel savings of
58 cubic meters/15,321 U.S. gallons for one ship."
Global research leading to performing and rewarding
solutions
Bekaert window film was developed after years of
research by the company's scientists active in its
pioneering research and development centers in San Diego,
California, and Deerlijk, Belgium. By applying its
ground-breaking sputter-coating technologies, using gold,
silver and various other alloys, Bekaert window film blocks
95% of infrared heat, offering strong protection against
bothersome glare, uncomfortable heat, hotspots and uneven
temperature fluctuations -- improving climate and energy
efficiency.
"We are extremely pleased to supply Stena Line
with a cost-effective, reliable and green-friendly product
to help them achieve their goals," said Per
Jarnebrink, managing director, Nordic region at Bekaert.
"Our extensive window film lines, including solar,
safety and decorative, are ideally suited for use in homes,
automobiles and commercial buildings. Currently, we are
seeing an increasing number of maritime installations,
including personal recreation vessels and commercial
transportation services."
More information on professionally installed Bekaert
window films is available at htpp://www.bekaertfilms.com .
For media or photography inquiries contact
bsf@matternow.com.
Profile
Bekaert ( http://www.bekaert.com ) seeks sustainable
profitable growth based on its two core competences:
advanced metal transformation and advanced materials and
coatings. Bekaert aims to consolidate its position as both
market leader and technological leader around the world.
With its broad range of advanced products, systems and
services, Bekaert provides high added value for its
customers. Bekaert (Euronext Brussels: BEKB) is a
European-based company, headquartered in Belgium and
employing 17 000 people. Bekaert, which has a presence in
120 countries, generates sales of euro 3 billion.
For more information, please contact:
Francoise Vanthemsche
Bekaert
Tel: +32-56-23-05-71
Andrea DiRuscio
Matter Communications
Tel: +1-978-499-9250 x 225
SOURCE Bekaert
2007'02.11.Sun
BioWa and Medarex Announce Allowance of Investigational New Drug Application for Second-Generation Anti-CD30 Antibody (MDX-1401) Enhanced Using Potelligent(TM) Technology
January 09, 2007
PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- BioWa,
Inc. and Medarex, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDX) announced today the
allowance of an investigational new drug application (IND)
filed with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
for MDX-1401, a fully human antibody that targets
CD30-positive lymphomas. MDX-1401 is enhanced for greater
Fc receptor mediated antibody activity, one critical
mechanism in tumor lysis by antibodies, using BioWa's
Potelligent Technology.
The dose-escalation, multi-dose Phase I clinical trial
is expected to enroll up to 36 patients with relapsed or
refractory Hodgkin's disease. The trial is designed to
establish and evaluate the safety profile and initial
efficacy of MDX-1401. Preclinical in vitro studies showed
that this second-generation nonfucosylated anti-CD30
antibody demonstrated enhanced antibody-dependent cellular
cytotoxicity (ADCC), an important mechanism of action of
therapeutic antibodies, and was active in inhibiting tumor
growth in in vivo xenograft models.
"Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment
to innovative approaches that have the potential to enhance
our fully-human monoclonal antibody technology for
developing important new therapies," said Irwin
Lerner, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim
President and CEO of Medarex. "We are pleased with our
partnership with BioWa and with its technology as a method
for increasing the potency of MDX-1401, a novel product
that broadens our anti-CD30 clinical program for Hodgkin's
disease."
"Medarex, one of our key strategic partners,
continues to make exciting progress with Potelligent
Technology," said Nobuo Hanai, President and CEO of
BioWa. "We believe that this clinical development
milestone is another demonstration of the significance of
our antibody technology for generating and developing
potentially important new therapeutics."
About Potelligent Technology
Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)
activity is an important function of the human immune
system, whereby immune cells can kill target cells, e.g.
cancer cells. ADCC activity is one important mechanism
underlying the efficacy of some currently approved
anti-cancer antibodies. Enhancement of this activity is in
the spotlight as one promising possibility for the next
generation of antibody technology.
Potelligent(TM) Technology involves the reduction of
the amount of fucose in the carbohydrate structure of an
antibody. Research shows that Potelligent(TM) Technology
significantly enhances binding affinity of antibodies for
Fc receptors and increases ADCC activity in vitro. One
potential benefit of Potelligent(TM) derived therapeutic
antibodies is greater tumor cell killing activity than with
conventional antibodies.
About BioWa
BioWa is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo
Co, Ltd, Japan's leading pharmaceutical and largest biotech
company. BioWa is the exclusive worldwide licensor of
Potelligent(TM) Technology. Potelligent(TM) Technology
creates high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity
(ADCC) monoclonal antibodies. ADCC is a critical function
of the immune system that enhances the ability of
antibodies to kill tumor cells. The enhancement of ADCC is
seen up to 100 fold in vitro. Both BioWa and Kyowa Hakko
are currently developing ADCC enhanced monoclonal
antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other life
threatening and debilitating diseases in various clinical
stages. BioWa creates and develops enhanced ADCC antibodies
for itself and others, offering a full range of antibody
discovery and development capabilities. For more
information about BioWa visit its web site at
http://www.biowa.com .
About Medarex
Medarex is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
discovery, development and potential commercialization of
fully human antibody-based therapeutics to treat
life-threatening and debilitating diseases, including
cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disorders and infectious
diseases. Medarex applies its UltiMAb(R) technology and
product development and clinical manufacturing experience
to generate, support and potentially commercialize a broad
range of fully human antibody product candidates for itself
and its partners. With this announcement, thirty-six of
these therapeutic product candidates derived from Medarex
technology are in human clinical testing or have had INDs
submitted for such trials, with six of the most advanced
product candidates currently in Phase III clinical trials.
Medarex is committed to building value by developing a
diverse pipeline of antibody products to address the
world's unmet healthcare needs. For more information about
Medarex, visit its website at www.medarex.com .
Cautionary Statement
For Medarex: Except for the historical information
presented herein, matters discussed herein may constitute
forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such statements.
Statements that are not historical facts, including
statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the
words "potential"; "believe";
"anticipate"; "intend";
"plan"; "expect"; "estimate";
"could"; "may"; or similar statements
are forward-looking statements. Medarex disclaims, however,
any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking
statements. Risks and uncertainties include risks
associated with product discovery and development,
uncertainties related to the outcome of clinical trials,
slower than expected rates of patient recruitment,
unforeseen safety issues resulting from the administration
of MDX-1401 in patients, uncertainties related to product
manufacturing as well as risks detailed from time to time
in Medarex's public disclosure filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2005 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q. There can be no assurance that such development
efforts will succeed or that other developed products will
receive required regulatory clearance or that, even if such
regulatory clearance were received, such products would
ultimately achieve commercial success. Copies of Medarex's
public disclosure filings are available from its investor
relations department.
Medarex(R), the Medarex logo and UltiMAb(R) are
registered trademarks of Medarex, Inc. All rights are
reserved.
Potelligent(TM) is the registered trademark of Kyowa
Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. All rights are reserved.
For more information, please contact:
Medarex Inc.
Laura S. Choi
Investor Relations
Tel: +1-609-430-2880, x2216
Jean Mantuano
Corporate Communications (media)
Tel: +1-609-430-2880, x2221
BioWa
Nobuo Hanai, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Tel: +1-609-580-7500, x7501
Martina Molsbergen
Director, Business Development
Tel: +1-609-580-7500, x7506
SOURCE BioWa, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Quellan Presents at 9th Annual Needham & Co. Growth Stock Conference
January 09, 2007
Company CEO Demonstrates Quellan's Growth Potential at
Leading Financial Conference
NEW YORK, Needham & Co. Growth Stock Conference,
Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Quellan, a leader in analog
noise cancellation devices, today showcased its
revolutionary technology and confirmed once again the
company's vast potential for financial growth.
Quellan's adaptive Noise Cancellation Chips are a
subset of the ever expanding Analog IC market, expected to
grow to $46.9B in 2007. Quellan's served market is
expected to exceed $3B, and consist of applications in Data
Centers, cell phones, consumer electronics, and automotive
segments. The benefits in these applications include fewer
dropped calls, instant GPS location locks in high density
urban areas and continuous video capability for high
quality mobile TV.
"Quellan's noise cancellation is an enabling
technology for adding wireless capability to high density,
small mobile systems," said Robert Dobkin, CTO of
Linear Technology Corporation. "Today's mobile
systems have fast digital processors that step on low level
wireless signals, diminishing performance or even rendering
mobile operation unusable. Quellan's noise cancellation
technology can get the signal back."
iSuppli forecasts the Analog IC market will see
accelerated growth this year with revenue amounting to
$46.9 billion in 2007, up 11.2 percent from $42.3 billion
last year.
"A lot of people are going to kick themselves
because this is a simplistic low-cost solution," said
Charlie Glavin, an analyst at Needham and Co.
Quellan's Noise Cancellers operate similar to Noise
Canceling Headphones, but at one million times higher
frequency -- in the radio frequency spectrum. The devices
are embodied in tiny, ultra-low power CMOS silicon,
yielding tens of thousands of devices on a single silicon
wafer, making them very inexpensive and embeddable in any
consumer device.
"Noise is one of the main performance limiters for
leading consumer electronic products, especially within
digital wireless devices," said Bill Byun, Partner of
Samsung Ventures America. "Quellan has a unique
solution to this problem that triggered our
investment."
"We are delighted to be invited to such a
prestigious investment conference and look forward to
accelerating our growth ramp this year," said Quellan
CEO Tony Stelliga.
About Quellan
Quellan specializes in analog components that improve
the performance and functionality of electronic equipment
by removing channel impairments and noise. Quellan serves
the Enterprise, Telecom, Broadcast, Automotive and Consumer
Electronics markets. For more information visit
http://www.quellan.com or email: pressrelations@quellan.com
.
For more information, please contact:
Kristen Domingo
Quellan
Tel: +1-408-625-2200
Email: kristen@quellan.com
SOURCE Quellan
2007'02.11.Sun
China's Businesses are the Most Optimistic in the World for Investment in 2007
January 09, 2007
HONG KONG, Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire / -- The initial
findings from the Experian(R) Grant Thornton International
Business Report (IBR) 2007 show that business owners in
China lead the world in business expectations towards
investment in new buildings, plant & machinery, with an
optimism/pessimism percentage (*see note below) of +75% for
both questions (up from +58% and +53% respectively last
year).
Table 1
Investment in new buildings (Optimism/pessimism %*)
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 Mainland China +75
2 India +58
3 Armenia +57
4 Brazil +43
5 Malaysia +39
6 Philippines +38
12 Russia +31
18 US +28
19 Hong Kong +27
24 Thailand +22
25 UK +22
27 Japan +18
31 Taiwan +13
32 Singapore +9
East Asia average +53
Global average +36
Table 2
Investment in plant & machinery (Optimism/pessimism
%*)
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 Mainland China +75
2 Armenia +74
3 Poland +72
5 Russia +64
6 India +63
13 Brazil +52
16 Malaysia +44
20 Philippines +42
22 US +40
23 Hong Kong +38
24 UK +38
29 Japan +26
30 Singapore +23
31 Taiwan +19
32 Thailand +9
East Asia average +55
Global average +49
Source: Experian Grant Thornton International Business
Report (IBR) 2007
"With China's strong economic growth, we can say
that exuberance of business owners is somewhat expected,
especially in view of their strong confidence revealed in
last year's survey. Nonetheless, it is positive to see
that businesses on the mainland are so upbeat about
investments in new buildings and plant & machinery,
which demonstrates their vision for the future and their
determination to strengthen competitiveness in order to
cope with the keen competition in the global market,"
said Desmond Yuen, Partner and Head of China Services at
Grant Thornton.
In fact China's businesses show strong confidence in
most of the surveyed aspects of business. Businesses in
mainland China are also very optimistic about turnover
(+85%) and profitability (+78%), taking the 2nd most
optimistic place in these two aspects, after India.
As for prospects for the local economy in 2007, China's
business owners are also buoyant. Mainland China continues
to be the driver of global business confidence, taking
third position in the survey with an optimism/pessimism
percentage* of +85% (up from +79% last year). Only two out
of the 32 countries/regions surveyed -- India and the
Philippines are more optimistic.
"From an international perspective, Asia continues
to be the driver of global business confidence, as a result
of its very strong economic performance, especially in
Mainland China and India. The two largest countries in the
world continue to grow at near double digit strength which
is providing unprecedented opportunities for business
owners, not only in their own country but also in terms of
global expansion. 2006 saw considerable growth in their
international business activities, acquiring significant
businesses in the west. Also, it is the first time in the
past few years that the region has not been impacted by
health scares or natural disasters," commented Dr
Tapan Datta, Experian's global economist.
Countries in Asia take the top four positions in the
survey headed by India, with mainland China in third place
(see appendix 2). In East Asia, the Philippines is the
second most optimistic about the economy (from +71% in 2006
to +88% in 2007), and has grown faster than mainland China.
With the corruption cases of President families and other
political instabilities, Taiwan continues to have a
negative confidence level this year. Japan has slipped to
the bottom of the table although its confidence level has
improved from -14% to -5%.
Confidence levels of business owners in the US continue
to drop from 32% to 14%. In the past year, the US has faced
a period of slowing economic growth and political
instability. Issues from the change in control of the
Senate to the growing backlash against the Iraq war appear
to be leading to a more cautious outlook for business in
2007.
When looking at the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia,
India and mainland China), figures show that the
expectations of these countries are quite positive in some
aspects, which make them ranked among the top ten on the
worldwide table. The results draw the world's attention to
these emerging countries.
Appendix 1 -- Business Expectations (Optimism/pessimism
%*)
Turnover
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 India 90
2 Mainland China 85
3 Armenia 83
6 Singapore 79
7 Malaysia 77
9 Russia 76
10 Philippines 75
11 Brazil 74
18 Hong Kong 66
22 Thailand 61
31 Japan 31
32 Taiwan 31
East Asia average 67
Global average 69
Profitability
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 India 83
2 Mainland China 78
3 Brazil 68
5 Philippines 65
6 Thailand 65
7 Singapore 64
11 Hong Kong 59
12 Malaysia 58
19 Russia 50
30 Taiwan 6
32 Japan 2
East Asia average 53
Global average 52
Exports
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 Hong Kong 40
2 Malaysia 33
3 Greece 31
6 Mainland China 29
7 Singapore 29
13 India 22
16 Philippines 21
26 Taiwan 15
28 Brazil 12
29 Russia 9
31 Thailand 7
32 Japan 4
East Asia average 21
Global average 2
Selling Price
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 Botswana 71
2 India 68
3 Russia 60
5 Philippines 56
11 Malaysia 42
15 Thailand 37
17 Brazil 35
23 Hong Kong 30
25 Mainland China 29
27 Singapore 28
31 Taiwan 10
32 Japan -6
East Asia average 20
Global average 31
Employment
Global ranking Countries/regions % balance
1 India 80
2 Philippines 70
3 Armenia 67
4 Mainland China 66
5 Brazil 54
6 Russia 53
12 Hong Kong 44
13 Thailand 43
15 Malaysia 41
19 Singapore 38
28 Japan 18
30 Taiwan 17
East Asia average 49
Global average 45
Source: Experian Grant Thornton International Business
Report (IBR) 2007
Appendix 2 -- Global business owners' confidence in
local economy for 2007
Business Owner Confidence (Optimism/pessimism %*)
# 2007 2006 2005
1 India 97 93 88
2 Philippines 88 71 50
3 Mainland China 85 79 --
4 Singapore 84 64 62
5 Ireland 82 84 79
6 Netherlands 81 63 31
7 South Africa 74 80 84
8 Hong Kong 69 61 60
9 Sweden 67 51 52
10 Argentina 66 62 --
11 Germany 66 41 17
12 Mexico 62 68 47
13 Australia 61 64 78
14 Canada 60 57 72
15 Russia 57 21 14
16 Armenia 57 -- --
17 Luxembourg 49 7 --
18 Brazil 47 -- --
19 Spain 43 14 9
20 UK 43 8 46
21 Poland 42 26 21
22 New Zealand 42 23 64
23 Botswana 41 -12 --
24 Malaysia 38 36 --
25 Thailand 30 9 --
26 France 30 1 19
27 Greece 27 1 29
28 Italy 21 -8 7
29 US 14 32 62
30 Turkey 0 58 49
31 Taiwan -3 -19 14
32 Japan -5 -18 -27
Global average 45 39 41
Source: Experian Grant Thornton International Business
Report (IBR) 2007
*Notes: The figure is the percentage balance of the
respondents who are optimistic less those who
are
pessimistic. The highest possible figure
countries are able to record is +100% and the
lowest is -100%.
Notes to editors
About the Experian Grant Thornton International
Business Report (IBR) Entering its 5th year, the Experian
Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) was
carried out among 7,200 owners of medium to large privately
held businesses from 32 countries/territories during late
2006. Among them, 300, 250 and 150 medium to large
privately held businesses were surveyed in mainland China,
Hong Kong and Taiwan respectively. IBR began in 2002 and
builds on the European Business Survey (EBS) which Grant
Thornton ran from 1993 to 2001. In 2007, the survey's name
was changed from the International Business Owners Survey
(IBOS) to the International Business Report (IBR). The
research was conducted by Experian Business Strategies
Limited and Harris Interactive. For more information,
please visit http://www.internationalbusinessreport.com .
About Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton is one of the leading accounting, tax,
and business advisory firms dedicated to serving the needs
of entrepreneurial and owner managed companies. In Hong
Kong and mainland China, Grant Thornton has offices in Hong
Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, employing
in excess of 650 people. Grant Thornton in Hong Kong is a
member of Grant Thornton International - one of the world's
leading organisations of independently owned and managed
accounting and consulting firms providing assurance, tax
and specialist advice to independent businesses and their
owners. Firms operate in 110 countries in 520 offices with
more than 22,600 employees. For more information, please
visit http://www.gthk.com.hk .
About Experian
Experian provides an unrivalled understanding of
consumers, markets and economies in the UK and around the
world, past, present and future. The business is a market
leader in consumer profiling and market segmentation,
economic forecasting and public policy research, supporting
businesses, policy makers and investors in making tactical
and strategic decisions. Experian's economic forecasting
arm, Business Strategies, has operations in sixteen
countries: UK, France, Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Sweden,
Finland and Hong Kong - China, Germany, Czech Republic,
Ireland, Greece, USA, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
For more information about Experian go to
http://www.experian.com.hk/ebs/ .
For more information, please contact:
Grant Thornton
Desmond Yuen (Partner and Head of China Services)
Tel: +852-2218-3113
Fax: +852-2218-3613
Email: desmond.yuen@gthk.com.hk
Estella Tsui (Marketing Manager)
Tel: +852-2218-3207
Fax: +852-2218-3707
Email: estella.tsui@gthk.com.hk
Experian
Dr Tapan Datta (Global Economist)
Tel: +44-207-355-8234
Email: tapan.datta@uk.experian.com
Bruno Rost (PR Manager)
Tel: +44-115-968-5009
Email: bruno.rost@uk.experian.com
SOURCE Grant Thornton
2007'02.11.Sun
Geely's New Logo Design Contest to Award RMB3.6 Million to Worldwide Competitors
January 09, 2007
BEIJING, Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Geely Holding
Group announced that a special fund of RMB3.6 million will
be prepared for a global competition for a new Geely logo,
the grand prize of which will be awarded RMB2 million. Now
eyeing the international market, Geely seeks to establish
its further global presence by inviting domestic and
international involvement in contributing to the Company's
new image. This announcement was made in a Beijing news
conference on January 9.
The criteria of the new Geely logo is set to be
symbolically representative, artistic and practical,
capable of embodying the corporate concept and spirit of
Geely Holding Group, reflecting Geely's ultimate aim to
become a national pride of the auto industry and its
emphasis on quality, technology and technical
accomplishments. The entire design should be easy to
remember, establishing a continuation to the current logo,
yet with a nice artistic touch for the new age. The new
logo should also be able to be reproduced easily on all
materials for manufacturing and marketing purposes.
Li Shufu, Board Chairman of Geely, noted that the
Company has been highly successful in realizing its target,
which is reflected in the slogan -- "Getting involved
in the global auto industry; Revolutionizing the China auto
industry." This was only the first step in a long
march, and the Company is now paving way for global
expansion. Of the over 60 million vehicles sold worldwide
every year, the China market accounts for less than 10%,
meaning that 90% are sold in other parts of the world.
Geely sees it as a great opportunity as it aims to export
two thirds of its production in the future. The Company in
now preparing proactively in all aspects, including
branding, marketing, setting up a corporate culture as well
as its overall management, to make way for its position in
the international market.
Geely will award a total of RMB3.6 million to winners
of the logo design competition, of which the one and only
"Grand Prize" will come to RMB2 million, with ten
"Special Geely Awards" will each be granted a
Geely Yuanjing automobile, with a further 100
"Finalists" and 300 "Creative Awards"
also being credited.
Winners will be decided by adjudicators including a
team of renowned experts and public involvement, and the
selection process will be divided into four phases: 100
submissions will be short listed by August this year in the
first phase, then down to 50 and 10 in next phase until one
grand prize is finally announced.
Geely Holding Group targets to sell two million cars by
2015, of which two thirds are to be sold overseas, which
makes up 2.5% of the international market share. By
selecting the best design out of a global contest, the
Company looks forward to positioning itself as an
international brand well-received both domestically and
abroad.
For more information, please contact:
Zhang Xiaodong,
Company Spokesman,
Public Relations Dept.,
Geely Automobile Holdings
Tel: +86-571-8776-6891
Fax: +86-571-8776-6881
Mobile: +86-135-7571-9950
Email: kukubo@126.com / zhangxiaodong@vip.sohu.com
Web: http://www.geely-global.com
SOURCE Geely Holding Group
2007'02.11.Sun
Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia Signs Regional Distribution Agreement with Broadcom Corporation
January 09, 2007
Partnership Strengthens the Support to Customers of
Broadband Communications Market in the Greater China
Region
SINGAPORE, Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Avnet
Electronics Marketing Asia, a leading distributor of
electronic components and a division of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:
AVT), has signed a regional distribution agreement with
Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in semiconductors for
wired and wireless communications.
Broadcom's products enable the delivery of voice,
video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the
office and the mobile environment. Broadcom provides the
industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art
system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of
computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment
and broadband access products, and mobile devices.
"As the Greater China market continues to grow and
demand for Broadcom products remains strong, our channel
partners play an increasingly significant role," said
Thomas Lagatta, Senior Vice President, Global Sales,
Broadcom Corporation. "Avnet has been a long-term
partner with Broadcom in North America for a number of
years. This existing relationship, Avnet's strong global
presence, and a vibrant and growing Asia Company made Avnet
the logical choice as a distribution channel for Greater
China. We look forward to training and releasing the Avnet
demand creation engine on the Greater China market."
The Broadcom(R) portfolio is diverse, addressing every
major broadband communications market. Avnet Electronics
Marketing will distribute a variety of solutions,
including:
-- Digital cable and satellite set-top boxes
-- High definition television (HDTV)
-- Cable and DSL modems and residential gateways
-- High-speed transmission and switching for local,
metropolitan, wide
area and storage networking
-- Home and wireless networking; cellular and
terrestrial wireless
communications
-- Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway and
telephony systems
-- Broadband network and security processors
-- System I/O server solutions
"There is tremendous synergy between our two
companies. Coupled with a solid reputation in the market
for technologies and innovations, I am confident this new
partnership will accelerate both our businesses and deliver
additional benefits to our customers," said Stephen
Wong, President of Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia.
"Broadcom's approach resonates extremely loudly
with Avnet Electronics Marketing, which has always strived
to differentiate itself from other firms that merely
distribute components by providing a one-stop total
solution."
"One of Broadcom's key strengths is that it
designs, develops and supplies complete system-on-a-chip
(SoC) solutions incorporating digital, analog and radio
frequency (RF) technologies, as well as related hardware
and software system-level applications. Its solutions will
fulfil a manufacturer's requirement for high quality,
efficiency and cost-effectiveness," said C.C. Lim,
Vice President of Marketing of Avnet Electronics Marketing
Asia.
The Broadcom announcement caps a busy quarter for Avnet
Electronics Marketing in which the company received awards
from major industry players in China. The company was
recognized as the "Best Distributor in the component
industry" at the China Component Leader Award Ceremony
in Shanghai for the "Passive and Discrete
Distribution" category. That accolade comes hard on
the heels of this month's announcement that Avnet
Electronics Marketing was ranked in the Top 25 of
InformationWeek China's list of 100 of the nation's best
users of information technology for the second year in a
row.
About Avnet Electronics Marketing
Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia is part of
Phoenix-based Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500
company with fiscal 2006 sales exceeding USD$14.25 billion.
Serving customers in approximately 70 countries, Avnet is
one of the world's largest technology marketing,
distribution and services companies.
Avnet Electronics Marketing has a significant presence
in Asia-Pacific -- the fastest growing electronics market
in the world. With its regional headquarters in Singapore,
the company has 38 locations in 10 countries in Asia. It
distributes semiconductors, interconnect, passive and
electromechanical components to serve a wide range of
customers including original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs), electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers,
and small- to medium-sized businesses, and provides
associated design-chain and supply-chain services. The
company's web site is located at http://www.em.avnet.com
Note to editors: this release can also be found on the
EBA Web site at http://www.eba.com.hk . For enquiries on
releases by email, please call Rosa Lee at (852) 2537 8022
or send a message to rosa@eba.com.hk .
Broadcom(R) and Connecting everything(R) are among the
trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in
the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.
Any other trade marks or tradenames mentioned are the
property of their respective owners.
For more information please contact:
Jaime Chan
Tel: +852-2410-2735
Email: jaime.chan @avnet.com
Brian Paterson (EBA)
Tel: +852-2537-8022
Email: brian@eba.com.hk
SOURCE Avnet Electronics Marketing
2007'02.11.Sun
W.P. Stewart & Co., Ltd. Declares Quarterly Dividend
January 09, 2007
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Jan. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- W.P.
Stewart & Co., Ltd. ("W.P. Stewart" or the
"Company") announced today that it has declared a
regular quarterly dividend of US$0.23 per common share. The
dividend is payable on 31 January 2007 to shareholders of
record as of 17 January 2007.
W.P. Stewart is an asset management company that has
provided research-intensive equity management services to
clients throughout the world since 1975. The Company is
headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda and has additional
operations or affiliates in the United States, Europe and
Asia.
The Company's shares are listed for trading on the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WPL) and on the Bermuda Stock
Exchange (BSX: WPS).
For more information, please visit the Company's
website at http://www.wpstewart.com , or call W.P. Stewart
Investor Relations (Fred M. Ryan) at 1-888-695-4092
(toll-free within the United States) or +441-295-8585
(outside the United States) or e-mail to
IRINFO@wpstewart.com.
For more information, contact:
Fred Ryan
Tel: +441-295-8585
SOURCE W.P. Stewart & Co., Ltd.
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