Endeavour’s astronauts took care of some last-minute space station chores Saturday before packing up to come home and end the next-to-last shuttle flight.
The space shuttle and its crew of six will depart the International Space Station late Sunday night. They worked to repair one of the space station’s air purifiers and straightened out the suits that were used in four spacewalks. The final spacewalk of the mission, on Friday, completed the U.S. portion of station construction.
Mission Control praised the astronauts for “a job well done.”
Shuttle pilot Gregory Johnson and his crewmates installed a $2 billion physics experiment at the orbiting outpost, as well as an extension pole and a platform full of spare parts.
Endeavour is scheduled to return to Florida before dawn Wednesday, 16 days after blasting off.
2011年5月29日星期日
Osim eyes Asia expansion on rising health awareness
“Sipping a cup of coffee [on the sofa] and chatting with your friends … Relaxation is the new fashion. Enjoying a massage, enjoying the new fashion,” Taiwanese model Lin Chih-ling (林志玲) says in a massage sofa commercial for Osim International Ltd (傲勝國際).
In another TV commercial, actress Chen Mei-fong (陳美鳳) says: “I have many items of clothing, but if you want to ask me which one is the most comfortable, no doubt it is Osim’s shoulder massager.”
Stan Shih (施振榮), the founder of Acer Group (宏碁集團), recalled at a Taipei forum in 2007 that he came across a massage chair made by Osim a decade ago and mistook it for a sophisticated Japanese product.
Shih was surprised when he found out during a business trip to Singapore that Osim was actually a Singaporean brand. He has an Osim massage chair at home.
Osim is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Asian healthcare and lifestyle industry.
The company first came to -Taiwan in 1987 when it set up counters at Pacific Sogo Department Stores (太平洋崇光百貨). Osim now has specialty stores across the nation that beckon to passing customers to come inside, take a break and enjoy a massage.
“We have been in Taiwan for 25 years. Some of our promoters joined us as young ladies, and now are mothers,” Ron Sim (沈財福), Osim founder and chief executive officer, said at a May 19 conference in Taipei held to brief investors about its share-listing plans.
He said Taiwan — along with Hong Kong and China — was a very important market to Osim as it branches out from Singapore, a city-state with a population of just 5.1 million.
Osim’s predecessor was R. Sim Trading Co Pte Ltd, a distributor that sold handheld massagers and foot reflexology rollers. It was founded in 1979, when Sim was 20 years old.
Sim decided to distribute his products in Hong Kong in 1986, a year after Singapore was hit by a financial crisis.
“Singapore was a small market, and the population was not large enough to sustain the business,” he said.
Keeping a startup alive amid difficult economic times showed Sim that his distribution company had found a niche. This realization gave birth to the Osim healthcare brand in 1994.
Sim said he had to venture into branded business to manage “the company’s own fate.”
In 1995, it launched into a joint venture with Daito Electric Machine Industry Co, a Japanese contract maker of Osim, by taking up a 30 percent stake in the manufacturing plant in Suzhou, China. This provided Sim with a research, development and manufacturing unit, and made him a priority when it came to getting orders dealt with.
Spicing up Osim’s offerings with a “blockbuster” product launch every three months is a surefire way to keep customers coming back, Sim said.
One of its products, the iSymphonic — the industry’s first massage chair that synchronizes massage and music — was voted “Invention of the Year” by Time magazine.
There are new products in the pipeline, including an Internet massage chair, special edition massage chairs for fashionistas and music lovers and an ambient air purifier.
Today, the Singaporean firm claims to be a leader in the “well-being and lifestyle” industry, with five brands — Osim, GNC, RichLife, Brookstone and TWG Tea — promoting products from massage chairs, treadmills, air purifiers and vacuum cleaners to health supplements and high-end tea products.
In another TV commercial, actress Chen Mei-fong (陳美鳳) says: “I have many items of clothing, but if you want to ask me which one is the most comfortable, no doubt it is Osim’s shoulder massager.”
Stan Shih (施振榮), the founder of Acer Group (宏碁集團), recalled at a Taipei forum in 2007 that he came across a massage chair made by Osim a decade ago and mistook it for a sophisticated Japanese product.
Shih was surprised when he found out during a business trip to Singapore that Osim was actually a Singaporean brand. He has an Osim massage chair at home.
Osim is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Asian healthcare and lifestyle industry.
The company first came to -Taiwan in 1987 when it set up counters at Pacific Sogo Department Stores (太平洋崇光百貨). Osim now has specialty stores across the nation that beckon to passing customers to come inside, take a break and enjoy a massage.
“We have been in Taiwan for 25 years. Some of our promoters joined us as young ladies, and now are mothers,” Ron Sim (沈財福), Osim founder and chief executive officer, said at a May 19 conference in Taipei held to brief investors about its share-listing plans.
He said Taiwan — along with Hong Kong and China — was a very important market to Osim as it branches out from Singapore, a city-state with a population of just 5.1 million.
Osim’s predecessor was R. Sim Trading Co Pte Ltd, a distributor that sold handheld massagers and foot reflexology rollers. It was founded in 1979, when Sim was 20 years old.
Sim decided to distribute his products in Hong Kong in 1986, a year after Singapore was hit by a financial crisis.
“Singapore was a small market, and the population was not large enough to sustain the business,” he said.
Keeping a startup alive amid difficult economic times showed Sim that his distribution company had found a niche. This realization gave birth to the Osim healthcare brand in 1994.
Sim said he had to venture into branded business to manage “the company’s own fate.”
In 1995, it launched into a joint venture with Daito Electric Machine Industry Co, a Japanese contract maker of Osim, by taking up a 30 percent stake in the manufacturing plant in Suzhou, China. This provided Sim with a research, development and manufacturing unit, and made him a priority when it came to getting orders dealt with.
Spicing up Osim’s offerings with a “blockbuster” product launch every three months is a surefire way to keep customers coming back, Sim said.
One of its products, the iSymphonic — the industry’s first massage chair that synchronizes massage and music — was voted “Invention of the Year” by Time magazine.
There are new products in the pipeline, including an Internet massage chair, special edition massage chairs for fashionistas and music lovers and an ambient air purifier.
Today, the Singaporean firm claims to be a leader in the “well-being and lifestyle” industry, with five brands — Osim, GNC, RichLife, Brookstone and TWG Tea — promoting products from massage chairs, treadmills, air purifiers and vacuum cleaners to health supplements and high-end tea products.
2011年5月25日星期三
Singapore stock market and companies daily report
Hour Glass Delivers Record Profit On Higher Margins
Luxury watch group The Hour Glass delivered a record profit for the full year ended 31 Mar-11, with the bottom line jumping 29.1% from $32.8m to $42.4m. This in turn brings earnings per share to 18.1 cents, up from the previously 14.1 cents. The improvement was underpinned by the higher revenue, which climbed 7% from $483.7m to $517.6m, attributed to the expansion of its multi-brand retail network. For the year, gross margins grew from 20.1% to 22.4%, due to the implementation of various marketing programmes as well as more positive trading conditions. A first and final dividend of five cents has been recommended.
Significance: According to its website, The Hour Glass has boutiques in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Demand for timepieces in the region, with the exception of Japan, is likely to be sustained. The company however cautions that inflationary pressures could drive up operating costs, ‘especially those related to personnel and rental’.
Valuetronics’ Full Year Profit More Than Doubles
Valuetronics Holdings (Valuetronics), an integrated electronics manufacturing service provider, reported a delightful set of full year results for the period ending 31 Mar-11. Revenue spiked substantially by 73.4% from HK$1.1b to HK$2b, leading profit to more than double from HK$58.8m to HK$121m. Improvement was seen in revenue contribution of both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original design manufacturer (ODM) business segments, which were boosted by increased sales orders and launch of new products from major customers. The company has proposed a first and final dividend of 14 HK cents per share for the year.
United Envirotech’s FY11 Profit Climbs 7.8%
United Envirotech posted a profit increase of 7.8% from $14.9m to $16m for the financial year ended 31 Mar-11. The top line rose 12.8% from $69m to $78m, supported by growth in the engineering and treatment segments. Revenue from the engineering business grew 9.2% to $62m, however its segmental profit contribution shrank $5.5m or 38.7% to $8.7m due to changes in the contract mix. Revenue from the treatment business jumped 29.9% to $16m underpinned by the increased treatment capacity at the current plants, its profit contribution continued the uptrend by rising $1.1m or 14.7%. For the year, a final dividend of 0.30 cents has been declared.
Luxury watch group The Hour Glass delivered a record profit for the full year ended 31 Mar-11, with the bottom line jumping 29.1% from $32.8m to $42.4m. This in turn brings earnings per share to 18.1 cents, up from the previously 14.1 cents. The improvement was underpinned by the higher revenue, which climbed 7% from $483.7m to $517.6m, attributed to the expansion of its multi-brand retail network. For the year, gross margins grew from 20.1% to 22.4%, due to the implementation of various marketing programmes as well as more positive trading conditions. A first and final dividend of five cents has been recommended.
Significance: According to its website, The Hour Glass has boutiques in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Demand for timepieces in the region, with the exception of Japan, is likely to be sustained. The company however cautions that inflationary pressures could drive up operating costs, ‘especially those related to personnel and rental’.
Valuetronics’ Full Year Profit More Than Doubles
Valuetronics Holdings (Valuetronics), an integrated electronics manufacturing service provider, reported a delightful set of full year results for the period ending 31 Mar-11. Revenue spiked substantially by 73.4% from HK$1.1b to HK$2b, leading profit to more than double from HK$58.8m to HK$121m. Improvement was seen in revenue contribution of both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original design manufacturer (ODM) business segments, which were boosted by increased sales orders and launch of new products from major customers. The company has proposed a first and final dividend of 14 HK cents per share for the year.
United Envirotech’s FY11 Profit Climbs 7.8%
United Envirotech posted a profit increase of 7.8% from $14.9m to $16m for the financial year ended 31 Mar-11. The top line rose 12.8% from $69m to $78m, supported by growth in the engineering and treatment segments. Revenue from the engineering business grew 9.2% to $62m, however its segmental profit contribution shrank $5.5m or 38.7% to $8.7m due to changes in the contract mix. Revenue from the treatment business jumped 29.9% to $16m underpinned by the increased treatment capacity at the current plants, its profit contribution continued the uptrend by rising $1.1m or 14.7%. For the year, a final dividend of 0.30 cents has been declared.
2011年5月22日星期日
Brands focus on safety on perceived consumer demand
New Delhi: Consumer goods companies in India—from makers of cellphones to cars to paints—are increasingly underlining the safety features in their products as an integral part of their marketing campaigns.
From a Nerolac paints advertisement that shows actor Shah Rukh Khan playing an expectant father promising his unborn child that the paint in their house will be free of toxic chemicals, to Alcatel ICE3, a mobile phone that claims its instruments emit substantially lower radiation.
Also See| Changing Strategy (PDF)
The emphasis on safety, experts say, results mainly from the emergence of a richer demography that is more health conscious.
An increase in the number of products and services available to consumers will mean that the companies will brandish every available attribute from quality, variety and even safety as a competitive strategy, they said.
Airbags, once considered a premium safety accessory in sedans, are increasingly available even in smaller hatchbacks, said Gagan Kohli, a senior executive at Hyundai India’s product development division.
“It’s a mix of both demand as well as the company’s initiative,” he said. “Our experience suggests that if made aware of a safety product, people pay as much as possible to acquire it.”
Kohli didn’t reveal the prices but said that a recent feature in the Verna sedan from the Hyundai stable has a feature that filters ambient air in the car. “It’s cleaner air and we introduced it based on consumer feedback.”
Nerolac officials didn’t comment on what prompted them to extol the absence of specific metals in their products on par with traditional selling points such as a kaleidoscopic choice of colours, quick drying and durability, but a statement on the firm’s website said the company was committed to eliminating the use of lead, chromium, mercury and arsenic, and all of its paint canisters brandished a specially designed logo that declared the paint free of noxious chemicals.
The demand for consumer safety was an imminent “natural progression”, said Sudhir Jain, director, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar.
A rise in a country’s prosperity means some people demand better health and cleaner air. “All safety essentially boils down to improving or at least preserving health. So when consumers demand safer products, it’s a natural progression,” Jain said, “from just being happy that they got goods and services at all, to being able to choose those with additional value, such as safety, ease of use and better design.”
Government legislation and intervention are also among the key drivers of safety that encourage demand for safer products.
Indian laws such as the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, have over time evolved to protect consumers from hazardous products as well as seek redressal through various consumer protection groups.
“The intent there was mainly to punish errant manufacturers, but over time this has begun to change and there is reward for being safer, energy-efficient, more environmentally conscious, etc.,” said Sapna Jain, professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration. “Consequently, the bar on what constitutes safe is being set higher. It’s but natural that companies brag about their investments (in increasing safety).”
The Obama administration in the US last year slapped Toyota Motor Corp. with civil penalties of $32.425 million, the maximum allowed by law, for failing to properly disclose what it knew about safety defects linked to recalls of millions of vehicles in 2009.
In India, a Supreme Court directive in the 1990s forced public transport vehicles in some cities to adopt compressed natural gas as fuel as well as compelling auto companies to comply with tightening emission norms. This also drove car companies to provide more fuel-efficient cars as well as advertise it as a product.
Ice Mobile Network Systems Pvt. Ltd, a Noida-based company, has tied up with French company Alcatel to introduce a range of phones that it claims emit only 25% of the radiation typically emitted from mobile handsets.
M.S. Malik, managing director of Ice Mobile, said that increasing concerns about the possible health impact of phone-emitted radiation as well as overtures by the government to introduce legislation specifying the maximum permissible radiation levels by phones, prompted it to offer such phones.
“As of now only high-end phones emit lower radiation and they come at a price, but we are offering our phone with an SAR level of 0.67 for about Rs. 3,500. Most phones are nearly 2 SAR.” said Malik. “We have guidelines, but no law yet, to regulate phone-emitted radiation. When that comes, a huge number of people will need to be protected.”
SAR, or specific absorption rate, refers to the amount of radiation absorbed by the body in the presence of an electromagnetic field. Phones that utilize their battery more efficiently and at reduced power usually have lower SAR levels.
Malik expects at least 300,000 phones that offer enhanced radiation-protection features to be sold within the next six months.
To be sure, some experts say that companies sometimes exaggerate the safety of their products and, on the ground, people were easily satisfied with even minimal levels of product safety.
A consumer study conducted by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), a US-based not-for-profit organization that tests and rates the safety of consumer products, and which has offices in Bangalore, showed that safety while operating a product was considered to be part of the perceived overall quality and that the promise of replacement and easy repair was considered “good enough” by half the respondents.
“In recent years, we have seen some product categories obtaining approvals from specific professional bodies and advertising them widely, water purifiers being an example,” said R.A. Venkitachalam, vice-president and managing director, UL Emerging Markets. “Even the membership of a professional body is advertised as a differentiator in consumer communication, underlining the desperate need for a mechanism that differentiates between brands effectively.”
“The whole notion of what constitutes safe is distorted,” said Susan Greenfield, neuroscientist and a former head of the Royal Institution, England’s oldest science communication body. “What’s the difference between someone who refuses to eat genetically modified food unless proven safe and another who will continue to use a mobile phone until proven harmful?”
From a Nerolac paints advertisement that shows actor Shah Rukh Khan playing an expectant father promising his unborn child that the paint in their house will be free of toxic chemicals, to Alcatel ICE3, a mobile phone that claims its instruments emit substantially lower radiation.
Also See| Changing Strategy (PDF)
The emphasis on safety, experts say, results mainly from the emergence of a richer demography that is more health conscious.
An increase in the number of products and services available to consumers will mean that the companies will brandish every available attribute from quality, variety and even safety as a competitive strategy, they said.
Airbags, once considered a premium safety accessory in sedans, are increasingly available even in smaller hatchbacks, said Gagan Kohli, a senior executive at Hyundai India’s product development division.
“It’s a mix of both demand as well as the company’s initiative,” he said. “Our experience suggests that if made aware of a safety product, people pay as much as possible to acquire it.”
Kohli didn’t reveal the prices but said that a recent feature in the Verna sedan from the Hyundai stable has a feature that filters ambient air in the car. “It’s cleaner air and we introduced it based on consumer feedback.”
Nerolac officials didn’t comment on what prompted them to extol the absence of specific metals in their products on par with traditional selling points such as a kaleidoscopic choice of colours, quick drying and durability, but a statement on the firm’s website said the company was committed to eliminating the use of lead, chromium, mercury and arsenic, and all of its paint canisters brandished a specially designed logo that declared the paint free of noxious chemicals.
The demand for consumer safety was an imminent “natural progression”, said Sudhir Jain, director, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar.
A rise in a country’s prosperity means some people demand better health and cleaner air. “All safety essentially boils down to improving or at least preserving health. So when consumers demand safer products, it’s a natural progression,” Jain said, “from just being happy that they got goods and services at all, to being able to choose those with additional value, such as safety, ease of use and better design.”
Government legislation and intervention are also among the key drivers of safety that encourage demand for safer products.
Indian laws such as the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, have over time evolved to protect consumers from hazardous products as well as seek redressal through various consumer protection groups.
“The intent there was mainly to punish errant manufacturers, but over time this has begun to change and there is reward for being safer, energy-efficient, more environmentally conscious, etc.,” said Sapna Jain, professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration. “Consequently, the bar on what constitutes safe is being set higher. It’s but natural that companies brag about their investments (in increasing safety).”
The Obama administration in the US last year slapped Toyota Motor Corp. with civil penalties of $32.425 million, the maximum allowed by law, for failing to properly disclose what it knew about safety defects linked to recalls of millions of vehicles in 2009.
In India, a Supreme Court directive in the 1990s forced public transport vehicles in some cities to adopt compressed natural gas as fuel as well as compelling auto companies to comply with tightening emission norms. This also drove car companies to provide more fuel-efficient cars as well as advertise it as a product.
Ice Mobile Network Systems Pvt. Ltd, a Noida-based company, has tied up with French company Alcatel to introduce a range of phones that it claims emit only 25% of the radiation typically emitted from mobile handsets.
M.S. Malik, managing director of Ice Mobile, said that increasing concerns about the possible health impact of phone-emitted radiation as well as overtures by the government to introduce legislation specifying the maximum permissible radiation levels by phones, prompted it to offer such phones.
“As of now only high-end phones emit lower radiation and they come at a price, but we are offering our phone with an SAR level of 0.67 for about Rs. 3,500. Most phones are nearly 2 SAR.” said Malik. “We have guidelines, but no law yet, to regulate phone-emitted radiation. When that comes, a huge number of people will need to be protected.”
SAR, or specific absorption rate, refers to the amount of radiation absorbed by the body in the presence of an electromagnetic field. Phones that utilize their battery more efficiently and at reduced power usually have lower SAR levels.
Malik expects at least 300,000 phones that offer enhanced radiation-protection features to be sold within the next six months.
To be sure, some experts say that companies sometimes exaggerate the safety of their products and, on the ground, people were easily satisfied with even minimal levels of product safety.
A consumer study conducted by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), a US-based not-for-profit organization that tests and rates the safety of consumer products, and which has offices in Bangalore, showed that safety while operating a product was considered to be part of the perceived overall quality and that the promise of replacement and easy repair was considered “good enough” by half the respondents.
“In recent years, we have seen some product categories obtaining approvals from specific professional bodies and advertising them widely, water purifiers being an example,” said R.A. Venkitachalam, vice-president and managing director, UL Emerging Markets. “Even the membership of a professional body is advertised as a differentiator in consumer communication, underlining the desperate need for a mechanism that differentiates between brands effectively.”
“The whole notion of what constitutes safe is distorted,” said Susan Greenfield, neuroscientist and a former head of the Royal Institution, England’s oldest science communication body. “What’s the difference between someone who refuses to eat genetically modified food unless proven safe and another who will continue to use a mobile phone until proven harmful?”
The Rust Belt's revival
More than 1,000 applicants began lining up this week outside a former Hoover vacuum plant here in the hopes of joining a surprising trend in this part of the nation's manufacturing heartland: new jobs.
Come June, the plant will be churning out EdenPure space heaters, vacuums, air purifiers and other small appliances once made in China. The turnabout for this factory and scores of others across the long-suffering Rust Belt offers vivid evidence of a budding revival in American manufacturing that has been a key driver of the economic recovery.
The nation's factories have added 250,000 jobs since the beginning of last year -- about 13 percent of what was lost during the recent recession -- marking the first sustained increase in manufacturing employment since 1997.
But the new hiring also reflects another emerging reality of U.S. manufacturing: Many of the jobs don't pay anything close to what they used to. Assembly-line workers who will be making the EdenPure products under the auspices of Suarez Corp. Industries will start at $7.50 an hour.
That's a far cry from the $20 an hour that most workers made with Hoover, which shifted its century-old production lines to Mexico and El Paso, Texas, in 2007 after concluding that it was too expensive to make its products in the industrial Midwest.
"The communities and workers in Ohio have been devastated over the past decade and are grateful for the opportunity to earn a living," said Robert Baugh, executive director of the AFL-CIO's Industrial Union Council. "But this is tempered by reality. One is that the jobs at Suarez, with wages and benefits well below the middle-class ones that were there before, are not a replacement for the ones that left."
The Rust Belt's nascent recovery is being fueled by a host of factors, including a revitalized auto sector, innovations that have made workers more productive and a weakened dollar, which makes American products more appealing for export.
Lower labor costs are also a critical factor. But many of the prospective workers who braved a cold rain Monday outside the old Hoover plant for a shot at a job with benefits did not complain.
Come June, the plant will be churning out EdenPure space heaters, vacuums, air purifiers and other small appliances once made in China. The turnabout for this factory and scores of others across the long-suffering Rust Belt offers vivid evidence of a budding revival in American manufacturing that has been a key driver of the economic recovery.
The nation's factories have added 250,000 jobs since the beginning of last year -- about 13 percent of what was lost during the recent recession -- marking the first sustained increase in manufacturing employment since 1997.
But the new hiring also reflects another emerging reality of U.S. manufacturing: Many of the jobs don't pay anything close to what they used to. Assembly-line workers who will be making the EdenPure products under the auspices of Suarez Corp. Industries will start at $7.50 an hour.
That's a far cry from the $20 an hour that most workers made with Hoover, which shifted its century-old production lines to Mexico and El Paso, Texas, in 2007 after concluding that it was too expensive to make its products in the industrial Midwest.
"The communities and workers in Ohio have been devastated over the past decade and are grateful for the opportunity to earn a living," said Robert Baugh, executive director of the AFL-CIO's Industrial Union Council. "But this is tempered by reality. One is that the jobs at Suarez, with wages and benefits well below the middle-class ones that were there before, are not a replacement for the ones that left."
The Rust Belt's nascent recovery is being fueled by a host of factors, including a revitalized auto sector, innovations that have made workers more productive and a weakened dollar, which makes American products more appealing for export.
Lower labor costs are also a critical factor. But many of the prospective workers who braved a cold rain Monday outside the old Hoover plant for a shot at a job with benefits did not complain.
2011年5月18日星期三
Rust Belt Jobs Return — at Much Lower Pay
Manufacturers, including those in the Rust Belt, have added about 250,000 jobs since the beginning of last year. The new jobs mark the first sustained increase in manufacturing jobs since 1997, The Washington Post reported.
However, many of the new jobs will not come close to matching the pay of the jobs that disappeared in the recession or were shipped overseas. For example, a former Hoover vacuum plant in Ohio soon will be turning out EdenPure space heaters, vacuums, and air purifiers — giving workers a starting salary is $7.50 an hour. Most workers at Hoover, who saw their jobs shipped to Mexico, were making about $20 an hour, the Post reported. Suarez Corp. Industries now operates the former Hoover plant.
Manufacturing jobs, rust belt“The communities and workers in Ohio have been devastated over the past decade and are grateful for the opportunity to earn a living,” the AFL-CIO’s Robert Baugh told the Post. “But this is tempered by reality. One is that the jobs at Suarez, with wages and benefits well below the middle-class ones that were there before, are not a replacement for the ones that left.”
The return of jobs to the Rust Belt is a result of a revitalized auto industry, increased worker productivity, a weakened dollar that makes U.S. products more attractive overseas and lower labor costs. Manufacturing grew at about 9.1 percent in the first three months of the year, compared to the overall economy that expanded by just 1.8 percent, the Post reported.
“Everybody had written off the manufacturing sector and the Rust Belt, but now the manufacturing sector is the shining star of the U.S. recovery,” said Mark J. Perry, a professor at the University of Michigan at Flint, told the Post.
The manufacturing gains have occurred in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where unemployment rates are falling, the Post reported. The nation lost nearly 6 million factory jobs between 2000 and 2009 and manufacturing jobs now total 11.7 million compared to 19.5 million in 1979.
More good news comes from a report by the Boston Consulting Group. The group predicted that the United States is on the verge of a “manufacturing renaissance” because of rising labor costs in China and the rising value of Chinese currency, the Post reported.
Nonetheless, the Economic Policy Institute’s Robert Scott noted that “what we are experiencing is first and foremost a recovery from the depths of a terrible recession. We have a long way to go before we climb out of this hole.”
However, many of the new jobs will not come close to matching the pay of the jobs that disappeared in the recession or were shipped overseas. For example, a former Hoover vacuum plant in Ohio soon will be turning out EdenPure space heaters, vacuums, and air purifiers — giving workers a starting salary is $7.50 an hour. Most workers at Hoover, who saw their jobs shipped to Mexico, were making about $20 an hour, the Post reported. Suarez Corp. Industries now operates the former Hoover plant.
Manufacturing jobs, rust belt“The communities and workers in Ohio have been devastated over the past decade and are grateful for the opportunity to earn a living,” the AFL-CIO’s Robert Baugh told the Post. “But this is tempered by reality. One is that the jobs at Suarez, with wages and benefits well below the middle-class ones that were there before, are not a replacement for the ones that left.”
The return of jobs to the Rust Belt is a result of a revitalized auto industry, increased worker productivity, a weakened dollar that makes U.S. products more attractive overseas and lower labor costs. Manufacturing grew at about 9.1 percent in the first three months of the year, compared to the overall economy that expanded by just 1.8 percent, the Post reported.
“Everybody had written off the manufacturing sector and the Rust Belt, but now the manufacturing sector is the shining star of the U.S. recovery,” said Mark J. Perry, a professor at the University of Michigan at Flint, told the Post.
The manufacturing gains have occurred in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where unemployment rates are falling, the Post reported. The nation lost nearly 6 million factory jobs between 2000 and 2009 and manufacturing jobs now total 11.7 million compared to 19.5 million in 1979.
More good news comes from a report by the Boston Consulting Group. The group predicted that the United States is on the verge of a “manufacturing renaissance” because of rising labor costs in China and the rising value of Chinese currency, the Post reported.
Nonetheless, the Economic Policy Institute’s Robert Scott noted that “what we are experiencing is first and foremost a recovery from the depths of a terrible recession. We have a long way to go before we climb out of this hole.”
Garage sales can promote neighborhood camaraderie
Homes are being de-cluttered, neighbors are visiting with neighbors again and bargain-seekers are flushed with delight over their garage sale treasures.
Neighborhood garage sales have been bringing crowds out in droves during the month of May and will continue during the warm months of summer and fall. Individual garage sales are also common.
Don Brightman, of Riverwoods Drive in Rockford, held his garage sale for three full days last week. The first day was the busiest and the last day the most quiet, he said.
With a garage and driveway full of antiques and collectibles, he said it was hard to predict what people would buy.
"The things I thought would sell didn't and the things I didn't think much about sold right away," Brightman said.
He sold many tools and pieces of antique china, even an old slide projector. But he was surprised his antique wicker planters were overlooked.
"With technology changing the way it does, I never expected that slide projector to sell," he said. "But someone who collects them for display came right up and bought it."
Rockford resident Vicki Howe shopped the Riverwoods development sale on the last day just as things were getting packed up for Goodwill.
"Would you take a dollar for this?" she politely asked a homeowner.
It was a deal that pleased both the buyer and seller. Often the last day of sales are the most ideal for bartering and dickering on price.
The Evergreen Meadows subdivision also ran a three-day garage sale last week for all who wished to participate. There, homeowner Chandra Stevens was pleased to be clearing items out of her house for spring cleaning.
"I have lots of Tupperware I am getting rid of," said Stevens, who used to sell Tupperware and host Tupperware parties. "I've also sold lots of toys, boys clothes and household items. It's great to see it go."
Sandy Brugel, who was shopping at Stevens' sale, said she has had a successful spring season so far with her garage sale finds.
"I found an air purifier, old flannel sheets to cut up into rags for my husband's spray-painting business and a baby cradle for my doll collection," Brugel said.
She added her husband was able to find a few pairs of shoes in his size and since he only wears them once or twice before throwing them away, it is best to find them used.
Neighbors agree garage sales are good for connecting with people in their neighborhood. Friends, old and new, can meet up with one another after the long winter divide, strike up conversations and catch up on life. Garage sales also are a way to meet new people.
Not only do they build camaraderie, clean out old treasures and put extra cash in homeowners' pockets, but they presumably promote security.
Neighborhood watch associations throughout the country advocate getting to know ones neighbors as an important piece of the puzzle in building safer communities. This concept is not specific to the U.S. but appears to be universal.
According to a Canadian neighborhood watch program called Eyewatch, "Neighbors look out for each other, especially if they know each other. Active participation of neighborhood residents is a crucial element in community safety."
The Canadian group also suggests other ideas for getting to know ones neighbors and building safer developments by throwing block parties and having annual perennial flower exchanges.
Neighborhood garage sales have been bringing crowds out in droves during the month of May and will continue during the warm months of summer and fall. Individual garage sales are also common.
Don Brightman, of Riverwoods Drive in Rockford, held his garage sale for three full days last week. The first day was the busiest and the last day the most quiet, he said.
With a garage and driveway full of antiques and collectibles, he said it was hard to predict what people would buy.
"The things I thought would sell didn't and the things I didn't think much about sold right away," Brightman said.
He sold many tools and pieces of antique china, even an old slide projector. But he was surprised his antique wicker planters were overlooked.
"With technology changing the way it does, I never expected that slide projector to sell," he said. "But someone who collects them for display came right up and bought it."
Rockford resident Vicki Howe shopped the Riverwoods development sale on the last day just as things were getting packed up for Goodwill.
"Would you take a dollar for this?" she politely asked a homeowner.
It was a deal that pleased both the buyer and seller. Often the last day of sales are the most ideal for bartering and dickering on price.
The Evergreen Meadows subdivision also ran a three-day garage sale last week for all who wished to participate. There, homeowner Chandra Stevens was pleased to be clearing items out of her house for spring cleaning.
"I have lots of Tupperware I am getting rid of," said Stevens, who used to sell Tupperware and host Tupperware parties. "I've also sold lots of toys, boys clothes and household items. It's great to see it go."
Sandy Brugel, who was shopping at Stevens' sale, said she has had a successful spring season so far with her garage sale finds.
"I found an air purifier, old flannel sheets to cut up into rags for my husband's spray-painting business and a baby cradle for my doll collection," Brugel said.
She added her husband was able to find a few pairs of shoes in his size and since he only wears them once or twice before throwing them away, it is best to find them used.
Neighbors agree garage sales are good for connecting with people in their neighborhood. Friends, old and new, can meet up with one another after the long winter divide, strike up conversations and catch up on life. Garage sales also are a way to meet new people.
Not only do they build camaraderie, clean out old treasures and put extra cash in homeowners' pockets, but they presumably promote security.
Neighborhood watch associations throughout the country advocate getting to know ones neighbors as an important piece of the puzzle in building safer communities. This concept is not specific to the U.S. but appears to be universal.
According to a Canadian neighborhood watch program called Eyewatch, "Neighbors look out for each other, especially if they know each other. Active participation of neighborhood residents is a crucial element in community safety."
The Canadian group also suggests other ideas for getting to know ones neighbors and building safer developments by throwing block parties and having annual perennial flower exchanges.
Pat Shingleton for May 19, 2011
TX Active has created a concrete coating that reduces nitrogen oxides, a smog-causing compound emitted by vehicles. Alcoa embraced this application to build an architectural panel that not only cleans itself but also the air around it. The aluminum panel includes a titanium dioxide coating that interacts with sunlight to break smog into a harmless residue easily washed away. The panels also support lower maintenance costs. Company officials report 10,000 square feet of panels have the air-cleansing power of nearly 80 trees. USA Today reported other pollution-fighting applications include ceiling tiles by Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Systems that remove formaldehyde. The Ionic Bulb by Zevotek is an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp that has an air purifier that eliminates allergens, pollen and dust.
Fastcast: Warmer.
Mostly sunny, high near 87. Southeasterly winds 5 mph to 15 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, low around 70. Southeasterly winds 5 mph to 15 mph.
Fastcast: Warmer.
Mostly sunny, high near 87. Southeasterly winds 5 mph to 15 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, low around 70. Southeasterly winds 5 mph to 15 mph.
2011年5月15日星期日
Mitsubishi radiation-proof forklift designed to clean up Japan
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has developed two heavy-duty forklifts with radiation shielded cabins which have been designed to handle and dispose of contaminated rubble at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
The first of the two units were delivered last week to a joint venture formed by Taisei Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Shimizu Corporation, the companies handling the clean up at the site.
Mitsubishi says the second unit will be delivered later this month.
The forklifts, which were reportedly developed and manufactured within one month, features vehicle systems, filtering, heavy plate welding, and radiation shielding and management. The new units are based on the company's 15-tonne heavy-duty forklift.
According to Mitsubishi, the new forklifts have been designed to allow workers to handle rubble while providing a safer environment for machine operators working in areas exposed to radiation.
The company says the first radiation shielded cabin forklift contains a fully-sealed cabin constructed using 100mm thick steel plates and 230mm thick lead glass.
It comes with special filters that is said to remove dust and other radiation-contaminated material to provide a stable supply of purified air, and the air-conditioned cabin is also pressurised by air purifier to prevent external air from entering.
The company says each forklift measures 7.3m x 2.5m x 3.9m, weighs 30t, and has a load capacity of 9,000 kilograms, and will be supplied with various attachments including hinged forks, bucket, box clamp and pivoting fork.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the parent company of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks.
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, based in Houston, Texas.
The first of the two units were delivered last week to a joint venture formed by Taisei Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Shimizu Corporation, the companies handling the clean up at the site.
Mitsubishi says the second unit will be delivered later this month.
The forklifts, which were reportedly developed and manufactured within one month, features vehicle systems, filtering, heavy plate welding, and radiation shielding and management. The new units are based on the company's 15-tonne heavy-duty forklift.
According to Mitsubishi, the new forklifts have been designed to allow workers to handle rubble while providing a safer environment for machine operators working in areas exposed to radiation.
The company says the first radiation shielded cabin forklift contains a fully-sealed cabin constructed using 100mm thick steel plates and 230mm thick lead glass.
It comes with special filters that is said to remove dust and other radiation-contaminated material to provide a stable supply of purified air, and the air-conditioned cabin is also pressurised by air purifier to prevent external air from entering.
The company says each forklift measures 7.3m x 2.5m x 3.9m, weighs 30t, and has a load capacity of 9,000 kilograms, and will be supplied with various attachments including hinged forks, bucket, box clamp and pivoting fork.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the parent company of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks.
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, based in Houston, Texas.
Samsung Launches Youth Education Initiative in Upper Egypt
Cairo, Egypt - May 15, 2011 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Egypt, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, recently launched a new CSR initiative to empower the technological skills of Upper Egypt's children under its campaign, "Samsung Hope for Children." Building on the momentum of recent events in Egypt, Samsung will inspire Upper Egypt's children to become active members of the society by providing them with the necessary communication tools that will allow them speak their minds freely. As such, Samsung Egypt has partnered with the Association of Upper Egypt for Education & Development (AUEED) to provide state-of-the-art IT equipment and IT training to schools in Upper Egypt, one of the poorest rural areas in the country.
"Samsung believes that supporting the advancement and development of this generation's skills through technology is the first step to shaping a community's future," commented Duke Park, General Manager of Samsung Electronics Egypt. "The recent events in Egypt were largely inspired by the youth and through their use of technology, they have made the society take a leap towards freedom of speech. Samsung feels that this new generation deserves every opportunity to succeed in achieving their goals of creating a new Egypt and this is why we are thrilled to help by providing Samsung's innovative technology to underprivileged rural communities in Upper Egypt."
In collaboration with AUEED, Samsung will provide financial and technological aid to schools in Upper Egypt creating a modern learning environment for the children to allow them to redefine and broaden their thinking, behavior and skills. By doing so, this will help them to interact effectively with the world and the people around them, comprehending their opinions and point of views in life. AUEED was established in 1940 and is a non-profit, community-based organization working in Upper Egypt to empower local communities. Samsung Egypt will educate and equip around 11,200 students in 34 private primary schools operated by AUEED in Upper Egypt with the technology tools that will allow them to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the world looks like.
Samsung's project will be completed over two years at schools in Minya, Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Luxor. The first phase will be implemented during 2011 and includes the building and managing of brand new computer labs that will house Samsung laptops, printers, projectors and Samsung Virus Doctors, which are state of the art air purifiers that act as a precaution against airborne viruses. The second phase will be to upgrade existing computer labs and will follow the completion of the first phase. Samsung will also offer local teachers of those schools training on a wide range of IT skills that will help make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. In addition, Samsung employees will play a role by training students on how to use computers and surf the internet to connect them to experts in the real world and provide numerous opportunities for expressing understanding through images, sound, and text.
"Samsung believes that supporting the advancement and development of this generation's skills through technology is the first step to shaping a community's future," commented Duke Park, General Manager of Samsung Electronics Egypt. "The recent events in Egypt were largely inspired by the youth and through their use of technology, they have made the society take a leap towards freedom of speech. Samsung feels that this new generation deserves every opportunity to succeed in achieving their goals of creating a new Egypt and this is why we are thrilled to help by providing Samsung's innovative technology to underprivileged rural communities in Upper Egypt."
In collaboration with AUEED, Samsung will provide financial and technological aid to schools in Upper Egypt creating a modern learning environment for the children to allow them to redefine and broaden their thinking, behavior and skills. By doing so, this will help them to interact effectively with the world and the people around them, comprehending their opinions and point of views in life. AUEED was established in 1940 and is a non-profit, community-based organization working in Upper Egypt to empower local communities. Samsung Egypt will educate and equip around 11,200 students in 34 private primary schools operated by AUEED in Upper Egypt with the technology tools that will allow them to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the world looks like.
Samsung's project will be completed over two years at schools in Minya, Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Luxor. The first phase will be implemented during 2011 and includes the building and managing of brand new computer labs that will house Samsung laptops, printers, projectors and Samsung Virus Doctors, which are state of the art air purifiers that act as a precaution against airborne viruses. The second phase will be to upgrade existing computer labs and will follow the completion of the first phase. Samsung will also offer local teachers of those schools training on a wide range of IT skills that will help make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. In addition, Samsung employees will play a role by training students on how to use computers and surf the internet to connect them to experts in the real world and provide numerous opportunities for expressing understanding through images, sound, and text.
Smog-eating aluminum panels launch
Buildings that eat smog? Alcoa, a maker of aluminum products, introduced an architectural panel Thursday that it says not only cleans itself but also the air around it.
The aluminum panel has a titanium dioxide coating that, when combined with sunlight, acts as a catalyst to break down pollutants such as smog into harmless matter that rain washes away.
“It could have a significant impact” if enough buildings use the product, says Craig Belnap, president of Alcoa Architectural Products. The company says 10,000 square feet of its panels have the air-cleansing power of about 80 trees.
The panel is the latest in a series of building products — whether cement, tile or paint — touted for their pollution-fighting abilities:
Ceiling tiles that remove formaldehyde, which is linked to health problems, were announced this week by Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Systems, which says the product has been certified by UL, an independent non-profit testing group.
The Ionic Bulb by Florida-based Zevotek, now available in stores nationwide, is an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp that contains an air purifier to eliminate allergens, pollen, smoke and dust.
“All such claims should be approached with caution” and validated by independent academic labs, warns Martin Holladay, senior editor of GreenBuildingAdvisor.com, a website that covers sustainable construction.
The coating on Alcoa’s panels has long been used on concrete such as the TX Active product — with proven results.
Such concrete reduced nitrogen oxides — the smog-causing compound emitted by vehicles — 25% to 45% in a small area of a Dutch town where it was used on roads, according to a lecture last year by Jos Brouwers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands.
“It does work,” says Nadav Malin, president of BuildingGreen.com, an online source of eco-friendly construction. “But you’d have to have a lot of this out there in the built environment to make any dent in air pollution.”
“It could be part of a solution,” says Alcoa’s Belnap, adding that the Reynobond panels also lower maintenance costs for commercial buildings by reducing water and dirt. He says Alcoa teamed with Japanese manufacturer TOTO to add the EcoClean coating and had its air-purifying impact verified by an independent lab.
The panels will cost about 5% more than similar aluminum ones and will become available nationwide this summer.
The aluminum panel has a titanium dioxide coating that, when combined with sunlight, acts as a catalyst to break down pollutants such as smog into harmless matter that rain washes away.
“It could have a significant impact” if enough buildings use the product, says Craig Belnap, president of Alcoa Architectural Products. The company says 10,000 square feet of its panels have the air-cleansing power of about 80 trees.
The panel is the latest in a series of building products — whether cement, tile or paint — touted for their pollution-fighting abilities:
Ceiling tiles that remove formaldehyde, which is linked to health problems, were announced this week by Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Systems, which says the product has been certified by UL, an independent non-profit testing group.
The Ionic Bulb by Florida-based Zevotek, now available in stores nationwide, is an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp that contains an air purifier to eliminate allergens, pollen, smoke and dust.
“All such claims should be approached with caution” and validated by independent academic labs, warns Martin Holladay, senior editor of GreenBuildingAdvisor.com, a website that covers sustainable construction.
The coating on Alcoa’s panels has long been used on concrete such as the TX Active product — with proven results.
Such concrete reduced nitrogen oxides — the smog-causing compound emitted by vehicles — 25% to 45% in a small area of a Dutch town where it was used on roads, according to a lecture last year by Jos Brouwers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands.
“It does work,” says Nadav Malin, president of BuildingGreen.com, an online source of eco-friendly construction. “But you’d have to have a lot of this out there in the built environment to make any dent in air pollution.”
“It could be part of a solution,” says Alcoa’s Belnap, adding that the Reynobond panels also lower maintenance costs for commercial buildings by reducing water and dirt. He says Alcoa teamed with Japanese manufacturer TOTO to add the EcoClean coating and had its air-purifying impact verified by an independent lab.
The panels will cost about 5% more than similar aluminum ones and will become available nationwide this summer.
2011年5月10日星期二
Mitsubishi delivers radiation-shielded forklifts in Japan
For years, forklift manufacturers have made marketing hay out of their vehicles' operator comfort and safety features, touting amenities like adjustable seats, vibration dampers, and ergonomically designed controls. Recently, though, one manufacturer took operator safety to a new, and perhaps unprecedented, level.
In late April, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), the parent company of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, delivered the first of two heavy-duty forklifts with radiation-shielded cabins to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Sendai, Japan. The specially designed trucks will be used for the handling and disposal of contaminated rubble at the site. The second vehicle will be delivered in May.
Using its 15-ton heavy-duty forklift as a base, MHI developed and manufactured the radiation-shielded truck in less than a month, the company says. To protect the operator, the first forklift has a fully sealed cabin constructed with 100 mm-thick steel plates and 230 mm-thick lead glass welded on all sides. Both trucks are equipped with special filters that remove dust and other radiation-contaminated material. The air-conditioned cabin is pressurized by an air purifier to prevent external air from entering.
Each forklift will be supplied with a variety of attachments, including hinged forks, a bucket, a box clamp, and pivoting forks. Using these attachments, operators will transfer rubble into low-level radioactive-waste transfer containers.
In late April, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), the parent company of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, delivered the first of two heavy-duty forklifts with radiation-shielded cabins to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Sendai, Japan. The specially designed trucks will be used for the handling and disposal of contaminated rubble at the site. The second vehicle will be delivered in May.
Using its 15-ton heavy-duty forklift as a base, MHI developed and manufactured the radiation-shielded truck in less than a month, the company says. To protect the operator, the first forklift has a fully sealed cabin constructed with 100 mm-thick steel plates and 230 mm-thick lead glass welded on all sides. Both trucks are equipped with special filters that remove dust and other radiation-contaminated material. The air-conditioned cabin is pressurized by an air purifier to prevent external air from entering.
Each forklift will be supplied with a variety of attachments, including hinged forks, a bucket, a box clamp, and pivoting forks. Using these attachments, operators will transfer rubble into low-level radioactive-waste transfer containers.
Ahhhchoo, allergy season coming on strong
An abundance of rainfall this spring has made this year’s allergy season a particularly bad one for seasonal allergy sufferers.
“Just look outside and you can see,” said Parsippany-based allergist Dr. Neal Nadler.
There’s pollen everywhere.
Rain holds pollen down, but when the rain dries up the battle begins, Nadler said. “Now all the pollens that have been suppressed come out in full blast, and people get the itchy eyes and running nose,” he said.
The allergy culprits of the moment are trees and mold (though, Nadler said, mold is a year-round irritant), and come August, ragweed will cause its own share of sniffles and sneezes, he said.
Seasonal allergies last from April to October, or, until the first frost comes and there are about 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Dr. Leonard Bielory, a specialist in allergy and immunology with the department of Environmental Sciences at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, said he sympathizes because this year’s allergy season looks to be particularly harsh.
“The grass pollens started last weekend and that Sunday our phones started ringing off the hook,” he said, referring to patients seeking relief at his private practice in Springfield. “This will continue to persist at these elevated states through the end of May and the beginning of June.”
Bielory, who is conducting research on pollen and allergies, said that on Tuesday tree pollen counts soared to 5,600 grains per cubic meter, which is considered high. Information on the daily pollen count can be found on the Asthma and Allergy Research Center, NJ School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry website, he said.
Point Pleasant Dr. Richard Murachanian said it’s hard to tell whether it is worse than previous years because there are so many effective, nonsedating over-the-counter allergy medications, like Allegra and Claritin, that people may choose to purchase the medication rather than visit a doctor.
“Just look outside and you can see,” said Parsippany-based allergist Dr. Neal Nadler.
There’s pollen everywhere.
Rain holds pollen down, but when the rain dries up the battle begins, Nadler said. “Now all the pollens that have been suppressed come out in full blast, and people get the itchy eyes and running nose,” he said.
The allergy culprits of the moment are trees and mold (though, Nadler said, mold is a year-round irritant), and come August, ragweed will cause its own share of sniffles and sneezes, he said.
Seasonal allergies last from April to October, or, until the first frost comes and there are about 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Dr. Leonard Bielory, a specialist in allergy and immunology with the department of Environmental Sciences at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, said he sympathizes because this year’s allergy season looks to be particularly harsh.
“The grass pollens started last weekend and that Sunday our phones started ringing off the hook,” he said, referring to patients seeking relief at his private practice in Springfield. “This will continue to persist at these elevated states through the end of May and the beginning of June.”
Bielory, who is conducting research on pollen and allergies, said that on Tuesday tree pollen counts soared to 5,600 grains per cubic meter, which is considered high. Information on the daily pollen count can be found on the Asthma and Allergy Research Center, NJ School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry website, he said.
Point Pleasant Dr. Richard Murachanian said it’s hard to tell whether it is worse than previous years because there are so many effective, nonsedating over-the-counter allergy medications, like Allegra and Claritin, that people may choose to purchase the medication rather than visit a doctor.
2011年5月8日星期日
Avon Rubber mixes defence with dairy to engineer growth
It's been a busy couple of years for Avon Rubber, the engineering group which issued half-yearly results last week. Once known for making tyres, today the company bills itself as leader in the design and manufacture of hi-tech gas masks and related accessories to buyers from the military, law enforcement agencies and the like.
The tough image is tempered by the company's dairy – yes, dairy – business, which supplies liners and tubing that come in handy for milking cows. Last week's results showed that revenues at the dairy arm were up a healthy 16 per cent over the six months to March, with the business benefiting from improving market trends, although it did have to deal with rising raw material costs.
Defence and protection revenues were lower, with the figures being hit by the timing of filter spares shipments and lower revenues at its Avon Engineered Fabrications arm in the US, which makes flexible storage tanks and skirt systems for hovercraft. Things should improve over the second half, however, as the recently agreed US defence budget is expected to support activity.
John Cummins, an analyst at Altium Securities, dates the change in Avon's fortunes to 2000, when it secured a development contract with the US Department of Defence (DoD) to design and manufacture gas masks for the army, navy, air force and the special forces.
"This was the first time all the US armed forces came under a single contract," he said. "After a number of false starts, in 2008, Avon secured a full rate production contract with the DoD worth $112m (£68.4m) over a five-year period for 100,000 masks per annum, with an option for this to rise to a total of 300,000 masks over a 10-year period. This option was invoked in 2009, meaning that a significant proportion of the currently forecast protection and defence revenue is underpinned to at least 2017."
Not bad. But while the defence business is more eye-catching, Mr Cummins said investors should also take note of the potential for the company's dairy arm, which he suggests is "more than just a cash cow". Indeed.
"The new dairy lines brought to market provides farmers with the ability to increase milk production, and has been proved to reduce the infection rate in cows from the milking processes," he explained.
"This not only attracts a higher selling price, but also subsequent margin improvement for Avon." Besides, the company has ample scope for growth, with three quarters of the world's cows still being milked manually.
The picture is a good one, and should support sentiment as the company gears up to welcome a new chairman. David Evans, the former chief executive of Chemring, will shortly step up to take over from Sir Richard Needham, who is to stand down at the next annual meeting. Given the positive buzz around Avon he seems to have found an opportune time to move in.
HaloSource strikes another India deal
A couple of weeks ago, we looked at Origo Partners, the China-focused private equity firm whose investments span everything from electric batteries to mining to clean water technologies of the kind promoted by HaloSource, the AIM-listed group which unveiled a major deal with India's Bajaj Electricals last week. Origo owns 4.3 per cent of HaloSource, which has invested heavily in ways to purify drinking water. And although that business currently accounts for a relatively small proportion of overall revenues, the company's finance chief James Thompson says HaloSource is focused on growing its activities in the area to capitalise on the opportunities in emerging markets such as India and China.
The rationale is straightforward. Countries like India boast an increasingly affluent urban middle class which is often wary of drinking water straight from the tap. Urban households often install water filters, and in many cases boil tap water before drinking.
HaloSource offers what it calls a breakthrough technology that doesn't simply filter out visible impurities but also purifies the water of harmful viruses and bacteria without depending on electricity. Its gravity-driven HaloPure cartridges cleanse the water of micro-organisms such as poliovirus and rotavirus, all the while boasting low operating costs.
"Purifying drinking water at very low cost has been identified by many consumer appliance OEMS [original equipment manufacturers] around the world as a major growth market opportunity," Liberum Capital said in a report ahead of the company's listing on AIM in October last year.
The technology meets both the safety and disinfection guidelines laid down by the World Health Organisation, and the standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The latter is notable, as it leaves HaloPure well placed to meet rising regulatory standards in its target markets.
"Outside of HaloPure, the principal appliances that address waterborne diseases are categorised as ultraviolet light and reverse osmosis devices," Liberum explained. "However, these devices commonly cost several hundred US dollars."
HaloPure devices, in contrast, are available in the $40 (£24) to $50 range, according to Mr Thompson, with replacement cartridges costing around $7 apiece, making them far more affordable than the alternatives. The group has made significant inroads in India, forging agreements with Bajaj and Eureka Forbes, both of whom are major players and know the local market extremely well.
The Bajaj relationship began last year, and last week's announcement marks HaloSource's second supply agreement with the group.
HaloSource will supply Bajaj with its HaloPure Waterbird gravity water purifiers, which will be branded the Bajaj XTP 21 and XTP 21 DX. The company will also supply replacement cartridges for the devices, which are expected to be launched later this month.
Although India dominates for now, the company is also targeting Brazil and is set to sell its products in China, where it is awaiting regulatory approval. Once it has all the requisite clearances, Mr Thompson says HaloSource has a number of partners in mind to roll out the products across the country.
The tough image is tempered by the company's dairy – yes, dairy – business, which supplies liners and tubing that come in handy for milking cows. Last week's results showed that revenues at the dairy arm were up a healthy 16 per cent over the six months to March, with the business benefiting from improving market trends, although it did have to deal with rising raw material costs.
Defence and protection revenues were lower, with the figures being hit by the timing of filter spares shipments and lower revenues at its Avon Engineered Fabrications arm in the US, which makes flexible storage tanks and skirt systems for hovercraft. Things should improve over the second half, however, as the recently agreed US defence budget is expected to support activity.
John Cummins, an analyst at Altium Securities, dates the change in Avon's fortunes to 2000, when it secured a development contract with the US Department of Defence (DoD) to design and manufacture gas masks for the army, navy, air force and the special forces.
"This was the first time all the US armed forces came under a single contract," he said. "After a number of false starts, in 2008, Avon secured a full rate production contract with the DoD worth $112m (£68.4m) over a five-year period for 100,000 masks per annum, with an option for this to rise to a total of 300,000 masks over a 10-year period. This option was invoked in 2009, meaning that a significant proportion of the currently forecast protection and defence revenue is underpinned to at least 2017."
Not bad. But while the defence business is more eye-catching, Mr Cummins said investors should also take note of the potential for the company's dairy arm, which he suggests is "more than just a cash cow". Indeed.
"The new dairy lines brought to market provides farmers with the ability to increase milk production, and has been proved to reduce the infection rate in cows from the milking processes," he explained.
"This not only attracts a higher selling price, but also subsequent margin improvement for Avon." Besides, the company has ample scope for growth, with three quarters of the world's cows still being milked manually.
The picture is a good one, and should support sentiment as the company gears up to welcome a new chairman. David Evans, the former chief executive of Chemring, will shortly step up to take over from Sir Richard Needham, who is to stand down at the next annual meeting. Given the positive buzz around Avon he seems to have found an opportune time to move in.
HaloSource strikes another India deal
A couple of weeks ago, we looked at Origo Partners, the China-focused private equity firm whose investments span everything from electric batteries to mining to clean water technologies of the kind promoted by HaloSource, the AIM-listed group which unveiled a major deal with India's Bajaj Electricals last week. Origo owns 4.3 per cent of HaloSource, which has invested heavily in ways to purify drinking water. And although that business currently accounts for a relatively small proportion of overall revenues, the company's finance chief James Thompson says HaloSource is focused on growing its activities in the area to capitalise on the opportunities in emerging markets such as India and China.
The rationale is straightforward. Countries like India boast an increasingly affluent urban middle class which is often wary of drinking water straight from the tap. Urban households often install water filters, and in many cases boil tap water before drinking.
HaloSource offers what it calls a breakthrough technology that doesn't simply filter out visible impurities but also purifies the water of harmful viruses and bacteria without depending on electricity. Its gravity-driven HaloPure cartridges cleanse the water of micro-organisms such as poliovirus and rotavirus, all the while boasting low operating costs.
"Purifying drinking water at very low cost has been identified by many consumer appliance OEMS [original equipment manufacturers] around the world as a major growth market opportunity," Liberum Capital said in a report ahead of the company's listing on AIM in October last year.
The technology meets both the safety and disinfection guidelines laid down by the World Health Organisation, and the standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The latter is notable, as it leaves HaloPure well placed to meet rising regulatory standards in its target markets.
"Outside of HaloPure, the principal appliances that address waterborne diseases are categorised as ultraviolet light and reverse osmosis devices," Liberum explained. "However, these devices commonly cost several hundred US dollars."
HaloPure devices, in contrast, are available in the $40 (£24) to $50 range, according to Mr Thompson, with replacement cartridges costing around $7 apiece, making them far more affordable than the alternatives. The group has made significant inroads in India, forging agreements with Bajaj and Eureka Forbes, both of whom are major players and know the local market extremely well.
The Bajaj relationship began last year, and last week's announcement marks HaloSource's second supply agreement with the group.
HaloSource will supply Bajaj with its HaloPure Waterbird gravity water purifiers, which will be branded the Bajaj XTP 21 and XTP 21 DX. The company will also supply replacement cartridges for the devices, which are expected to be launched later this month.
Although India dominates for now, the company is also targeting Brazil and is set to sell its products in China, where it is awaiting regulatory approval. Once it has all the requisite clearances, Mr Thompson says HaloSource has a number of partners in mind to roll out the products across the country.
Writers’ decked up for new regime
It's change in the air, or so it seems. When the new government takes charge, possibly next week, a new-look and decked up Writers' Buildings will welcome it. To that end, the state PWD has already started renovating the seat of power in West Bengal.
PWD secretary A R Bardhan said that they were planning for total overhaul of the secretariat. "Even the chief minister's secretariat is not in good shape. But this will be done in phases."
There will be new water purifiers and mobile phone chargers as well.
The toilets are going to have self flashing auto eye, so that the flash works automatically. In one of the toilets on the first floor, a hand dryer has been installed. Automatic shoe polishers will soon be installed in the toilets. Last year, when Italian delegates had gone to a stinking toilet, it was a loss of face for the state administration. They had come to meet the chief minister.
The chief minister's chamber will have a new look, an official said and added that the decor of the chief secretary's room had been changed. "New furnitures have been added and old telephones removed."
The rotunda meant for meetings will be given a new look and two giant screen televisions will be installed. The cabinet room on second floor will have computers and projectors along with Wi-Fi facility. There will also be space for secretarries.
The visitors room for the chief minister will also be refurbished. The sitting pattern will be realigned and the statue of Mahatma Gandhi will have a new look. PWD plans to set up a new waiting room for ministers who do not have office in Writers' Buildings.
Similarly, IAS officers posted outside Writers' will have a lounge.
PWD officials are planning to remove the stores on the ground floor, as over 3000 sq feet is used by these stores. "Store of the jail's department near Lyons' Range occupy huge space. We will remove all stalls," an official said.
Even as renovations are on, several IAS and IPS officers have asked for more space. Some officers wanted space in the VIP zone. DGP Naparajit Mukherjee recently wrote to chief secretary Samar Ghosh for additional space.
Once PWD officials know the size of the new cabinet, the finer details of the newlook secretariat could be worked out.
PWD secretary A R Bardhan said that they were planning for total overhaul of the secretariat. "Even the chief minister's secretariat is not in good shape. But this will be done in phases."
There will be new water purifiers and mobile phone chargers as well.
The toilets are going to have self flashing auto eye, so that the flash works automatically. In one of the toilets on the first floor, a hand dryer has been installed. Automatic shoe polishers will soon be installed in the toilets. Last year, when Italian delegates had gone to a stinking toilet, it was a loss of face for the state administration. They had come to meet the chief minister.
The chief minister's chamber will have a new look, an official said and added that the decor of the chief secretary's room had been changed. "New furnitures have been added and old telephones removed."
The rotunda meant for meetings will be given a new look and two giant screen televisions will be installed. The cabinet room on second floor will have computers and projectors along with Wi-Fi facility. There will also be space for secretarries.
The visitors room for the chief minister will also be refurbished. The sitting pattern will be realigned and the statue of Mahatma Gandhi will have a new look. PWD plans to set up a new waiting room for ministers who do not have office in Writers' Buildings.
Similarly, IAS officers posted outside Writers' will have a lounge.
PWD officials are planning to remove the stores on the ground floor, as over 3000 sq feet is used by these stores. "Store of the jail's department near Lyons' Range occupy huge space. We will remove all stalls," an official said.
Even as renovations are on, several IAS and IPS officers have asked for more space. Some officers wanted space in the VIP zone. DGP Naparajit Mukherjee recently wrote to chief secretary Samar Ghosh for additional space.
Once PWD officials know the size of the new cabinet, the finer details of the newlook secretariat could be worked out.
2011年5月5日星期四
Wheeze it out
Sedentary lifestyles and sugary, fast food diets have resulted in major health problems that have rocketed in the UAE and the wider Middle East. Apart from heart disease and diabetes, it’s allergies and asthma that are on the rise especially amongst schoolchildren in the country.
According to Dr Ruby Pawankar, President of the World Allergy Organisation, “Scientific studies reveal that the varying situations and the behavioural patterns linked with the so called ‘Westernised’ lifestyle are responsible for the increase in the frequency of asthma attacks amongst the general population. For example, due to stepping up our hygiene and management of infectious diseases, it is hypothesised that even the smallest exposure to contagious agents during infancy can possibly lead to the development of asthma and allergies.”
Following up on a similar train of thought, some studies have shown that exposure to markers linked with contagious and infectious agents like endotoxins, farm animals and pets can lessen the possibility of such ailments. Dietary changes among people across the board, including in pregnant women and children, over the years, as an offshoot of surplus food, have also resulted in allergies to different substances.
“Even two decades ago, we did not have such an enormous number of allergies and health problems. Today’s youngsters, especially children, are allergic to something or the other, if in one household you hear about an allergy to peanuts, elsewhere you are told the child is allergic to milk and can only have soya milk, I remember as kids we never used to have a care in the world about allergies of any sort, and simply ate and drank what we liked,” says Jwala Krishnan, a sales manager in her late thirties.
The UAE National Strategy & Action Plan for Environmental Health 2010 which was developed by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, has recommended that the country must aim to reduce pollutant levels and human exposure to pollutants, improve data quantity and availability, improve scientific understanding of environmental risks, build sustainable human and institutional capacity, support urban development that promotes environmental health and improve environmental awareness.
Dr Bassam Mahboub, Assistant Professor at Sharjah University and Head of Allergy & Respiratory Medicine at Dubai Hospital, avers that “While we don’t as yet have airborne allergies studies done in the right way, the prevalence (of asthma and allergic rhinitis) is high. People who sniff and sneeze daily usually ‘live with it’ and don’t think it’s a disease until they get sinusitis or asthma.”
Health and environment studies have found that indoor air pollutants, basically indoor allergens, like mould spores, dust-mite allergens, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, indoor generated particles and carbon monoxide can influence the respiratory system and can cause or aggravate the symptoms of asthma.
Similarly, long-term exposure to combustion related fine particulate air pollution is another significant environmental risk factor for respiratory diseases like asthma. Apart from adopting a healithier lifestyle Dr Mahboub also suggests that regular cleaning of A/C ducts and filters need to be undertaken, before the pollen season which is summer. Besides cleaning ducts and filters, he also recommends removing allergens from the air, as cleaning alone does not effectively kill germs and microbes.
Mihir Patel, CEO of Amancorp, regional distributors for Airfree, a European air purifier brand, points out that, “Air purifiers are a dime a dozen in the market, but when you choose one, make sure that it helps to remove dust-mite allergens, pet dander, pollen, mould and mildew spores. An air purifier is a household essential just like having an air conditioner or a washing machine.”
According to Joel Mayor, general manager of Saniservice, a Swiss disinfection and cleaning service company, which was also the first to be accredited by the Dubai Municipality, two things motivated Saniservice to launch its unique concept of disinfection — the lack of maintenance and service in Dubai and the awareness of the very poor indoor air quality keeping people in continuous discomfort. “We chose a medical grade bio-sanitiser with similar strength as an existing disinfectant product, but without its harmful side-effects. Not only is it eco-friendly, but ‘human-friendly’ as well,” says Mayor.
“People do recognise that they cannot live anymore in such badly maintained properties. The ducts and filters are often the tip of the iceberg, albeit being a major part of the problem; we have though, a much greater concern for the Fan Coil Unit (FCU) which is the heart of the system, where the fungi and bacteria breed freely and invade the bedrooms and living spaces.” He adds that once AC filters and ducts had been thoroughly cleaned, they need to be re-serviced only in 18 to 24 months.
Stressing the need to keep interiors well-ventilated as a matter of course, Mayor points out that insulated space are a veritable breeding ground for allergies, and lead to a complete deterioration of the indoor air quality. “Remember you are what you breathe, so choose to be responsible about your A/C units and living spaces,” he says.
According to Dr Ruby Pawankar, President of the World Allergy Organisation, “Scientific studies reveal that the varying situations and the behavioural patterns linked with the so called ‘Westernised’ lifestyle are responsible for the increase in the frequency of asthma attacks amongst the general population. For example, due to stepping up our hygiene and management of infectious diseases, it is hypothesised that even the smallest exposure to contagious agents during infancy can possibly lead to the development of asthma and allergies.”
Following up on a similar train of thought, some studies have shown that exposure to markers linked with contagious and infectious agents like endotoxins, farm animals and pets can lessen the possibility of such ailments. Dietary changes among people across the board, including in pregnant women and children, over the years, as an offshoot of surplus food, have also resulted in allergies to different substances.
“Even two decades ago, we did not have such an enormous number of allergies and health problems. Today’s youngsters, especially children, are allergic to something or the other, if in one household you hear about an allergy to peanuts, elsewhere you are told the child is allergic to milk and can only have soya milk, I remember as kids we never used to have a care in the world about allergies of any sort, and simply ate and drank what we liked,” says Jwala Krishnan, a sales manager in her late thirties.
The UAE National Strategy & Action Plan for Environmental Health 2010 which was developed by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, has recommended that the country must aim to reduce pollutant levels and human exposure to pollutants, improve data quantity and availability, improve scientific understanding of environmental risks, build sustainable human and institutional capacity, support urban development that promotes environmental health and improve environmental awareness.
Dr Bassam Mahboub, Assistant Professor at Sharjah University and Head of Allergy & Respiratory Medicine at Dubai Hospital, avers that “While we don’t as yet have airborne allergies studies done in the right way, the prevalence (of asthma and allergic rhinitis) is high. People who sniff and sneeze daily usually ‘live with it’ and don’t think it’s a disease until they get sinusitis or asthma.”
Health and environment studies have found that indoor air pollutants, basically indoor allergens, like mould spores, dust-mite allergens, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, indoor generated particles and carbon monoxide can influence the respiratory system and can cause or aggravate the symptoms of asthma.
Similarly, long-term exposure to combustion related fine particulate air pollution is another significant environmental risk factor for respiratory diseases like asthma. Apart from adopting a healithier lifestyle Dr Mahboub also suggests that regular cleaning of A/C ducts and filters need to be undertaken, before the pollen season which is summer. Besides cleaning ducts and filters, he also recommends removing allergens from the air, as cleaning alone does not effectively kill germs and microbes.
Mihir Patel, CEO of Amancorp, regional distributors for Airfree, a European air purifier brand, points out that, “Air purifiers are a dime a dozen in the market, but when you choose one, make sure that it helps to remove dust-mite allergens, pet dander, pollen, mould and mildew spores. An air purifier is a household essential just like having an air conditioner or a washing machine.”
According to Joel Mayor, general manager of Saniservice, a Swiss disinfection and cleaning service company, which was also the first to be accredited by the Dubai Municipality, two things motivated Saniservice to launch its unique concept of disinfection — the lack of maintenance and service in Dubai and the awareness of the very poor indoor air quality keeping people in continuous discomfort. “We chose a medical grade bio-sanitiser with similar strength as an existing disinfectant product, but without its harmful side-effects. Not only is it eco-friendly, but ‘human-friendly’ as well,” says Mayor.
“People do recognise that they cannot live anymore in such badly maintained properties. The ducts and filters are often the tip of the iceberg, albeit being a major part of the problem; we have though, a much greater concern for the Fan Coil Unit (FCU) which is the heart of the system, where the fungi and bacteria breed freely and invade the bedrooms and living spaces.” He adds that once AC filters and ducts had been thoroughly cleaned, they need to be re-serviced only in 18 to 24 months.
Stressing the need to keep interiors well-ventilated as a matter of course, Mayor points out that insulated space are a veritable breeding ground for allergies, and lead to a complete deterioration of the indoor air quality. “Remember you are what you breathe, so choose to be responsible about your A/C units and living spaces,” he says.
Workers Re-enter Reactor at Japan's Crippled Nuclear Plant
Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant entered the number one reactor building on Thursday for the first time since an explosion ripped through it on March 12. The workers are building a air purification system that should aid further recovery work.
Until Thursday, nuclear workers had been sending remote-controlled robots into the building to check for damage and measure radiation.
The robots found levels as high as 49 milliSieverts per hour - so high that a worker would hit their annual limit in just five hours inside the building.
The danger meant Thursday's work began under severe safety limitations, says Tokyo Electric Power Spokesman Junichi Matsumoto.
Matsumoto says two workers entered the building at 11:32 on Thursday morning. They made up a team of 12 people, each of whom had their time in the building limited to 10 minutes because of the highly radioactive environment.
They were sent in wearing protective suits, masks and air tanks similar to those used by firefighters.
Thursday's work involves laying ducts that will be used to suck air into a purifier in a neighboring building. The machine should remove radioactive substances from the air, which will then be pumped back into the reactor building through additional ducts.
It should take about three days for the system to bring the radiation levels down to a point where staff can enter the building to conduct other work.
That means checks on pipes and valves used in the water cooling system could begin as early as Sunday.
Tokyo Electric Power wants to restart the system as soon as possible, to reduce the need to pump in large amounts of water from outside.
The plant operator also wants to install and calibrate a new reactor water level gauge, so it can better monitor water levels around the fuel rods in the reactor core.
Until Thursday, nuclear workers had been sending remote-controlled robots into the building to check for damage and measure radiation.
The robots found levels as high as 49 milliSieverts per hour - so high that a worker would hit their annual limit in just five hours inside the building.
The danger meant Thursday's work began under severe safety limitations, says Tokyo Electric Power Spokesman Junichi Matsumoto.
Matsumoto says two workers entered the building at 11:32 on Thursday morning. They made up a team of 12 people, each of whom had their time in the building limited to 10 minutes because of the highly radioactive environment.
They were sent in wearing protective suits, masks and air tanks similar to those used by firefighters.
Thursday's work involves laying ducts that will be used to suck air into a purifier in a neighboring building. The machine should remove radioactive substances from the air, which will then be pumped back into the reactor building through additional ducts.
It should take about three days for the system to bring the radiation levels down to a point where staff can enter the building to conduct other work.
That means checks on pipes and valves used in the water cooling system could begin as early as Sunday.
Tokyo Electric Power wants to restart the system as soon as possible, to reduce the need to pump in large amounts of water from outside.
The plant operator also wants to install and calibrate a new reactor water level gauge, so it can better monitor water levels around the fuel rods in the reactor core.
Hunter Fan Company Launches Revolutionary Air Filtration System
Hunter Fan Company, the world's original ceiling fan manufacturer, announced today the launch of the Total Air Sanitizer, the world's only portable air purifier that effectively captures and kills living biological pollutants and viruses.
Addressing a growing worldwide concern over air safety and cleanliness, Hunter developed the Total Air Sanitizer in order to provide customers with a reliable alternative to UV or UV-C air purifiers, which often do not expose all germs and viruses to the concentration of light intended to kill them. The Total Air Sanitizer uses new technology patented exclusively by Hunter to add an electric current to the HEPA air filter that kills bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi while capturing and removing dust, pollen, pet dander and other allergens from the air during any season.
The Total Air Sanitizer captures more than 99.9 percent of airborne particles and applies a charge throughout its one-of-a-kind HEPA filter that "traps and zaps" germs and viruses on the spot. In some rooms or homes, the Total Air Sanitizer may provide a noticeable improvement in air quality in as little as one hour of use.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned with the quality of air that they breathe," said Jim Gallman, vice president at Hunter. "Families want to feel safe breathing the air in their own home. Hunter is meeting their needs by providing a portable sanitizer that not only purifies the air from common allergens that cause irritation and discomfort, but also kills harmful viruses that may lead to serious illness."
Addressing a growing worldwide concern over air safety and cleanliness, Hunter developed the Total Air Sanitizer in order to provide customers with a reliable alternative to UV or UV-C air purifiers, which often do not expose all germs and viruses to the concentration of light intended to kill them. The Total Air Sanitizer uses new technology patented exclusively by Hunter to add an electric current to the HEPA air filter that kills bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi while capturing and removing dust, pollen, pet dander and other allergens from the air during any season.
The Total Air Sanitizer captures more than 99.9 percent of airborne particles and applies a charge throughout its one-of-a-kind HEPA filter that "traps and zaps" germs and viruses on the spot. In some rooms or homes, the Total Air Sanitizer may provide a noticeable improvement in air quality in as little as one hour of use.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned with the quality of air that they breathe," said Jim Gallman, vice president at Hunter. "Families want to feel safe breathing the air in their own home. Hunter is meeting their needs by providing a portable sanitizer that not only purifies the air from common allergens that cause irritation and discomfort, but also kills harmful viruses that may lead to serious illness."
2011年5月2日星期一
Hunter Fan Company Launches Revolutionary Air Filtration System
Addressing a growing worldwide concern over air safety and cleanliness, Hunter developed the Total Air Sanitizer in order to provide customers with a reliable alternative to UV or UV-C air purifiers, which often do not expose all germs and viruses to the concentration of light intended to kill them. The Total Air Sanitizer uses new technology patented exclusively by Hunter to add an electric current to the HEPA air filter that kills bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi while capturing and removing dust, pollen, pet dander and other allergens from the air during any season.
The Total Air Sanitizer captures more than 99.9 percent of airborne particles and applies a charge throughout its one-of-a-kind HEPA filter that "traps and zaps" germs and viruses on the spot. In some rooms or homes, the Total Air Sanitizer may provide a noticeable improvement in air quality in as little as one hour of use.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned with the quality of air that they breathe," said Jim Gallman, vice president at Hunter. "Families want to feel safe breathing the air in their own home. Hunter is meeting their needs by providing a portable sanitizer that not only purifies the air from common allergens that cause irritation and discomfort, but also kills harmful viruses that may lead to serious illness."
More than 60 million Americans suffer from severe allergies or asthma, and the number of individuals who suffer from seasonal allergies has nearly doubled over the past 15 years, according to industry research and published reports. Priced competitively at $249, the Total Air Sanitizer benefits individuals who are at a higher risk for allergy-related illnesses, as well as anyone else who wants cleaner air in the home or office.
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Hunter Fan Co. is the world's original ceiling fan manufacturer. Today, the company also manufactures high-performance air purifiers, low-maintenance humidifiers, portable fans and energy-saving thermostats. Hunter fans and other product lines are available in retail showrooms, home centers and discount stores nationwide.
The Total Air Sanitizer captures more than 99.9 percent of airborne particles and applies a charge throughout its one-of-a-kind HEPA filter that "traps and zaps" germs and viruses on the spot. In some rooms or homes, the Total Air Sanitizer may provide a noticeable improvement in air quality in as little as one hour of use.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned with the quality of air that they breathe," said Jim Gallman, vice president at Hunter. "Families want to feel safe breathing the air in their own home. Hunter is meeting their needs by providing a portable sanitizer that not only purifies the air from common allergens that cause irritation and discomfort, but also kills harmful viruses that may lead to serious illness."
More than 60 million Americans suffer from severe allergies or asthma, and the number of individuals who suffer from seasonal allergies has nearly doubled over the past 15 years, according to industry research and published reports. Priced competitively at $249, the Total Air Sanitizer benefits individuals who are at a higher risk for allergy-related illnesses, as well as anyone else who wants cleaner air in the home or office.
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Hunter Fan Co. is the world's original ceiling fan manufacturer. Today, the company also manufactures high-performance air purifiers, low-maintenance humidifiers, portable fans and energy-saving thermostats. Hunter fans and other product lines are available in retail showrooms, home centers and discount stores nationwide.
Air decontamination to begin at stricken nuclear plant
Tokyo - Workers in protective suits and equipped with oxygen tanks were preparing late Monday to install air decontamination equipment at a quake-damaged turbine building in north-eastern Japan.
The machines were hoped to reduce radioactivity inside reactor 1 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and allow workers access to repair the cooling system, operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said Monday.
The staff installing the air purifiers will be the first people inside the building since a hydrogen explosion on March 12.
The plant has been releasing radioactive substances into the air and sea since a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami hit the plant on March 11.
The four purifiers will be ready by Thursday, and should remove 95 per cent of the radioactive substances in the air of the turbine building, TEPCO was quoted as saying by Jiji press agency.
Last week, remote-controlled robots found radiation levels in the pump room of 1,120 millisieverts per hour, the operator said, indicating a possible leak from the reactor core.
The maximum radiation exposure allowed for male nuclear workers is 250 millisieverts over the course of a year.
Meanwhile, local officials in Koriyama City, 50 kilometres west of the plant, said they found sewage sludge containing 26,400 becquerels of radioactive caesium per kilogram, Jiji Press reported citing local government officials.
Slag at the plant, made from reduced sewage, had 334,000 becquerels per kilogram, Jiji said.
The caesium could have been released by explosions and fires at the nuclear plant after the quake and tsunami, and been washed into the sewage system by rain, the officials were quoted as saying.
Fukushima prefecture suspended the plant's supplies of processed sludge to a cement company on Sunday, although 500 tons have been delivered for recycling since the start of the nuclear crisis.
Local officials were to examine other treatment facilities in the prefecture, Jiji reported.
Also Monday, fears of a possible leak from another nuclear plant in central Japan proved groundless after an inspection by the Japan Atomic Power Co at its Tsurunga plant.
But it was considering closing reactor 2 at the plant because of technical problems, said the company, which plans to add two more reactors at the plant.
Fukui Prefecture, on the north coast of central Japan, has a total of 13 nuclear power reactors in operation at its plants along the seaboard.
The machines were hoped to reduce radioactivity inside reactor 1 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and allow workers access to repair the cooling system, operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said Monday.
The staff installing the air purifiers will be the first people inside the building since a hydrogen explosion on March 12.
The plant has been releasing radioactive substances into the air and sea since a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami hit the plant on March 11.
The four purifiers will be ready by Thursday, and should remove 95 per cent of the radioactive substances in the air of the turbine building, TEPCO was quoted as saying by Jiji press agency.
Last week, remote-controlled robots found radiation levels in the pump room of 1,120 millisieverts per hour, the operator said, indicating a possible leak from the reactor core.
The maximum radiation exposure allowed for male nuclear workers is 250 millisieverts over the course of a year.
Meanwhile, local officials in Koriyama City, 50 kilometres west of the plant, said they found sewage sludge containing 26,400 becquerels of radioactive caesium per kilogram, Jiji Press reported citing local government officials.
Slag at the plant, made from reduced sewage, had 334,000 becquerels per kilogram, Jiji said.
The caesium could have been released by explosions and fires at the nuclear plant after the quake and tsunami, and been washed into the sewage system by rain, the officials were quoted as saying.
Fukushima prefecture suspended the plant's supplies of processed sludge to a cement company on Sunday, although 500 tons have been delivered for recycling since the start of the nuclear crisis.
Local officials were to examine other treatment facilities in the prefecture, Jiji reported.
Also Monday, fears of a possible leak from another nuclear plant in central Japan proved groundless after an inspection by the Japan Atomic Power Co at its Tsurunga plant.
But it was considering closing reactor 2 at the plant because of technical problems, said the company, which plans to add two more reactors at the plant.
Fukui Prefecture, on the north coast of central Japan, has a total of 13 nuclear power reactors in operation at its plants along the seaboard.
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