Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has received an order for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) of a hydrogen fluoride production plant, including utility facilities in Hibikinada Oceanfront Industrial Park in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The order is from Mexichem Fluor Japan Ltd., the Japanese entity of Mexichem Fluor, S.A.de C.V. (Koura), a global corporation involved in raw fluorinated materials and the production of fluorine compounds.
hydrogen fluoride supply chain
This is a joint project between Mexichem Fluor Japan and Sojitz Corporation, a general trading company. Hydrogen fluoride will be produced from sources Mexican fluorspar from Koura, an Orbia business with the aim of building a framework for a reliable supply of fluorine compounds in Japan. The project was selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Program for Promoting Investment in Japan to Strengthen Supply Chains” (Round 3).
Fluorine compounds made from hydrogen fluoride are an essential component in semiconductor production and lithium ion batteries. They are also used for industrial purposes, including medicine and digital communication which are growing industries. As a result, demand is expected to grow both domestically and overseas in future. Currently, Japanese industries are dependent on imports for fluorine raw materials, and this project is expected to help strengthen Japan’s domestic supply chain and enable the reliable growth of domestic industries for fluorinated products.
MHI received this order in recognition of its long track record in the production of chemical plants and because its proposal reflected a wealth of knowledge and know-how in high-performance chemical products. MHI Group will continue to build a presence in the chemical production plant market both, domestically and overseas, as well as working on initiatives and supplying products that meet the needs of the current era and society to contribute to the development of global industries and the building of a sustainable society.
About Mexichem Fluor, S.A.de C.V. (Koura)
Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions business Koura is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of fluoroproducts that play a fundamental role in enhancing everyday lives and shortening the path to a sustainable, circular economy. Backed by over 35 years of experience, Koura’s products are used in a vast range of applications including electric vehicles and energy storage, urban and rural infrastructure, indoor climate management, food and medicine refrigeration and even in treating respiratory conditions through the development of healthy and innovative low-GWP propellants for metered-dose inhalers. Koura has 1,600 employees and 13 manufacturing facilities worldwide, serving 60 countries through a global sales and distribution network.
About Mexichem Fluor Japan Ltd.
Mexichem Fluor Japan is Koura’s Japanese entity, producing and selling fluorinated refrigerants in Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations. For details, see https://ssl.mexichemfluor.co.jp/.
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.
The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has been popular among the local public and tourists. The number of visitors has reached a new high since its reopening after a major renovation in 2019 and the HKMoA welcomed its 2,000,000th visitor today (August 12).
To mark this extraordinary moment, the HKMoA arranged some special souvenirs which were presented by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, and an exclusive and guided tour by the Museum Director of the HKMoA, Dr Maria Mok, for the 2,000,000th visitor. The 2,000,000th visitor is Mrs Koyanagi from Tokyo, Japan. She has been to Hong Kong many times with her husband. The couple revisits Hong Kong again three years after the pandemic. This is their first visit to the HKMoA. They both love art and are particularly interested in Chinese calligraphy.
Established in 1962, the HKMoA is the first public art museum in Hong Kong and the custodian of an art collection of over 18,800 sets of items. By curating a wide world of contrasts, from old to new, Chinese to Western, local to international, with a Hong Kong viewpoint, the museum aspires to refreshing ways of looking at tradition and making art relevant to everyone, creating new experiences and understanding. The HKMoA was reopened to the public on November 30, 2019, after a major renovation and expansion since 2015. The expanded museum with modern architectural features has become one of Hong Kong’s cultural landmarks and a popular tourist attraction. It is listed as one of the world’s top 100 most popular art museums in 2021 by “The Art Newspaper”.
The HKMoA has a rich collection that represents the artistic legacy of Hong Kong and beyond. Over the years, the museum has received multiple precious donations from private collectors, reflecting that the mission of the HKMoA as a cultural guardian is well recognised by local collectors and artists. The museum has received over 1,500 donations since its reopening in 2019. In addition to the four core collections namely Modern and Hong Kong Art, Chinese Antiquities, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, and China Trade Art, the HKMoA collaborates with overseas renowned museums, bringing world-class art collections to Hong Kong for the appreciation of local residents and tourists. Examples of highly acclaimed exhibitions included “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Botticelli and His Times – Masterworks from the Uffizi”, “Mythologies: Surrealism and Beyond – Masterpieces from Centre Pompidou”, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Road to the Baroque – Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum” and “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Joan Miró – The Poetry of Everyday Life”.
The museum’s attendance has scaled new heights since the easing of the epidemic and the resumption of travel. The HKMoA welcomed over 8,500 visitors on April 30, during the first Labour Day Golden Week after the pandemic. The highest single-day attendance was recorded again on July 1, the HKSAR Establishment Day, with over 16,000 visitors in a single day.
In the past few years, the HKMoA’s new identity and branding image has received recognition from the public and different sectors. Apart from receiving the Silver Award in the assorted promotional item category and the Bronze Award in the logo category at the HKDA Global Design Award 2021 organised by the Hong Kong Designers Association, the museum, out of 104 public cultural spaces spanning 16 cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and coming in with around 450,000 votes, won The Most vibrant Public Cultural Space Award in 2022 organised by the Public Culture and Sports Development Center Futian Shenzhen. On public service, the HKMoA was awarded the Meritorious Award of Excellence in Team Collaboration (General Service) in the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award Scheme 2022.
The HKMoA will continue to spare no efforts in fulfilling its mission, serving as a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures to facilitate Hong Kong’s fulfilment of its positioning as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. For details of the HKMoA’s new exhibitions, please visit the museum’s website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/home.html, Instagram at www.instagram.com/hkmoa/ and Facebook at www.facebook.com/hkmoa/.
B.Duck Semk Holdings International Limited (“B.Duck Semk”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, stock code: 2250.HK), the largest domestic character Intellectual Property (IP) company in China engaged in the provision of licensing services, design consultation services and retailing of licensed brand products of its original B.Duck family characters, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (“PIF”) on 28 July 2023. According to the MoU, the Group will collaborate with PIF Asia Division in the form of investment, project and brand development. The total investment amount, which will be wholly funded by PIF, is estimated to be US$250 million (equivalent to approximately HK$1.96 billion).
Mr. Hui Ha Lam, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B.Duck Semk, said: “We are honored to have entered into the MoU with PIF Asia Division, one of the largest and most influential sovereign wealth funds in the world, and we are grateful for the recognition from PIF Asia Division. As the largest domestic character IP in China, we are experienced in the character licensing business and IP management. With PIF’s financial support and its extensive network and resource advantages in around the world, we believe the cooperation will create synergies leveraging the respective strengths of both parties, allowing us to seize the immense opportunities in the Southeast Asia and Middle East IP market and achieve mutual success.”
PIF is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with asset under management amounting to US$620 billion at present. Driven by Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ national transformation program, the share of PIF’s overseas investment has been increasing and is expected to reach 50% by 2030. In recent years, PIF has been actively investing in China, selecting projects that are leaders in the respective industries and innovation, and have growth potential in their industries, assisting the invested companies in achieving industry consolidation. PIF’s global investment remit is wide, including but not limited to communication technology, real estate, financial services, gaming, e-sports and leisure consumption. Such corporate network and resources are crucial for B.Duck Semk to enter global markets. Through the cooperation with PIF Asia Division, the Group can also benefit from the strategic advantages to accelerate its new market development.
According to the MoU, PIF Asia Division plans to invest in the Group in three aspects: firstly, it intends to provide US$50 million in financing to the Group, by way of project financing, subscription of convertible securities , and other means with a period of five years; secondly, it plans to invest in the Group’s expansion in overseas entertainment and tourism projects, including the joint development of B.Duck entertainment parks and hotels, with an investment amount of US$200 million; and thirdly, it plans to serve as the brand agent of B.Duck IP in the Middle East region.
With the global pandemic abating and economic activities recovering, physical entertainment activities and the IP cultural and tourism have become the key development focuses of the Group. PIF Asia Division plans to invest US$200 million in the Group’s overseas entertainment and tourism projects. In addition to the Middle East, the parties plan to jointly develop the B.Duck theme entertainment parks and hotels in Thailand and Southeast Asia, further enhancing B.Duck’s brand influence and IP market penetration in these markets. In fact, the Group has already established a solid business foundation in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. It has recently established a subsidiary in Thailand, which focuses on operating an e-commerce and licensing business there.
According to a market survey, Thailand’s e-commerce market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 23% over the next three years, reflecting accelerated growth speed as well as significant business opportunities. At present, Thailand is B.Duck Semk’s largest overseas licensing region. The Group plans to export its own e-commerce business and domestic products developed by licensing customers to Thailand first, and strives to replicate its successful domestic business model in the Southeast Asia market. On this basis, the Group plans to invest more resources in location-based entertainment licensing projects, such as theme entertainment parks and hotels in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The cooperation with PIF allows the Group to increase the coverage of B.Duck IP, and achieve the strategic development goals of quickly expanding fan base and accelerating monetization momentum.
In addition, a market survey had shown that the total retail sales of character licensing products worldwide in 2022 amounted to approximately HK$2,663.5 billion, of which more than 60% were licensed products in North America, and only 1% in the Middle East and Africa, demonstrating strong growth potential in the Middle East market. As the largest domestic character IP licensing company in China, B.Duck Semk has high brand awareness, with more than 20 million subscribers or followers worldwide, and over 1 billion views of all kinds of content related to the B.Duck family characters. The Group also has strong capability in character design and a mature character licensing business model. So far, it has launched more than 1,200 style guides and more than 36,000 SKUs. Through expansion into the Middle East IP market, the management strongly believes that the Group can give full play to its leading advantages and become the “leading force” in exporting Chinese IPs overseas. PIF Asia Division ‘s significant investment in the Group has provided impetus to the Group’s long-term vision of demonstrating the soft power of Chinese culture to the world.
Mr. Hui concluded, “We will strive to explore this new market and create new opportunities, and PIF will be an important strategic partner for B.Duck Semk to enter the Middle East market for the first time. Going forward, the Group’s development blueprint for the next three years will center on ‘refining our workmanship, strengthening our position’. Through ‘horizontal’ and ‘vertical’ initiatives, we will strive to achieve resource integration and synergies with upstream and downstream players and industry peers. Vertically, the Group will actively develop cross-border e-commerce, fully integrate online – offline businesses, and increase market channels. Horizontally, the Group will expand its high-quality IP matrix via its own development and incubation efforts, acquisitions, engagement with licensing agents, etc. Overall, the group will expand the channels and scenes related to IP operations and actively deploy funds from this financing to establish a strong presence in various fields such as theme parks, pop toys, gaming, and cultural tourism. We believe the cooperation with PIF Asia Division will be an extremely important milestone to press toward the strategic goal of becoming ‘a high-quality integrated IP company’.”
About B.Duck Semk Holdings International Limited B.Duck Semk Holdings International Limited (stock code: 2250.HK) is the largest domestic character IP company in China engaged in the provision of licensing services, design consultation services and retail of brand products of its self-created B.Duck family characters. With strong in-house artistic design capabilities, B.Duck Semk has developed and nurtured a proprietary portfolio of approximately 25 self-created characters created under the motto of “Be Playful”. B.Duck family characters had recorded in aggregate more than 20 million subscriptions or follows by B.Duck fans on various e-commerce platforms and social networking platforms, and over 1 billion views of all kinds of content related to the B.Duck family characters.
According to the “Top Brand Licensing Agents 2023” report published by License Global, B.Duck Semk has achieved approximately US$500 million in retail sales for its original and the licensed brands represented by B.Duck Semk, ranking 21st globally. B.Duck Semk has received the “Asian Property of the Year” awards by Licensing International from 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as the “China Property of the Year” award in 2021.
Media Enquiries: Strategic Financial Relations Limited Heidi So Tel: (852) 2864 4826 Email: heidi.so@sprg.com.hk Rachel Ko Tel: (852) 2114 2370 Email: rachel.ko@sprg.com.hk Maggie Ko Tel: (852) 2864 4890 Email: maggie.ko@sprg.com.hk Website: www.sprg.com.hk
Vantiva places in the Top 1% of companies worldwide assessed by EcoVadis and earns a Platinum Medal for the second consecutive year. Vantiva also ranks in the Top 2% of companies worldwide and third in “Communication Equipment” by S&P Global.
PARIS – June 1, 2023 – PRLog — Vantiva (Euronext Paris: VANTI; OTC Pink: TCLRY), formerly known as Technicolor and a global technology leader in creating innovations that connect people to the content and services they need at home and at work, has received the highest honors from EcoVadis and S&P Global for its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).
EcoVadis, one of the world’s leading CSR rating agencies, awarded its highest honor, the Platinum Medal, to Vantiva. This honor ranks Vantiva in the top 1% of companies worldwide rated by the agency, regardless of size or industry. This is the second year in a row that Vantiva has received this distinction from EcoVadis, with a two-point increase in its score over the past year following Gold Medals in the three years prior to that. EcoVadis is based on four categories of criteria: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
Vantiva also moved up in the S&P Global score and ranking with an ESG rating of 65/100, up 8 points (March 17, 2023 score). Vantiva now ranks in the top 2% worldwide in its category (communications equipment sector), up from the top 10% in 2022. Vantiva ranks third among companies in its sector, and first in the environmental category with the highest score. The panel studied by S&P Global’s extra-financial department includes no less than 112 global companies. The rating is based on the audit of numerous criteria in three areas: environment, social and governance.
“This is a great source of pride for all of us at Vantiva, who work hard every day to make our company a responsible player that is aware of the challenges facing present and future generations of all its stakeholders,” says Luis Martinez-Amago, Vantiva’s CEO.
“These major awards from EcoVadis and S&P Global once again crown more than 15 years of effort, especially in decarbonizing our supply and lowering the energy consumption of our products and sites,” says Olga Damiron, Chief People and Talent Officer, Executive Vice President of CSR and Corporate General Counsel of the Group.
In addition, Vantiva submitted its SBTi (Science Based Target initiative) roadmap in early 2023, with the goal of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 57% by 2027. In addition, for Scope 3, Vantiva has committed to reducing the end-use emissions intensity, in terms of kilograms of CO2 emitted per unit sold of Connected Home products, by 30% by 2030.
Finally, Vantiva remains attentive to the safety of its employees and records a 27.4% decrease in its workplace accident rate(1), from 0.95 in 2021 to 0.69. The rate of occupational accidents and illnesses with lost time(2) is stable at 0.42, compared with 0.43 in 2021.
(1) The occupational injury and disease rate is equal to the number of occupational injuries and diseases per 200,000 hours worked. (2) The lost-time injury rate is equal to the number of lost-time injuries and occupational diseases per 200,000 hours worked.
About VANTIVA Pushing the Edge
VANTIVA shares are admitted to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Paris (VANTI) and are tradable in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADR) in the United States on the OTC Pink market (TCLRY).
VANTIVA, formerly known as Technicolor, is headquartered in Paris, France. It is an independent company which is a global technology leader in designing, developing and supplying innovative products and solutions that connect consumers around the world to the content and services they love – whether at home, at work or in other smart spaces. VANTIVA has also earned a solid reputation for optimizing supply chain performance by leveraging its decades-long expertise in high-precision manufacturing, logistics, fulfillment and distribution. With operations throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA, VANTIVA is recognized as a strategic partner by leading firms across various vertical industries, including network service providers, software companies and video game creators for over 25 years. The group’s relationships with the film and entertainment industry goes back over 100 years by providing end-to-end solutions for its clients.
VANTIVA is committed to the highest standards of corporate social responsibility and sustainability across all aspects of their operations.
For more information, please visit https://www.vantiva.com/ and follow VANTIVA on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has received a follow-up order from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) for an additional 8 two-car trains (16 cars) for the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT)(1) used on the Sengkang Punggol Light Rapid Transit (SPLRT)(2) network. The additional order, which was received jointly with MHI’s regional subsidiary Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (MHI-AP), is part of the project to enhance the SPLRT’s capacity received in January 2022(3).
Sengkang-Punggol LRT
The specifications of the newly ordered cars will be enhanced for improved operation and maintenance (O&M) efficiency to meet LTA’s needs, but will continue to feature the original exterior design which is harmonized with the Sengkang and Punggol districts’ landscapes.
In conjunction with this project, MHI Group has previously taken orders for 17 two-car trains (34 cars) as well as comprehensive upgrade work on the signaling system, guideway system and vehicle maintenance equipment for major expansion of the existing rolling stock depot. The cars and all systems delivered by MHI Group for the LRT’s inauguration in 2003 were acclaimed for their high reliability, and over the succeeding two decades, the Company has consistently been engaged to undertake system retrofitting, expand the rolling stock depot, and provide a wide range of after-sales services.
The SPLRT network connects two stations on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) North East Line (Sengkang and Punggol stations) with their respective residential areas. Its transport capacity is undergoing expansion in order to accommodate the growing use of its branch lines, given local population growth in recent years.
“Over the past two decades, we have supported Singapore’s LTA in providing convenient and dependable transportation services by supplying the Sengkang Punggol LRT system with highly reliable trains and providing a wide range of after-sales services. This includes the establishment of our regional Technical Service Center in Singapore in 2021 to provide more timely, localized services and long-term technical support,” Kenji Terasawa, CEO and Head of Engineering Solutions, said. “We are honored to contribute to this expansion project and look forward to continuing our partnership with LTA to provide safe and reliable transportation for people in Singapore.”
Effective April 1, MHI’s business operations have been integrated with those formerly performed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (MHIENG). Going forward, MHI will continue to draw on its superior record in deliveries of AGT systems across the globe, its proven project management capabilities, and its abundant knowledge and expertise to provide solutions to diverse regional challenges, aiming to drive economic development and enhance transport convenience. Moreover, MHI will continue supplying safe and low-carbon transport solutions that will help support economic development and provide better convenience to people in Singapore and countries around the world.
(1) An Automated Guideway Transit system operates fully automatically on electric power. Use of rubber tires results in a smooth and quiet ride. (2) Conventionally, LRT is used as the abbreviation of “Light Rail Transit,” but in the case of Singapore’s Sengkang Punggol LRT, the “R” refers to “Rapid” in accordance with that network’s high-speed operation. (3) For project details, refer to the following press release: www.mhi.com/news/220217.html
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.
