Japan’s b-ex Shares Sustainability Initiatives In Beauty Industry At WBS 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Tokyo-headquartered b-ex Inc is the first Japanese company that participated in the World Biodiversity Summit (WBS), presenting its sustainability initiatives in the beauty industry, in New York, the United States, on Sept 21.

Represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Toshihiro Fukui, the company introduced its efforts towards a decarbonised society, such as modal shifts in product transportation and reductions in plastic usage for packaging.

Additionally, b-ex also expressed its commitment to working alongside hair salons to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to strive towards becoming the "Asia's No.1 Professional & Clean Beauty Company Group".

Fukui said it is an honour to have participated in the WBS as a Japanese company for the first time and to have had the opportunity to speak.

“Sustainability initiatives are becoming inseparable from the management of beauty salons. b-ex aims not only to provide products but also to support the sustainable management of hair salons in the future, thereby leading the reduction of carbon emissions in the beauty industry.

“We are determined to work together as one team to overcome all challenges and aspire for our actions to serve as a catalyst not only for the beauty industry but also for broader societal changes in Japan,” he said in a statement.

This event, held in conjunction with the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78), is an international conference organised by the World Climate Foundation (WCF), focused on biodiversity conservation and fostering public-private dialogues.

The first edition of this conference took place in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021. The third edition in this year has brought together approximately 200 stakeholders from companies and organisations worldwide in New York.

b-ex Inc primary business is the development and sale of professional products for beauty salons and consumer channels.

-- BERNAMA

SoftBank To Grow Global IoT Business In APAC

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- SoftBank Corp announced it will launch a full-fledged expansion of its global Internet of Things (IoT) business in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region from October 2023.

SoftBank Senior Vice President responsible for the global business, Daichi Nozaki said: “While we have been providing IoT services primarily in Japan and contributing to the DX of various industries there, going forward we will collaborate with strong business partners like 1NCE and leverage our expertise gained in the Japan market to fully establish ourselves in APAC.”

According to a statement, in this sales expansion that spans 19 countries and regions, including Japan, SoftBank will focus on marketing IoT services, mainly the “1NCE IoT Flat Rate,” an affordable global IoT connectivity service from German company 1NCE GmbH, to enterprise customers.

SoftBank aims to acquire a total two million 1NCE IoT Flat Rate connections in APAC and other regions within the 2025 fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026.

In line with its “Beyond Carrier” growth strategy, SoftBank is expanding beyond its core telecommunications business to create new businesses in a wide range of industries, and it is promoting digital transformation (DX) across different industry sectors.

In the IoT business field, SoftBank took an equity stake in 1NCE GmbH in April 2022, and signed an agreement to exclusively market the company’s 1NCE IoT Flat Rate in 19 APAC markets.

The 1NCE IoT Flat Rate is available at a remarkably low price, and at no additional cost, customers can also roam on 1NCE's global network of more than 160 countries and regions, with the service’s convenience being well received by enterprise customers.

Leveraging its existing locations in APAC (comprising 22 locations in nine countries and regions), SoftBank will quadruple its IoT salesforce, launch a dedicated online IoT shop in partnership with 1NCE and strengthen advertising and other marketing initiatives in the region.

Utilising its IoT platform, SoftBank will also propose solutions related to smart meters and work to further expand its global IoT business, build a wide-ranging support framework to solve problems various industries are facing in their respective countries and regions.

Starting with its global IoT business, SoftBank will take measures to expand its global business, primarily in the APAC region, and promote its “Beyond Japan” initiative.

-- BERNAMA

NIKKISO CLEAN ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL GASES GROUP EXTENDS UNITED STATES OPERATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group) has acquired full ownership of its facility in Murrieta, California, United States and 16.4 acres of land to expand its manufacturing and testing operations.

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Chief Executive Officer, Peter Wagner said the hydrogen economy is accelerating as the energy transition progresses, and Nikkiso has a large role to play.

“This facility expansion allows us to scale operations and better support global demand for our state-of-the-art cryogenic products and technologies,” he said in a statement.

The expansion will add four hydrogen testing stations on site to support the Group’s growing hydrogen business.

Currently the Group builds and tests cryogenic vaporisers, heat exchangers, process skids, air separation units, and liquefaction products.

A part of Nikkiso Co Ltd in Japan, the Group is headquartered in Southern California with facilities, offices, and service centres worldwide to manufacture and service engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment and process plants for industrial gases, natural gas liquefaction (LNG), hydrogen liquefaction, ammonia, as well as carbon capture and liquefaction.

-- BERNAMA

THAILAND TOPS FAMILY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN ASIA - 12GO

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Thailand ranked first in the list of the most favoured destinations by family travellers for summer 2023, according to 12Go, an online travel agency primarily based in and serving the Asian travel market by selling tickets online for buses, ferries and trains.

According to 12Go in a statement, the analysis showed the 10 countries in Asia that have been favoured among its travellers, and the list includes travel insights about top destinations in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Thailand secures first place, with Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Koh Samui emerge as the prime family vacation destinations.

Meanwhile, Indonesia grabs second place with Sanur, Nusa Penida and Gili Islands, while Vietnam takes third place with its captivating trio of Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ninh Binh.

The Philippines who came in fourth showcases popular family destinations such as Bohol, Cebu and Manila, and in fifth place is Malaysia with its trio of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Pahang.

Cambodia claims sixth place with Phnom Penh and Siem Reap; seventh place goes to India, with the iconic cities of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi; and Sri Lanka claims the eighth spot, featuring popular places for summer travel, including Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

Ninth place belongs to Japan, presenting the dynamic cities of Tokyo and Kyoto and rounding off the list is the vibrant city-state of Singapore.

The list was based on the comprehensive ticket data gathered by the company. Analysing the tickets sold throughout the year, 12Go identified the travel destinations that resonated the most with the customers.

12Go's top ten family travel destinations are amazing sources for enriching experiences, memorable adventures and family time.

-- BERNAMA

GAME CHANGER: XSOLLA WEB SHOP FUELS 40 OF TOP 100 MOBILE GAMES

Xsolla Web Shop (Graphic: Business Wire)

 KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Video game commerce company, Xsolla has shared insights that 40 of the top 100 mobile games have launched their Web Shop using the company’s solution.

In a statement, Xsolla said these insights offered a glimpse into the increasing trend of multiplatform operations in the mobile gaming industry for 2023 and entering 2024.

Based on the company’s research and analysis, it has assisted 151 games in launching Web Shops this year, and this achievement reflects the mobile gaming landscape's transformation, with a move towards cross-platform integration.

“Powering Web Shop launches for 40 of the top 100 mobile games is a monumental milestone for Xsolla, and it signifies a major shift in the industry towards multi-platform expansion.

“This achievement is more than a numbers game; it is a validation of our relentless focus on providing the most efficient and versatile solutions for mobile game developers,” said Xsolla Chief Executive Officer, Chris Hewish.

Integrating specialised payment platforms like Xsolla can significantly improve efficiency for game developers, in which data shows they can save up to 30 per cent of their operational time using specialised solutions instead of creating an in-house payment system.

This allows developers and publishers to free up more resources to be allocated towards enhancing game features and user experience.

In addition, simplifying the complexities of tax compliance and regulatory requirements enables developers to focus on their core competency of creating engaging games.

Therefore, by partnering with Xsolla, partners can streamline business operations and contribute to higher-quality gaming experiences for end-users.

With a steadfast commitment to exploring new markets across multiple platforms and making substantial investments to enhance the onboarding experience, Xsolla enables mobile games to grow their ever-expanding user base.

-- BERNAMA

PANGEA LEATHER ANNOUNCES ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES IN STANDARD AND ADVANCED PRODUCTS

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI, Oct 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pangea, a global supplier of automotive leather, has announced that its standard and advanced products hold antimicrobial properties without the need for chemical additives commonly advertised to improve this performance. The tanned substrate rich in natural components and the leather coating layers act to inhibit the biological functions of contaminating microbes tested, meaning they cannot grow or reproduce on such a surface.

Pangea, a tier-3 supplier to over 25 automotive brands, commissioned testing of its leathers to antimicrobial activity against three clinically relevant pathogens. The conclusion: these leathers have the ability to reduce living bacterial cells by 99.99%. Testing was performed by an ISO certified product test laboratory in North America and replicated in Europe for the PureTan formulated leather products in 2023 by another accredited lab.

Just about every surface that we touch—and even the ones that we don’t—are breeding grounds for potentially damaging and odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew. Luckily, leather itself is an easy-to-clean surface material that works against microbial growth. Antibacterial products have been in high demand due to germ awareness resulting from the world pandemic. In fact, over 54% of car buyers are willing to pay more for antimicrobial coatings in their car interiors.

Consumers may wonder if they need to pay more for antimicrobial coatings, but Pangea leathers inherently carry antimicrobial characteristics, without coating additives. Advancements in leather manufacturing and testing applications have made it easier to keep seating surfaces as clean as can be. Antibacterial surface treatments may become CES highlights, but in the world of automotive seating materials, you can stick to natural resources and still be protected. 

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GSR RECEIVES IN-PRINCIPLE APPROVAL FROM THE MONETARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

GSR deepens roots in Singapore following In-Principle Approval for a Major Payment Institution Licence

SINGAPORE, Oct 3 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- GSR, the global cryptocurrency trading firm and liquidity provider, today announced that its Singapore subsidiary, GSR Markets Pte. Ltd. (GSR Singapore) has received In-Principle Approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a Major Payment Institution licence. This licence represents a milestone in the Group’s regulatory journey and allows GSR Singapore to better serve the cryptocurrency community. GSR is proud to have met the rigorous admission requirements set by MAS and will be working diligently towards a full licence.

"We are immensely grateful to MAS for their constructive oversight, which helps shape a growing digital asset ecosystem that we feel proud to be a substantial part of,” said Jakob Palmstierna, CEO of the GSR Group.

Xin Song, the Group’s COO, added: “We are delighted to be recognised as one of the first firms of our type to be granted this In-Principle Approval from an internationally respected regulator such as MAS. MAS has led the way providing a clear framework for digital asset utility, enabling us to deepen our local client partnerships, and continue in our critical role as a liquidity provider within the ecosystem.”

GSR remains committed to growing its presence in Singapore, leveraging it as a hub in APAC to invest in entrepreneurs across the region, and encouraging adoption of Web 3.0 technologies. 

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