Superbrands Thailand Declared “Superbrands Award 2020”

Nineteen leading brands also honoured with Superbrands status at the 12th 'Oscars of Branding'.

Bangkok: Superbrands, the independent authority and arbiter of branding, announced the 12th annual Superbrands Thailand 2020. 19 leading brands were awarded 'Superbrands' status, which is also dubbed globally as the 'Oscars of Branding' and the unveiling of the 2020 Superbrands book featuring many of the brands voted as Superbrands.

It's another successful year of Superbrands Thailand to reward to the awards to Excellence in Branding. Superbrands works through a market survey base throughout Thailand with 15,000 customers, marketer, PR Agencies, Brand Builders and Independent Council Members to vote for the strongest brands representing the Superbrands Thailand. The Top vote called the "Brand of the Year 2020", was rewarded to brands as they have positioned their brands perfectly and have worked exceptionally hard to ensure that their consumers get the best possible service.

"Winning a Superbrands title provides a strong platform to be able to support the strength of the brand while addressing the entire range of the organizations' interactions with employees, customers both existing and potential, investors, suppliers, media, etc. The tribute event is a celebration of these high profile brands and the people who contribute to their success." Mike English said.

Superbrands Thailand would like to congratulate for an excellence in branding of the Superbrands 2020: AIS, Bangchak, Blackmores, Giffarine, Haier, Hi-Kool, ICONSIAM, Krungsri Auto, Lamina Films, LG, Major Cineplex, Morakot, Muang Thai Life Assurance, Purra Mineral Water, Rabbit, Sharp, Siam Paragon, Twelve Plus and Watsons

"It is heartening to see so many of Thailand's home grown brands make it into the Superbrands Thailand book alongside large corporate entities and world famous FMCG brands. We ensure that the participation in the book is by invitation only and is a recognition brand value and the enormous effort that makes them such successful brands. Mike English said.

ABOUT SUPERBRANDS:
The Superbrands organisation is acclaimed worldwide as being the independent authority and arbiter of branding excellence and is committed to paying tribute to exceptional brands and promoting the discipline of branding. The work Superbrands does is recognised through their books, Events and Awards programmes, internet sites, research and through significant international media and PR coverage in newspapers, magazines and on television and radio.

The Superbrands organisation was originally set up in London in 1994 where it published the first Superbrands book. Since then it has expanded its operations to 93 countries worldwide including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait. Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.

Superbrands publishes a series of books including Superbrands, Business Superbrands (on B2B brands), Cool Brands and eBrands - making the series of books the largest collection of insights into some of the greatest brands in the world. To date over 15,000 individual brands have been featured worldwide. For further information on Superbrands, please visit www.superbrands.com

Aruba Automates Branch Office Connectivity to AWS with Support for AWS Transit Gateway Connect

New Capabilities Assure Trusted Connections over AWS’s Global Network

Bangkok, 11 Dec 2020 Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (NYSE: HPE), announced new capabilities for its SD-WAN portfolio – comprised of the Aruba SD-Branch and the recently acquired Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect™ solutions – designed to centrally monitor, manage, and automate connectivity from branch locations to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The Aruba SD-WAN portfolio integration with the new AWS Transit Gateway Connect greatly simplifies network operations and management and enables customers to apply consistent quality of service and security policies across branch sites when connecting to Amazon Virtual Private Clouds (Amazon VPCs). Branch office users benefit from consistent performance and a high quality of experience.

As organizations look to modernize their networks to meet the dynamic needs of distributed office locations, mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) environments, they need a simple way to deploy, manage and monitor branch networks across geographies in order to ensure security, compliance and application availability to users. The new AWS Transit Gateway Connect enables tighter, more streamlined integration between the Aruba SD-WAN portfolio, resulting in faster deployment, reduced operational costs and ready access to performance metrics and network telemetry data.

“When it comes to managing pathways to AWS, enterprises have a range of choices and can best balance their needs based on the types of applications used and where users are located,” said Mayumi Hiramatsu, vice president of Amazon EC2 Networking at Amazon Web Services, Inc. “Today’s announcement of Aruba’s integration with AWS Transit Gateway Connect represents a continuation of the work we’ve been doing with the Aruba team in the quest to further streamline IT and enable our shared customers to focus their attention on growth and digital transformation in the cloud era.”

Speed, security and simplicity are all benefits of using native integration between Aruba with AWS Transit Gateway. The new capabilities built into AWS Transit Gateway Connect deliver a range of benefits, including:

• Enabling IT to do more with less: Because the new AWS Transit Gateway Connect enables automated branch connectivity – automatically connecting to the nearest AWS Transit Gateway from each branch site – IT teams no longer have to manually configure routing for individual VPCs and have more flexibility in managing traffic and workflows. As a result, users experience improved application performance and availability and ultimately, higher levels of productivity.
• Automated branch-to-cloud connectivity at scale: Enterprise-class SD-WAN features, automation and orchestration deliver a consistent operational experience between VPCs when using the AWS Transit Gateway as the hub, saving time and resources. In addition, the AWS Transit Gateway serves as a cloud-to-cloud interconnect across the AWS global network to reach multiple Amazon VPCs across AWS Regions, and optimizes the middle-mile for branch connectivity.
• Reduced set-up time of branch networks with lifecycle workflows and advanced visibility: Both Aruba Virtual Gateways and Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect virtual appliances along with centralized SD-WAN orchestration allows customers to easily extend their SD-WAN fabrics to AWS.

Verisk Analytics, Inc., a leading data analytics provider serving global customers in the insurance, energy and financial services markets, is a prime example of an innovative company embracing an all-cloud vision. Verisk has architected its enterprise infrastructure to embody a unified, cloud-native approach to deliver seamless, modern user experiences to its employees and customers. Using the Aruba SD-Branch solution with AWS Transit Gateway, Verisk has been able to consolidate its networking infrastructure technologies into a single integrated, automated SD-WAN platform and migrate all of its applications and workloads to AWS. This has resulted in simplified management, greater visibility across the network and has enabled Verisk to achieve significant cost savings by decommissioning their physical data centers over time.

“Our IT infrastructure has had to evolve to support our rapidly growing business, and the transition to a cloud-based infrastructure has proven to be a huge step in the right direction,” said Sophie Twu, network engineering manager at Verisk. “Reliable connectivity, redundancy and centralized management of all gateways, switches and access points with the ability to deploy equipment at remote sites are all benefits of an integrated AWS and Aruba solution. We’re excited about the latest integration that combines Aruba technology with the new AWS Transit Gateway Connect feature and feel that it holds potential for further simplifying the deployment and management of our network and how we connect our remote branch locations to AWS.”

The acquisition of Silver Peak earlier this year presents additional options for customers seeking to or who are in the midst of transitioning to a cloud-first architecture. The Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform also integrates with AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager, giving network managers the ability to create a single consolidated global view of all sites and connections between AWS and their on-premise locations, gaining visibility into network changes, events, and health telemetry to deliver the highest quality of experience for users.

“Today’s modern enterprises require speed, flexibility, and simplicity at scale to adapt to rapidly changing business needs and, for many, the cloud is the answer,” said Alan Weckel, founder and lead analyst at 650 Group. “Aruba’s ongoing collaboration with AWS – and now with the addition of Silver Peak – provides a tremendous opportunity for AWS customers who want to harness the power of the cloud, while ensuring secure high-performance branch connectivity, without the complexity normally associated with running and managing multiple, geographically dispersed VPCs.”

The new AWS Transit Gateway Connect capabilities for Aruba SD-WAN solutions are available now. For more information, please visit https://www.arubanetworks.com/products/networking/sd-wan/

Additional resources:
· Blog: Aruba SD-Branch Fully Automates Integration with AWS
· Website: Aruba SD-WAN and AWS Transit Gateway
· Website: Silver Peak EdgeConnect and AWS
· Solution Brief: Unity EdgeConnect Simplifies and Automates Connectivity to AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager
· Blog: Aruba SD-Branch Fully Automates Integration with AWS

About Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company
Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, is the global leader in secure, intelligent edge-to-cloud networking solutions that use AI to automate the network, while harnessing data to drive powerful business outcomes. With Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) and as-a-service options, Aruba takes a cloud-native approach to helping customers meet their connectivity, security, and financial requirements across campus, branch, data center, and remote worker environments, covering all aspects of wired, wireless LAN, and wide area networking (WAN).

To learn more, visit Aruba at www.arubanetworks.com. For real-time news updates, follow Aruba on Twitter and Facebook, and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and Aruba products, visit the Airheads Community at community.arubanetworks.com.

On course: LANXESS confirms and narrows corridor for 2020 guidance

• EBITDA pre exceptionals expected at between EUR 820 million and EUR 880 million for the full year Sales decline by 14.3 percent to EUR 1.461 billion
• EBITDA pre exceptionals of EUR 193 million 28.3 percent below previous year
• EBITDA margin pre exceptionals at 13.2 percent
• Consumer Protection remains strong pillar of the Group
• Demand visibly recovering in many customer industries
• Special bonus for employees
• New targets for sustainable water management and improved ESG rating

Thailand, 21 November 2020 LANXESS remains on track despite the impact of the coronavirus crisis: Following the third quarter, the specialty chemicals company is confirming and narrowing the corridor for the guidance for 2020 and now expects EBITDA pre exceptionals for the full year to come in between EUR 820 million and EUR 880 million. Earnings were previously expected in the range of EUR 800 million to EUR 900 million.

“We are continuing on course in the troubled waters of the coronavirus crisis and have specified our 2020 guidance. We want to deliver what we announced in spring. Given these volatile times and the many uncertainties, this is a great achievement of the entire LANXESS team and I am very proud of this,” said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management at LANXESS AG.

LANXESS will be paying a special bonus for the extraordinary commitment of its employees during the coronavirus pandemic. “In particular, our colleagues at the plants played a crucial role in keeping our business running during the crisis,” said Zachert. “With this bonus, we would like to thank them and all the others who have made special contributions over the past months.” In total, LANXESS will distribute a high single-digit million euro amount. The amount of the payment varies from employee to employee. In Germany, the special bonus will be paid out in December. Different rules apply in the other countries.

Coronavirus crisis affected business figures

The coronavirus crisis continued to affect business figures in the third quarter. At EUR 193 million, EBITDA pre exceptionals was 28.3 percent down on the prior year’s figure of EUR 269 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals declined to 13.2 percent, against 15.8 percent in the prior quarter. In addition to the pandemic, a planned major maintenance shutdown in Belgium, effects from reduced selling prices and adverse exchange rate effects, particularly relating to the U.S. dollar, burdened the result. By contrast, business in the Consumer Protection segment continued to develop well. There were also positive signals from the markets compared with the previous quarter.

“In many businesses, we are seeing indications that things are taking a turn for the better. Demand in key customer industries, including the automotive sector, picked up again in comparison to the second quarter. China and the U.S., in particular, are providing positive stimuli,” said Zachert.

Group sales amounted to EUR 1.461 billion, down 14.3 percent on the previous year’s figure of EUR 1.704 billion. Net income from continuing operations fell by 68.4 percent from EUR 79 million to EUR 25 million.

Segments: Consumer Protection remains strong pillar

Demand in the Advanced Intermediates segment stabilized in both business units compared with the second quarter, so that sales volumes almost reached the previous year’s level. However, given lower selling prices and negative exchange rate effects, sales and earnings were down year on year. Sales decreased by 14.4 percent from EUR 549 million to EUR 470 million. At EUR 65 million, EBITDA pre exceptionals was 28.6 percent lower than the prior year’s figure of EUR 91 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals was 13.8 percent, against 16.6 percent in the prior year.

The coronavirus pandemic continued to impact the Specialty Additives segment also in the third quarter. Sales volumes declined significantly, particularly due to lower demand from the automotive and aviation industries. Lower selling prices and negative exchange rate effects also had a negative impact. Sales fell by 18.5 percent from EUR 503 million to EUR 410 million. At EUR 65 million, EBITDA pre exceptionals was 33.0 percent lower than the prior year’s figure of EUR 97 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals decreased from 19.3 percent to 15.9 percent.

The Consumer Protection segment remained a strong pillar of the Group thanks to a strong agrochemicals business and good demand for disinfectants. In addition, the positive portfolio effect from the acquisition of the Brazilian biocide manufacturer IPEL offset adverse exchange rate effects. With EUR 278 million, sales were stable year on year. At EUR 59 million, EBITDA pre exceptionals was 7.3 percent higher than the prior year’s figure of EUR 55 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals picked up to 21.2 percent, against 19.9 percent in the prior year.

The Engineering Materials segment was impacted by weak demand in the automotive industry, particularly in Europe, although this did improve compared with the previous quarter. At EUR 285 million, sales were down 19.3 percent on the prior year’s figure of EUR 353 million, also due to lower selling prices and negative exchange rate effects. A planned major maintenance shutdown in Belgium weighed on EBITDA pre exceptionals, as did weak demand, prompting a 44.1 percent downturn in earnings from EUR 59 million to EUR 33 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals of 11.6 percent was below the figure of 16.7 percent posted in the prior year.

LANXESS continues to improve sustainability credentials

After LANXESS announced a year ago that it would become climate neutral by 2040, the specialty chemicals company has now set itself new goals for sustainable water management. As part of its “Water Stewardship Program”, LANXESS will initially strengthen sustainable water management with specific local projects at four sites in the areas with the greatest water stress. The aim is to reduce absolute water withdrawal at these sites by 15 percent by 2023. The experience gained from these projects should help to further improve water performance globally.

LANXESS has also improved its MSCI ESG rating from BBB to A. The climate strategy, the well-formulated principles of corporate governance and the robust efforts in the area of chemical safety have led to the improvement.

About LANXESS
LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 6.8 billion in 2019. The company currently has about 14,400 employees in 33 countries. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World and Europe) and FTSE4Good.

LANXESS China
On January 31, 2005, the company was initially listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and LANXESS Chemical (China) Co., Ltd. officially started operations. LANXESS now has 15 subsidiaries, 7 R&D centers and 8 production sites with around 1,500 employees in Greater China. LANXESS works closely with its local partners to develop market-oriented solutions that meet local market needs.

Forward-Looking Statements
This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of LANXESS AG to differ materially from the estimations expressed or implied herein. LANXESS AG does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors, nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions, contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of LANXESS AG or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person's officers, directors or employees accept any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.

Destination Capital Launches Green Hotel Fund

List of people in the picture : Mr. Natthapong Na Ranong, CEO of KTB Securities (Thailand) PCL (Left) ,  Mr. James A. Kaplan, CEO of Destination Capital PTE. LTD. (Middle) ,  Mr. Thotsaporn Pornvattanasirikul, REIT Trustee Department Director of MFC Asset Management Public Company Limited (Right)

Bangkok, Thailand – 18 November 2020 – Destination Capital (DC) is excited to announce the launch of Descap I which will be the world’s first “green hotel fund”. The fund will acquire hotels and implement EDGE sustainability systems and procedures to support long term environmental sustainability and the financial viability of the investments. EDGE is an online platform, a green building standard, and a certification system for more than 170 countries.

The objective of Descap I is to raise capital and financing to acquire freehold four-star hotels in prime destinations in Thailand. Each hotel will implement EDGE building standards and obtain Edge “green building” certification. Some hotels will be rebranded to elevate positioning and value to generate further investor returns. Descap I will utilize the experience gained by Destination Group with its 24-year track record in Thailand of buying, managing, and selling hotels, particularly during times of distress.

“Destination Capital’s adoption of the EDGE certification program will provide the Descap I with the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by differentiating our products and improving carbon emissions of the hotels” said Mr. James A. Kaplan, CEO of Destination Capital.

DC sees opportunities to re-tool hotels to accommodate green EDGE technology and systems especially during the current Covid 19 economic downturn. This is viewed as being highly attractive to hotel guests post-COVID 19 due to their preference to frequent hotels which adopt sustainability programs and offer a better guest experience in a safe and hygienic environment.

“If there is one thing we have learned during COVID 19 it is that the environment and nature recover quickly from poor resource management practices. Our participation in EDGE will serve to encourage the hospitality industry to adopt best practices with respect to better managing our scarce resources, raise broader consciousness about global warming and stem the tide of environmental degradation.“ Mr. Kaplan, added “we will implement operational elements to reduce water consumption, reduce waste emissions, reduce electricity use, and to the best of our ability eliminate plastic usage.”

DC is committed to investing in EDGE standards believing that it not only makes good business sense with both shorter payback periods and significant long term savings in hotel operational costs but also acknowledges investors who contribute to green and sustainable practices which benefit communities and the surrounding environment.

An innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of World Bank group, EDGE helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy, and affordable way.

“Descap I will be the first hotel fund globally to adopt EDGE,” said Prashant Kapoor, IFC Chief Greenbuilding Specialist. “Our success with the EDGE certification to date is growing with its collective ambition to mainstream green buildings and help fight climate change.”

For more information please contact: www.destinationcapital.co.th

About EDGE
An innovation of the International Finance Corporation, EDGE helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy, and affordable way. EDGE is an online platform, a green building standard, and a certification system for more than 170 countries. To date, EDGE-certified commercial and residential projects across the world keep nearly 230,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually from entering the atmosphere. For more information, visit www.edgebuildings.com.

Destination Capital (DC) 

Destination Capital is a hotel investment group based in Bangkok, Thailand. DC recently established a Thai Private Equity Trust (DESCAP 1) which will be the inaugural green hotel fund with EDGE. DC partners with Private Equity and Institutional Funds to source hotel acquisition opportunities and asset manage in the Asia Pacific region, with an emphasis on Thailand. The Company will sponsor a series of private equity funds, trusts and investment platforms mandated to acquire strategic hotel assets which present value-added opportunities for our capital partners to earn a financial return with a view to re-open hotels and re-employ people in the tourism sector.

HPE (Aruba) Positioned as a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Wired and WLAN Access Infrastructure, Scores Highest in All Use Cases in Critical Capabilities Report

Positioned as Leader for Fifteenth¹ Year Running and Furthest in Vision of All Vendors

Bangkok, 17 Nov 2020 – Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (NYSE: HPE), today announced that for the fifteenth year, HPE (Aruba) has been positioned in the Leaders quadrant in Gartner Inc.’s latest “Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure”, and is positioned furthest to the right in Vision, as compared to all vendors. In addition, in the companion “Critical Capabilities for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure” report, Aruba has received the highest score in all six use cases – the second time it has scored highest across all use cases.

Read complimentary copies of the Magic Quadrant and Critical Capabilities reports here:
2020 Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure
2020 Critical Capabilities for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure

Read Aruba’s blog about this year’s reports here:
Aruba and the Gartner Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure Magic Quadrant

Gartner evaluates vendors included in the Magic Quadrant based on two primary criteria: completeness of vision and ability to execute. HPE (Aruba) was positioned the furthest in vision of all vendors in the quadrant, which Aruba believes recognizes the company’s continued innovation and ability to anticipate and address customer challenges.

In addition, in the companion piece to the Magic Quadrant, the Gartner Critical Capabilities for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure, Gartner evaluated vendor effectiveness in addressing an organization’s needs in six key use cases: Unified Wired and WLAN Access, WLAN-only Refresh/New Build, Wired-only Refresh/New build, Remote Branch Office with Corporate HQ, Performance Stringent Applications, and Hands-off NetOps. Aruba received the highest scores in all six of these use cases.

“Our ‘Customer First, Customer Last’ culture drives our commitment and focus across the entire Aruba organization from building our products and delivering our services, to helping our customers and partners in the field and supporting them on the back-end,” said Michael Dickman, senior vice president of Product Management at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. “The continued recognition by Gartner of HPE (Aruba) is gratifying and we couldn’t be prouder of our clear market leadership via Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform). The networking landscape may have changed over the past 15 years with different vendors coming and going but Aruba’s commitment to customer-driven innovation has kept us on the forefront at every step, becoming the Edge authority that the market turns to time and again. We are grateful to our customers and partners for their continued trust.”

In addition to the 2020 Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure and Critical Capabilities reports, HPE (Aruba) has also been recognized by Gartner for other aspects of its industry-leading portfolio. In September 2020, just two years after launching its SD-Branch solution, Aruba was recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure, and Silver Peak, recently acquired by HPE (Aruba) was positioned as a Leader for the third consecutive year. HPE (Aruba) was also positioned as a Visionary in the 2020 Magic Quadrant for Data Center and Cloud Networking.

Additional Resources

•  Report: 2020 Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure
•  Report: 2020 Critical Capabilities for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure
•  Report: 2020 Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure
•  Blog: Aruba and the Gartner Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure Magic Quadrant

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure, Bill Menezes, Tim Zimmerman, Christian Canales, Mike Toussaint, 5 November 2020
Gartner Critical Capabilities for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, Christian Canales, Tim Zimmerman, Bill Menezes, Mike Toussaint, 11 November 2020

¹ Aruba’s 15 years of placement includes HPE (Aruba) in the Magic Quadrant for Wired & Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure from 2015-2020 (6 years), Aruba Networks in the same Magic Quadrant from 2012-2014 (3 years) and in the Magic Quadrant for Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure from 2006-2011 (6 years).

Gartner disclaimer
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company
Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, is the global leader in secure, intelligent edge-to-cloud networking solutions that use AI to automate the network, while harnessing data to drive powerful business outcomes. With Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) and as-a-service options, Aruba takes a cloud-native approach to helping customers meet their connectivity, security, and financial requirements across campus, branch, data center, and remote worker environments, covering all aspects of wired, wireless LAN, and wide area networking (WAN).

To learn more, visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com. For real-time news updates follow Aruba on Twitter and Facebook, and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and Aruba products, visit Airheads Social at http://community.arubanetworks.com/.

CISSA Group Announces Mega Project for Health and Wellness Hospital Combined with Luxurious Resort Worth Over 3.5 Billion Baht

CISSA Group announces a mega project in line with the government’s plan to promote the country as Thailand Medical Hub by joining forces with V PLAST MEDICAL GROUP to develop Natai Medical Center & Resort, a health and wellness hospital and a luxurious six-star resort project worth over 3.5 billion baht which will cater to the lifestyle of people today who have become more focused on their health and wellbeing.

Mr. Autthanop Pandkamnerd, CEO, CISSA Group Co.,Ltd, a leading investment property developer, revealed that the business objective of CISSA Group is to develop investment property, with a focus on high-potential projects, especially in provinces recognized as tourist destinations such as Phuket and Phang-Nga. The company currently has three main business operations: 1. Property developer and advisor for property development projects 2. Advisor for property development inprovinces recognized as tourist destinations and 3. Investment property developer.

“CISSA Group is determined to sustainably add value to property investment while generating stable returns for our investors. The company has developed numerous investment properties, from single detached houses, townhouses, semi-detached houses, pool villas, to apartments, mostly in Phuket province. Now, CISSA Group is collaborating with V Plast Medical Group, represented by Dr. Pichansak Bunmas, CEO, V Plast Medical Group and Affiliates, to conduct a feasibility study for a mega project development – a health and wellness hospital combined with a luxurious six-star resort called the Natai Medical Center & Resort that will cater to the lifestyle of people who have become more focused on their health and would consider staying in a hotel with strict hygiene measures after facing the spread of the COVID-19 disease.”

Natai Medical Center & Resort is located on Natai Beach in Phang-Nga province. With its private location and modern facilities, the area is the perfect venue for a health center while also providing a relaxing stay in a premium luxury resort. The transportation is also convenient for visitors, as the project is only 30 minutes away from Phuket International Airport and 10 minutes from the second Phuket International Airport (Phang-Nga). CISSA Group believes that investing in a health and wellness hospital combined with a hotel during the New Normal is an intriguing business opportunity because the international community has placed its trust in Thailand for its ability to handle and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. According to Global Covid-19 (GCI), Thailand ranked second from 184 countries around the world for COVID-19 recoveries.

Meanwhile, the government has been promoting Thailand Medical Hub in line with the Strategic Plan to Develop Thailand Medical Hub (2017-2026) while offering support for tourism and disease prevention measures. These factors have successfully established Thailand as a destination for tourists and foreigners with purchasing power who are looking for a disease-free destination that can also provide quality medical centers and exclusive venues for relaxation.

Mr. Autthanop added that the Natai Medical Center & Resort project is worth over
3.5 billion baht and the project is to be formally unveiled to the public on November 17th.
Fund raising activities will be further held in December 2020 to offer an opportunity for investors who are looking for a project that can sustainably generate high returns.

CISSA Group currently has 12 investment properties: 9 completed projects and 3 ongoing projects. The properties are located in the provinces of Phuket, Phang-Nga, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. In the past three years, the company’s operations has continuously expanded due to the development of investment properties that truly cater to the demands of investors as the company offers sustainable investments which generate stable returns for investors.

Additionally, in the next 3-5 years, the company will expand its business by developing at least two investment property products in Phuket and Phang-Nga while considering further expansions to other tourism destinations or potential areas for investment which will allow the company to realize its income faster and grow exponentially in the future.

Those interested in investing or seeking more information, please call 062 245 9289 or 081 627 5259. To join the launch of Natai Medical Center & Resort on November 17th, 2020 at 13.00 hrs. onwards at Park Hyatt Bangkok, Ballroom on the 1st floor, please register for the event at 062 245 8656 or 062 245 9288.

Brother and Canon, Thailand’s two printer maker leaders, join hands to launch a campaign “Only the Genuine Will Know”

to encourage users to use only original ink and toner cartridges for higher print quality and long-term cost-effectiveness. 

3 November 2020 – Brother and Canon, Thailand’s two leading printer manufacturers, announced an initiative strategic partnership to launch a campaign “Only the Genuine Will Know” to raise awareness of the obvious advantages of using genuine printing consumable, both ink and toner, compared with compatible and counterfeit cartridges. The campaign is aimed at encouraging printer users to use only genuine ink cartridges for the best print quality, optimal printer performance, and long-term cost-effectiveness. Moreover, by using only genuine printing consumable, users do not run the risk of voiding their warranty and of health hazards and also help save the environment.

Mr.Teerawut Suppapunpinyo, Managing Director of Brother Commercial (Thailand) Limited revealed the details of the collaboration with Canon that it was found at the service centre that one of the major causes of printer failure is the use of compatible or counterfeit printing consumable which has had an adverse effect on Thai consumers. Therefore, Brother announced a joint initiative with Canon to launch a campaign “Only the Genuine Will Know” to encourage consumers to use only genuine printing consumable, and to develop awareness of the possible disadvantages of using compatible and counterfeit counterparts among users.

“In general, two common types of printing materials currently available in the market include ink and toner, which Brother offers both to satisfy the particular needs of all target customers. Each year Brother’s R&D team conducts research and develops the efficiency of printing consumable to ensure the customers’ satisfaction in all aspects whether it is the quality of printing, the cost of printing, ease of use, and health and environmental safety according to Brother’s philosophy of business “at your side”. added Mr.Teerawut Suppapunpinyo.

Mr. Na-ake Songsiri, Deputy General Manager of Sales and Marketing of Brother Commercial (Thailand) Limited said that Brother printing consumable, both ink and toner, acquire MSDS safety standards with the number of printable pages according to ISO standards. Therefore, users can be confident about the high quality of Brother printing consumable. Brother genuine printing consumable which can be verified at https://www.brother.co.th/th-th/support/genuine-supplies can be purchased both online and offline channels nationwide. To encourage users to use only genuine printing consumable, Brother is currently offering Naraya Exclusive Grand and Great bag, a special gift created especially for this project, to customers who purchase Brother genuine printing consumable.”

Mr. Hiroshi Yokota, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canon Marketing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said that Canon and Brother, the two leading printer maker brands, have greater than 61% of the combining market share of inkjet printers and more than 50% of laser printers. With the policy focusing on maintaining quality standards of the products, customer care and protecting the customers’ interests, we are aware that the majority of consumers nowadays still do not know the differences between genuine printing ink and compatible or counterfeit products, the benefits of using genuine products and potential problems from using compatible and counterfeit products. Therefore, the campaign “Only the Genuine Will Know” is collaboratively organised to resolve an issue of misunderstanding of users by transforming their idea of “I think” into “I know”, which represents understanding of the advantages of using genuine printing materials comprising:

1. Higher print quality with sharp, detailed and clean printout
2. Covered by the product warranty, which will be voided if compatible and counterfeit printing materials being used
3. Hassle-free and reliable
4. Gaining full benefits including discounts, promotion and aftersales services” So that , we believe consumers can protect their rights and best interest, and most importantly that they will gain the best experiences with our products, which is our long-standing commitment according to our ‘Delighting You Always’ motto.”

Meanwhile Ms.Netnarin Chancharassuk, Director of Printer Product Group, Canon Marketing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said that the print quality problems include dull colours, blurry or smeared printout, unwanted marks on the document, paper misfeed, faded colours, and clogged print nozzles, many cases of which are caused by the use of cheap, low-quality compatible or counterfeit ink or toner cartridges. With the quality inferior to the genuine printing materials which the users might be unaware, these third-party ink cartridges can damage a printer and print nozzles, and thus affect the quality of printout. Besides, when buying a printer with refilled ink from a shop or an online store, it is impossible for users to identify the genuineness of the refilled ink, or they might opt for cheaper ink because they are unaware of its lower quality. When there is an issue of print quality, they tend to assume that it is caused by the printer. This affects brand image and brand credibility of the printer manufacturer.

The campaign “Only the Genuine Will Know” aims to create understanding among printer users and the general public with four key objectives including:

1. To increase public awareness of the advantages of using printing materials and the disadvantages of using compatible and counterfeit products
2. To enable users to identify the genuine printing materials by checking and examining the hologram sticker on the package
3. To encourage users to purchase printing materials from certified retailers both from online and offline channels by purchasing a printer with ink bottles or ink cartridges on display which allow users to check and identify the genuineness of the product, rather than purchasing one with refilled compatible or counterfeit ink bottles or cartridges.
4. To enable users to use printing materials to their full potential with confidence in their quality and value for money as well as extension of the lifespan of printer.

The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the new normal lifestyle which has a tremendous impact on consumer behavior. Such daily activities at work and school have been shifted to online platforms and undertaken remotely, resulting in higher demands for printers and related products. This change has spurred sales growth of printers especially via online sales channels. However, with lower prices offered, users may face the risk of purchasing low quality, compatible or counterfeit ink and toner. In addition, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) has recently become an increasingly popular consumer behaviour which makes it more common for users to refill ink cartridges or replace toner cartridges themselves. Brother and Canon therefore created new easy-to-use and low-maintenance products and developed efficient channels like e-commerce and e-store to cope with future demands and facilitate efficient workflow of our customers. However, although the prices of genuine products are generally higher, consumers can be assured of their efficiency and long-term cost-effectiveness.

This campaign will be promoted through online and offline channels, and at point of purchase. In-store activities will be held and special gifts from Brother and Canon will be given today - 31 December 2020.

ADB, BGRIM reaffirm long-term partnership with green loan for VN’s largest solar venture

B.Grimm Power Plc (BGRIM), Thailand’s leading industrial power producer, has signed a US$186 million syndicated loan with a group of lenders including Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the single largest solar farm project in Vietnam.

The syndicated financing for the 257-megawatt (MW) solar power scheme in Phu Yen Province represents the first green loan in Asia and the Pacific to be certified by the Climate Bonds Initiative, part of an independent global environmental movement.

The financing has in particular further cemented the long-term partnership between BGRIM and ADB which is one of the major financiers of the Phu Yen scheme.

It also underscores ADB's confidence in the growth potential of BGRIM as an emerging major private power investor in Southeast Asia.

ADB has extended a $27.9 million to Phu Yen TTP Joint Stock Company (Phu Yen JSC), the sponsor of the solar power project in which BGRIM has a 80% stake and Truong Thanh Viet Nam Group Joint Stock Company (TTVN) holding a 20% interest.

The group of commercial banks which agreed to provide a total of $148.8 million to the project includes Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank, Kiatnakin Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) from China and Standard Chartered Bank.

The other lender is the Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP) which contributed a $9.3 million financing.

The Phu Yen financing has so far become one of the largest such loans yet mobilised in Vietnam.

BGRIM Chairman Harald Link said the loan accord marks another successful milestone of the company which is pleased and grateful to all lenders for the financial supports.

The Phu Yet solar farm has already started supplying electricity to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) under a 20-year contract at a Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) of 9.35 US cent per kilowatt-hour.

That means the project has begun to generate revenue to BGRIM and its Vietnamese partner.

The Phu Yen project serves as a catalyst to promote the use of renewable energy in the socialist republic as well as driving the country's economic growth, Dr Link stated.

Preeyanart Soontornwata, Chief Executive Officer of BGRIM, said the green loan showed that the company has once again pioneered a new form of financial innovation that focuses on the development of clean energy.

BGRIM earlier launched Thailand's first green bond issue in association with ADB.

The green loan which was concluded this time reflects BGRIM’s adoption of the best global practice to support sustainable energy development in Vietnam.

Yet it helps fostering a green loan market and promoting green transactions which are in line with BGRIM's sustainability policy in conducting business according to international standards, she noted.

Jackie B. Surtani, Infrastructure Finance Division Director for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific at ADB's Private Sector Operations Department, said: “ADB is committed to supporting BGRIM, one of our most valued clients, with its long-term expansion into Vietnam and its important work in renewable energy. We’re also excited to work for the first time with TTVN.

This project will support the rapid development of solar power capacity in Viet Nam, advance the country’s low-carbon growth goals, and, we hope, catalyze further commercial bank financing for renewable energy.”

The Phu Yen solar energy project is the largest in Vietnam and one of the largest power plants in Southeast Asia. The facility will save 123,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and the power plant will support the electricity needs of Quang Ngai and Nha Trang as well as the surrounding areas in the region, one of Vietnam's major tourism hubs.

‘Grand Seiko’ Exhibition organized to mark 60th Anniversary Display of rare historic timepieces for the first time in Thailand October 15-31, 2020 at G Floor, Gaysorn Village

“Grand Seiko”, the world’s leading watch brand, led by Hiroyuki Akashi Managing Director of Seiko (Thailand) Company Limited, is organizing a special exhibition to celebrate the brand’s 60th anniversary by putting on display rare historic timepieces meticulously chosen from Seiko Museum to showcase the aesthetics of the radiance of quality which is the traditional hallmark of “Grand Seiko”, from the first iconic watch was created in 1960, all the way to the highly noteworthy timepieces of today that have become the brand’s legend.

The exhibition is set under “The Nature of Time” concept presented through the ambience of the Land of the Rising Sun ablaze with breathtaking natural scenery, and Kabuki, the classical Japanese dance-drama. The event will be graced by celebrities and famous watch collectors who are enthusiastic to admire the masterpiece watches. VIP attendants include Mr. Pravi Techasith and Mr. Khunayut Dejudom.

The Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Exhibition is taking place from today until October 31st 2020.

The Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Exhibition is set under the atmosphere of ancient Japan that perfectly reflects the tradition and culture of the country to celebrate and extoll the long history of “Grand Seiko”, Japan’s leading watch brand. At the same time, the masterpiece creations from Seiko Museum in Japan will be displayed in all their glory to awe and vow die-hard Grand Seiko aficionados.

The highlight of the exhibition that everyone has been waiting to see with bated breath is The First Grand Seiko, the very first masterpiece fabricated on December 18th, 1960, at the first Grand Seiko studio in the town of Suwa in central Japan. The Seiko team has been laboring with determination to constantly develop and create the timepiece that can ultimately fulfill the demand for accuracy, durability, comfort and beauty as much as human can devise with the case sculpted from 14K gold and the extra thin movement with the accuracy recognized as being on par with the highest international chronological standards.

Another notable timepiece that has become a legend that later inspired the creation of subsequent Grand Seiko watches – the 44GS model developed in 1967 that later became the prototype for the Grand Seiko style with the polished case and its exquisitely perfect two-dimensional curves. Also prominent are the hands and the large, smooth hour markers complimenting the polished corners that reflect lights beautifully. The surface of the case is highly brushed with absolutely no refraction – indicating the highest accuracy in every step of production.

Another famous watch is the Grand Seiko 62GS introduced in 1967 which was the first watch with automatic movement that incorporated new technologies. This watch’s accuracy has captivated the world’s imagination with the multi-faceted case designed with the wide-open dial design and slim edge combined with Zaratsu brushing to chamfer the edge for smooth appearance and to avoid scraping the skin. This is one of the special Grand Seiko features, that included the repositioning of the winding crown to the 4 o’clock position to signify that manual winding is unnecessary.

Then there is the SBGH005 model that is housed in the 44GS case and launched in 2014. The design is distinctive with stainless steel case and green dial in Iwata pattern which when exposed to light beautiful lines would appear. This model features the first Hi-Beat movement with GMT function with 9S85 movement pulsing at 36,000 bph producing high accuracy. The SBGH005 was awarded the Petite Aiguille Prize at the prestigious Foundation of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in Switzerland.

Last but not least is a masterpiece SBGC017, a stylish sport watch with Spring Drive movement. This is the first watch with a ceramic shield inspired by a samurai’s armor designed to encase the high-intensity titanium case. Although this model at first seems to be on the large side, it is light-weight and comfortable to wear. It is installed with the 9R96 automatic caliber. The green dial is decorated with momi tree pattern complimented by classical leather strap.

Each of the “Grand Seiko” timepieces projects the extra-special “Radiance of Quality” from the past until the presence with unrelenting quality development in regard to high accuracy, case materials, or even the meticulous chamfering to produce captivating lights and shadows – all a result of attention to details by master craftsmen, including advanced designs that somehow also encapsulate the classical Japanese essence. No doubt, a Grand Seiko is the best watch in terms of high efficiency and timeless beauty that also fulfills all the needs and wants of its proud owners. 

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the determination to create and develop timepieces that possess distinctive characteristics in Grand Seiko of the present, as well as to extoll the creativity and the long history of the Grand Seiko brand, Special Edition watches inspired by legendary masterpieces such as the first Grand Seiko of 1960 will be on display for watch aficionados and true Grand Seiko fans to admire and to take ownership so as to become an integral part of this fabled brand that has combined innovations, identity and spirit into these three Special Edition models – SBGW257, SBGW258 and SBGW259 that bear minimal weights although the dial size have been enlarged from 35 to 38 millimeters for more modern appearance. The shape of the cases and crystals are gently curvaceous while the 9S64 movement is still considered to be highly accurate. The hands retain their classical shapes while the case back windows are made of sapphire glass to reveal the beautiful movements that have been meticulously designed.

The new PBT product range Pocan XHR is proving a practical all-rounder

High hydrolysis resistance with plenty of extras

• Benefits for thermal shock stresses
• Excellent long-term temperature stability; high elongation at break
• Improved chemical resistance for use in suspension applications, for example
• Flame-retardant variants added to XHR product range

One of the potential applications of Pocan XHR is housings for automatic parking brakes. 

Photo: LANXESS AG

Thailand, 12 October 2020 – The new Pocan XHR (Xtreme Hydrolysis-Resistant) product range from LANXESS boasts outstanding resistance to hydrolytic degradation in very hot and humid conditions. In internal testing with standardized test specimens based on the stringent SAE/USCAR2 Rev. 6 long-term hydrolysis tests of the US Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the compounds reached Class 4 or Class 5 – the top two ratings. “However, the launch of Pocan XHR has demonstrated that the additional benefits of the materials are just as important to many users. They often make the most of the high resistance to thermal shock, hot air, and chemicals, as well as the mechanical properties of the compounds based on polybutylene terephthalate (PBT),” explains Ralf Heinen, application developer at the High Performance Materials business unit. 

Even after 3,000 hours of hot air ageing at 150 °C, the Charpy impact strength of Pocan B3233XHR remains more or less unchanged (PBT GF30 = standard compound, B3233HR = 2nd generation HR; B3233XHR = 3rd generation HR). 

Photo: LANXESS AG

Stable in hot and dry conditions

Many electrical and electronic devices are exposed to ever-higher thermal loads for reasons including confined installation spaces or elevated operating temperatures. When used in dry environments, the plastics for these devices need to be able to withstand long periods in hot air. “That is another strength of Pocan XHR. For example, the impact strength of most product types in the XHR series remains virtually unchanged even after 3,000 hours of being stored in 150° Celsius air,” says Heinen. This makes the compounds ideal for parts in engine compartments, such as connectors, or for power electronics components.

Tailor-made for overmolding of metal parts

Rapid and extreme changes in temperature often cause stress cracks in components with overmolded metal areas because of the differences between metal and plastic in terms of thermal expansion. That is why LANXESS has given the Pocan XHR series elongation at break of up to 4.7 percent (ISO 527-1,-2) because high elongation at break counteracts the formation of stress cracks. Moreover, the improved long-term temperature stability and hydrolysis resistance reduce susceptibility to stress cracks. Stress crack resistance is tested under extremely harsh conditions in heat shock tests. This involves subjecting the overmolded components to abrupt changes in temperature from -40° Celsius to 125° Celsius and back in several hundred cycles and keeping them at the various temperatures for extended periods (such as 30 minutes). As Heinen explains, “In heat shock tests, components with Pocan XHR metal overmolding exhibit no stress cracks or, if they do, the cracks do not appear until after many multiples of the usual number of test cycles.” That makes the XHR products exceptionally well suited to overmolding metal parts such as bus bars, connectors, power strips and main supporting frames.

Good processing characteristics

The melt viscosity of all Pocan XHR variants remains constant for a long time at the injection-molding temperatures customary for PBT. The materials can therefore be injection molded stably within a wide processing window. The improved flowability relative to comparable standard PBT materials makes it possible to implement thin-walled geometries. Furthermore, overmolding of metal parts can take place at lower filling pressures, which means that the metal inserts are not distorted or pushed out of position in the tool by the molten material.

Improved alkaline stability

Standard PBT already has good chemical resistance, and Pocan XHR has taken that a step further. For example, it offers good resistance even to very strong alkalis. This reduces elongation at break only by around 40 percent when the material is stored at
55° Celsius in 1-molar sodium hydroxide solution for 100 hours. That is a marked improvement over standard PBT. On vehicle underbodies in particular, a combination of road salt, cast iron, and moisture can cause a mildly alkaline environment to build up. “Our XHR compounds are therefore the material of choice in this application for electrical and electronic components such as sensors, housings and connectors,” explains Heinen.

Flame-retardant XHR compounds soon to be launched

In response to requests from customers, LANXESS is currently adding more flame-retardant compounds to the XHR product range. They are particularly well suited to live components in hot and humid conditions, which have to exhibit excellent hydrolysis stability and fire resistance at the same time. The flame-retardant compounds are reinforced with glass fibers (15, 25, and 30 percent by weight). An unreinforced version of the product will also be available. All materials are equipped with a halogenated flame-retardant package and achieve the top classification of V-0 with low specimen thicknesses according to flammability tests in line with US standard UL 94 (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.). “This classification is required for many plastic components in batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles, for example,” says Heinen.

Pocan XHR acts as a complement to Pocan HR

Pocan XHR is the third generation of hydrolysis-stabilized PBT compounds from LANXESS. It complements the second material generation of Pocan HR. “This is held in high regard by our customers. It remains part of our range because it is an established feature of many series-production applications, and, because of its hydrolysis resistance and other properties, it already covers most common requirements,” says Heinen.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 6.8 billion in 2019. The company currently has about 14,300 employees in 33 countries. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World and Europe) and FTSE4Good.