Bangkok Art Biennale 2022 CHAOS : CALM Announces First List of 20 artists, 7 venues including BAB Virtual Space Third edition opening 22 October 2022 – 23 February 2023

Bangkok, 16 November 2021 – The Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation is delighted to announce the first twenty artists and seven venues for the third edition of the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB). Organised in collaboration with Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (ThaiBev) and public and private sectors, BAB 2022 CHAOS : CALM will take place from 22 October 2022 to 23 February 2023 at various locations across Bangkok as well as BAB Virtual Space, which will showcase a number of innovative artworks specifically created for the digital realm.

Under the theme CHAOS : CALM, this edition invites artists to contemplate the tumultuous conditions of the world around us as communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the urgency to address the climate crisis and socio-political uncertainty around the globe.

Selected by BAB 2022’s curatorial team, participating artists and collectives range from the emerging to the established, with representation from across Thailand, Asia, Europe, Oceania and America: Marina Abramović (Serbia / USA), Jake and Dinos Chapman aka “the Chapman Brothers” (UK), Jarasporn Chumsri (Thailand), Tiffany Chung (Vietnam / USA), Jitish Kallat (India), Kimsooja (Republic of Korea / USA), Rachel Kneebone (UK), Robert Mapplethorpe (USA), Nawin Nuthong (Thailand), Be Takerng Pattanopas (Thailand), Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (Thailand / Indonesia / USA), Alwin Reamillo (The Phillippines), Arin Rungjang (Thailand), Pinaree Sanpitak (Thailand), Chiharu Shiota (Japan), Wantanee Siripattananuntakul (Thailand), Myrtille Tibayrenc (France), Uninspired by Current Events (Thailand), Xu Zhen (China), and Kennedy Yanko (USA).

                      Nawin Nuthong (Thailand)                                                   Jarasporn Chumsri (Thailand)

“Art is a path of hope in this chaotic world. We hope to find happiness and power through art at the Bangkok Art Biennale,” comments BAB 2022 artist Marina Abramović, who returns to BAB for the third time.

“Seeking a sense of calm in the midst of turmoil is a journey that offers knowledge and opportunity. Experiences of stillness and tranquility can still be found in this post-pandemic world of seeming upheaval. The Bangkok Art Biennale invites artists to explore the dichotomy of CHAOS : CALM and express the nuanced tension between these two concepts that are seemingly at odds, yet continue to coexist in our daily lives,” says Prof. Dr. Apinan Poshyananda, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Bangkok Art Biennale.

Since its inaugural edition, the Bangkok Art Biennale has continued to push boundaries and make art accessible to the public at sites across the capital city. At BAB 2022, visitors will be able to enjoy the exhibition throughout the urban area at venues including: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), as well as experience contemporary art in traditional heritage sites including Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan (Temple of the Reclining Buddha or Wat Pho), Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan (Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun), Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan (Temple of Iron Fences or Wat Prayoon), and Museum Siam: Discovery Museum, a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the Thai people.

The 2022 edition will also launch the BAB Virtual Space as a new venue edition, which will showcase a number of innovative artworks specifically created for the digital realm. In the post-pandemic world, technology has been a critically important tool to support accessibility in contemporary art and the creative industries, while also offering artists new mediums to create and share their work. Moreover, BAB 2022 will continue presenting its rich digital programme of talks, symposiums, live performances and virtual walkthroughs to allow the international community to engage with the Biennale online.

Bangkok Art Biennale has also launched its Open Call for Artists program on November 1, 2021. They received an overwhelming response from young and professional artists from around the world, who submitted portfolios to be considered for exhibition in the Biennale. The panel will review and interview applicants, and announce the results in January 2022.

AIA Thailand Teams Up with RISE to Launch ‘AIA x RISE Accelerator’, Bringing Together World-Class Startups to Develop Innovations to Strengthen Its Leadership Position

Bangkok, November 5th, 2021 - AIA Thailand reinforces its status as the Number One Insurance Company*, teaming up with RISE, the corporate innovation powerhouse, to launch “AIA x RISE Accelerator” to seek out the best start-ups from around the globe. The finalists will get a chance to collaborating with AIA Thailand in designing innovations that will drive the organization 360 degrees into the future. This is to elevate Thailand’s Insurance industry by delivering an all-around superior experience to the customers, employees, and agents under its pledge to help people live “Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.”

Commenting on this partnership, Mr Kris Chantanotoke, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Thailand, says, “AIA has been a longstanding leader in life insurance industry trusted by customers for over 83 years. We never cease to invent, innovate, and develop products, technology, and service provision, all with Customer Centricity approach, to provide comprehensive coverage that can response to the demands of all stages of life. Our collaboration with RISE is considered an important step that we take to drive the organization forward into becoming an organization of the future in every way through the utilisation of innovations in corporate context to further expand and deliver the best experience to AIA’s customers. We have RISE, an expert in corporate innovations and technology, to help bringing out the full potential of each of the finalist start-ups in developing innovations and technologies that will become new solutions for Thailand’s insurance industry, in compliance with AIA’s goal to being the number one in innovations that deliver maximum benefits to customers and all Thai people.”

Dr. Supachai Parchariyanon, CEO and Co-Founder of RISE, states, “We are honored to have been trusted by AIA, the number one leader in life insurance industry, to drive forward AIA x RISE Accelerator that will soon be taking place. For RISE, as an innovation accelerator that has worked with more than 400 leading organizations throughout Asia and with its network of more than 20,000 start-ups worldwide, we aim to deliver tangible results from the cooperation between AIA and start-ups in developing new innovations related to insurance industry for Thai people and to lead the organization to its intended destination.”

AIA x RISE Accelerator is considered as South East Asia’s first project that emphasizes on the development of innovation and advance technologies that will answer to the specific demands of the life insurance industry, with the focus on adopting innovations that are relevant to the needs of customers in the digital age. This also includes the adoption of innovations to further enhance operational performance and convenience to employees and agents, with the ultimate goal to deliver service and experience of the highest degree to customers all over the country and to drive the organization 360 degrees into the future to prepare it for becoming the Digital Insurer that answers to the new generation’s novel ways of working, and with a swift customers service that can response to the fast pace of the digital world through collaboration with start-ups, both international and domestic, in order to bring out their potentials to develop innovations with AIA. This is considered a key step for AIA in developing innovations that will not only response to the demand of the customers and businesses, but will also inspire tangible cooperation to support start-ups and new generations with cutting-edge solutions to further support and elevate the health and quality of life of the Thai people under AIA’s brand promise to help people live “Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.”

Out of more than 200 start-ups around the globe who participate in the program, AIA and RISE have selected start-ups with the criteria of having the most interesting presentation of innovations and technologies that are compelling, contemporary, and with possibility of adoption into organization to develop innovations that serve to all dimensions of demands, namely Customer Journey, Customer Reach, Customer Needs, and Deep Tech. The start-up finalists to make it to the final round to jointly develop innovative solutions with AIA are:

  

• GoalsMapper (Singapore) Will be developing with AIA the technological apparatus that will help elevate the capability of insurance agent to become an insurance counselor and professional investment advisor to meet the requirements of different lifestyles and needs of different individuals.
• Autify (Japan) Collaborate with AIA to developing a test automation that allows companies to speed up their release cycle. Autify is a no-code software testing solution; therefore, anyone can do the test without involving a tester/QA.
• Lightwork (Thailand) Developing tools with AIA with the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in the insurance reviewing process, from policy issuance to the process of making a claim and compensation payment.
• Vulcan Coalition (Thailand) Will be developing with AIA data scientist team a solution that makes customers data labeling systematic and economical by well-trained disabled people, enabling AIA to identify and categorize data, then bring the labelled data to enhance the capability of machine learning.
• Vonder (Thailand) Developing online educational and training medium under the concept ‘Microlearning’ that employs gaming technology for an enjoyable and continuous learning experience.
• Tetherfi (Singapore) Developing technological innovation that will facilitate remote working for telesales to offer the best experience to the customers, with speed, quality, and precision in every step of the process.
• Smarten Spaces (Singapore) Developing an intelligence Hybrid Workforce management solution provider trusted by 300+ brands across 100+ cities. Its solution suite ranges from space management to hybrid workforce management and employee safety. It has just won COVID Management of the Year award from the Singapore Business Review 2020.

All finalists will receive the chance to win the prize with a combined value of up to 1 million baht from AIA and an opportunity to receive investment fund of up to 3 million US dollars from SeaX Ventures, a US-based Venture Capital with Southeast Asia portfolios focused in advanced technology start-ups. The AIA x RISE Accelerator will provide an incubation period of 3 months in which innovative solutions will be developed, after which the finalists will be showcasing their innovations at the Demo Day Event in early 2022.

For more information and updates on AIA x RISE Accelerator, please visit aia.riseaccel.com

Note: *Number One in Market Share and Gross Premium (Source: The Thai Life Assurance Association Jan-Aug 2021)

Porsche and Michelin support Indonesian rubber plantation farmers

Stuttgart. Porsche and Michelin are committed to the sustainable extraction of natural rubber. The commitment of the sports car manufacturer and the tyre producer to transparency and better working conditions in the extraction of raw materials is demonstrated by the “CASCADE” (Committed Actions for Smallholders Capacity Development) project. The long-term partners Porsche and Michelin want to support small plantation farmers in Sumatra in Indonesia in extracting rubber. Education and training on cultivation practices, biodiversity and work safety all have the aim of achieving long-term improvements in the living conditions and economic situations of the smallholders.

For Porsche, responsibility begins a long way from the factory gates. We take a holistic approach to sustainability. Our supply chain and the extraction of raw materials are important factors here,” says Barbara Frenkel, Member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG. “We take responsibility for our impact on the rubber extraction regions in Indonesia. We want to improve people’s lives through projects conducted in the region. Smallholders form the heart of a sustainable supply chain for natural rubber. That's why we are supporting them to achieve a decent standard of living while adhering to good environmental and social practices.”

Indonesia is one of the world’s most important rubber production regions. The rubber extraction region in the Jambi province is very rural. Porsche and Michelin identified risks to the sustainability of the supply chain in rubber extraction using an app specially developed for this purpose and by conducting discussions with market participants in the region. Rubber is used in a great many industrial products as a raw material. As an automotive manufacturer, Porsche also contributes to global rubber consumption through the use of rubber in tyres as well as in a wide range of vehicle parts.

“CASCADE is an example of Michelin’s commitment to a sustainable natural rubber supply chain that protects the environment and improves livelihoods. We are happy to be working with Porsche on this ambitious project. For almost 20 years, we have enjoyed a close partnership in the tyre business, which we are now also expanding to the area of sustainability,” says Hélène Paul, Senior Vice President, Chief Procurement Officer at Michelin.

CASCADE is one of the first support projects in the world to start at the lowest level of the natural rubber supply chain. The scheme will see 1,000 smallholders trained by local partners to make extraction methods more environmentally compatible and efficient. This makes a considerable contribution to the lasting improvement of living conditions of smallholders and their families. Porsche and Michelin are investing around one million euros in the project, which will initially run until 2024.

Further information and photo material can be found in the Porsche Newsroom: newsroom.porsche.com

About AAS Auto Service 

AAS Auto Service (AAS), the sole authorised importer and distributor of Porsche cars in Thailand, operates from four world-class Porsche sales locations across Bangkok. It is an accredited Porsche Classic Partner, the only one in the Porsche Asia Pacific region. Having 12 Porsche Certified Gold Technicians and nine Porsche Certified Silver Technicians underlines the strong technical and Aftersales competency of AAS, which has been recognised over the last few years with the global Porsche Service Excellence Award. Over 30 years, AAS continues to practice the company policy “AAS Looking After You and Your Car”, in order to achieve the mission of “AAS The Name You Can Trust”.

Dow Thailand announces a 100% acrylic polymer for waterborne pavement markings that offers improved safety, durability, and ease of use

BANGKOK – 22 October 2021 – Dow Thailand Group (Dow), has unveiled in Thailand an innovative, non-flammable, non-hazardous water-based traffic paint technology. FASTRACK™ Technology offers affordable, water-based, quick-drying, durable coatings that improve driver safety, especially at night. FASTRACK™ Technology is now available to the Thai market.

FASTRACK™ Technology is a waterborne traffic paint innovation developed in the overseas research laboratories of Dow. Excellent key features include 100% acrylic polymer technology that offers fast drying even under conditions of high humidity or low air circulation.

FASTRACK™ Technology offers excellent durability and enhanced retention of glass beads that benefits extended reflectivity and night-time visibility. It also offers low volatile content (Low-VOC) that facilitates the formulation of coatings to address stringent environmental standards. FASTRACK™ Technology, as a water-based system, offers advantages in worker health and safety and reduced air pollution. Traditional traffic paint systems have been solvent based and/or hot melt that require high energy needs (200 °C). FASTRACK™ Technology is applied at ambient conditions and spray equipment is readily cleaned with water.

Puay Koon Chia, Asia Pacific Commercial Director for Dow Coating Materials said “At Dow, we see the role of business as a catalyst for change – as a driver of innovation that protects life and the environment, while helping create business growth. In alignment with our 2025 Sustainability Goals, we try to spark sustainable innovation and create shared value by solving social problems through our own technology and expertise.”

Compared to traditional systems, FASTRACK™ Technology offers a reduction in difficult and hazardous on-site work processes. FASTRACK™ Technology is already used in countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. In Thailand, paints formulated with FASTRACK™ Technology is currently used on airport runways, aprons, and aircraft parking lots at some of the major airports of the country. “It’s exciting to see waterbased airport marking paints applied in Thailand… the same innovative technology being used in highway markings which started in the USA 3 decades ago” added Yan Kit Kwok, Southeast Asia Commercial Director

For more details, please go to: www.Dow.com

About Dow 

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility, and consumer care. Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $39 billion in 2020. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

Dow joins forces with Jaguar Racing to develop next-generation EV for Formula E

Bringing its 100 years of experience in automotive to Formula E, Dow officially joins Jaguar Racing for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. As a partner, Dow engineers will team up alongside Jaguar Racing to help innovate creative solutions for the unique demands of next-generation vehicles.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is a groundbreaking single-seater motorsport competition that uses only electric cars. Alongside partners at Jaguar Racing, Dow is accelerating material development in real time through our MobilityScience™ platform, introducing a wide range of polyolefin, polyurethane, acrylic, specialty chemical and silicone technologies that advance safety, comfort, range and low carbon solutions for automobiles on the track and off.

The Jaguar website reveals that “Formula E remains a key priority for Jaguar Land Rover and the company’s Destination Zero journey. As the only all-electric world championship, Formula E allows us to test and develop new electric vehicle technologies in a high-performance environment. It continues to be the test-bed for our Race to Innovate mission that will help shape our electric future – a future that Jaguar is passionate about, and dedicated to for the benefit of our society, the changing landscape of mobility, sustainability and our customers.”

James Barclay, Jaguar Racing Team Director, said, “This is Jaguar Racing’s fifth season in the world’s fastest-growing global motorsport. The team have worked harder than ever to create the most efficient, state-of-the-art race car and it is fantastic to be able to unveil it to our customers, fans and partners. We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our new partner Dow and look forward to creating a new chapter of success in Formula E together.”

“Great partnerships are based on shared values and vision for the future,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow Chairman and CEO. “The Formula E circuit, and our new relationship with Jaguar racing in particular, aligns with our ambition to bring more sustainable solutions to society through an innovative and inclusive spirit. As a global materials science leader, we look forward to advancing vehicle electrification through our MobilityScience platform on this collaborative journey to a lower carbon economy.”

In Thailand, Dow has developed and introduced various materials and chemicals to the Thai automobile industry for a long time. The main product groups are polyolefin, polyurethane, acrylic, elastomers and silicones for producing various interior and exterior components and inside the engine compartment, such as airbags, seat cushions, electrical and electronic systems, car batteries and so on. Today, Dow is a leading developer of a wide range of innovations for EVs, especially electric vehicle batteries and materials that make the electric vehicle structure lighter. Dow's official partnership to develop electric racing cars with a world-class team like Jaguar is working to bring new technologies and innovations from the track to EVs on the roads around the world and in Thailand.

More information about Dow’s MobilityScience™ platform is available on www.dow.com/en-us/brand/mobilityscience.html

New Geely front end carrier to use innovative lightweight solution from LANXESS

• Modern lightweight design
• High modulus and high flow PA6 base material – Durethan BKV50H2.0 EF
• Focus on material characteristics and optimized costs
• Superior mechanical performance

Smart designed frond end carrier made from the Durethan BKV50H2.0 EF polyamide 6 compound is part of latest-generation automatic structural parts from various carmakers.

Cologne, September 30, 2021 – Chinese car manufacturer Geely has selected specialty chemicals company LANXESS as supplier of choice for an innovative front-end carrier (FE) structural component, which will be used in a coming passenger car model. The component’s design concept is a state-of-the-art hybrid design solution going beyond the traditional square/rectangular form FE structure.

While the lower cooler mounting is in sheet metal, the complex upper member was developed using the highly filled and heat stabilized Durethan BKV50H2.0 EF, a material well suited for structural components that require high stiffness and strength. The full plastic design for the upper section caters to a wide range of requirements of this multi component assembly. The concept not only demonstrates LANXESS’ competence of hybrid solution application in automotive lightweight structures and the advantage of using high modulus thermoplastic material such as Durethan BKV50H2.0 EF, but also provides a cost-effective solution to achieve multiple saving targets.

Challenging competition environment

LANXESS was chosen by Geely as material supplier based on its expertise in handling the part design as well as the suitability of its Durethan polyamide material. “Yet designing a plastic structural component and providing the right material is not enough.

Considering the overall market background, customer expectations, understanding the tasks on hand and preparing different potential design proposals for the FE structure was also key in developing this project,” Add Tsui, project manager at the High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit, said.

High modulus material

LANXESS engineering plastics are designed to support customers in achieving maximum component performance and efficient processing. To meet these objectives, the company established the Pocan and Durethan EF and XF product lines, a broad range of easy-flow polybutylene terephthalates (PBT) and polyamide 6 and 66 grades. “EF” stands for “EasyFlow,” “XF” for “XtremeFlow.” In addition, LANXESS has developed high-modulus thermoplastics with glass fiber contents of 50% and more. These products display unusually high stiffness and strength and, despite their high filler content, can still be processed as easily and efficiently as comparable standard materials. “Smart materials offer attractive advantages for design and manufacturing provide designers with entirely new options”, said Wei Lin, LANXESS key account manager.

LANXESS comprehensive part testing services conclude new application developments to ensure highest safety and reliable performance according to customer specifications and in correlation with LANXESS advanced CAE methodologies.

Support in component design and part validation

Apart from high-tech thermoplastics, LANXESS offers extensive know-how and experience, as well as state-of-the-art design and simulation methods, and part evaluation & testing. Its experts actively contribute their engineering know-how to customer projects. HiAnt, the integrated service package for lightweight solutions, aims to help our customers achieve maximum performance while minimizing weight. To pursue optimized design, mathematical simulation methods are outstanding instruments for the design and optimization of parts, and they deliver fairly accurate statements on part behavior. When it comes to making a definitive statement on the functional capability of parts, however, it is generally still necessary to conduct practice-oriented tests on prototypes.

For this reason, most OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) prescribe stringent corresponding acceptance tests and specifications.

LANXESS has a state-of-the-art test laboratory and the corresponding specialist employees and can offer an extensive range of testing facilities.

Geely Holding Group is a global innovative technology group engaged in the design, R&D, production, sales, and service of vehicles, powertrains, and key components, as well as mobility services and digital technologies. The cutting-edge technologies comprise new energy, shared mobility, vehicle networks, autonomous driving, vehicle microchips, low orbit satellites, and laser communication as it lays the foundation for a future multi-dimensional mobility ecology.

Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Geely Holding today has more than 120,000 global employees. It owns a number of brands including Geely Auto, Volvo Cars, Polestar, Proton Cars, Lotus, London Electric Vehicle Company. It is also the largest shareholder in Daimler AG and the second largest shareholder in Volvo AB.

About LANXESS
LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 6.1 billion in 2020. 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.

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.

FIRST BACALAR AND BLOWER CUSTOMER CARS HAND-FINISHED BY BENTLEY MULLINER

• First customer cars for both handcrafted series now finished
• Both cars created in Bentley Mulliner’s dedicated workshop in Crewe
• Bacalar Car One finished in bespoke Atom Silver Satin paint
• Blower Car One resplendent in Birkin Green
• The next three cars in each series now in build
• Customer deliveries about to begin

(Crewe, 19 August 2021) Bentley Mulliner has completed the first customer cars in both of its new series of pinnacle, handcrafted, bespoke projects. Each car is the first of their respective 12 vehicle series, with Bacalar Car One being the first customer delivery of Mulliner’s new coachbuilt barchetta. Meanwhile, Blower Car One is a millimetre-accurate mechanical recreation of Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin’s 1929 supercharged 4½-Litre, and the first customer car of the world’s first pre-war continuation series.

The first customer cars follow their engineering prototypes, known in Bentley as the “Car Zeroes”. Each has completed significant durability mileage, performance and climatic testing in various locations and the engineering sign-off of both projects was successfully achieved to allow customer builds to commence.

Bentley’s Director of Mulliner and Motorsport, Paul Williams, comments:
“Seeing these first two cars now finished has given the whole team an enormous sense of pride. Years of work have gone into the design and development of these projects, and seeing them together is incredibly rewarding. These cars are totally unique, absolutely bespoke, and yet have been built to the same quality standards as any other Bentley. Mulliner is truly the only place in the world that could deliver a 21st century, coachbuilt grand touring barchetta at the same time as recreating an iconic road-going 1929 race car.

“I’m excited for our customers to take delivery of their new cars, and to seeing the rest of the orders in both series come to life. Alongside the more mainstream yet still distinctive cars of the Mulliner Collections family, these are the first models of the Mulliner Classic and Coachbuilt portfolios – but there will be more. We’re just getting started.”

As with every car in the two series, strictly limited to 12 examples apiece, the first cars have had every detail specified by their imminent owners, and as such are totally bespoke to them.

Due to the nature of these personal commissions, Bentley is not able to reveal the identity of the customers nor where the cars will be heading. However, each customer shares a love of driving, along with an avid appreciation for craftsmanship, authenticity & attention to detail, all deeply associated with Mulliner.

Blower Car One

The first Blower Continuation Series car is a shining example of classic design, executed to perfection. The body is trimmed in period-correct Rexine and finished in bespoke Birkin Green paint, a recreation of the colour of the original Blower on which it’s based – Team Car No.2, registration UU 5872. Built, owned and raced by Sir Tim Birkin, the car is still owned by Bentley Motors and is run weekly. Car One is therefore the most fitting start to the Continuation Series that could be imagined. The Birkin Green body is complemented by identically coloured wire wheels, with colour-matched leather trimming the interior. The foldable roof is in black.

Mechanically, the car is identical to Birkin’s original, save for two safety-critical features – modern electric fuel pumps, and a foam baffle to the fuel tank. A dynator, a reworked alternative to the original dynamo has also been added, offering a more powerful and reliable charging system whilst retaining the look of the original dynamo. The engine is a brand new example of W.O. Bentley’s own 4½-litre design, featuring aluminium pistons, an overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and twin spark plugs. Attached to the front is the iconic supercharger that gives the Blower its name, and is an exact recreation of that created in the 1920s by renowned engineer, Amherst Villiers. Power has been measured as part of engine sign-off, with the near-100-year old design reliably making 240 bhp.

Bacalar Car One

Alongside the Blower, Bacalar Car One has also been finished. Designing a Bacalar is an exercise in imagination, with the material, colour and finish of practically every interior and exterior surface being bespoke.

The carbon fibre body is finished in a bespoke colour for the lead customer – a champagne-tinted satin silver called Atom Silver. The car sits on 22” Bacalar Tri-Finish wheels, with polished faces, dark grey satin spokes and gloss Moss Green accent highlights. The same Moss Green accent is applied to the front grille centre bar, the insides of the headlamps, the upper body chrome surround and around the gloss black “power humps” to the rear. Gloss black also provides contrast to the A-pillars, grille meshes and surrounds, bonnet vents, side vents, lower body, rear bumper insert and brake calipers. The rear of the car is finished with gloss black outer exhaust tips with Moss Green inners.

The interior of Bacalar Car One follows the same black and green trend. Beluga leather is accented with Moss Green hide to the wings of the console, the outer seat backs and throughout the cabin as contrast stitching through the unique Bacalar quilting pattern. The seat centres use fine Nappa leather, while the carpets are beluga diamond-carved overmats with Moss Green binding and stitching.

Open Pore Riverwood over Gloss Black veneer with unique satin bronze detailing flows across the cockpit into the doors and behind the front seats, creating a circle of 5,000-year-old veneer. The details of the cabin are truly special, with:

• Bronze finishes to the steering wheel and headrest bezels, upper ventilation bullseye vents and accent rings
• A satin nickel finish to the clock and Bentley Rotating Display dial faces
• Black anodised interior brightware
• Bright chrome Bentley wings
• Gloss black finishing to the speaker grilles
• Bespoke Bacalar luggage, that fits behind the front seats, crafted in Beluga hide with contrast Bentley embroidered emblems and Bacalar quilting pattern in Moss Green with Beluga fine Nappa leather piping.

Finally, the key for Bacalar Car One will be presented to the customer in a bespoke key box, trimmed in Beluga hide with Moss Green stitching to match the car. The key itself also features gloss Moss Green to the sides, with a special Bacalar knurled finish.

Both Blower Car One and Bacalar Car One now shortly begin their journeys to their respective owners, while the Mulliner build team continue work on the next three cars in both series – each one as special and unique to their owners as these first examples.

Entrust partners with MK Group to issue 50 million cards for Vietnam’s Chip-Based National ID Card project

The project is the combination of Entrust’s advanced card issuance solutions and MK Group’s deep local footprint to enhance security and safety of the Vietnam’s national identity cards

Thailand— AUGUST 18, 2021 — Entrust, a leading provider of trusted identities, payments and data protection, has just announced that the company has facilitated the roll-out of Vietnam’s citizen identity (ID) card project through a strategic partnership with MK Group Joint Stock Company (MK Group). Entrust and MK Group will be delivering advanced technology solutions and on-the-ground support together for Vietnam to be able to issue 50 million chip-based ID cards to eligible citizens starting in February 2021.

Entrust issuance systems and software solutions, along with Vietnam-based MK Group – who will be managing on-the-ground operations and overseeing the local card issuance, will enable the high-speed, high-volume personalization of the first 50-million national ID card. The new chip-embedded National ID cards will replace and consolidate the three most recent versions of National ID cards – nine-digit, 12-digit, and barcode-based, introduced in 1999, 2012, and 2016 respectively – with new chip-based cards, introducing a more secure, standardized way to authenticate citizen identities.

“We are pleased to be selected as the technology partner for this nationwide project to transform Vietnam’s citizen ID system into one that is more standardized, secure, and digitally advanced,” said Angus McDougall, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Entrust. “We view this partnership with MK Group as a strong step towards the future of trusted identities in Vietnam.”

“MK Group is proud to introduce and implement leading technology for multi-application smart cards, with ID and biometric authentication application in accordance to ICAO standards. The partnership with Entrust signifies our shared vision of accelerating the rise of secure data protection and advanced identity authentication in Vietnam, where our offerings continue to play an instrumental role in the nation’s digitalization programme,” said Mr. Khang Nguyen, Chairman of MK Group. “MK Group is well placed to respond to the growing focus on government-grade security and assurance demonstrated in this card issuance project, through the delivery of robust and scalable solutions.”

MK Smart, a subsidiary of MK Group, developed the operating system of the chip on smartcards and its applications, in compliance with ICAO standards and local security requirements. The chip-based ID Card, which is bundled with ICAO-compliance e-ID data, biometric and digital signing capabilities, will be used to log into many different government and private portals, where thousands of services are provided to citizens. Citizens can also use the card for authentication with government bodies and banks.

Entrust has been delivering high-volume issuance systems and high-quality consumable supplies and professional services to fulfill the first batch of 50 million smart cards.

 
About Entrust Corporation
Entrust keeps the world moving safely by enabling trusted identities, payments and data protection. As of today, people demand more seamless, secure experiences, whether they’re crossing borders, making a purchase, accessing e-government services or logging into corporate networks. Entrust offers an unmatched breadth of digital security and credential issuance solutions at the very heart of all these interactions. With more than 2,500 employees, a network of global partners, and customers in over 150 countries, it’s no wonder the world’s most entrusted organizations trust us. For more information, visit www.entrust.com.

About MK Group
Established in 1999 in Vietnam, MK Joint Stock Company (Group) has over 22 years of experience in providing Digital Security solutions and Smart Card products. MK Group’s slogan is Smart Digital Security. MK Group always strives to be a trusted partner for providing and implementing a wide range of products and solutions for many customers in the government, finance – banking, enterprise, transportation, and telecommunication sectors. For more information, visit www.mk.com.vn

Mercedes-Benz officially introduces “The new S-Class” Starting from 6.69 million baht

Mercedes-Benz S 350 d Exclusive

• Mercedes-Benz introduces “The new S-Class”, price starting from 6,690,000 baht
• Open for reservation from today onwards at Mercedes-Benz authorized dealers nationwide
• Only customers who purchase The new S-Class with authorized dealers will be able to experience a full efficiency of the limitless wireless internet connection

Mercedes-Benz sets to bring the ultimate experience of luxury, comfort and safety to customers in Thailand with the official unveiling of "The new S-Class". At a starting price of 6,690,000 baht, customers can now register to reserve the new luxury saloon from today onwards at Mercedes-Benz authorized dealers nationwide.

Mercedes-Benz S 350 d Exclusive

Mr. Roland Folger, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Company Limited, said “Today Mercedes-Benz is ready to introduce you to "The new S-Class", an ultimate luxury saloon that provides the best driving experience in terms of luxury, comfort and safety. Mercedes-Benz S-Class has always been the best-selling luxury saloon both in the global market and in Thai market. With this new model, under the integration of the most advanced automotive innovations that put focus on user, every detail of this vehicle’s design is meticulously refined. Particularly, the mobile connected experience via wireless internet in the vehicle, Mercedes-Benz has partnered with local 4G LTE service provider in Thailand to allow customers who purchase a Mercedes-Benz vehicle with our authorized dealers to be able to have the best driving experience on every road. And for customers who are interested in "The new S-Class", you can contact Mercedes-Benz authorized dealers nationwide for more information and reservation from today onwards.”

Mercedes-Benz S 350 d AMG Premium

The new S-Class is the latest generation and a newest member of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class family that is ready to bring the best automotive experience with highest luxury, comfort and safety. The new S-Class is powered by 6 cylinder in-line 2,925 cc diesel engine with 2-stage turbocharger and intercooler which is more efficient and more environmentally friendly. Under the concept of “Sensual Purity”, the design language has been upgraded in every detail. Particularly, the new generation MBUX7 (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) is even more digital and intelligent, not to mention the most advanced safety systems that set to raise the bar in terms of driving experience on every surface.

Mercedes-Benz S 350 d AMG Premium

The new S-Class has two variants available including:

• Mercedes-Benz S 350 d Exclusive, priced at 6,690,000 baht.
• Mercedes-Benz S 350 d AMG Premium, priced at 7,190,000 baht.

For reservation and more information about The new S-Class as well as other Mercedes-Benz models, you can contact Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG authorized dealers nationwide.

About Mercedes-Benz AG 

Mercedes-Benz AG is responsible for the global business of Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans with over 173,000 employees worldwide. Ola Källenius is Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG. The company focuses on the development, production and sales of passenger cars, vans and services. Furthermore, the company aspires to be leading in the fields of connectivity, automated driving and alternative drives with its forward-looking innovations. The product portfolio comprises the Mercedes-Benz brand with the sub-brands Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes me - as well as the smart brand, and the EQ product and technology brand for electric mobility. Mercedes-Benz AG is one of the largest manufacturers of premium passenger cars. In 2019 it sold nearly 2.4 million cars and more than 438,000 vans. In its two business divisions, Mercedes-Benz AG is continually expanding its worldwide production network with over 40 production sites on four continents, while aligning itself to meet the requirements of electric mobility. At the same time, the company is developing its global battery production network on three continents. Sustainable actions play a decisive role in both business divisions. To the company, sustainability means creating value for all stakeholders on a lasting basis: customers, employees, investors, business partners and the society as a whole. The basis for this is the sustainable business strategy of Daimler in which the company takes responsibility for the economic, ecological and social effects of its business activities and looks at the entire value chain.

“Token X”, a subsidiary of SCB 10X, set to tap into the digital token market, aiming to be an ASEAN leader in digital asset tokenization by 2025

• Total consulting service for tokenization and blockchain development solutions
• Eyeing providing an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) portal service

Token X Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of SCB 10X Co., Ltd., a holding company under the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) Group. The company plans to offer total solutions to those interested in issuing digital tokens, including tokenization consulting, business planning, and the development of blockchain and other related technologies. Prepping for providing an initial coin offering (ICO) portal service by the fourth quarter this year, the company is currently seeking an ICO Portal’s license from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Token X aims to become an ASEAN leader in digital asset tokenization by 2025.

Token X’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Jittinun Chatsiharach said, “Even though digital tokens are rather new in Thailand, they will be growth potential, and we are very confident that in the near future they will play a vital role in funding companies with new ideas and projects through digital token issuance or initial coin offering (ICO). Our role is to raise new capabilities in digital asset tokenization to add value in developing new growth models and apply tokenization to businesses. Our plan is to offer wider opportunities to investors to access qualified digital tokens and diverse investment options in the future. Token X’s plan to provide total solutions for tokenization consulting, business planning regarding Blockchain, and other technologies related to digital tokens to help clients achieve their business goals.”

“Token X is currently seeking an ICO Portal’s license from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to provide ICO portal service expected by the fourth quarter this year. We have set a business goal of becoming Southeast Asia leader in digital asset tokenization by 2025.” Ms. Jittinun concluded.

To learn more about digital tokens, please visit www.tokenx.finance

About Token X 

Token X Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of SCB 10X Co., Ltd., a holding company under the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) Group. Pursuing its aspiration of becoming a “Tokenization Success Partner,” the company is equipped with capable teams and personnel ready to offer total digital token solutions, covering consulting, tokenomics designing, selecting the right technology, and initial coin offering (ICO) portal service. The company is currently seeking an ICO portal license from the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.tokenx.finance or www.facebook.com/tokenx.th, or contact contact@tokenx.finance

LANXESS completes acquisition of Emerald Kalama Chemical

• Acquisition with approximately USD 425 million in sales and around USD 90 million in EBITDA
• Additional EBITDA contribution of around USD 30 million within three years through synergies
• Strengthening of the Consumer Protection segment: aroma chemicals and preservatives for food, household, cosmetics and personal care applications
• New Flavors & Fragrances business unit
• LANXESS CEO Zachert: “LANXESS will become even more stable and profitable.”

Thailand, August 5, 2021 – Specialty chemicals company LANXESS completed the second-largest acquisition in its history on August 3 with the takeover of Emerald Kalama Chemical. The US-based specialty chemicals manufacturer was majority-owned by affiliates of private equity firm American Securities LLC. All required regulatory approvals have been received. The enterprise value of Emerald Kalama Chemical was USD 1.075 billion (EUR 900 million). After deducting liabilities, the purchase price was approximately USD 1.04 billion (EUR 870 million), which LANXESS financed from existing liquidity.

“Emerald Kalama Chemical gives us another major boost on our growth path. The new businesses are an optimal strategic fit for us. We are strengthening our position in markets with attractive growth rates and opening up new high-margin application areas, especially in the beverage and food sector or in cleaning and cosmetic products. What's more, Emerald Kalama Chemical is perfectly backward integrated – strengthening our value chain in Consumer Protection. This segment is thus an important engine on the way to making LANXESS even more stable and profitable,” said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. “A strong team is now working at full speed to ensure a rapid integration.”

With the closing of the transaction, LANXESS grows by around 470 employees and the three production sites in Kalama/Washington (USA), Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Widnes (Great Britain).

In 2020, Emerald Kalama Chemical achieved global sales of approximately USD 425 million (EUR 375 million) and EBITDA pre exceptionals of around USD 90 million (EUR 80 million). Within three years, LANXESS expects an additional annual EBITDA contribution of around USD 30 million (EUR 25 million) from synergy effects. The acquisition will already be earnings per share accretive in the first fiscal year after its completion.

Expansion of the product portfolio for the consumer care sector

Around three quarters of the sales of the acquired businesses are attributable to specialty products for the consumer care market.

The acquisition makes LANXESS one of the leading providers of products for flavors and fragrances – an area in which the specialty chemicals company expects to see sustained strong growth rates. The substances are used primarily in personal care products, cosmetics and exclusive fragrances, as well as food and beverages. The product range in the new LANXESS portfolio includes more than 30 aroma chemicals that provide earthy, floral, fruity, spicy and herbal notes.

LANXESS is incorporating this business into the newly established Flavors & Fragrances business unit, which will become part of the Consumer Protection segment.

The acquisition also strengthens LANXESS’ leading position in the preservatives business. The new products will be used in high-growth applications in the food and beverage industry as well as in detergents, fabric softeners, cosmetics and personal care products.

Specialty chemicals for industrial applications

Around a quarter of the sales of the acquired businesses are accounted for by specialty chemicals for high-growth industrial applications, primarily in the plastics, paints and coatings and adhesives industries. The products will be integrated into the Polymer Additives business unit.

Euro figures based on exchange rate EUR/USD = 1.14 (average rate in 2020). Enterprise value and purchase price were converted using current exchange rate EUR/USD = 1.19.

About LANXESS
LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 6.1 billion in 2020. 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.

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.