Thursday, November 2, 2023

Netspend and Rêv Combine Global Portfolio Under Parent Brand Name Ouro

 


 New name reflects ethos of reinvention, transformation and rebirth of the company that launched an industry 25 years ago

Company to retain the Netspend and Rêv brands as part of global multi-brand product portfolio

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Netspend and Rêv Worldwide announced today they have completed the integration of their key strategic assets and formed a new global financial services, loyalty and technology solutions parent company named Ouro. The new company plans to aggressively expand its multi-brand portfolio spanning prepaid, debit, cross-border payments, and loyalty products and service innovations across the globe. The new name and strategy follow the May return of the founders to run the company they started nearly 25 years ago.

The new Ouro global group of fintech brands will maintain Netspend as a flagship brand and leader in the prepaid card market, serving underserved customers looking to access payment network merchant acceptance. The company’s X World Wallet, which was developed by Rêv, will continue to expand domestically and internationally with a focus on lifestyle, tourism and cross-border commerce.

“With the successful integration and alignment of our people, platforms, and purpose, we are primed to help more consumers worldwide access innovative financial solutions that provide exceptional value, control, flexibility and security,” said Ouro Co-founder, Chairman and CEO Roy Sosa. “The decision to rebrand as Ouro signifies the transformation we’ve undergone the past six months and reignites our shared commitment to our legacy of customer and partner-centric innovation and reminds us of the infinite possibilities that come with pursuing it.”

The name Ouro draws inspiration and meaning from the Greek word “ouroboros,” an ancient symbol depicting a closed circle with a dragon consuming its own tail. Manifesting across diverse cultures and contexts throughout history, the symbol evokes continuous reinvention, renewal, the unity of beginnings and endings, the cyclical nature of our journeys and endless possibility.

The Ouro brand acknowledges and reflects the cyclical nature of the journey and transformation the company has undergone since founders Roy and Bertrand Sosa returned to the helm with an acquisition completed in May.

“While we take pride in the role Netspend has played in the financial empowerment ecosystem pioneering prepaid, debit and mobile payment solutions, billions more consumers can benefit from these essential products and services, and we remain committed to reaching them,” Ouro Co-Founder, President and Chief Brand Officer Bertrand Sosa noted. “Ouro is building on a vast set of strategic assets – including several proprietary payment processing platforms, a worldwide network of card sale and cash load retail partners, and multiple innovative international brands which today span the entire economic ladder and a global footprint.”

Ouro will capitalize on its existing portfolio of consumer brands, including one of the largest prepaid debit card providers in the United States under the Netspend brand, as well as international brand X World Wallet direct-to-consumer program, Walletplus in partnership with Etihad Airways, and Global Wallet in partnership with Itaú bank in Brazil, among other consumer and enterprise programs under management. With the Rêv brand, Ouro will continue to develop and expand its growing suite of tailored enterprise solutions. The company also has strategic partnerships in the sports and entertainment world, including blue-chip properties across NASCAR, MLB, MLS, NBA, with other properties soon to be announced, adding to product co-brand strategies and opportunities.

About Ouro

Ouro is a global, vertically-integrated financial services and technology company dedicated to the delivery of innovative financial empowerment solutions to consumers worldwide. Ouro’s financial products and services span prepaid, debit, cross-border payments, and loyalty solutions for consumers and enterprise partners. Since its founding in 1999 by industry pioneers Roy and Bertrand Sosa, Ouro products have processed almost a trillion dollars in transaction volume and served millions of customers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas with regional offices across the world. For more information, visit www.ouro.global.

 



Contacts

Meredith DeSpain
mdespain@legendlabs.com


Quectel Sends Cease and Desist Letters to competitors demanding immediate change of unfair and deceptive business practices

 VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Wednesday, 01. November 2023 AETOSWire Print 


(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, today sent a cease-and-desist letter to Renesas Electronics Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, demanding that it immediately stop making false accusations about Quectel and its IoT modules and renounce a September 2023 PowerPoint presentation titled “Attacking Quectel Sockets” that Renesas sent to Quectel customers.


The Renesas document falsely asserts that Quectel’s modules are on a U.S. government banned list and that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a request from the U.S. House of Representatives to ban Quectel’s IoT modules. Both statements are untrue and defamatory. Quectel is demanding a retraction and correction from Renesas.


“It has recently come to our attention that a number of competitors are propagating false and defamatory rumors and distributing material containing false and defamatory statements to Quectel’s customers and potential customers,” said Norbert Muhrer, President and Chief Sales Officer of Quectel. “We will vigorously defend ourselves against false claims and we will not tolerate untrue and defamatory practices targeting Quectel and its customers. To be clear, Quectel’s IoT modules are not, and never have been, on the FCC’s Covered List or any other U.S. government agency list that would subject Quectel or its products to restrictions of any kind.”


Quectel has been reaching out to U.S. government officials to correct fundamental misunderstandings about its IoT module technology. Quectel’s modules do not pose any risk to national security or privacy. In fact, Quectel does not have access to any data on their customers’ devices, much less control or manage any data. Rather, the makers of the devices into which its modules are placed have full control of all such data. Quectel’s most recent submission to the FCC on this subject is here.


Quectel has retained the respected independent security firm Finite State, which is auditing and penetration-testing the security of Quectel’s modules. Its ongoing work includes rigorous security testing, improved software supply chain visibility, and comprehensive software risk management. Quectel was given high marks by Finite State for its cybersecurity. Here is a press release about Finite State’s report.


Quectel maintains the highest industry standards of security and data privacy. It also follows industry best practices, continuously improves security protocols, conducts independent audits, qualifies for security certifications, and transparently communicates about its products' security features and practices.


Quectel looks forward to demonstrating its modules’ security to government officials. It also is determined to prevent competitors like Renesas from spreading falsehoods about its products.


About Quectel


Quectel’s passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we are a global IoT solutions provider backed by outstanding support and services. Our growing global team of 5,900 professionals sets the pace for innovation in cellular, GNSS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules as well as antennas and services.


With regional offices and support across the globe, our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT and helping build a smarter world.


For more information, please visit: www.quectel.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.


 


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Contacts

Media contact:  media@quectel.com  

Saudi Fund for Development Signs $100 Million Loan Agreement to Support the Water Sector Argentina

 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Wednesday, 01. November 2023 AETOSWire 



 


The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Chief Executive Officer, H.E. Sultan Al-Marshad, signed today,  a new development loan agreement marking the Fund’s first presence in the country, worth USD $100 million with the Province Governor of Córdoba, H.E. Juan Schiaretti and the Province Governor of Santa Fe, H.E. Omar Perotti, to help fund the Interprovincial Aqueduct Santa Fe - Córdoba Project (Phase 1, Block B-C) in Argentina, through SFD. The signing ceremony took place at the SFD headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


It was attended by the Minister of Public Works of the Province of Córdoba, Mr. Ricardo Sosa, Minster of Public Services of the Province of Córdoba, Mr. Fabian Lopez, Minister of Economy of the Province of Santa Fe, Mr. Walter August, and by official representatives from both parties.


This agreement will boost Argentina’s economy by supporting potable water development in Santa Fe and Córdoba, creating jobs, and advancing socio-economic development.


Importantly, this project also supports the realization of the UN SDGs, specifically SDG 3, Good Health and Wellbeing, and SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation.


Phase 1 of the project will develop from Coronda to San Francisco, providing more than 410,000 people with access to safe water and fostering development in Santa Fe and Córdoba.


On this occasion, the Province Governor of Córdoba, H.E. Juan Schiaretti, said “It is a great honor to sign this $100 million aqueduct agreement, benefiting Santa Fe and Córdoba, and forging the first economic development corporation between the SFD and Argentina.”


The Province Governor of Santa Fe, H.E. Omar Perotti, stated “Today, Argentina and SFD collaborate to build an aqueduct that will change lives for the better, marking a historic step towards long-lasting development.”


On his part, the CEO of SFD, H.E Sultan Al-Marshad, said: “Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene are essential for health and well-being. We are proud to support projects that improve access to potable water in developing countries and positively impact the lives of many.”


Argentina becomes 93rd SFD beneficiary, this signifies the SFD’s commitment to sustainable development in Latin America.


In line with its mission to promote global sustainable development since 1975, SFD has funded more than 750 development projects worth US$20 billion in over 90 countries around world.



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Contacts

Nawaf Alojrush

Email: alojrush@sep.gov.sa

Rimini Street Announces Fiscal Third Quarter 2023 Financial and Operating Results

 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support, products and services, the leading third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP software, and a Salesforce and AWS partner, today announced financial and operating results for the fiscal third quarter ended September 30, 2023.


“For the third quarter of 2023, we saw our end-to-end ERP outsourcing solution, Rimini ONETM, and our solutions for SAP products continue to gain traction globally, driven in part by the current macro-economic environment where we believe our expanded, full service portfolio is increasingly valued by prospects and clients and in part by the further maturing of our go-to-market execution,” stated Seth A. Ravin, Rimini Street’s co-founder, president, CEO and chairman of the board.


Select Third Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights


Revenue was $107.5 million for the 2023 third quarter, an increase of 5.4% compared to $101.9 million for the same period last year.


U.S. revenue was $55.7 million, an increase of 4.3% compared to $53.4 million for the same period last year.


International revenue was $51.7 million, an increase of 6.6% compared to $48.5 million for the same period last year.


Annualized Recurring Revenue was $416.3 million for the 2023 third quarter, an increase of 4.1% compared to $399.8 million for the same period last year.


Revenue Retention Rate was 94% for both the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively.


Subscription revenue was $104.1 million, which accounted for 96.9% of total revenue for the 2023 third quarter, compared to subscription revenue of $99.9 million, which accounted for 98.1% of total revenue for the same period last year.


Billings was $60.5 million for the 2023 third quarter, an increase of 21.7% compared to $49.7 million for the same period last year.


Gross margin was 62.7% for the 2023 third quarter compared to 61.5% for the same period last year.


Operating income was $11.2 million for the 2023 third quarter compared to $2.0 million for the same period last year.


Non-GAAP Operating Income was $16.5 million for the 2023 third quarter compared to $10.7 million for the same period last year.


Net income was $6.8 million for the 2023 third quarter compared to a net loss of $0.4 million for the same period last year.


Non-GAAP Net Income was $12.1 million for the 2023 third quarter compared to $8.3 million for the same period last year.


Adjusted EBITDA for the 2023 third quarter was $18.2 million compared to $10.0 million for the same period last year.


Basic and diluted net income per share attributable to common stockholders was $0.08 for the 2023 third quarter compared to basic and diluted net loss per share of $0.00 for the same period last year.


Cash and short-term investments of $128.1 million at September 30, 2023 compared to $129.7 million at September 30, 2022.


Reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures provided in this press release to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided in the financial tables included at the end of this press release. An explanation of these measures, why we believe they are meaningful and how they are calculated is also included under the heading “About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Certain Key Metrics.”


Select Third Quarter 2023 Operating Highlights


Announced Gachon University Gil Medical Center, South Korea’s pioneering health provider and leading research-center hospital, has selected Rimini Support™ for Oracle Database, leading to both stability and improvement in its mission-critical IT operations that serve the needs of 1.5 million patients annually.


Expanded Rimini Support™ for SAP products and Industry Solutions, while reaffirming its guarantee of 15 additional years of support and managed services for fifteen SAP products, including SAP ECC and S/4HANA.


Announced the availability and expansion of Rimini Manage™ services for SAP Cloud Products, providing additional application managed services to help SAP cloud licensees benefit from improved productivity, better predictability and increased business value.


Shared findings of the sponsored Censuswide Buyers Sentiment Survey, “Organizations Want More Control Over Their IT Budget,” which highlighted the deep concerns shared by more than 600 U.S-based CIOs and CTOs of vendor subscription-based licensing model due to lack of ROI and fear of vendor lock-in.


Closed over 8,400 support cases and delivered over 4,000 tax, legal and regulatory updates to clients across 20 countries, while achieving an average client satisfaction rating on the Company’s support delivery and onboarding services of more than 4.9 out of 5.0 (where 5.0 is rated excellent).


Recognized with Great Place to Work© Certifications in India and Australia, and awarded UK’s Best Workplace for Women™ for Medium Companies.


Announced Gartner IT Symposium fall conference schedule, where Rimini Street has or will participate, present, and lead discussion groups, with events held in Orlando, Barcelona, and Tokyo.


Rimini Street Foundation celebrated its 500th charitable donation, continuing the mission to “leave the world a better place.”


2023 Business Outlook


The Company is continuing to suspend guidance until there is more clarity around impacts from current litigation activity before the U.S. Federal courts in the Company’s ongoing litigation with Oracle.


Webcast and Conference Call Information


Rimini Street will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the third quarter 2023 results and potentially select fourth quarter 2023 performance-to-date commentary at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time / 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on November 1, 2023. A live webcast of the event will be available on Rimini Street’s Investor Relations site at Rimini Street IR events link and directly via the webcast link. Dial-in participants can access the conference by registering from the dial-in registration link. A replay of the webcast will be available for one year following the event.


Company’s Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures


This press release contains certain “non-GAAP financial measures.” Non-GAAP financial measures are not based on a comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. This non-GAAP information supplements and is not intended to represent a measure of performance in accordance with disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to, financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results is included in the financial tables within this press release. Presented under the heading “About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Certain Key Metrics” is a description and explanation of our non-GAAP financial measures.


About Rimini Street, Inc.


Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a Russell 2000® Company, is a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support, products and services, the leading third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP software and a Salesforce and AWS partner. The Company has operations globally and offers a comprehensive family of unified solutions to run, manage, support, customize, configure, connect, protect, monitor, and optimize enterprise application, database, and technology software, and enables clients to achieve better business outcomes, significantly reduce costs and reallocate resources for innovation. To date, over 5,300 Fortune 500, Fortune Global 100, midmarket, public sector, and other organizations from a broad range of industries have relied on Rimini Street as their trusted enterprise software solutions provider. To learn more, please visit riministreet.com, and connect with Rimini Street on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. (IR-RMNI)


Forward-Looking Statements


Certain statements included in this communication are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “currently,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seem,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would” or other similar words, phrases or expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expectations of future events, future opportunities, global expansion and other growth initiatives and our investments in such initiatives. These statements are based on various assumptions and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance, nor are these statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties regarding Rimini Street’s business, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, adverse developments in and costs associated with defending pending litigation or any new litigation, including the disposition of pending motions to appeal and any new claims; additional expenses to be incurred in order to comply with injunctions against certain of our business practices and the impact on future period revenue and costs; changes in the business environment in which Rimini Street operates, including the impact of any recessionary economic trends and changes in foreign exchange rates, as well as general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions affecting the industry in which we operate and the industries in which our clients operate; the evolution of the enterprise software management and support landscape and our ability to attract and retain clients and further penetrate our client base; significant competition in the software support services industry; customer adoption of our expanded portfolio of products and services and products and services we expect to introduce; our ability to sustain or achieve revenue growth or profitability, manage our cost of revenue and accurately forecast revenue; estimates of our total addressable market and expectations of client savings relative to use of other providers; variability of timing in our sales cycle; risks relating to retention rates, including our ability to accurately predict retention rates; the loss of one or more members of our management team; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; challenges of managing growth profitably; our need and ability to raise additional equity or debt financing on favorable terms and our ability to generate cash flows from operations to help fund increased investment in our growth; the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters; risks associated with global operations; our ability to prevent unauthorized access to our information technology systems and other cybersecurity threats, protect the confidential information of our employees and clients and comply with privacy regulations; our ability to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our brand and intellectual property; changes in laws and regulations, including changes in tax laws or unfavorable outcomes of tax positions we take, or a failure by us to establish adequate tax reserves; our credit facility’s ongoing debt service obligations and financial and operational covenants on our business and related interest rate risk, including uncertainty from the transition to SOFR or other interest rate benchmarks; the sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents to meet our liquidity requirements; the amount and timing of repurchases, if any, under our stock repurchase program and our ability to enhance stockholder value through such program; uncertainty as to the long-term value of Rimini Street’s equity securities; catastrophic events that disrupt our business or that of our clients; and those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Rimini Street’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on November 1, 2023, and as updated from time to time by Rimini Street’s future Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other filings by Rimini Street with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, forward-looking statements provide Rimini Street’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. Rimini Street anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Rimini Street’s assessments to change. However, while Rimini Street may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Rimini Street specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Rimini Street’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication.


© 2023 Rimini Street, Inc. All rights reserved. “Rimini Street” is a registered trademark of Rimini Street, Inc. in the United States and other countries, and Rimini Street, the Rimini Street logo, and combinations thereof, and other marks marked by TM are trademarks of Rimini Street, Inc. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, and unless otherwise specified, Rimini Street claims no affiliation, endorsement, or association with any such trademark holder or other companies referenced herein.


About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Certain Key Metrics


To provide investors and others with additional information regarding Rimini Street’s results, we have disclosed the following non-GAAP financial measures and certain key metrics. We have described below Annualized Recurring Revenue and Revenue Retention Rate, each of which is a key operational metric for our business. In addition, we have disclosed the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Billings. Rimini Street has provided in the tables above a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure used in this earnings release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. Due to a valuation allowance for our deferred tax assets, there were no tax effects associated with any of our non-GAAP adjustments. These non-GAAP financial measures are also described below.


The primary purpose of using non-GAAP measures is to provide supplemental information that management believes may prove useful to investors and to enable investors to evaluate our results in the same way management does. We also present the non-GAAP financial measures because we believe they assist investors in comparing our performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis, as well as comparing our results against the results of other companies, by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Specifically, management uses these non-GAAP measures as measures of operating performance; to prepare our annual operating budget; to allocate resources to enhance the financial performance of our business; to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies; to provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance; to facilitate a comparison of our results with those of other companies, many of which use similar non-GAAP financial measures to supplement their GAAP results; and in communications with our board of directors concerning our financial performance. Investors should be aware however, that not all companies define these non-GAAP measures consistently.


Billings represents the change in deferred revenue for the current period plus revenue for the current period.


Annualized Recurring Revenue is the amount of subscription revenue recognized during a fiscal quarter and multiplied by four. This gives us an indication of the revenue that can be earned in the following 12-month period from our existing client base assuming no cancellations or price changes occur during that period. Subscription revenue excludes any non-recurring revenue, which has been insignificant to date.


Revenue Retention Rate is the actual subscription revenue (dollar-based) recognized over a 12-month period from customers that were clients on the day prior to the start of such 12-month period, divided by our Annualized Recurring Revenue as of the day prior to the start of the 12-month period.


Non-GAAP Operating Income is operating income adjusted to exclude: litigation costs and related recoveries, net, stock-based compensation expense and reorganization costs. The exclusions are discussed in further detail below.


Non-GAAP Net Income is net income adjusted to exclude: litigation costs and related recoveries, net, stock-based compensation expense and reorganization costs. These exclusions are discussed in further detail below.


Specifically, management is excluding the following items from its non-GAAP financial measures, as applicable, for the periods presented:


Litigation Costs and Related Recoveries, Net: Litigation costs and the associated insurance and appeal recoveries relate to outside costs of litigation activities. These costs and recoveries reflect the ongoing litigation we are involved with, and do not relate to the day-to-day operations or our core business of serving our clients.


Stock-Based Compensation Expense: Our compensation strategy includes the use of stock-based compensation to attract and retain employees. This strategy is principally aimed at aligning the employee interests with those of our stockholders and to achieve long-term employee retention, rather than to motivate or reward operational performance for any particular period. As a result, stock-based compensation expense varies for reasons that are generally unrelated to operational decisions and performance in any particular period.


Reorganization Costs: The costs consist primarily of severance costs associated with the Company’s reorganization plan.


EBITDA is net income adjusted to exclude: interest expense, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense.


Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA adjusted to exclude: litigation costs and related recoveries, net, stock-based compensation expense and reorganization costs, as discussed above.


 


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Contacts

Investor Relations Contact

Dean Pohl

Rimini Street, Inc.

+1 925 523-7636

dpohl@riministreet.com


Media Relations Contact

Janet Ravin

Rimini Street, Inc.

+1 702 285-3532

pr@riministreet.com


Wednesday, November 1, 2023

New AMGTA Research Shows Environmental Benefits of 3D Material Jetting in Fashion Footwear

 


According to AMGTA Lifecycle Research, material jetting showed 24.8% reduction in CO2-eq emissions over traditional material processes and saved 49.9% of stock material across the supply chain


Collaborative study with Stratasys and Dyloan Bond Factory, a Pattern Group company reveals significant sustainability potential for fashion industry


(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (“AMGTA”) a global advocacy group focused on promoting sustainable additive manufacturing (AM) industry practices, announced today the results of a life-cycle inventory (LCI) study titled “Comparative Analysis: 3D Material Jetting vs Traditional Methods for Designer Luxury Goods.” The study, commissioned by the AMGTA and conducted by Reeves Insight, a UK-based AM consultancy practice, in partnership with Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS), a global leader in AM technologies, and Dyloan Bond Factory, a Pattern Group company, a leader in the engineering and production of luxury fashion brands, analyzed the transition from traditional manufacturing methods to advanced AM in the creation of a logo applique for luxury designer shoes, printed on fabric, produced by a material jetting process. The results showed a dramatic 24.8% reduction in CO2-eq emissions and a 49.9% reduction in stock material across the supply chain when compared to the traditional process.


“We are pleased to issue the third body of research in a series of independently commissioned papers designed to reveal the environmental benefits of additive manufacturing adoption. We are committed to advancing the research and publication required to better understand the sustainable value of AM technologies as part of the manufacturing cycle for broad business cases,” said Sherri Monroe, the AMGTA’s Executive Director. “This collaborative study with Stratasys and Dyloan Bond Factory, assessing the impact of a print-to-textile process, is our first research undertaking involving polymer. It delivers important data that supports the value of AM to impact one of the most historically polluting industries in the world.”


Key takeaways from the study include:


  • Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The additive manufacturing print-to-textile production process showed a 24.8% reduction in CO2e emissions, when compared with traditional processes.
  • Reduction in Material Usage: AM print-to-textile showed a 49.9% reduction of stock material across the supply chain, also reducing and streamlining related transportation needs, and 50.0% less material in the resulting 3D printed logo component.
  • Reduction in Water Usage: The AM process showed a savings of more than 300,000 liters of water across the 16,000 logo components.
  • Reduction in Power Consumption: The additive manufacturing process cut electrical energy consumption by 64%.
  • Reduction in Supply Chain Dependencies: The shift to AM reduced supply chain dependencies from 4 technologies to 1: with a single additive workflow - and transportation and logistics impacts are eliminated for 3 processes.


The 14-month study analyzed the cradle-to-gate of a 3-dimensional graphic component attached to the heal of a luxury athletic shoe. The AMGTA commissioned the study in 2022 to better understand the potential environmental benefits of additive design and manufacture in an industry that may not be top-of-mind when thinking of additive practices – fashion. The study compared the manufacture of the 3D component through the traditional and additive methods, and was limited in scope to this one component and not the entire shoe. The study evaluated both processes for a production run of 16,000 logo components for 8,000 pairs of shoes and was peer reviewed by ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing GmbH.


The traditional multiple-step process includes 2D Inkjet printing and thermal welding of injection molded parts with sheet polyurethane materials. The streamlined additive process included material jetting using photocurable liquid resins with significantly fewer steps. Additional environmental and operational efficiencies were documented related to reduced supply chain dependencies and reduced steps in the production process.


Highlights from the study can be found on the AMGTA’s website. Additional information on this study and others commissioned by the AMGTA can be found on the AMGTA website, www.AMGTA.org.


About the AMGTA


The AMGTA was launched in 2019 to better understand and promote the environmental benefits of additive manufacturing across the global economy. AMGTA members represent the entirety of the manufacturing spectrum - from design and raw materials to end products and users - focused on innovating better, more sustainable, and financially advantageous products through best additive practices. For more information, please contact Sherri Monroe or visit www.AMGTA.org.


 


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Contacts

Sherri Monroe

smonroe@amgta.org

954.308.0888

Wemade Updates New Growth System ‘Magical Soul Orb’ for MIR4

 Items that improve character stats and combat skills, up to 5 can be equipped from character level 123

Additional stats for reaching Magical Soul Orb level 3, 6, and 9, and unique skills for reaching the maximum level of 12

Holding event through which "Pumpkin Candy" from hunting can be exchanged for "Yellow Dragon's Surprise Gift Box"

 


(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Wemade updated new growth content "Magical Soul Orb" for its blockbuster MMORPG MIR4 on October 31st.


Magical Soul Orbs are items that increase character stats and combat skills. Up to 5 Magical Soul Orbs can be equipped in sequence when characters reach levels 123, 133, 143, 153, and 163.


Users can use exclusive growth materials or Epic Spirit Stones and Epic Magical Soul Orbs to increase the level of Magic Soul Orbs. Upon reaching Magical Soul Orb levels 3, 6, and 9, stats such as physical defense and attack damage boost are randomly granted. Users can also change these to the stats they want with "Magical Soul Orb Enchant Scroll" and resources. Upon reaching the maximum level of 12, unique Magical Soul Orb skills such as physical attack and MP recovery are applied.


The "Elderly Han's Pumpkin Candy Exchange Shop" event will be held from October 31st to November 13th. Users will be able to bring "Pumpkin Candy" items obtained from hunting monsters to NPC Spooky Elderly Han to exchange for "Legendary Divine Dragon's Enhancement Stone" and "Yellow Dragon's Surprise Gift Box" containing various summon tickets. Held during the same period, the "Elderly Han's 7-Day Check-in" event will give away items such as "Legendary Promotion Material Box."


In addition, "Event Ancient Coin Shop" will be open until November 14th. Users can purchase items such as "Legendary Blue Dragon Statue" and "Legendary Constitution Enhancement Box" using ancient coins obtained from Portal and Raid.


From My Battle, To Our War! Detailed information on MIR4 can be found on the official website.


 


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Contacts

Contacts

Wemade Co., Ltd. (112040: KOSDAQ)

Jennifer Jung, PR Manager

jennifer@wemade.com


 

Belkin underscores design excellence with new BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock for iPhone and Apple Watch

 


Featuring custom neutral colorways and premium finishes for timeless aesthetic


(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Belkin, a leading consumer electronics brand for 40 years, today announced the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock with MagSafe, an elegant charging solution for iPhone and Apple Watch. Engineered with official MagSafe technology, fast-charging capabilities for Apple Watch, and adjustable iPhone viewing angles from 0 to 70 degrees, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock delivers versatile form and premium-quality function. Its aesthetically elevated design incorporates post-consumer recycled materials and features soft edges and an effortlessly stylish shape to perfectly complement a thoughtfully curated space.


Modern Design


Introducing two neutral colorways – sand and charcoal – and color-matched chrome finishes, the dock achieves a stunning stone-like appearance, blending seamlessly into its environment whether it’s placed on a nightstand, kitchen counter or desk.


Compact in size with an adjustable MagSafe dock from 0 to 70 degrees, the BoostCharge Pro dock elegantly showcases the iPhone display making it the perfect accessory for FaceTime or StandBy. In each location where the iPhone is placed on the BoostCharge Pro dock, StandBy will remember the user’s preferred view, whether that’s a clock, photos, or widgets.


Faster Wireless Charging for iPhone and Apple Watch


The dock is Made for MagSafe, delivering the fastest possible wireless charge for iPhone 12 models and later, at up to 15W. It can fully charge Apple Watch Series 7 and later from 0% to 80% in about 45 minutes, and Apple Watch Ultra models from 0% to 80% in about an hour. It ships with a 30W USB-C PD power supply.


Better for the Planet


Reinforcing Belkin’s ongoing commitment to build products more responsibly, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock utilizes a minimum of 60% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) in its product housing, and outer packaging that is 100% plastic-free and made with forest-certified paper.


Pricing and Availability


The BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock with MagSafe will be available to order beginning November 7, 2023 for $129.95 USD on apple.com and belkin.com, and coming soon to select retailers worldwide.


Media kit is available for download HERE.


About Belkin


Belkin is an accessories market leader delivering power, protection, productivity, connectivity, audio, security, and home automation solutions for a broad range of consumer electronics and enterprise environments over the last 40 years. Designed in Southern California and sold in more than 100 countries around the world, Belkin creates products that empower people to get more life out of every single day whether at home, at work, or on a new adventure. In 2018 Belkin International merged with Foxconn Interconnect Technology to bolster its global influence while maintaining its steadfast focus on research and development, community, education and sustainability. Belkin remains forever inspired by people and the planet we live on.


 


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Contacts

For Media Inquiries:

Jen Wei

VP of Global Communications and Corporate Development

Comms@belkin.com