Europe Outlook Issue 5

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FM Logistic continues to expand its global footprint in line with three internal pillars for continuous improvement

BARCO FREDRIKSTAD 42 Innovative technologies creating immersive environments

MWC 2015 12 The most talked about gadgets at this year’s Mobile World Congress 2015

PREVIDER 60 Turnkey data centre services set to become a hub for mainland Europe

ARGOS ENERGIES 52 Western Europe’s largest independent player in the downstream oil market

EUROPE OUTLOOK ISSUE 05 A L S O T H I S I S S U E : F J O R D L I N E | R I G S H O S P I T A L E T | M E D T E C H E U R O P E

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More information on www.hybris.com

W E L C O M E Europe’s Elite, Branching Out

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Some of the continent’s leading protagonists in their respective sectors are striving to replicate successes further afield, once again emphasising the rise of globalisation and the importance of a well managed, international supply chain.

This month, we turn our attentions to a logistics company who is not only aiding these numerous expansions, but is also reaping the benefits of its own intercontinental growth in recent years.

FM Logistic made its name alongside clients like Nestlé and L’Oreal in its native France before branching out across Europe in the 1990s in line with customer demand. Now, after gaining a presence in China and Brazil, the business is a truly multinational one and CEO, Jean-Christophe Machet explains the importance of being a global company that acts locally in the supply chain world.

Previder is following a similar growth model at present, unveiling its market leading data centre offering from Holland to neighboring nations, with a view to becoming a hub in mainland Europe in the near future.

Completing this month’s local showcasing section with a global influence are compact visualisation projector specialist Barco Fredrikstad, oil & gas expert Argos Energies, and Norwegian logistics company Fjord Line.

Elsewhere this month, we continue the theme of intercontinental prominence, with a look at the Mobile World Congress and the most innovative gadgets topping the bill at this year’s event in Barcelona.

And speaking of innovation, Philip Johnson, Vice President of FM Global in Northern Europe also discusses why science and research has become so important in helping businesses mitigate risks from overseas relocation, outsourcing and operations through the unveiling of FM Global’s Global Resilience Index.

Finally, our sector focus this month comprises one last look into the supply chain world, and one of its key exponents in the food retail industry.

Andrew Fowkes, Head of Retail Centre of Excellence, SAS UK & Ireland, explains how predictive analytics can help grocers improve forecasting and reduce food waste in an increasingly promotions-led Matthew Staff marketplace.

Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing Enjoy the issue!

FM Logistic continues to expand its global footprint in line with three internal pillars for continuous improvement

BARCO FREDRIKSTAD 42 Innovative technologies creating immersive environments

MWC 2015 12 The most talked about gadgets at this year’s Mobile World Congress 2015

PREVIDER 60 Turnkey data centre services set to become a hub for mainland Europe

ARGOS ENERGIES 52 Western Europe’s largest independent player in the downstream oil market

EUROPE OUTLOOK ISSUE 05 A L S O T H I S I S S U E : F J O R D L I N E | R I G S H O S P I T A L E T | M E D T E C H E U R O P E

EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Matthew Staff matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com Deputy Editor: Emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Advertising Designer: Mandy Farnell mandy.farnell@outlookpublishing.com

BUSINESS Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Manager: Ben Wigger ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com Senior Project Manager: Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Project Managers: Dave Alexander dave.alexander@outlookpublishing.com Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Jen Whitfield jen.whitfield@outlookpublishing.com

ACCOUNTS Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office Administrator: Donna Redpath donna.redpath@outlookpublishing.com IMAGES: www.thinkstockphotos.co.uk DIGITAL & IT: Hamit Saka HELPDESK: James LeMay

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: Mark Weaver

CONTACT

Europe Outlook / UK 22 Wensum Street, Norwich, UK, NR3 1HY Sales: +44 (0) 1603 559 551 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 559 152 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 559 553 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0)1603 559 152 matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

www.europeoutlookmag.com Follow us on Twitter - @Europe_Outlook Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/europeoutlook

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In this issue of Europe Outlook...

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FM LOGISTIC Demandingness, Drive, Entrepreneurship

Thinking globally and acting locally across three continents

FJORD LINE Propelling Energy Efficient Shipping Forward An environmentally-conscious passenger and cargo carrier

MANUFACTURING

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BARCO FREDRIKSTAD Globally Renowned Innovators in Visualisation Innovative technologies creating immersive environments

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NEWS

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MWC 2015 The Must-See Gadgets of this Year

ARGOS ENERGIES The Netherlands’ Fastest Growing Oil Company Western Europe’s largest independent player in the downstream oil market

All the latest top stories across the month from Europe

Highlights from this year’s Mobile World Congress

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FM GLOBAL INDEX Managing Risk Beyond the Walls of Your Own Company The importance of tech for evaluating overseas risk

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PREVIDER Low Cost, High Quality

Turnkey data centre services set to become a hub for mainland Europe

H E A L T H C A R E

SECTOR FOCUS Waste Not Want Not: Improve Forecasting For Better Business

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SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

E V E N T F O C U S

How predictive analytics can reduce food waste for the UK & Ireland

RIGSHOSPITALET Denmark’s Medical Specialists Dedicated to the latest in scientific research and development

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MEDTEC EUROPE

The continent’s leading pure medical design and manufacturing event

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BIBBY SHIP MANAGEMENT APPOINTS NEW REGIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR

E N E R G Y

EIFFEL TOWER BECOMES ENTIRELY SELFSUFFICIENT As part of a 30 million euro upgrade

by Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, the tower has undergone a transformation to become entirely selfsustaining in terms of energy usage.

The efforts to becoming self-sufficient are part of a 30 million euro upgrade of the Eiffel Tower’s facilities, including twin Vision AIR5 wind turbines that use a vertical axis, unlike the traditional windmill designs, located 120 metres above the ground and providing up to 10,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. These specialised turbines are almost invisible, having been painted the same bronze colour as the rest of the tower and fitted amongst the metalwork. They’re almost silent and can capture wind from any direction, making them very efficient.

New LED lighting, solar panels and rain catchers have also been installed at the site.

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Bibby Ship Management UK and Isle of Man has appointed Andrew Rodden as MD. He brings with him 23 years of commercial and technical knowledge and experience.

Andrew Rodden will oversee Bibby Ship Management’s crew and technical service delivery across the UK and Isle of Man while managing the support functions and other operational areas within each local business.

“He knows the industry well so I am sure he will be a big asset to us here at Bibby Ship Management,” Chris Stone, Chief Operating Officer commented.

Andrew Rodden said: “I am delighted to be joining a company with such a long and distinguished history in our business at an exciting time for our industry.

I look forward to adding another chapter as Bibby Ship Management enters a period of growth in multiple sectors in the next few years.”

E N E R G Y

SOLAR ECLIPSE WILL TEST EUROPE’S POWER SUPPLIES The upcoming solar eclipse on March 20 could be more than a spectacular natural phenomenon, with operators warning it poses an “unprecedented test” for Europe’s power supplies.

The eclipse will mark first time that Europe’s solar-energy use has been significant enough to disrupt its grids, the European Network of System Operators for Electricity (ENTSOE) has said.

The last solar eclipse took place in 1999, when a tiny percentage of electricity supplies relied on solar energy.

“Despite…preparations and coordination, the risk of incident cannot be completely ruled out,” ENTSOE said in a press release.

Many analysts believe that the eclipse will not cause any issues and they share the perception that grid operators would have planned to compensate for any drop in power with gas-fired generation. Moreover, solar farms are almost always combined with power from other sources to improve reliability.

GO TO WWW.EUROPEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE

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BROTHER’S RETURN & RECYCLE CAMPAIGN PROTECTS 1.3 MILLION TREES For every four toners or eight ink cartridges returned, Brother has pledged to protect a tree in the endangered Peruvian Amazon, so far they have protected 1.3 million trees.

It has been five years since Brother launched its Eco Rewards initiative in partnership with pioneering rainforest sustainability charity, Cool Earth back in 2010.

Almost six million ink cartridges and toners have now been returned to Brother as part of the campaign, protecting more than 2,270 acres of the Peruvian Amazon.

“Brother was our first major corporate partner and its support has helped our charity really T E C H N O L O G Y

BROTHER LAUNCHES TWO SMART AND SIMPLE MOBILE PRINTING SOLUTIONS Brother has teamed-up with PrinterOn™, the world’s leading provider of secure mobile printing, to develop two exciting mobile print offerings launching in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Nordics and the UK. PrintSmart Mobile Zone is designed for businesses who want to offer on-the-go printing as a service to their customers. Hotels, libraries and airports are able to embrace the growing demands from customers for simple and secure mobile services.

Additionally, PrintSmart Mobile has been developed for SMBs who

flourish over the past five years. Its funding has enabled our partners in the Peruvian Amazon to protect the rainforest around-the-clock and keep illegal loggers at bay. With our support, communities are building sustainable livelihoods through produce, such as coffee and cacao.

We’ve also been able to strengthen villages with resources such as classroom equipment and solar powered internet,” said Matthew Owen, Director at Cool Earth.

Geoff Lockton, Executive Director of Corporate Governance at Brother

International Europe added: “Rainforest destruction has a massive impact on climate change and the funding we’ve provided is helping to reduce carbon emissions caused by deforestation.

“Our customers have really embraced the return and recycle scheme, ensuring their used ink and toner cartridges and drums are disposed of and recycled responsibly, while at the same time playing an important part in our Cool Earth pledge to support the fantastic work the charity does.”

want to make mobile printing simple for their employees and easy to control and manage by IT staff. By using a smartphone, tablet or laptop, employees can print to any printer effortlessly, wirelessly and securely.

Both solutions offer users the option to print by email, web upload, mobile app (iOS, Android and Blackberry) or PrintWhere driver (for Windows devices). They are fully cloud-based, do not require any onsite software and are compatible with Brother’s latest Business Colour Laser and Business Mono Laser range of printers.

Chris Marshall, Commercial Director for Brother Europe said: “From an IT department perspective, it means a straightforward solution for mobile print, without wasted time spent configuring complicated software and installing multiple drivers.

“There is a clear appetite for a userfriendly solution that makes printing from a smartphone, tablet or laptop simple and easy for people to access – whether that be at work or while out and about.”

GO TO WWW.EUROPEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE

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BT AGREES US$19 BILLION EE DEAL

CRH TO BUY LAFARGE FOR US$7.3 BILLION

BT has confirmed it will acquire EE in an acquisition worth US$19 billion.

As the UK’s biggest fixed-line telecoms provider, BT has spent the last few weeks in exclusive talks with the owners of EE, Orange and Deutsche Telekom to negotiate a deal.

“This is a major milestone for BT as it will allow us to accelerate our mobility plans and increase our investment in them,” BT Chief Executive, Gavin Patterson said.

“The UK’s leading 4G network will now dovetail with the UK’s biggest fiber network, helping to create the leading converged communications provider in the UK.” EE also revealed that its 4G customer base had risen to 7.7 million subscribers in 2014, beating its six million target.

Irish building supplies group CRH says it agreed to pay US$7.35 billion for assets Lafarge and Holcim were obliged to sell ahead of their planned merger announced in 2014.

France’s Lafarge and Swiss peer Holcim were hoping to cut costs and tackle overcapacity and weak demand via its merger. The new company will be the world’s biggest cement maker with US$44 billion in annual sales.

The companies initially received more than 60 tentative bids from industry and private equity firms for some or all of the assets, which they must sell before completing the merger.

R E TA I L

TESCO NAMES JOHN ALLAN AS NEW CHAIRMAN T E C H N O L O G Y

EE TO PROVIDE 4G COVERAGE FOR 90% OF THE UK BY 2017 The UK’s largest mobile operator, EE, has new plans to bring 4G speeds of 60 Mbps to 90 percent of the UK by 2017.

In addition, 20 of the UK’s busiest cities will get a boost up to 150 Mbps speeds during the same time frame.

EE has set aside £1.5 billion to fund the project. The telecoms giant also has ambitious plans to bring 4G overage to 99 percent of the country by 2017.

Boosting 4G up to 60 Mbps will mean that the majority of users will see their speeds double.

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Tesco has named John Allan as its new Chairman, succeeding Richard Broadbent who announced in October he would step down in the wake of the supermarket’s £263 million profit overstatement.

Allan, a former Chief Executive of logistics group Exel, is tasked with restoring Tesco’s battered reputation with investors and has been in post since the start of this month.

“I’m very pleased to be taking on this role at such a critical moment for the business and look forward to working with the new executive team and the board,” Allan said in a statement from Tesco.

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SMARTPHONES AND 3D PRINTERS EXPECTED TO FLOURISH THIS YEAR

EEE’s online survey of technology-hungry consumers has revealed the top three most influential technology items of 2015 and the tech considered most unnecessary

In 2015, the top three most influential technology items will be smartphones, tablets and 3D printers, according to a survey of consumers conducted for the IEEE, the largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence by YouGov. Digital music devices, digital cameras and wearable technologies were considered the three

technologies most likely to be redundant or unnecessary this year.

The online survey, conducted in late December 2014, questioned more than two thousand adults in Great Britain to understand their perception of influential and redundant technologies in 2015.

When asked - from a list of technologies that included laptops, e-readers and music streaming services - which, if any, would be significantly

influential in 2015, 42 percent picked out smart phones, 37 percent tablets and nearly a third said 3D printers.

Home automation also rated highly at 27 percent.

From the same list of technologies respondents were asked which, if any, will be redundant or considered unnecessary this year.

Digital music devices and digital cameras tied in joint top position at 16 percent. Wearables divided the opinion with 19 percent picking them from the influential list and 11 percent from the redundant list – making this relatively new technology the third ranked redundant or unnecessary for this year.

Respondents demonstrated a general appetite for technology overall with nearly a third of respondents believing none of the listed technologies will be redundant or unnecessary in 2015.

On balance, respondents believed the electric car will also be influential this year, with 19 percent rating it so, and only five percent believing it would be redundant or unnecessary.

IEEE held similar research in the US, Brazil and India. It revealed no significant difference in influential technology ranking between GB and US respondents. Both territories ranked smartphones (GB 42 percent, US 52 percent), tablets (GB 37 percent, US 41 percent) and 3D printing (GB 32 percent, US 40 percent) as the most influential.

Interestingly, 3D printing didn’t feature in India or Brazil’s top three influential list. However, the Indian study, by MRSSIndia, agreed with the positioning of smartphones (71 percent) and tablets (57 percent) but puts laptops (56 percent) in the third spot.

Brazil, surveyed by Datafolha, also ranked smartphones top followed by the notebook and tablet devices.

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TELL US YOUR STORY

AND WE’LL TELL THE WORLD E U R O P E O U T L O O K is a digital and print product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries on the continent.

With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Europe.

Logistics has featured heavily within our magazine’s profile showcasing section in recent years, with industry leaders including FM Logistic, Deloports, Imperial Logistics, Bibby Ship Management, Spar Distribution and DHL Supply Chain, all having enjoyed the COMPLETELY FREE coverage we can provide across both digital and print platforms. Their success stories have subsequently been viewed by a combined monthly readership of more than 195,000 people.

If you would like to join these heavyweights in promoting your own rise to prominence, please contact Europe Outlook’s Project Manager for Logistics, James Mitchell who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for FREE, in one of our upcoming editions.

W W W. E U R O P E O U T LO O K M A G . C O M Tel: +44 (0) 1603 559 147 Email: james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com

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Must-See

Gadgets OF 2015

obile World Congress 2015 (MWC) retains its title as one of the key technology events where captains of industry break news, showcase their latest innovations and even launch products big and small. Cnet described this years’ event as showing off “interest-piquing gadgets and big-name speakers proving that the mobile industry is still evolving in critical ways”.

From flagship smartphones and watches to the darn right weird and wonderful tech of the future, MWC is a platform that delivers year after year.

Europe Outlook takes a look at some of the technological wonders debuting at the event, hand-picking some of this years’ most talked-about gadgets.

Smartphones

Orange and Firefox to launch $40 phone in developing countries Cheaper smartphones still play a vital role in connecting people in emerging countries around the world. In line with this, Orange expect to sell millions of its new Klif device with Mozilla’s Firefox OS pre-loaded, and will be launching the phone in the second quarter of 2015 on a $40 package deal to 13 countries in Africa and the Middle East. The device will come bundled with six months of voice, text and data

Europe Outlook takes a look at some of the most talked about gadgets at this year’s Mobile World Congress

EDITOR’S PICKS 1 Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6

Edge hands-on

Boasting sharp metal lines and a shiny glass finish, the pair of brand new thin, high-end handsets bucked Samsung’s trend to use plastic exterior casing and will be available from April 10.

2 Google confirms it will

launch its own wireless service

Writer: Emily Jarvis services.

At MWC, Mozilla identified that the low-budget category in developing nations would be an excellent entry point to get noticed and distinguish themselves from Google and Apple, whose software typically requires more powerful, expensive hardware.

“We will address this part of the population who still don’t have access to the internet,” Yves Maitre, Orange’s Executive Vice President of Connected Objects and Partnerships stated.

“In this part of the world, smartphone penetration is 11 percent.

In sub-Saharan countries, it is around five percent.”

The Firefox OS will work in local languages that Android does not support. “They should be able to take the phone out of the box and start using it,” Yves emphasised at MWC. Growing momentum towards the launch of 5G 5G has been one of the most talked about progressions for some time now as companies compete to be the first to launch this LTE tech. The competition is hotting up as network equipment makers’ Ericsson and

Senior VP of products, Sundar Pichai, substantiated the rumour that the search giant is entering the wireless service business, hinting at a bigger reveal in the “coming months”.

3 Samsung Pay announced to

rival Apple Pay

The new mobile money application will work with merchants’ magnetic card readers to pay for things with ease from your phone.

4 Amazon increases available

apps to 400,000

The e-commerce giant has announced there will be “huge progress” and steps to improve its app store offering, which has long trailed behind Apple and Google.

5 Runcible - the smartphone

that looks like a watch

No bigger than a pocket watch, Monohm, a company founded by alumni from Apple and Sony, showcased a stunning, circular smartphone prototype with customisable rear covers.

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Nokia Networks both demonstrated 5G technology on the show floor at MWC. Touted to be a reality by 2020, 5G networks will transfer data much faster than today’s 3G and 4G and increase download speeds for streaming video and instant app updates.

“The 5G infrastructure is expected to become the nervous system of the digital society and digital economy,” said Günther Oettinger, the European Commission member whose job is to encourage that very digital development.

In terms of application of 5G outside of the mobile world, tech giant Huawei predicts a 50-fold improvement in responsiveness from 4G to 5G networks. Lower communication lags (or latency) helps applications like selfdriving cars to respond more quickly.

Perhaps most crucially to the future of our world, 5G promises shorter communication delays that will enable fast-response services in a whole myriad of applications such as augmented reality and online gaming features which are currently impossible. The hope is that early trials of 5G will begin in 2018, with a globally standardised version of the technology launching in 2020.

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Devices

Touted to be a reality by 2020, 5G networks will transfer data much faster than today’s 3G and 4G and increase download speeds for streaming video and instant app updates

LG launches new smartwatch with WebOS The LG Watch Urbane LTE can make its own phone calls over LTE, mobile payments over NFC and uses a brand new operating system called the “LG Wearable Platform OS”, powered by WebOS. It has a whole host of new features that rival Android Wear is yet to be capable of, combining features from the Samsung Gear S and the Apple Watch in one device.

“The LG Watch Urbane LTE is an example of the kind of innovation that’s possible when you’re the industry leader in LTE technology,” commented LG President and CEO Juno Cho in a press release.

LG has also launched a smaller version of the watch powered

by Android Wear, the LG Watch Urbane which would suggest it is a cheaper model, without the LTE/NFC functionality.

Back to the LTE version and LG says the device can be used to create a wrist-wallet that will pay for everything from cinema tickets to public transport. Moreover, the device packs a series of fitness features including an onboard heart-rate sensor, accelerometer and barometer, all

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EDITOR’S PICKS 6 HTC One M9 first

impressions

By sticking to the all-metal design of the One M8 and making a few changes to the specifications, HTC is hoping that its new flagship, the One M9 will rival Samsung’s Galaxy S6.

7 Kairos smartwatch with

floating display

designed to work with the new cycling, hiking and golfing modes.

Is LG right to ditch Android Wear as the primary OS for its smartwatches?

Only time will tell if others will follow this trend in order to create the ultimate customisable super-watch.

HTC and Valve showcase the HTC Vive VR Headset The HTC Vive proved that HTC and gaming giant Valve will be major contenders in the virtual reality market going forward. No cameras were reportedly allowed inside the room with the headset, making the 30 minute demo experience at MWC an up close and personal one.

The product and hardware is designed for PCs and works via a series of laser boxes mounted in the corners of the ceiling to track a person’s movement. Although an early prototype design, the controller currently resembles a combination of the PlayStation Move controllers, the Nintendo Wii remote and Valve’s upcoming Steam controller.

Perhaps the biggest and most exciting piece of news to come from HTC at MWC this year, the HTC Vive promises to be a great step forward in bringing virtual reality innovation to the masses.

Tech of the Future

Project Ara update Back in 2013, Project Ara was nothing more than a concept, named by Motorola as “PhoneBloks”. Instead of buying a phone that becomes obsolete within a matter of months, Ara adopts a modular design where the user can swap out old components for new ones. After being bought by Google, Project Ara Director, Paul Eremenko outlined the plans for the device this year at MWC. In the second half of 2015, Ara is due

The LG Watch Urbane LTE is an example of the kind of innovation that’s possible when you’re the industry leader in LTE technology

Instead of just using a glowing OLED or LCD display, the Kairos does both to create what appears to be a floating screen over the top of a traditional mechanical watch.

8 BlackBerry Slider

BlackBerry unveiled a somewhat retro concept at MWC this year, a prototype of a sliding phone. The device harks back to the days of PDA’s and QWERTY keyboards, and is rather imaginatively nicknamed “the Slider”.

9 LifeBeam Smart Hat

Perhaps the oddest gadget in show, the Smart Hat from LifeBeam supposedly offers “aerospacegrade” heart-rate and caloriecounting data during exercise via a sensor underneath the brim.

10 MyFC Jaq fuel-cell charger

This stylish device is able to turn salt and water into electricity, serving as a handy phone charger without a plug socket in sight. The portable charger is the third device from MyFC and is much more compact than its predecessors.

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to be piloted in Puerto Rico as a result of the country’s diverse mobile user base, high mobile internet penetration rate (77 percent) and successfully arranged agreements with the local carriers and regulatory bodies.

Furthermore, MWC was the platform which revealed the kinds of modules being designed for the phone such as different sized speakers, batteries and varying megapixel cameras.

As a result of its modular design, the user can spend as much or as little as they want in buying better components, making this phone an eventual versatile contender in a huge range of markets around the world.

Google’s ultimate aim is to bring Ara to five billion people; namely the people who don’t currently have mobile internet access.

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Instead of buying a phone that becomes obsolete within a matter of months, Ara adopts a modular design where the user can swap out old components for new ones

Thousands of industry giants exhibited brand new technologies at MWC 2015

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Bluesmart Carry-on smart suitcase After raising $2 million on Indiegogo, the Bluesmart Carry-on prototype made its debut at MWC and has some interesting features. For starters, the case has a SIM-card embedded inside it and this is included in the price, courtesy of a partnership with mobile operator Telefonica. Should your case get lost, the SIM provides the cases location on a map via the accompanying app.

Ingeniously, the Carry-on can be unlocked using the app too, and you can tweak the settings to determine how far you have to be from the case before it unlocks. It can also send you a text if it gets too far out of range, a useful tool that complements the locator aspect so that you do not accidently leave it behind.

A great little extra feature of the

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ANDROIDPIT AWARDS Which devices will we be talking about for the rest of the year?

Best Android phone Nominees: HTC One M9, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Winner: Galaxy S6 Edge

Best budget Android phone Nominees: Lenovo A7000, Song Xperia E4g, LG Leon, LG Joy Winner: Sony Xperia E4g

Best Android tablet Nominees: Lenovo Tab 2 A10, Sony Xperia Z4 Winner: Sony Xperia Z4

Best budget Android tablet Winner: Lenovo Tab 2 A8

app is its ability to show you how far your bag has travelled, and provide a visual representation of its journeys around the globe.

The travel companion can also weigh itself with sensors when you lift it off the ground, this feature is reportedly 90 percent accurate and will no doubt be fine-tuned in the final model. As an added extra, the Carry-on has a 10,000mAh battery on board, which will keep the bag’s functioning for a staggering six months. However, if you want to make use of this stored-up power to charge your phone and gadgets via USB, you can – six times over!

IKEA Qi-powered furniture From wireless suitcases to wireless furniture and IKEA is launching a new line of goods with built-in wireless charging functionality. The Swedish manufacturer announced that its Qi-powered bedside tables,

lamps and desks will have a secondary function to keep devices with wireless charging enabled powered on for longer.

“Mobile phones are a vital part of people’s life at home and their desire to stay connected, and Qi addresses an unmet need to keep devices powered,” IKEA Lighting and Wireless Charging Range Manager Björn Block said. “As a member of WPC [Wireless Power Consortium], we value the access to the leading and most advanced global standard for wireless charging.”

Qi is currently the most-widely deployed wireless power furnishings manufacturer, with technology available in 3,000 hotels, restaurants, airports and public locations around the world. The IKEA range of furnishings will be available in Europe and North America from April and this will be swiftly followed by a global rollout.

Best Android wearable Nominees: Huawei Watch LG, LG Watch Urbane LTE Winner: LG Watch Urbane LTE

Best innovation Nominees: Project Ara, NXP wireless earbuds, IKEA wirless charging products, Fujitsu iris scanner Winner: Fujitsu iris scanner by alumni from Apple and Sony, showcased a stunning, circular smartphone prototype with customisable rear covers.

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Philip Johnson, Vice President of FM Global in Northern Europe, explains why science and research has become so important in helping businesses mitigate risks from overseas relocation, outsourcing and operations Writer: Philip Johnson, FM Global uropean companies have become dependent on the emerging economies for production, new facilities and customers. Today, over half of the income from the global 500 occurs outside the country of domicile, proving we have shifted towards a truly global business landscape. More than 90 Global Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in emerging markets, whereas in 1996 there were none.

Supply chain planners must also deal with rising complexity. Many companies are having to work harder to meet their customers’ increasingly diverse requirements. According to a recent report by McKinsey, mobilephone makers introduced 900 more varieties of handsets in 2009 than they did in 2000.

This movement of multinational organisations into emerging markets, combined with the diversification of their product portfolio, has meant that supply chain risk has become an increasingly complex and important issue for businesses today.

To make good supply chain decisions now requires lots of data and research.

When building resilience to natural catastrophes and other property losses, companies need to understand the risk landscape, in order to identify

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Managing risk beyond the walls of your own company

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the “pinch points” where problems may cause business interruption. Using data, companies can analyse the risks they face and prevent or control them.

The FM Global Resilience Index

At FM Global, we identified that this kind of information (based upon hard data) wasn’t readily accessible to organisations today. As commercial property insurers, with the belief that the majority of loss is preventable, we strive to push supply chain issues as far up the corporate agenda as possible.

We want to help companies so that they are not only more aware of the challenges they face, but are armed with the relevant data to start making more informed decisions.

As a result, we embarked upon a mission to present organisations around the world with powerful insights to help them answer the question ‘where in the world is your company vulnerable?’

The result is the FM Global Resilience Index. It ranks the supply chain resilience of 130 countries around the world, helping executives prioritise where they should focus their risk management and investment efforts.

The index aggregates nine drivers of resilience into three factors – economic, risk quality and the supply chain itself. The idea was to give decision makers the data to enable them to generate powerful insights about risk and opportunities in the supply chain to guide their operating

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strategy in four key areas: 1. Selecting suppliers based on the supply chain risk/resilience of the countries in which they are located 2. Deciding where to locate facilities 3. Evaluating the resilience of the countries hosting existing facilities 4. Assessing the supply chain resilience of countries where customers’ facilities are based

Insights from the Resilience Index

We found that countries with strong economies, high-quality infrastructures and a high level of risk quality (such as fire safety standards) score well.

This is why Norway, Switzerland and Canada appear in the top three slots in 2014. Norway leads the way, helped by its North Sea energy supply, making it highly resistant to the threat posed by any shock to energy prices. Ireland, in spite of its 27th position for supply chain drivers, makes it into the top five because of its strong commitment to risk management and low exposure to natural hazards.

By contrast, the Philippines (14th from the bottom) has a huge exposure to natural hazard risk, as the slow recovery from Typhoon Haiyan has shown, and too little economic strength to demonstrate strong resilience.

Because the data is refreshed annually, the Resilience Index also enables executives to identify countries that are working to make themselves more attractive supply chain partners.

In 2014, Bosnia and Herzegovina rose 19 places due to significant improvements in its political risk as well as in the quality of local suppliers, which is a measure derived from an annual survey by the World Economic Forum.

Other big risers are Armenia, Tajikistan,

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Countries with strong economics scored well in the Index

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Ireland, in spite of its 27th position for supply chain drivers, makes it into the top five because of its strong commitment to risk management and low exposure to natural hazards

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It’s important to recognise that the Resilience Index should not be used as a ‘one-stop’ tool in isolation, but rather, it should be part of a company’s suite of resources that will help them choose the right suppliers and territories to expand into

Kazakhstan and Jordan. In the case of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, the improvements are due to improved quality in fire risk management, while Armenia and Jordan enhanced their natural hazard risk management capabilities.

Mexico, one of the new emerging markets, ranks 59 out of 130 countries and territories in the 2014 FM Global Resilience Index. Mexico’s weakest factor is Economic, where the country ranks 90th in the world, due to having low gross domestic product per capita and higher political risk, which brings

down its overall ranking.

Mexico also ranks lower when it comes to the control of corruption, where there is significant room for improvement. While the country has only a moderate exposure to natural hazards, improvements to its commitment to managing such property-related exposures would likely increase the country’s resilience to supply chain disruption.

Aside from the BRIC countries, Turkey is another emerging market that businesses are beginning to move into. Turkey ranks 58 out of

130 territories in the 2014 FM Global Resilience Index, just above the mid-point of the worldwide ranking.

While the country maintains average local supplier quality, the country places poorly for its Risk Quality, where the country ranks 111th in the world, primarily due to its very high earthquake exposure.

Turkey’s performance on the Resilience Index also is weakened by significant political risk within the country that could contribute to government instability by unconstitutional or violent means, including terrorism. Similarly, corruption within the nation lowers the country’s position in the Resilience Index. Improvements within the country to both of these drivers of supply chain resilience would boost the country’s overall score and rank in the Index.

Raising the profile of supply chain risk

Companies now have more access to data and information about the countries they operate in. I would urge any business that is thinking of locating overseas (or working with new suppliers) to use all the data available to them to help them make more informed decisions. After all, supply chain risk is recognised in today’s economy as a major threat to business continuity, as a break in the supply chain can reduce a company’s revenue, cut into market share, inflate costs, or threaten production and distribution.

It’s important to recognise that the Resilience Index should not be used as a ‘one-stop’ tool in isolation, but rather, it should be part of a company’s suite of resources that will help them choose the right suppliers and territories to expand into. The Resilience Index helps businesses understand where they are most susceptible to property loss, but perhaps more importantly, it raises the profile of supply chain risk as a whole.

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Forecasting For Better Business

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ood waste is never far from the headlines and has long been a thorny issue for retailers and consumers alike. The figures are staggering: A leading UK supermarket chain generated almost 30,000 tonnes of food waste in the first half of 2013, while the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) suggests 4.2 million tonnes of food went to waste in the UK in 2012.

Aside from the obvious sustainability and ethics issues, this surplus is hitting grocers’ bottom lines and reducing visibility of profits for the whole supply chain. The finger of blame is usually pointed at the cornucopia of price promotions found on grocers’ shelves as they strive to compete with the ‘dreaded discounters’.

It’s true that the number of deals has accelerated surprisingly quickly; our customers tell us that up to 50 percent of sales now come from deals and promotions, compared to just 12 percent five years ago. And, anecdotally, it’s estimated 60 percent of waste is caused by inaccurate forecasting around those deals.

And this is just the beginning.

Recent research by the Institute of Grocery Distribution sees the fastest growth in the UK grocery market coming from the discounters, whose value will double to £21.4bn by 2019.

Convenience stores and online channels are not far behind, with superstores holding on to just 35 percent of the market. This all points to one thing: the price wars are here to stay.

If grocers want to be in control of their own destiny in this evolving landscape, it’s not a case of running fewer promotions but being smarter about forecasting.

They need to know what the demand will be for offers, through which channels, what factors could affect sales, and how these will impact sales of other products

Andrew Fowkes, Head of Retail Centre of Excellence, SAS UK & Ireland, explains how predictive analytics can help grocers improve forecasting and reduce food waste in an increasingly promotions-led marketplace Writer: Andrew Fowkes, SAS UK & Ireland in that category. And they need to be able to do this on a store-by-store level so they can make good decisions around inventory, supply chain management and distribution.

Unfortunately, many grocers still rely on manual calculations and ‘gut feel’ to make decisions. Forecasting is usually based on data from the past few weeks combined with year-onyear figures, across all stores. This approach does not take into account new information – such as adverse weather or seasonality – nor can it be applied at a local level to appropriately forecast for individual stores. Faced with a growing demand for more local convenience stores, it’s little wonder that waste is so high: if half your business is from deals, but you cannot accurately predict demand, bad decisions are inevitable.

Getting the forecasting right is an easily attainable goal. Predictive

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analytics tools can now give grocers unprecedented insight, at a local level, to produce accurate forecasts and optimise inventory across the supply chain.

For example, if a grocer wanted to run a promotion around fresh pizzas, it could use predictive analytics to create forecast simulations based on all historical data around similar offers – not just demand from last month or last year. This enables a full understanding of how other factors might affect demand: for example the weather, major sporting events, day of the week, or other offers in the store.

These simulations can be applied to individual stores, or viewed as a network, to enable better decisionmaking around inventory on a local and regional basis. This insight is not limited to the pizza range on offer, but can extend to forecasting the impact on other pizza ranges or even the whole ready meal category. So waste can be reduced across the store, not just on promotional items.

This granular level of insight will only become more important as grocers look for growth from convenience stores, where store and storage space is at a premium. And, as demand for online shopping and Click & Collect increases, it will be crucial for managing distribution and ensuring products are available where they’re required.

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The fickleness of customers is another major variable in the wastage equation, and one that can be countered by predictive analytics. As the analysis is quick and easy to run, grocers can easily react to a changing environment. For example, grocers can monitor consumer sentiment via social media, or forecast the impact of promotions at a local competitor, enabling them to increase availability or redistribute produce appropriately.

Better forecasting doesn’t just enable grocers to reduce waste and meet availability, but can also empower better negotiations with suppliers – giving greater visibility on profits. For example, one major Nordic grocer is taking the lead on a more sustainable approach to forecasting and planning promotions. Using predictive analytics, it is now able to forecast so accurately that it can invite suppliers to tender for deals, turning the table on the traditional model of supplier-driven promotions.

That same Nordic grocer is also driving sustainability; by being more responsible in its communications with farmers, it can reduce the wastage at supplier level too. So it’s a win-win

Predictive analytics are quick and easy to run, allowing grocers to easily react to a changing environment

situation. By using predictive analytics to improve forecasting, the entire supply chain feels the benefits of reduced waste.

It seems certain that the UK grocery market will be a different beast in 10 years from now. Grocers will need to re-evaluate the role of physical stores: online channels will drive the need for better inventory management and distribution models. But, despite its detractors, customers will always love the trusty promotion. The winners will be the grocers that can accurately forecast which promotions will be most successful and make good decisions to reduce waste and protect profits.

A better way is to use historical data and current trading conditions to properly plan for future events.

For even more details about the difference that analytics makes in retail, download the recent SAS EKN Report: 3rd Annual Analytics in Retail Study.

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is a leading business-to-business publication promoting and showcasing the leading companies across an array of sectors on the continent.

Appearing in both digital and print, the publication is aimed at boardroom members and hands-on decision makers, reaching more than 195,000 business executives.

Every other month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations and success stories. Covering areas of best practice, capital investments, the supply chain, innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to promote all that is good about the industry and the region, with your company taking centre stage throughout it all.

Producing business profiles across the full range of sectors and every corner of the continent, Europe Outlook is the platform to promote your business success.

Read on for this month’s profiles.

Emily Jarvis, Deputy Editor emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer, please feel free to contact us to discuss the opportunity further.

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

Matthew Staff, Editorial Director Tel: +44 (0) 1603 559152 matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

F M L O G I S T I C

FM Logistic continues to expand its supply chain footprint and offering in line with its core internal values, ensuring customer satisfaction, staff development and flexible operations Written by: Matthew Staff Project Manager: James Mitchell

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M Logistic has diversified, expanded and enhanced its range of supply chain operations over the past five decades to become one of the most internationally reputable businesses in the industry, all the while staying true to the same entrepreneurial family values that helped build its initial success.

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Beginning life as a family run business in 1967 as a transport company in eastern France, it was two significant periods of evolution which laid the platform for FM’s rise to prominence ever since; a strategic move into warehousing in 1982, and the company’s first foray into international territory 10 years’ later.

Since then, the business has taken its extensive range of storage & handling,

transport & distribution, co-packaging & co-manufacturing, and warehousing services to 12 different countries, across three different continents.

Servicing the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), manufacturing, cosmetics (beauty and perfumes) and health industries through this range, FM Logistic is now regarded as one of the most reliable, innovative and truly turnkey providers within the supply

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chain world.

“It is one of our key considerations: how to be an international company based in 12 countries with 18,000 people, but to keep our philosophies and values and to be a company with the right governance and respect to all people,” says FM Logistic’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), JeanChristophe Machet.

“It’s about putting the respect of the company in the middle too and it’s one of my personal goals to be able to manage and grow, country after country, with respect always to our FM values.”

International expansion

This ethos was first brought to the fore in 1982 through the company’s move away from solely transporting operations, and into the warehousing arena. Perhaps more significantly though, was this set of values in broadening the company’s geographical footprint in 1993.

J-C. Machet explains: “We decided not to start our expansion into Spain or the UK or Germany, but into a new country without these types of solutions. So we decided to follow our customers, with our entrepreneurial spirit, into Eastern Europe; Russia, Poland and then into the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary.

“This was to give our customers

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We decided to follow our customers, with our entrepreneurial spirit, into Eastern Europe; Russia, Poland and then into the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary

the opportunities to adapt their supply chains and move from being national organisations to international organisations.”

This strategy was built upon a bedrock of flexibility, agility and capacity that FM has always strived to provide its customers, and this trend of expansion continued in the subsequent years to develop a presence that covered the entire width of the company’s home continent.

“Growth has always been in accordance with market and customer requests, alongside our strategy to move into countries where there is not a lot of competition or solutions already there,” the CEO continues.

“We are now in a very strong position in three continents but we’d rather be focused and in the top three in 12 countries rather than not so strong in 40 countries.”

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Think global, act local

After years of careful planning and market research, this careful but proactive approach led to FM Logistic’s introduction to China, the company’s first expansion outside of Europe.

The move proved to be an invaluable one, not only in terms of the success the business is now experiencing in the country, but through the learning curves that befell the business following the initial move.

“We were without enough experience when we first entered China, behaving like a European or French company and expecting to do business with Chinese partners,” J-C. Machet recalls. “We quickly realised that to be in China, we had to be a Chinese company.

“Today, that is exactly what we are.

Before you work in a new country, you have to be able to speak with

Jean-Christophe Machet, CEO, FM Logistic

Longueil-Sainte-Marie warehouse

them, and to understand them and to become a proper partner. Our growth in China has now been very good for the past two years.”

Learning that it was imperative to apply the right cultural behaviours and skills to each new country was a realisation that laid the foundations for FM Logistic’s later move to Brazil; a move into South America that looks set to be the benchmark for future expansion strategies.

J-C. Machet adds: “With Brazil we knew it was another very specific market with specific behaviours, and we learnt from the China experience to enter Brazil as a Brazilian company.”

With just three expatriates

comprising its 1,200-strong workforce in the vast country, the move was made once again at the request of FM’s loyal and longstanding customers who were largely settled in Brazil themselves, but without the same strength of supply chain services they had been used to in Europe.

“Our development in China, and then in Brazil three years’ ago, has been a good school for us, entering as a European company but becoming a Chinese and Brazilian company with a strong respect for the local culture, spirit and people,” J-C. Machet notes.

“Our impact has to be to think global, but act local.”

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ORTEC Optimizing the world since 1981 • ORTEC is a global organization supported by more than 750 professionals passionate about delivering best-of-breed Advanced Planning & Optimization solutions and services. ORTEC’s products and services result in optimized fleet routing and dispatch, vehicle and pallet loading, workforce scheduling, delivery forecasting, logistics network planning and warehouse control.

Balea

• Within our partnership with FM Logistic, ORTEC’s role is to provide solutions that streamline transport operations and enhance supply chain agility. We are fully engaged in our customer’s international approach on adding optimization across its entire logistics network through multi-country deployments of ORTEC software.

Expanding to become a supply chain partner of choice in as many as 12 countries

Customer focus

Growing alongside its key customers has been the primary focus of all FM Logistic’s expansion plans over the years, leading to the business being a supply chain partner of choice in as many as 11 countries in some cases.

Having mutually beneficial relationships with multinational Groups including the likes of Mondelēz, Nestlé, L’Oreal, Auchan and Carrefour – as well as longstanding value-adding partnerships with businesses like the logistics optimisation expert, ORTEC - has not only facilitated FM’s own international growth, but has fostered unrivalled trust and notoriety among the industry as a whole.

“It’s our way to grow,” states J-C. Machet. “First, we develop a strong partnership with our customer country by country, and from there, we create a trust between the two companies

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BALEA

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alea and FM Logistic, a successful partnership, combining innovations and technological know-how.

High quality picking at the lowest cost is where FM Logistic and Balea meet.

Balea, innovative order preparation specialist provides the supply chain execution, complete hardware and software unique solutions.

Combining advanced technology and partner approach, FM Logistic benefits from Balea’s standard packaged systems and tailor made designed products.

These solutions are part of FM Logistic’s core solutions which contribute to their innovative and efficient market leader position.

www.balea.com

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Savings in time spent on the road and route planning Happier employees

Increased customer satisfaction Improved response to urgent orders

Cost savings from better utilization of trucks and less kilometers driven

Fewer trucks used Lower fuel consumption Less CO2 emissions

FM Logistic’s Main Partner for Transport Optimization www.ortec.com

info.cee@ortec.com

Innovative Logistic Solutions Productivity Quality For your Supply Chain

8, Avenue du Grand Chêne

F34270 St Mathieu de Tréviers

FRANCE

Tel : +33 (0)4 67 55 20 20

contact@balea.com

www.balea.com

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Building business relationships on trust around the world

and move together into new countries.

“One of our proudest achievements is to be a partner for Nestlé, for example, in 11 countries, because it is a complete example of our long term strategy and commitment to customers.”

More than two-thirds of the company’s growth emanates from the development of pre-existing partnerships, and the positive relationships that have been formed are based largely on the considered and innovative offerings that FM can provide.

“We came from the food industry to begin with, and now operate in the HPC (home personal care) sector as our other main industry,” notes J-C. Machet. “Then, in 1995 we also began partnering with retailers, understanding what it would take to be a third party provider between manufacturer and store shelf.

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countries with

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“Today retail is more than 28 percent of our turnover, so our drive is to continue adding value, industry by industry, through our tailor-made concepts for these different industries.

“To develop our model, and to develop our warehouses and to develop our IT, all to be better and faster than our competitors, gives us a big strategic advantage.”

Demandingness, drive, entrepreneurship

Successful relationships, innovations and operations are the end products of FM Logistic’s experience and hard work, but these sit upon a core set of philosophies and internal structures which J-C. Machet attributes every bit as much to the ongoing prominence of the business.

“We work to create value for the customer and to meet their demands, and to do that, we use our family

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dynamic, our entrepreneurship, and our sense of the long-term,” J-C. Machet emphasises. “It’s our spirit around how to create the value that drives our decisions.”

The way to manage this internal agility has been to involve staff at all levels within the business, with J-C. Machet ensuring that all 18,000 employees have the right entrepreneurial mindset to add value to the company’s operations.

J-C. Machet continues: “Our collaborators know better than anyone how to improve the business, because they are the ones doing the same things hundreds or thousands of times a day.

“They are the ones who therefore know how to improve performance and our managers develop these workers to be able to become entrepreneurs and to put forward ideas.”

FM Logistic subsequently invests 4.5 percent of its salary costs into the ongoing training and development of its collaborators, ensuring the continuous improvement and sustainability that has made the company such a personable organisation over the years.

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Products Specific Labels Adhesive Labels Non-adhesive Labels Printing Labels Thermal Transfer Ribbons www.sundgau-etiquettes.fr Tel: 03 89 07 66 48 Fax: 03 89 07 66 57 E-mail: sundgau-etiquettes@wanadoo.fr

We work to create value for the customer and to meet their demands, and to do that, we use our family dynamic, our entrepreneurship, and our sense of the long-term

“We want to share the value with different stakeholders, and between the company, customers and staff too through participative management,” J-C. Machet adds.

“I have a dream where I see a queue of hundreds of people in front of every site of FM with the determination to work for us. I want to see FM as the place to be, offering the capacity to develop people, based on our three pillars of demandingness, drive and entrepreneurship.”

Sustainability

The company’s commitment to wider social issues, particularly when it comes to environmental considerations, is just as important as aiding customers and employees.

Once again capitalising on existing expertise and knowledge across core supply chain processes, FM has introduced two key initiatives to make sure it is doing its bit for the good of the industry, and the good of the planet.

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“Firstly, concerning our trucks we have to have the best Euro 5 or Euro 6 vehicles. But this alone is not enough, so in September we decided to present our Citylogin concept in Rome, as a concrete action to take care of the environment,” J-C. Machet explains.

This concept involves the delivery of goods into the centre of cities each morning by FM Logistic’s fleet of hybrid trucks, subsequently “serving the last kilometre” and reducing the high levels of pollution, noise and congestion that would occur through numerous standardised vehicles making the same trip each day.

FM’s dedicated software package manages the entire supply chain through this process, including loading, routing and tracking, all while using the same amount of energy as 15 ordinary rounds carried out by commercial vans.

If successful, the Citylogin project will be mirrored in more European cities later in 2015, epitomising the influence that FM continues to have in the region and on the wider industry.

This initiative is supported by the company’s second initiative and its work in energy efficiency; making the most of natural or sustainable energies within its own facilities and through innovations on its own land to become self-sustainable where possible.

Plan 2022

We want to run faster than our competitors and to do that we have to work on innovation leading into our 2022 ambition

The Citylogin concept involves the delivery of goods into the centre of cities via a much smaller, greener vehicle

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Environmental and corporate social responsibility strategies will continue to comprise large facets of FM Logistic’s continuous improvement focus moving forward, and will be complimented by three further pillars which make up the company’s ‘Plan 2022’ ambition.

J-C. Machet wants FM Logistic to become not only the first choice for staff and customers, but the right choice too; becoming a sole reference for each industry through its turnkey, customisable offering, and with even further inroads being made into future innovation.

“We want to run faster than our competitors and to do that we have to work on innovation leading into our 2022 ambition,” the CEO notes. “Pillar one is to therefore reinforce our bases in all our industries and to remain in the top three in every country we operate in.

“Pillar two is to develop the drivers behind these bases so we can continue to develop our business, especially in Brazil and in the cosmetics, health and fresh sectors.

“The third pillar is to reinforce our long-term plan in terms of excellence in operations and to provide this true supply chain answer.”

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Continuing to add value through tailor-made concepts for different industries

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This means not just transportation and not just warehousing and logistics, but an all-encompassing presence in each country to provide its multinational customers the full range of services that they need to expand, themselves.

The aim for FM Logistic moving forward is to not only achieve these goals, but to achieve them without sacrificing the values and philosophies that have served the company so well for the first 48 years of development.

J-C. Machet concludes: “Our destination concerning the three pillars goes alongside the spirit and mindset and culture too. We have to remain a family company so we can fulfil this long-term project and also so that our customers are aware that we are here for them in the long-term as well.

“I want to see FM as a responsible international company respecting each and every stakeholder, member of staff, society, environment and country. Working in a company that has a long-term view with fantastic alignment across the shareholders, management and staff makes my job easier than it is for other CEOs. “For the past two years, our turnover has grown more than 15 percent from €870 million to more than €1 billion, while our operating margins also increased. This is not a question of chance or miracle but a question of people involvement, throughout all of FM Logistic.”

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ENERGY Efficient Shipping An award-winning company known for its energy-efficiency commitments, Fjord Line has experienced rapid expansion of its passenger and cargo business in recent years Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Tom Culllum

roviding transport between Norway and the rest of Europe with emphasis on energy efficiency is Fjord Line’s primary aim. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, Fjord Line has been expanding rapidly over the past few years due to additional tonnage and expansion of services for both passengers and cargo carriers.

With roots tracing back to 1993, Fjord Line has today around 600 employees, 175 of which work on land across Norway and 425 at sea year-round. In addition to passenger traffic, Fjord Line carries all types of commercial vehicles and freight via

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Open-air deck on board the MS Stavangerfjord and MS Bergensfjord

About Rickard Ternblom, CEO Ternblom is from Göteborg, Sweden and has broad experience in the cruise ferry business. Before joining Fjord Line, he spent 18 years at the Stena Group in a variety of roles in Sweden, Norway and Southeast Asia, and was, among other things, director for their Oslo-Frederikshavn line. He is educated as an economist and spent three years working at sea aboard three of Stena Line’s ships.

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its container ships. These are handled

by Fjord Line’s cargo departments in Norway and Denmark.

As a modern shipping company that offers safe and comfortable transport, Fjord Line is keen to fuel its vessels using alternative sources of energy including LNG fuels going forward.

New management

The company entered 2015 with a new Chief Executive at the helm, Rickard Ternblom, who has taken over from Ingvald Fardal. Since 2007, Fardal led the company through a period of rapid growth and fleet modernisation, going to great lengths to create the market’s two most modern and environmentally-friendly cruise ferries, as well as opening new lines.

Current CEO Ternblom hopes that his personal experience at sea combined with long term involvement in management and administration for this industry will form a “good foundation that will ensure the

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company has a profitable level of passengers and freight on Fjord Line’s four lines between Norway and the European Union”.

The board of directors believe Ternblom has the right qualifications and skills needed to lead the company into a new and important phase of development that will focus on consolidation and making operations even more efficient.

LNG is the way forward

In July 2013, the first of two new and environmentally-friendly cruise ferries, MS Stavangerfjord became operational, swiftly followed by the launch of its sister ship MS Bergensfjord in March 2014. Servicing the routes between Bergen, Stavanger and Hirtshals, and between Hirtshals and Langesund, the fleet operates daily departures throughout the year.

These ships marked the beginning of a new chapter for Fjord Line and for the first time, the company was able to offer transport between Norway and Denmark to travellers from Eastern Norway.

MS Stavangerfjord and MS Bergensfjord are the first and largest cruise ferries in the world to use “single fuelled LNG engines”.

This means the ships are powered exclusively by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

As a consequence of this

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One Stop Ship Service All kind of repairs, classifications and conversions of vessels. www.hirtshalsyard.dk

The board of directors believe Ternblom has the right qualifications and skills needed to lead the company into a new and important phase of development that will focus on consolidation and making operations even more efficient

environmental initiative, Fjord Line is at the forefront of new and more stringent emissions regulations, which the company says will be welcomed along the coast and in the four ports served by its cruise ferries.

Sailing into new waters

In the last decade, Fjord Line has gone from being the smallest cruise ferry company in Norway to being the second largest. The company has witnessed significant growth and has taken steps to ensure longterm financing of the business and to strengthen its competitiveness.

Dedicated to providing a high quality experience for both the passenger and cargo sectors, Ternblom will lead Fjord Line into a new and exciting era, with further new vessels due to be commissioned in the near future that embrace LNG as a green fuel source.

For more information, visit: http://www.fjordline.com/en

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Barco is a brand that is known as a leader in its field. Boasting in-house competence, state-of-theart equipment and testing facilities, customers recognise its products as visualisation solutions that they can count on Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Dave Alexander

RENOWNED

in Visualisation

arco Fredrikstad is at the forefront of technological advancements in high resolution, compact visualisation projectors. Designed to perform in a wide variety of fields including control rooms, training and simulation, visitor attractions and scientific visualisation to name but a few, the company is one of the small number remaining in Europe that still designs and manufactures in-house.

Part of the one billion euro Barco Group headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, the Norwegian arm of the business is located in Fredrikstad and is regularly recognised as a Centre of Excellence in the visualisation industry worldwide. Previously known as

projectiondesign, the company name was changed to Barco following an acquisition in 2013, which CEO John Paulissen says was designed to merge competencies and blend synergies of the two reputable visualisation companies: “The Group wanted to extend its focus into areas that it could build further strength in; namely simulation, visitor attractions, and the venues and hospitality industry. These were areas that projectiondesign held its strengths.”

“The former projectiondesign brand and accompanying image is to be retained going forward as it has always focussed on the people behind the company. It remains invested in human development with an emphasis on our reputation as trustworthy and

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PHILIPS DIGITAL PROJECTION LIGHTING Philips celebrates 20 years of UHP innovations For digital projector users, brightness, sharp and visible images, colors and the lifetime of lamps are of key importance.

Since UHP lamp technology was invented in 1990 (and commercialized in 1994), Philips has been the market leader in projection lighting, supplying all the major Original Equipment and Original Design Manufacturers (OEM/ ODM) with a range of different lamp systems.

X-ray of the F3x projector platform

investable among partners,” says Paulissen.

With the pace of development in the technology industry everincreasing, Barco Fredrikstad invariably invests in the latest innovations via a comprehensive R&D department, boasting state-of-the-art tech at the Norwegian site. “Technology never stands still and we believe that developing a strong set of products in line with this mantra will allow a smooth transition into new sectors to keep our hand in a broader range of markets,” says Paulissen.

Swire Marine Training Centre, Singapore

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High-end products

Projectors from Barco provide ultrahigh resolution, ruggedness and a seamless integration into a variety of applications. Each projector is designed to be mounted on a motion platform, and their small size is a key enabler for many installations, saving on space and is made possible through the most advanced systems imaginable.

Barco Fredrikstad conducts most of its business primarily across the simulator and visitor attractions industry or anywhere that requires a multiple-projector setup.

“The simulator market is crucial to areas such as civil and military training as it is a much cheaper alternative to facilitate training for multiple people at a faster rate in a simulator than in a real plane for example, thus also reducing the costs incurred. As a global organisation, our F-series of projectors have an excellent reputation among key industry players,” comments Paulissen.

In terms of the visitor attractions market, projectors are one of the key AV technologies used as a facilitator

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Philips UHP lamps are the ideal light source for projectors. Not only do they offer the highest light output for the complex environments of Micro Display projectors, they also have a long operating life of up to 10,000 hours, with a low loss of lumens during their lifetime. However, UHP lamps must be handled with care as they reach extremely high temperatures (hotter than the sun) and operate under high pressure (ca. 200-250 bar).

The Philips UHP lamp and ballast system has been developed in close partnership with our OEMs and is optimized to ensure a flickerfree picture with excellent color reproduction. Building on 20 years of innovation, Philips continues to develop UHP technology for specific lamp types and ballasts, to guarantee the ultimate projection experience.

Toon Reynders T +32 1440 7951 E Toon.reynders@philips.com

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John Paulissen, CEO Previously a qualified chemical engineer, John Paulissen worked for GE in the plastics division before joining Barco in 2005. In 2006 he was tasked with running Barco manufacturing facilities in Beijing, China which lasted for eight years.

Just six months ago he returned to lead the new division, Barco Fredrikstad in Norway.

Paulissen incorporated western thinking into Barco’s new facility in China in order to innovate production methods. “We managed to build up the business in China and I am very proud to have been a part of this, it was very intense but we were rewarded in the long term, securing large growth for the Group,” he says.

Ship bridge simulator, Swire Marine Training Centre, Singapore, using 24 x F82 Barco projectors

to delivering interactive experiences, along with sound, motion, smell and animatronics. “Ultimately, it is all about the experience. Theme parks work with external bureaus in order to make these public attractions more than just a place to go, but a place of immersion and experience. By bringing movement and life to attractions, projectors help convey a message, concept or idea and are the only way to make truly enveloping curved screen displays for truly immersive environments.

“The challenge is in finding and using

Back in Norway, Paulissen feels that the flat organisational structure at Barco Fredrikstad generates discussion which contributes to the continuous improvement of the organisation: “Our people dare to challenge the status quo. That is the only way we can improve as a company and better serve our customer.”

Mechanical 3D measurement CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine)

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the correct technology that really enhances the storytelling and the experience for the visitor. We find that with our flexible, compact and high resolution projectors the technology becomes non-intrusive and really enhances the story,” details Paulissen.

Industry trends

As technology paces forward and delves into the probability of not necessarily bigger but brighter and higher resolution screens, Paulissen is confident that projection will remain the primary market for Barco Fredrikstad. “Using a projector in a simulator means you are able to create a seamless, curved immersive environment with the perception of depth. In pilot training for example, you wouldn’t want to see the horizon fragmented across multiple LCD screens. Of course, projectors will remain a key device in other industry practices too,” adds Paulissen.

At present, a projector lamp has a limited lifetime, which means that changing the bulb after 2,000 hours is considered part of total cost of ownership. To keep up with demand for low maintenance costs, image

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KEY SUPPLIERS By working closely with suppliers and research institutions such as universities, Barco Fredrikstad continue to grow around the world, from a little town in the South of Norway.

• Long term relationship with Phillips that goes beyond the delivery of lamps, working together on new illumination technologies • Elka Group provides more than 30 different types of wires that are used within each projector. Known as a name you can trust for high quality, timely delivery and fast response to help • Infitec GmbH is a supplier that supports Barco in the field of 3D applications, a field that is getting more and more attention stability and projectors that are able to run 24-seven, Barco Fredrikstad is shifting towards solid state illumination technologies such as LED, laser and hybrid solutions.

“We strive to create a projector without lamps and without excessive noise from the current fan-based cooling systems. Our thermal engineers test only the best cooling solutions for projection and by working to replace the lamp totally, we hope to reduce cost and inconvenience for customers but also reduce heat output in general.

“The F50 projector is our latest innovation which encompasses new cooling techniques via separate enclosures designed to make it quieter,” says Paulissen.

Production line assembly at Barco Fredrikstad

New ideas

Mechanical prototype workshop facility

CEO and Vegard Nøklegård (Production Manager) with Barco’s latest innovation, the F50 projector

As with many other projector manufacturers, Barco Fredrikstad is also working on and adapting to the merging 4K and higher resolution

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ELKA INTERNATIONAL LTD

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stablished in 1974, ELKA International Ltd. has made its name by strong engineering support, customer-oriented services, and high performance products.

ELKA focuses its efforts in four main areas: I/O solution, Mobile solution, Industrial solution, and Supplier Quality Engineering.

Norwegian-designed and robot-operated Auto Store can handle 360 storage box transactions an hour

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State-of-the-art PCB production line

movement. “However, currently, the uptake of 4K content providers across any industry is low, which means the benefit of utilising such a high resolution projector is still low”,” adds Paulissen.

Moving into new waters, Barco Fredrikstad has created its C-series of projectors to instil a more exciting environment in conference rooms.

“We are working on a proposal to make meeting rooms more participative and easier to connect people in a more reliable and efficient way. By putting the Barco spin on ways to communicate in a virtual conference call environment, we provide the tools to simplify visual collaboration – wirelessly,” comments Paulissen.

Going forward, a vital aspect of all Barco products will be their ability to operate 24-seven and the company has one of the lowest failure rates in the industry. “Simulators run multiple projectors at a time continuously.

If just one of these were to fail you would not be able to use the facility, and the cost of shutting down such an attraction or a simulator can be extremely high.

“Uptime needs to be as high as possible and consequently, we have developed a system that can detect

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I/O solution has long been ELKA’s main product line, including variety of cable assemblies, such as HDMI, USB, and DisplayPort. To strengthen its ability in this field, ELKA invest considerable resources in the development of OE engine embedded product lately.

Mobile solution is set up to serve the rapidly changing consumer market; best selling products are MFi accessories and USB chargers. Industrial solution provides OEM internal wire harness from simple to high complex. On SQE projects, ELKA helps customers to source the required items, work with suppliers on quality plans, and consolidate shipments.

Elka’s Quality Certification: ISO9001 ISO14001 ISO13485 TS16949 Sony Green Partner UL Factory Elka’s Subsidiaries: Elkat Electronics (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) Dongguan Yungtay Electronics Co., Ltd. (China) Veritas International Ltd. (Hong Kong) T +886.2.8692.6600 (Rep.) E sales@elka.com.tw

www.elka.com

Quality, Reliability, Honesty, Responsiblity

Services for Better Connections Specializing in audio, video, communication & electronic cable assembly and components.

Wire Harness for Machines and Devices

HDMI Active Cable

MFi Lightning Cables

USB 3.1 Type-C Cables

Wire Harness for InVehicle Infotainment

The Latest Purchased Machines

Quantum Data 980

Optical Fiber Polishing Machine

ELKA International Ltd.

Tel: 886.2.8692.6600 (Rep)

8F, No. 131, Sec. 2, Tatung Rd., Hsichih Dist.,

Fax: 886.2.8692.6262

New Taipei City 22183, Taiwan

www.elka.com

Elka’s Quality Certifications: ISO9001 ISO14001 ISO13485 TS16949 Sony Green Partner UL Factory Elka’s Memberships

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INFITEC GMBH

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NFITEC GmbH, a technology company located in Ulm, Germany, began life as a result of very successful research project of Daimler AG (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG) in 1999 and since then the company has set new standards, becoming the ultimate reference in solutions for the 3D visualisation industry.

INFITEC® 3D is more than a technology manufacturer; we are a solution provider, bringing the 3D experience in the way that is meant to be seen.

Our 3D expertise is the first choice, allowing companies such as Universal Studios, Florida to use INFITEC® 3D technology, providing immersive 3D for such attractions as Amazing Spiderman and the Transformers theme park.

www.infitec.net

Barco projection technology brings to life exhibitions at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres (leper), Belgium

Visual inspection in the R&D department

All staff and diciplines in Barco Fredrikstad work under the same mantra, QTPC (Quality, Timeliness, Performance and Cost). That’s the way we achieve competitive advantage – Morten Eliassen, Quality Manager at Barco Fredrikstad

In-house industrial CAD

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early failures. It is not just about new technologies, it is as much about ensuring that the product you make is cleverly designed and optimised to work within a designated environment,” Paulissen highlights.

Investing in R&D

To remain ahead in the industry, Barco Fredrikstad has strategically placed its R&D team close to its manufacturing operations. This, accompanied by higher degrees of automation on the manufacturing line, means the company is able to test and bring its innovations to market as fast as possible. “We are certified to conduct our own environmental testing on our products in-house, thus there is no need for months of waiting for an external party to test and re-test items,” confirms Paulissen.

Consequently, Paulissen says that Barco’s biggest asset is its people: “My personal mission is to ensure

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Benefits of Infitec 3D

Image by INCAS Training, www.incas-training.de

• Compatible with any screen and projection surface • Image quality not sensitive to viewing or projection angle • No silver screen required • Laser 6P 3D technology ready • No ghosting or flickering and no batteries required!

• Greatly improved color balance and accuracy over standard INFITEC technology • Greatly improved brightness over competing passive 3D technologies

T: +49 731 146601 00 E: sales@infitec.net www.infitec.net there are processes in place that shape the staff at Barco Fredrikstad.

Our short decision lines mean there is close collaboration on all levels between engineers, designers, quality control, production and so on. We pride ourselves on being a down to earth company that reaches out to the global world.

“Moreover, our approach to our professional product range and our customers mirrors this close-knit style of operation. Our projectors offer best performance for its intended application at a good price-toperformance ratio and customers are invited to visit the site in Norway and speak directly with the people behind the products.”

“Our customer centricity makes us stand out from the crowd as an innovative company. Ultimately, it is the difference in our people, their passion and our dedication that makes us stand out from the crowd,” concludes Paulissen.

In-house accredited Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) laboratory for compliance certification of multimedia products

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Fastest Growing Oil Company THE NETHERLANDS’

Bio and LNG fuels have grown in importance in Western Europe in recent years and downstream oil player, Argos Energies intends to use its extensive market experience and knowledge to keep ahead of this industry curve Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: James Mitchell rgos Energies is looking for alternative sources of energy by branching out into using LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as bunker fuel. As the largest independent player, not listed on the stock exchange or state affiliated in the Western European downstream oil market, Argos Energies combines storage and distribution with the international trade-in and sale of mineral oils and biofuels.

With a range of customers including

major oil companies, international shipping firms, trading firms and resellers, Argos products are among the highest quality in the region, boasting a reliable supply and a streamlined delivery process.

In addition to further expanding its current activities, in scale as well as geographically, Argos will focus on a wider spectrum of low-emission energy products in 2015 and beyond, with safety, sustainability and the environment a priority throughout.

“This is a key aspect of the business

going forward as biofuel has become an important new product group for Argos,” says Piet Van den Ouden, Business Development Manager for Argos Energies.

The company is gearing up to take the position among Western Europe’s front runners in the land, sea and air markets for both biofuels and other renewable energy services.

Consequently, Argos comprises a well-balanced range of the most sustainable and innovative products currently available in the market.

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In 2016, Argos Energies will introduce the first LNG bunkering vessel, which will supply the fuel to inland shipping and marine sectors, widening the reach of greener fuels in Europe’s downstream oil sector.

Emerging energy sources

Argos is a member of the National LNG platform and European project partner of the LNG ‘master plan’.

Using LNG as bunker fuel for seagoing and inland vessels is a new concept in the maritime sector. Due to the stricter environmental regulations in Northwest Europe and the economic benefits for ship-owners, LNG as bunker fuel has big advantages including low exhaust emissions and a competitive price when compared to oil.

As a member of the Society Gas for Marine Fuel in London, Van den Ouden is confident that Argos fulfil the customers’ needs from simply a supplier of bunker oil products, to sell and support its knowledge of LNG as bunker fuel. “Our target is to become one of the leading suppliers of LNG as bunker fuel at the Port of Rotterdam, and my own personal

depth of knowledge from years as an independent project manager in the oil and gas industry will contribute greatly to our strategy,” he says.

Investments in bunkering

Argos Bunkering is now a leading player in the European bunker market, offering products and services to the entire maritime sector, covering the marine transport sector as well as the coastal and inland shipping trade, from large vessels to small ones.

“Argos is able to supply the required marine fuel at every possible specification, at any desired moment, within the entire ARA area and the European inland waterways,” states Van den Ouden. “Through our worldwide imports and our independent market position we can guarantee continuity of supply.”

In line with its plan to move into new energies, Argos has addressed the demand for alternative energy sources by introducing the first combined gas oil and LNG bunkering vessel in the second quarter of 2016. The vessel is designed to provide gas oil and or LNG as a fuel to inland shipping and marine sectors in the port area.

GTT GTT, a leading engineering company in the field of LNG GTT (Gaztransport & Technigaz), a French engineering company, is the world leader in cryogenic membrane containment systems used for the transport and the storage of Liquefied Natural Gas. For over 50 years, GTT has offered to its customers technologies which allow them to optimize storage space and reduce the construction and operation costs of ships or tanks equipped with these systems.

GTT operates in several sectors: Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers and Very Large Ethane Carriers, Multi-gas carriers, Floating Liquefied Natural Gas units, Floating Storage and Regasification units, onshore storage tanks and the use of LNG as a fuel.

GTT’s main activities cover the development of pre-FEED and FEED phases, which enables shipyards or Engineering Procurement & Construction to benefit from a complete offer; the manufacturing in accordance with GTT patents and know-how; the design and realization of tank detailed design; supplier approval; technical assistance; interface with classification societies, regulatory bodies and technical assistance.

GTT is deeply involved in research activities by establishing partnerships with specialized institutions covering topics such as hydrodynamics, mechanics, and the performance of its systems in extreme environments.

GTT also uses its own extensive test laboratory in order to complete its research programmes.

T + 33 (0) 1 30 234 789 E commercial@gtt.fr

www.gtt.fr Argos is able to supply the required marine fuel at every possible specification

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SOLUTIONS

With over 50 years of experience in the design of membrane containment systems for liquefied gas, GTT is your Partner for all your LNG projects. More than two thirds of the LNG carrier fleet are equipped with GTT membrane technologies. GTT is concentrating on developments for the future use of LNG as a fuel for sea-going vessels.

As a world leader in LNG containment systems, GTT is ideally placed as a solution provider for the whole LNG chain (land/sea storage, distribution by feeder or barge, bunker tanks, offshore platforms, etc.).

www.agencegalilee.com - 06 64 44 41 94

GTT is ready to accompany you on the seven seas.

Gaztransport & Technigaz 1 route de Versailles, 78470 Saint-RÊmy-lès-Chevreuse - France Tel GTT Corporate (in France): +33 130 234 789 Tel GTT North America (in Houston): +1 713 400 4500 E-mail: commercial@gtt.fr

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“Our customers are investing in the new market for LNG as bunker fuel and we believe it is a logical step for us to move into this area as a result.

As market trends are always changing, we must innovate to remain ahead and create a long term plan for the business,” adds Van den Ouden.

Argos provides transport services across the entire oil supply chain from refinery to terminal and from terminal to service station. Moreover, the company is one of the few market players that can guarantee permanent shipping capacity.

Through its interest in Interstream Barging, Argos has access to a fleet of 127 inland waterway vessels with a total capacity of about 370,000 tonnes.

“The large variety of ship sizes and equipment enables us to reach virtually every destination in the Western European coastal area up to the sources of the European rivers,” says Van den Ouden.

Argos LNG bunkering vessel

TEAMCO SHIPYARD

The large variety of ship sizes and equipment enables us to reach virtually every destination in the Western European coastal area up to the sources of the European rivers

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ounded in 2005, TeamCo Shipyard has been building modern barges and seagoing vessels and has grown into an innovative and customeroriented specialist.

TeamCo Shipyard distinguishes itself as a shipyard that thinks along with every customer and gives advice which suits the customer’s needs and objectives.

By working closely with outstanding partners, TeamCo Shipyard has become a connecting specialist: a specialist in linking your desires and goals to smart technical solutions.

T +31 (0)416 665500 F +31 (0)416 665505 E info@teamcoshipyard.nl

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ensen-Driessen Shipbuilding BV is an expert in the design, construction and completionbuild of inland and seagoing vessels.

Since its incorporation in 1980, it has developed into an authoritative and leading broker and project developer in the shipbuilding industry.

We aim to amaze our clients with top-quality ships and an exceptional customer-focused approach at highly competitive prices and we are very well placed to offer a complete and custom design, build and deliver service.

T +31 (0)78-619 12 33 E wimdriessen@rensenbv.nl

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Our strength lies in our personal approach, from the first contact to the delivery of your ship. With our knowledge and keen eye for detail, we translate your wishes into concrete solutions. Whichever engine you choose? What piping fits your ship when transporting products from your routes?

How big is the that

ship

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TeamCo Shipyard is involved and gives advice tailored to your situation.

Rensen-Driessen Shipbuilding BV is an expert in the design, construction and completion-build of inland and seagoing vessels. Since it’s incorporation in 1980, it has developed into an authoritative and leading broker and project developer in the shipbuilding industry.

Rensen-Driessen Shipbuilding delivers vessel which are driven by: · GAS (LNG) · Dual-fuel · Hybrid · Diesel-electric

Tel: +31 (0)78 – 619 12 33 wimdriessen@rensenbv.nl www.rensen-driessen.com/nl/shipbuilding

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The next step in the maritime sector is to use LNG as bunker fuel as it will see a huge reduction of exhaust emissions and in the future we hope to compete with regular bunker fuels – Piet Van den Ouden, Business Development Manager for Argos Energies

Terminals and logistics services

In addition to its primary products and services including bunkering, terminal, supply & trading and wholesale, Argos offers a range of support services that can be deployed separately or in combination with other products or services.

Relying on a market-oriented approach for decades, the company strives to play a leading role in the ever changing energy market in

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Western Europe, catering for increased environmental awareness and growing demand, while also investing into alternative energy sources.

“These could also include activities that at first sight do not fit within our current portfolio, our investments in biofuels and LNG demonstrate this,” Van den Ouden adds.

Argos has access to an intricate and competitive network of depots across the Benelux countries, Germany, France and Switzerland. The company manages the storage and distribution of mineral oils and biofuels for its own activities, but also provides logistics services to others, such as oil companies and independent oil traders.

“The services we offer cover the entire downstream oil value chain from purchase, storage and transport to throughput (own and third party), tank rental, blending and bio-blending,” says Van den Ouden.

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Above all else, Argos wants to offer its employees, customers and contractors a safe workplace. Via stringent internal and external regulation, the company works closely together with the authorities and the oil industry to develop new safety initiatives and ensure the development of staff by keeping employees informed of the latest safety standards through regular training.

“It is our policy to do business in a way that takes into account not only economic aspects, but also the environment and the safety of all concerned. The company strives to prevent incidents with environmental consequences and to work in a way that is not harmful,” comments Van den Ouden.

Furthermore, the entire Argos terminal network is ISO 9001 certified. This quality management

and contractors a well-structured and safe work environment.

“In line with this, our new combined gas oil and LNG bunker vessel, being made in cooperation with national and international authorities, has set high standards to ensure safe operation of the vessel,” concludes Van den Ouden.

For further information on the LNG Master Plan, visit: www.lngmasterplan.eu

system ensures that customers get a consistently reliable, safe and highquality fuel product.

“The Argos safety management system is integrated into the quality management system. This enables Argos to guarantee all its employees

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High Quality Pictured right: Eric Vredeveldt, CEO, Previder

revider is striving to make waves on an international scale after securing its position as one of the leading data centre providers in Holland over the past decade.

Opening its doors as Introweb back in 1996 as an internet service provider (ISP), the company as it is currently known and renowned was kickstarted in 2006 following an acquisition from the Odin Group.

The subsequent nine years of rebranding, development, expansion and improvement has made Previder one of the leading business partners of choice within the tech domain in the Netherlands; something which Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Eric Vredeveldt attributes to the transformation of key services being offered following the Odin acquisition.

“The Odin Group of Companies acquired Introweb with the vision of expanding the hosting and ISP services we were already active in, but adding data centre activities as well,” he explains. “We then started planning

Previder has gone from strength to strength since its 2006 acquisition by the Odin Group, and is now looking to introduce its reputable Datacenter and IT solutions to an international audience Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Dan Hester

the build of our brand new data centre, which was 2,500 square metres in size, and we finished that in 2010.”

Named PDC2 (Previder Data Centre 2), it was evident to the company very early on that this concept could be improved upon and Previder soon capitalised on the opportunity to

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build PDC1, an even larger data centre to provide an overall twin concept to send into the market.

“As of 2010, we were renamed Previder and began pushing that name into the market as a data centre organisation with colocation, cloud and connectivity as the main businesses that we provided.

“PDC1 was then finished in 2013 – 6,000 square metres – giving us two ultra modern facilities designed to world class PUE (power usage effectiveness) standards in the data centre industry of just 1.16 completing the twin data centre concept.”

been able to unveil a true differentiator to the market at large in the form of a turnkey tech solution, offering a range of high quality services at low cost.

“The added value that we provide to our customers comes from these high quality facilities in a low cost region in the Netherlands, alongside with excellent connectivity to the internet exchanges (AMS-IX and DE-CIX),” Vredeveldt notes. “We expanded on the ISP services we had before to become a real data centre organisation providing colocation, cloud and connectivity services; that’s the three in a box we deliver to the market.

“This broad range of solutions for customers is where we differentiate from the market competition. The total set of solutions being offered by one provider is not something you see very often so that gives us a huge market advantage. We are either able to sell the three in a box as a total solution providing hybrid cloud or to provide

Low cost, high quality

Previder used this new business model and core offering to launch the new brand, capitalising not only on this market leading data centre service, but also maintaining its ISP and connectivity expertise alongside this.

As a consequence, the company has

The added value that we provide to our customers comes from these high quality facilities in a low cost region in the Netherlands, alongside with excellent connectivity to the internet exchanges (AMS-IX and DE-CIX)

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the separate services independently like for instance wholesale on colocation services where we sell private rooms.”

Another advantage of Previder’s has been its self sustainability from the offset, building its two data centres up from the ground where numerous market competitors would look towards rebuilds. This allowed for total creative control over the functionality, size and technologies implemented into the final products; especially significant in regards to the energy efficiencies and internet connectivity that have been achieved subsequently.

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NetApp Data ONTAP is the world’s #1 storage OS? yepnetapp.com

International proposition

Upon the company’s decision to enter into the data centre space, the majority of the business’s activity has been as a regional service provider, but this influence is on the verge of spreading significantly over the coming months and years as it looks to replicate its successes further afield.

Having worked with international clients moving into Holland, as well as Dutch companies moving abroad, the natural progression is to now form initial links overseas, with the UK and Germany logical areas of potential expansion.

“These two are the closest markets to us, expanding out of the Netherlands which is a data centre land,” says Vredeveldt. “We have the ability to become the hub to mainland Europe through our good connectivity, low pricing, and our advanced experience in using fibre and internet exchanges.

“We have a very good proposition that we can pose to the international market.”

This strategy is all the more achievable given the international nature of the product itself, the necessity for power and energy efficient tech solutions consistent across all regions.

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This means that the exact same successful data centre offering can be replicated without any tweaks or amendments as soon as the demand is there.

Spreading the word

Rest assured that demand will certainly be there too. Having invested a lot of time and effort into not only its products but the levels of customer service, Previder is more than ready to transfer the same overall offering to a wider footprint.

The company’s work with governmental customers on two specific tenders is testament to the reputation that has already been built, while there is an ongoing drive regarding marketing strategies to ensure the strong word of mouth factor is supported by the right promotional functions.

Previder is looking to the UK and Germany to expand its footprint

We have a very good proposition that we can pose to the international market

Vredeveldt notes: “Marketing is a key factor in every sales proposition, but for us it is not about doing so in a general sense, but addressing the specific market segments with what we can offer.

“We need to market our name and products to make sure that people want to discuss with us what solutions we can provide.

“It’s all about image building and being in the right magazines and the right media to make sure that

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Building an image to secure a strong reputation

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people know us. That’s something we’re setting up to reach a broader population who will continue spreading the word.”

Collaborative solutions

Word of mouth has been a pivotal factor in Previder’s growth, the company’s reputation developing with every successful tender attained over the past 10 years.

This growth has been reflected internally too, with Vredeveldt himself overseeing a 50 percent rise in staff members since he joined the company two-and-a-half years’ ago.

“We now have 45 employees and if the company continues to grow at that same rate for the next five years I will be very happy,” the CEO says.

“In general, we want to grow at least 20 percent a year organically. Thanks to our very financially strong holding company, we could participate in acquisitions if we wanted to, but we

have grown well organically up to this point and we can make the same steps in our international expansion.”

Branching out geographically is the second facet of Previder’s current goals, and this again leverages one of the company’s prize assets in the form of its parent company, The Odin Group.

“We have a huge force within the market between us and our sister companies under our holding company,” concludes Vredeveldt.

“Sometimes it’s the case that we cannot provide a certain solution for a customer, but our sister companies will have that solution, and this works both ways.

“The Odin Group is built on a strong and excellent knowledge of IT business and activities and all the companies have a different focus, but together we form a total chain of companies able to provide the best services to our customers.”

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R I G S H O S P I T A L E T

igshospitalet is perceived as a modern, patient-oriented and state-of-the-art facility, highly specialised in key medical areas. As Denmark’s leading hospital, it is known as the flagship for research and development, innovation and sustainability which are at the heart of the organisation.

In close collaboration with other hospitals in the capital region, and with enterprise and knowledge institutions

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such as MD Anderson Cancer Centre and Copenhagen Science City, Rigshospitalet serves as a power centre for research in healthcare and medical science.

Among the 10 best research hospitals in Europe, Rigshospitalet offers education and training programmes at a high level and holds the highest productivity rate among specialised hospitals on the continent.

“Competent and dedicated employees who cooperate to provide the best

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quality for patients is just one of our visions and goals we uphold as part of our vision 2020,” said the hospital.

Award-winning patient care

Being one of the region’s largest workplaces, with a good national and international image, Rigshospitalet attracts a wide range of employees and students from around the world, who contribute actively to developing the Copenhagen Science City North, while remaining the preferred choice

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Denmark’s Medical As the flagship hospital for the capital region of Denmark, Rigshospitalet will continue in its efforts to remain the preferred choice for patients in need of highly specialised treatment Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

for patients in need of exceptional specialised treatment.

Divided into six treatment centres and two interdisciplinary centres, each centre has a number of clinics and departments, 12 of these key areas have been awarded The Global Excellence award including physiology, dementia and haematology.

The award is presented based on leading results within basic research, studies and treatment, education, or clinical or translational research, which

fits with the organisation’s overall vision to be internationally regarded as Denmark’s best hospital.

“Treating a critically ill patient will be in the hands of many different professionals and specialist groups.

This requires excellent international cooperation as well as with other hospitals involved in the patient’s overall course of treatment,” stated the hospital, which has a number of external stakeholders that make a contribution to its vision 2020 goals.

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New developments

Righospitalet is one of Denmark’s largest workplaces, comprising of approximately 8,000 employees broken down into more than 50 professional groups. Moreover, the hospital is one of Denmark’s largest educational institutions with medical science programmes. “A large number of staff in the rest of the Danish national healthcare system have been wholly or partly trained or further educated at Rigshospitalet,” says the hospital.

As the leading Danish institution introducing new, highly specialised treatments, new development of the hospital site is essential for the betterment of international research and treatments. Back in 2008, the hospital’s departments underwent a merger and relocation to Rigshospitalet in order to extend the possibilities for expansion. “The mergers and other changes as a consequence of the hospital’s plan for

FALCK

T The Global Excellence Award Below are just some of the departments that have received The Global Excellence award over the years:

Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Last year the department examined more than 30,000 patients and it produced more than 70 scientific publications and dissertations. By developing new trace elements and methods of scanning, the department is working to better prepare physicians in the struggle to combat cancer.

Danish Dementia Research Centre Denmark is the future innovative and active co-player in international work and the research centre is working to improve Denmark’s opportunities by participating in large, international solutions. In the research area, the research centre has identified new mutations of dementia diseases, and it has examined the effects of giving early psycho-social support to patients and relatives living with Alzheimer’s.

Department of Haematology The department is the largest department in Denmark within this field, and is unrivalled within new and more effective treatments targeting the cancer cell. In addition, it covers the whole spectrum from research in normal cells to research in cancer cells and testing new medicines.

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he Falck emergency services company has worked closely with the Danish authorities for more than 100 years, performing tasks and services critical and vital to society, and is currently active in 45 countries worldwide.

Working in association with the specialists at Rigshospitalet and the Capital Region’s Pre-Hospital Services unit, our goal is to provide the citizens of the region with coherent emergency medical services that are among the best and most coherent in Europe.

We work with the authorities to continuously optimise operations and collaborate on research and development in order to ensure that the citizens of the Capital Region will also in future have reliable and efficient emergency medical services.

www.falck.com

the capital region of Denmark made it necessary to build a new wing and renovate the existing buildings of the hospital in order to better cater for patients’ needs,” commented the hospital.

Over the next five years, Rigshospitalet will continue to utilise its partnerships and reputation as the hospital’s guiding principle up to 2020. The institution will continue as the flagship hospital for the Capital Region of Denmark, and will continue its efforts to remain the preferred choice for patients in need of highly specialised treatment.

“Our world is becoming ever more connected, and this applies in the health sector too. We must learn from and cooperate with the best international hospitals in order to uphold our status as a hospital that offers the best treatment and the best research in Denmark,” concluded the hospital.

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We are always there

Working in close collaboration with...

MD Anderson Cancer Centre On June 30 2014, Rigshospitalet established an official collaboration agreement with the largest cancer hospital in the US; the MD Anderson Cancer Centre. Officially a sister institution, Rigshospitalet is now part of a global network comprising 24 other cancer hospitals.

As a result of this partnership, the hospital has also become part of the Global Academic Programme (GAP), which provides access to a global research network and thereby more rapid access to the latest technology and clinical frontline research. Research and treatment collaboration includes child cancer, radiotherapy, accelerated patient pathways, gynaecological cancer and palliative medicine.

Copenhagen Science City

Rigshospitalet is part of Copenhagen Science City where business and knowledge institutions can create, share and utilise knowledge. As part of the Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet participates in research and development projects at an international level and trains many thousands of health students at both pre-graduate and post-graduate levels.

Together with University of Copenhagen, the Panum Institute and the Metropolitan University College, Rigshospitalet is a significant part of Copenhagen Science City.

The Science City encourages close and informal collaboration with the private sector as well as the public sector. This collaboration makes it easy for businesses to establish links to researchers, students and other companies in the area.

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E V E N T

F O C U S

MEDTEC EUROPE is the continent’s largest pure medical design and manufacturing event. Held in Messe Stuttgart, Germany, the event provides a platform for suppliers together with professionals to meet and do business.

This year’s event will feature both global leaders such as Phillips Medisize, Dupont and Siemens, and hundreds of niche suppliers that are leaders in their own respective fields. Additionally the event has a free enhanced education programme, making it a must for all medical technology professionals.

Entering its 13th year, Medtec continues to assert itself as a leading event for those within the medical

AT A GLANCE 6,000 industry professionals Start-Up Academy FREE education sessions and workshops ‘Exhibitor Innovation’ competition device manufacturing industry. The event provides suppliers with the opportunity to meet with over 6,000 industry specific professionals, hosts cutting-edge conference quality education seminars and displays dozens of interactive features. Plus, many suppliers will be available to speak with at the event, while showcasing their latest products in action and expanding your networking opportunities.

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A key element of the event this year is the Start-Up Academy, a place where start-up businesses showcase their latest innovations to potential partners from the medical device industry. A competition is being held to uncover the very best new innovations and a shortlist of the most impressive start-up companies will be given a free exhibition stand at Medtec in the startup pavilion.

The medical technology industry is fast-paced and with new technology emerging every day, new innovations, products and even new businesses are coming forward with new ideas to bring the latest in healthcare and medical technology needs. Medtec

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Europe is a chance to find out who the industry’s leading lights are on the issues that matter to your business, to help with every stage of a product’s lifecycle and to ultimately grow your business.

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: April 21-23, 2015 WHERE: Messe Stuttgart, Germany REGISTER: http:// medteceurope.com/europe

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