27 C
Vientiane
Sunday, June 29, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 2962

GROUNDWORK BIOAG RAISES $11 MILLION TO ADVANCE BIOAGRICULTURE GLOBALLY

MAZOR, ISRAEL – Groundwork BioAg – 12 May 2021 –

  • Accelerating Production Capacity to Meet Demand for Regenerative Agriculture Products

  • Serving One Million Acres (400 KHa) in 2021

Groundwork BioAg announced today it raised $11 million in venture capital financing led by Ibex Investors with the participation of ProDelta and Future Foodways. Previous investors, including MoreVC, Middleland Capital, Axess Ventures and BPD Agri, materially participated in the round. With this new funding, Groundwork BioAg will accelerate and expand production of its mycorrhizal platform to meet global demand for natural, sustainable solutions that increase agricultural productivity while preserving soil health.

Groundwork BioAg, a global bioagriculture technology company, produces highly effective mycorrhizal inoculants. Mycorrhizae are a cornerstone of regenerative agriculture best practices. In addition to increasing yields, these natural products reduce dependency on phosphorus fertilizer and improve carbon sequestration in soil. Through distribution partnerships in strategic markets across five continents, the company is helping farmers improve the efficiency of major crop production, including corn, soybeans, grains, bio-energy crops, fruits and vegetables, and cannabis.

“Over the past few years, we have focused on building production capacity to support millions of hectares and solidify our global presence in the main agricultural markets. With this investment and strong sales, we will be able to fulfill our mission to bring mycorrhiza – the queen of biologicals – to mainstream agriculture and help farmers succeed while protecting our planet,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-Founder and CEO of Groundwork BioAg. “We look forward to working with our investors, strategic partners and distributors to continue bringing meaningful value to farmers around the world.”

While naturally occurring in the Earth’s soil, mycorrhizae and other beneficial microbes have been destroyed by modern farming practices, including tilling, pasteurization and over fertilization. Following years of research and product development, Groundwork BioAg is the first to crack the code on mass production of highly concentrated, cost-effective mycorrhizal inoculants that improve yield and soil health. The company’s flagship products include Rootella® for commodity, organic and specialty crops, and DYNOMYCO® for cannabis.

Following record sales in both the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, the company is rapidly scaling up production to meet demand expected in 2022 and beyond. Approximately one million acres (400 Kha) will benefit from the company’s unique products in 2021.

Disruptive Technology VC Chooses Groundwork BioAg As First Investment in AgTech

“We are pleased to add Groundwork BioAg to our portfolio – not only because of its strong in-field performance and continued growth trajectory, but also because its technology provides the most compelling solution to increase yield while protecting our environment,” said Gal Gitter, Managing Director of Ibex Investors focused on growth stage investments. “With its high efficacy and broad applicability, Groundwork BioAg can feasibly treat over one billion hectares, nearly all of the world’s farmland, with these beneficial fungi.”

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with offices in Tel Aviv and New York, Ibex Investors is a multi-strategy investment firm targeting outsized returns through differentiated global strategies. Ibex invests internationally in Israel, which has the highest concentration of start-up companies outside Silicon Valley.

The funding demonstrates Groundwork BioAg’s strong growth position and enables efforts to expand its platform technology and accelerate production capacity to meet global demand for regenerative agriculture products.

About Groundwork BioAg

Groundwork BioAg, a global bioagriculture company, leverages the natural power of mycorrhizal fungi to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of commercial agriculture and expand regenerative agriculture practices. Groundwork BioAg is the first to use innovative techniques to solve challenges inherent in high-volume mycorrhizal inoculant production. We will not rest until every hectare of arable land is protected by mycorrhizae and every farmer benefits from higher crop yields while preserving our soils. For more information, visit http://www.groundworkbioag.com

Contact Details

AgTech PR for Groundwork BioAg

Jennifer Goldston

+1 816-260-0040

jennifer@agtechpr.com

Company Website

https://www.groundworkbioag.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/groundwork-bioag-raises-11-million-to-advance-bioagriculture-globally-104733057

Johnson Electric reports results for the year ended 31 March 2021

Highlights of FY2020/21 Results

  • For the financial year ended 31 March 2021, total sales amounted to US$3,156 million – an increase of 3% compared to the prior year. Excluding the effects of foreign currency movements, underlying sales increased by 1%
  • Gross profit totalled US$723 million – an increase of 8%
  • EBITA, adjusted to exclude restructuring charges and significant non-cash and unusual items, increased by 18% to US$335 million or 10.6% of sales (compared to 9.3% of sales in FY2019/20)
  • Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million – compared to a net loss of US$494 million in the prior financial year which included a non-cash impairment charge against intangible assets of US$796 million
  • Underlying net profit totalled US$251 million – an increase of 31%
  • As of 31 March 2021, cash reserves amounted to US$539 million and the ratio of total debt to capital at year end was 16% (a decrease from 18% a year earlier)

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – Johnson Electric Holdings Limited (“Johnson Electric”), a global leader in electric motors and motion subsystems, today announced its results for the twelve months ended 31 March 2021.

Group sales for the 2020/21 financial year totaled US$3,156 million – an increase of 3% compared to the prior year. Excluding the effects of foreign currency movements, underlying sales increased by 1%. Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million. Underlying net profit was US$251 million, an increase of 31% compared to the prior year.

Sales Performance

The Automotive Products Group (“APG”), Johnson Electric’s largest operating division, achieved sales of US$2,443 million. Excluding currency effects, APG’s sales declined by 2%. This compares to a reduction in global light vehicle production volumes of approximately 8% over the same period.

APG continues to deliver results that exceed those of the automotive sector overall – even during cyclical periods of contraction – due to a product portfolio that is focused on the key long-term technology trends that are transforming the industry. These include innovative technologies that enable electrification, reduce emissions, enhance safety and comfort, and heat, cool or lubricate critical vehicle systems.

The strongest regional performance was in Asia, where APG increased sales by 15% in constant currency terms against a market where light vehicle production volumes grew by 2%. Asia was the only major region to achieve a growth in automotive industry volumes in the period due primarily to the fact that China bore the brunt of its pandemic-induced demand contraction in the fourth quarter of the prior financial year.

In contrast, the majority of automotive OEM assembly plants in Europe largely ceased operations in the period from late March to May 2020. Production resumed over the course of the summer and by autumn was matching the levels of the prior year. However, the industry’s recovery was somewhat tempered towards the end of the financial year due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in some countries and by shortages of electronic components, especially semiconductors. For the financial year as a whole, European light vehicle production volumes declined by approximately 18%. Over the same period, APG’s European sales in constant currency were down by 13%.

Automotive industry production and demand trends in North America over the period were broadly similar to those in Europe. APG’s sales in the region declined by 8% in constant currency terms, compared to a 19% fall in North American light vehicle production over the same twelve month period.

The Industry Products Group (“IPG”) achieved sales of US$713 million, which represented 23% of total Group sales. Excluding currency effects, IPG’s sales increased by 12%. This very satisfactory performance reflected the contrasting fortunes of the diverse range of end markets served by IPG as the pandemic reshaped consumer behaviour and altered demand patterns.

For example, sales to product applications such as aerospace subsystems, vending machines, professional power tools and commercial printers all suffered as a direct result of the reduced activity in those end-markets caused by social distancing and COVID-19 containment measures. In contrast, IPG benefitted from a surge in the consumption of consumer goods because of a redirecting of spending away from travel and entertainment and towards more “home-centric” lifestyles. Product applications that saw a strong increase in sales for Johnson Electric’s precision motors, motion subsystems, switches and solenoids included coffee machines, lawn and garden products, kitchen appliances, floor care equipment, inkjet printers, medical devices and healthcare products.

Gross Margins and Operating Profitability

The Group’s gross profit rose by US$51 million to US$723 million, which as a percentage of sales represented an increase from 21.9% to 22.9%. This improvement was primarily due to the combination of volume growth, hedging contract gains, staff cost savings and COVID-19 related government subsidies, partly offset by increased depreciation, higher freight costs and pricing pressure.

A number of non-cash charges and gains, restructuring costs, and other unusual items distort year-on-year comparisons of the Group’s reported operating profit. For the 2020/21 financial year, these included US$28 million in restructuring charges associated with the streamlining of the Group’s manufacturing footprint in Europe and China and a US$91 million decrease in Other Income and Expenses. In addition, in the prior 2019/20 financial year, the Company recorded an impairment charge against goodwill and other intangible assets.

Earnings before interest, tax and amortization (“EBITA”), adjusted to exclude the effects of restructuring charges and non-cash and unusual items referred to above, amounted to US$335 million – compared to US$285 million in the prior year. Adjusted EBITA margins increased from 9.3% to 10.6%.

Underlying Net Profit and Financial Condition

Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million or 23.6 US cents per share on a fully diluted basis. Underlying net profit was US$251 million, an increase of 31% compared to the prior year.

Free cash flow from operations totalled US$171 million – a decline of US$87 million. This decrease was almost entirely due to an expansion in working capital that occurred as business volumes recovered from the depressed levels reached during the first stages of the COVID-19 outbreak a year ago.

The overall financial condition and liquidity position of the Group remains robust. Total cash at year end amounted to US$539 million and debt stood at US$426 million. The ratio of total debt to capital at year end was 16% (a reduction from 18% a year earlier).

Dividends

In view of the Company’s financial performance over the course of the 2020/21 financial year and markedly improved macro-economic conditions, the Board has recommended a resumption in final dividend payments in the amount of 34 HK cents per share. Together with the interim dividend of 17 HK cents per share, this represents a total dividend of 51 HK cents per share, equivalent to 6.54 US cents per share. The final dividend will be payable in cash, with a scrip alternative where a 4% discount on the subscription price will be offered to shareholders who elect to subscribe for shares. Full details of the scrip dividend alternative will be set out in a circular to shareholders.

Chairman’s Comments on the Annual Results and Outlook

Commenting on the annual results for the financial year 2020/21, Dr. Patrick Wang, Chairman and Chief Executive, said, “The past twelve months have been truly extraordinary for most people and most businesses in virtually every country worldwide. When I wrote to shareholders a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic had forced many major economies into unprecedented government-mandated “lockdowns” and the timing and nature of an “exit” point was impossible to project.”

“One year on – and after more than three million COVID-related deaths – the global pandemic is still far from over. However, the successful development of vaccines against the virus has at last provided the world with a credible path towards a lifting of restrictions and created rising expectations of a return to social and economic “normality”.”

“For Johnson Electric, with manufacturing facilities in 18 countries on four continents, the financial year 2020/21 was a period of unique challenges that I am pleased to report the Company navigated with a good deal of success. After a particularly difficult first two months to the financial year, when large parts of our operations in Europe and the Americas were essentially shut down, a strong business recovery began to take hold in June 2020 and was sustained through to the end of the financial year in March 2021. It is a testament to Johnson Electric’s diverse global customer base, sought-after technology and highly committed workforce, that the Company was able to deliver both sales and earnings improvements compared to the prior financial year.”

Commenting on the outlook for the business, Dr. Patrick Wang, said, “The same factors that underpinned Johnson Electric’s positive business trajectory in the second half of the past financial year have continued to support an encouraging start to FY2021/22. At the macro-economic level, these include the rebound in the global economy that is benefitting from unprecedented fiscal support from governments, and improving consumer sentiment as vaccines against COVID-19 become more widely available.”

“For Johnson Electric, customer demand in both our automotive and industry products divisions remains strong. APG is gaining share in important thermal management, braking and transmission applications for new energy vehicles, as well as winning new business awards based on our compelling ability to serve global OEM customers in every major regional market. IPG also continues to experience robust demand from many end-product applications that have seen significant volume growth as a result of “stay at home” measures that remain in effect in a number of countries.”

“Based on prevailing trading conditions and customer orders, the Group’s sales growth in the current financial year is on track to exceed 10%. Margins, however, will face downward pressure if raw material price inflation stays at or exceeds its present level.”

“There remain, of course, numerous uncertainties that could affect this outlook in the coming months. Among them, on the demand side, are whether a resurgence in the pandemic will negatively impact consumer sentiment, the effectiveness of government stimulus to provide a bridge until higher levels of vaccinations are achieved, and the uneven length of time that it may take for different economies to return to pre-pandemic levels of output and growth. On the supply side, global shortages of semiconductors and plastic resins, combined with other supply chain bottlenecks, are causing disruptions to OEM production lines that by some estimates could last well into the second half of calendar 2021.”

“Nonetheless, it is reasonable to view the short to medium outlook with a much higher degree of optimism than was the case a year ago. I remain confident that Johnson Electric’s prospects for sustainable growth and value creation are highly attractive in the longer term.”

Note to Editors and Securities Analysts: The full text of the Annual Results announcement, including financial statements, is available through the Investor Relations section of company’s website at www.johnsonelectric.com

About Johnson Electric Group

The Johnson Electric Group is a global leader in electric motors, actuators, motion subsystems and related electro-mechanical components. It serves a broad range of industries including Automotive, Smart Metering, Medical Devices, Business Equipment, Home Automation, Ventilation, White Goods, Power Tools, and Lawn & Garden Equipment. The Group is headquartered in Hong Kong and employs over 35,000 individuals in 22 countries worldwide. Johnson Electric Holdings Limited is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 179). For further information, please visit: www.johnsonelectric.com.

#JohnsonElectric

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Johnson Electric and certain plans and objectives of the management of Johnson Electric.

Words such as “outlook”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believe”, “estimates”, “projects”, variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance of Johnson Electric to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such forward looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Johnson Electric’s present and future business strategies and the political and economic environment in which Johnson Electric will operate in the future.

Laos Confirms 55 New Cases of Covid-19, Addresses Vaccination Death

Covid-19 Update

Laos has confirmed 55 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,417.

Australia Provides 1 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine to Laos

Australian Government Provides One Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine to Laos

The Australian government has announced that Australia will provide a grant of AUD 15.2 million (US 11.85 million) for the rollout of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines in Laos.

Airwallex secures EMI licence in the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – Airwallex, a leading global payments platform, is pleased to announce it has secured its Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence from the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB). The licence was granted on 30 April 2021, and gives Airwallex access to the European single market.

This latest approval adds to Airwallex’s existing licences in its core markets, including the UK, United States, Australia, and Hong Kong. With its EU EMI licence, Airwallex will soon be able to offer an enhanced range of products and services to customers across Europe, bolstering its growth by offering businesses an end-to-end solution for FX, card issuing and online payments.

Jed Rose, General Manager of EMEA at Airwallex said, “We are delighted to have been granted an EMI licence by the DNB. This is a significant milestone for Airwallex as we look to deepen our presence in the European market and address the pain points faced by many businesses who are looking for a simpler, more convenient and transparent process to support their payments needs. We look forward to providing businesses in Europe with a full product stack to empower their growth.”

Founded in 2015 in Melbourne, Airwallex has grown to become a global fintech platform that is supported by a team of over 650 employees across 12 global offices. Earlier this year, Airwallex announced an additional capital raise of US$100 million to further accelerate its global expansion, strengthening its capabilities through product innovation and new partnerships. In Europe, the company continues to invest in growth, with plans to double its 50-strong team by the end of the year and build out its presence in Amsterdam.

About Airwallex

Airwallex is a global payments fintech with a purpose to empower businesses of all sizes to grow without borders, and by doing so, contribute to the global economy. With technology at its core, Airwallex has built a proprietary global financial infrastructure platform to help businesses transact, collect and pay in any foreign currency across 130+ countries and 50+ currencies, without the constraints of the traditional global financial system.

Airwallex has secured over US$500 million since it was established in Melbourne in 2015, and is backed by world-leading investors.Today, the business operates with a team of over 600 employees across 12 global offices. www.airwallex.com

#Airwallex

NetApp transforms Unified Partner Program to differentiate and position partners for success and increased profitability

New enhancements are designed to help NetApp’s partner ecosystem capitalize on market changes resulting from accelerated digital transformation to the cloud

 

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), a global cloud-led, data-centric software company, today announced updates to its award-winning Unified Partner Program for fiscal year 2022 (FY’22). The latest enhancements will provide partners with a more flexible, consistent and simplified experience – preparing them for the planned transition to a new tiering structure next year. The program is expanding the partner ecosystem, offering new financial incentives and accelerating profitability, and adding new solutions and Services Certified specializations.

Enhancements to the NetApp Unified Partner Program for FY’22, available immediately, include:

  • Expanding Partner Ecosystem – The program will now include specialist partners who sell, consume or influence the NetApp portfolio – increasing relevance to more partner types.
  • Simplified Incentives – Incentives are streamlined to align with key initiatives, and focus areas including customer acquisition, FlexPod, consumption, cloud and more. These incentives tied to new specializations become more predictable along the sales lifecycle.
  • New Partner Rewards – Individual participants who opt in will be rewarded for actions that drive deal closure as part of strategic programs — such as setting meetings and registering deals.
  • New Solution Specializations – An opportunity to recognize and reward partners’ unique skillsets and go-to-market models, new solution specializations will be available for Cloud Preferred, FlexPod, SAP, AI/ML, Data Protection, Data Security, Hosting Service Provider, Infrastructure, and Spot by NetApp Preferred.
  • New Services Certified Specializations – The transformation of Services Certified Specializations include: Integration Services Certified, Lifecycle Services Certified, and NetApp Keystone Services Certified, ensuring alignment with customer needs across the hybrid cloud lifecycle.
  • Partner Connect 2.0 – The NetApp partner locator is being redesigned for a better user experience to help customers find the most specialized partners to meet their needs.

“We are transforming our Unified Partner Program and evolving its structure to make doing business with NetApp simpler and more profitable for our partners than ever before,” said Wendy Koh, Vice President of APAC Channel & Alliances at NetApp. “The latest updates are just the start of a multi-phase strategy to incentivize and reward our partners for their solution expertise, while delivering greater value to their customers.”

More information on the NetApp Unified Partner Program’s latest updates is available online at: https://www.netapp.com/partners/resources/

About NetApp

NetApp is a global cloud-led, data-centric software company that empowers organizations to lead with data in the age of accelerated digital transformation. The company provides systems, software and cloud services that enable them to run their applications optimally from data center to cloud, whether they are developing in the cloud, moving to the cloud, or creating their own cloudlike experiences on premises. With solutions that perform across diverse environments, NetApp helps organizations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere. Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc.


#NetApp

Razer Becomes a Constituent of the MSCI Global Small Cap Indexes

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – Razer™ (“Razer” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, Hong Kong Stock Code: 1337), the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, is pleased to announce that it has been included as a constituent in the MSCI Global Small Cap Indexes. The inclusion will be effective as of the close of May 27, 2021.

“We are delighted that Razer has become a constituent of the MSCI Global Small Cap Indexes,” said Min-Liang Tan, Co-Founder and CEO of Razer. “This milestone is a recognition of Razer’s investment value and a testament to our strategy to grow our gamer-centric ecosystem of hardware, software, and services. Riding on our dominant brand position and intensely loyal user base, our proven capabilities in rolling out innovative, category-defining products and services, we are committed to delivering sustained operational and financial excellence as we continue to engage with a broad base of investors.”

MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. For further information, please refer to:

https://app2.msci.com/eqb/gimi/smallcap/MSCI_May21_SCPublicList.pdf

ABOUT RAZER

Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.

Razer’s software platform, with over 125 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system supporting thousands of devices and hundreds of games/apps), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher).

Razer also offers payment services for gamers, youth, millennials and Generation Z. Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest game payment services, and Razer Fintech provides fintech services in emerging markets.

Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, Razer has 17 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).


Razer – For Gamers. By Gamers

#Razer

Minister of Public Security Dismisses Second Savannakhet Police Officer

Minister of Public Security Dismisses Two Savannahet Police Officers

The Minister of Public Security has ordered the dismissal of a second police officer in Savannakhet known to be an accomplice of the officer who violated immigration regulations.