With their live streaming platform “LeOn-Live” for corporate virtual events
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 16 November 2022 –Tech Nine Limited (technine) and its close partner SDMC, a marketing technology-based digital marketing agency together announce that they have won the “Digiz Awards Hong Kong 2022 – Best MarTech Team” presented by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE on November 7, with their joint solution “LeOn-Live”, a live-streaming platform for hosting corporate virtual events.
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE is a leading and resourceful media in advertising and marketing intelligence in Asia. “We are glad that our effort is recognized by the renowned organization, also with a positive impact to the business world during the pandemic” said Lucas, MO Tsun-ming, COO of technine.
Most companies have suspended their marketing plans and physical activities in recent years, hosting virtual events is one of the common ways to maintain customer relationships and increase online exposure under the social distancing policy.
“However, some companies, especially SMEs are inexperienced in hosting online events, they need a user-friendly tool with essential features to maximize marketing effectiveness and audience engagement.” Lucas Mo continues, “Hence, our software team has developed the online platform LeOn-Live, with marketing advice from our partner SDMC to make it an efficient tool.”
LeOn-Live, the live streaming platform, provides an all-around virtual event solution to companies and events organizers. The essential features include RSVP, which provides multiple registration and login ways with guest database; eDM tools for sending confirmation and reminder emails to registrants; audience engagement tools such as Q&A, polling functions, and push notifications.
Most importantly, LeOn-Live could stream different speakers into the same online event for presentations which could help increase interactions with the participants over different geographical locations.
Event organizers can control everything with the LeOn-Live admin panel easily – get insights from peak hours with statistics, actual attendance data etc.; customize different events’ homepages and backgrounds; and even have remote access to virtual events.
“Our team always believes that technology could apply to help remedy a variety of wider challenges. Aiming to help corporates improve brand exposure and generate leads by using marketing technology to analyze user behavior.” Lucas Mo rounded up.
Founded by experienced IT experts, Tech Nine Limited (www.technine.io) is a rapidly-growing software R&D house and systems integrator backed by a team of Hong Kong developers. We help organizations develop applications – mobile apps, web-apps and cloud-based systems; design cloud server infrastructure as well as implement IoT solutions that can improve operational efficiency.
SDMC (www.sdmc.com.hk) is a full-scope marketing technology-based digital marketing agency. We dissect Search Engine information and user behavior through the insight of Big Data from the digital market. We provide goal-oriented, tailor-made and sustainable optimization of online marketing solutions to all businesses and industries.
SmartHEAL, A smart sensor for dressings which indicates how well a wound is healing by measuring its pH level, invented by students from Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
Polyformer, A machine that recycles plastic bottles into affordable 3D printer filament for developing nations, invented by students from McMaster University, Canada
Ivvy, A wearable replacement for the existing intravenous drip pole apparatus, improving comfort and mobility for patients, invented by Charlotte Blancke from the University of Antwerp, Belgium
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 16 November 2022 – The James Dyson Award has given more than £1m in prize money to over 300 promising inventions from young engineers and scientists around the world. This year, Sir James Dyson has selected two global winners, each receiving £30,000, and one runner-up, receiving £5,000 in prize money, to support the next stages of their inventions.
Commenting on this year’s competition, Sir James Dyson said:
“Every year, the James Dyson Award offers proof that young people are passionate about improving the planet and solving environmental and medical problems. There are people who grandstand over the issues they care about, but these young inventors are doing something more productive. They are diligently applying themselves to problem-solving using engineering, science and ingenious design.”
The winning inventions
International winner – SmartHEAL, invented by Tomasz Raczyński, Dominik Baraniecki and Piotr Walter
The problem
When covered by a dressing, it is very hard to know how well a wound is healing. The most common mistake in wound healing is changing the dressing too often, which can lead to infections and tissue disruption.[1]
Current methods of assessing a wound rely on subjective scoring of colour, smell, temperature – or expensive laboratory biochemical tests.[2] Poor wound healing not only leads to tissue inflammation, but also necrosis (death of body tissue that is irreversible), and can lead to severe illness or death.
The Diabetes Hong Kong reported that there are currently more than 700,000 diabetes patients in the city, accounting for 10% of the overall population with the trajectory to surge to 920,000 by 2030.[3] Therefore, diabetes-triggered foot ulcers will potentially become the major chronic wounds that Hong Kong public ought to face in the long term.[4]
The solution
SmartHEAL is a precise, affordable and scalable smart pH sensor for dressings. By using Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) communication systems and monitoring the pH of a wound, SmartHEAL can assess the wound’s condition and detect infection without removing the dressing, and therefore without disrupting the tissue.[5] Medical professionals can subsequently analyse the data and prescribe the appropriate treatment for the wound. Smart bandages create and preserve a balanced wound environment.[6]
“We’ve all nervously peeled back a dressing or plaster to see what is happening underneath. SmartHEAL, a smart dressing, has won the International James Dyson Award because it provides doctors and patients with a key piece of data – the pH level – that can tell them how a wound is healing. This can improve treatment and prevent infection, saving lives. I hope the Award will give the team impetus to proceed down the tricky path towards commercialisation.” – Sir James Dyson, Founder and Chief Engineer at Dyson.
Next steps
The team will finish testing and then start clinical trials. Their aim is to then finish the certification process in three years’ time so they can start to distribute and sell SmartHEAL dressings in 2025.
On winning the James Dyson Award International prize, the SmartHEAL team said: “We are super excited to be the International Winners of the James Dyson Award this year! This is and will be a great opportunity for us to become a part of something bigger, something that hopefully can change the world. We strive to refine our prototype, obtain a patent and pass the necessary clinical trials to commercialise SmartHEAL. We were honoured to be greeted by Sir James Dyson himself. His words: “Congratulations! You are the International winners of the James Dyson Award “still ring in our ears – we’re still in disbelief, joy and happiness!”
Facts and stats
It is estimated that 1 to 2 % of the population will experience a chronic wound during their lifetime in developed countries. [7]
The dramatic increase in the ageing population will increase these numbers as wound closure is negatively associated with age.
According to the service data from the Wound Care Unit across Hong Kong West Cluster, 3200 patients were served in 2015 and the number continues to grow.[8]
Sustainability winner – Polyformer, invented by Swaleh Owais and Reiten Cheng
The problem
While working at a makerspace in Rwanda, Swaleh and Reiten learned that many locals could not use the makerspace’s 3D printers, due to the high price of importing filament to the country.[9] They also observed the lack of infrastructure to recycle plastic bottles in Rwanda.
The solution
Polyformer is a low-cost machine that turns plastic bottles into 3D printer filament. Polyformer cuts plastic bottles into long strips that are fed into an extruder. The strip is then thermoformed into 1.75mm filament, as it goes through a nozzle. The filament is passed through vents to cool the plastic before it is wrapped around a spool, ready to be inserted into a 3D printer.
The invention is targeted at developing nations due to the high price of importing 3D printer filament. With Polyformer, makers have easier access to cheap, high-quality 3D printer filament. This encourages usage of design infrastructure and career consideration in developing nations, while empowering makers to recycle their own waste and use the output productively. [10]
“By turning used plastic bottles into 3D printer filament, Polyformer helps reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and provides a cheap and plentiful material for engineers and designers, especially in developing countries. Their idea will provide new opportunities for other inventors to prototype their ideas using 3D printing.” – Sir James Dyson, Founder and Chief Engineer at Dyson.
Next steps
Currently, Swaleh and Reiten are building new Polyformers to deploy at their partner makerspaces in Rwanda and they are designing new inventions within the Polyformer project, such as the Polyjoiner, Polydryer, Polyspooler, and many more.
Polyjoiner
A standard 500ml plastic bottle can only produce 3m of filament, which is not long enough for most print jobs. Therefore, Swaleh and Reiten have developed Polyjoiner, a mechanism that can automatically join multiple strands of printer filament together into a long singular piece. Here is a brief demo: https://youtu.be/JGTlgK1d208.
Polydryer
PET is hygroscopic, which means a plastic water bottle is likely to absorb some of the water it’s filled with. The presence of water in filament negatively impacts print quality. Therefore, Swaleh and Reiten are developing Polydryer, a low-cost machine that evaporates moisture from 3D printer filament.
Polyspooler
Long strands of 3D printer filament must be wrapped around a spool. This ensures the filament does not get tangled while the printer is running. The Polyformer team are developing Polyspooler, a simple machine that automatically spools our recycled filament, thereby making the filament more practical to use.
The entire Polyformer project is 100% open-source with all CAD, code, and building instructions available on their discord: https://discord.gg/d6eYykSs. Open-source software can be beneficial for growth in developing countries due to a lower development cost, more security and better quality.[11] It supports collaboration, employment opportunities and skills development, encouraging community development and collective equity.[12]
After speaking to Sir James Dyson, Swaleh and Reiten said, “It is a great honor to be the James Dyson Award 2022 Sustainability winner. We are using the prize money to deploy several Polyformers and Polyformer-Lites at our partner makerspaces in Rwanda. With these machines, local students, designers, and makers in Rwanda will have access to low-cost 3D printer filament. This means they can use their community’s 3D printers more frequently! If you would like to build your own Polyformer, please check out our Discord: https://discord.gg/77esvRwu.”
Facts and stats
In 2019, over 100 tonnes of plastic containers disposed at landfills daily in Hong Kong were plastic beverage containers, with over 90% of them made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).[13]
In 2019, landfills receive over 1.55 billion of plastic beverage containers which can fill up 2,690 double-decker buses. On average, each Hong Kong person disposes over 200 bottles per year. [14]
The global 3D printing market size was valued at USD 13.84 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.8% from 2022 to 2030.
Globally, 2.2 million units of 3D printers were shipped in 2021 and the shipments are expected to reach 21.5 million units by 2030.[15]
A standard roll of 1kg of filament retails for around HK$366 in local markets. [16] The same roll of 3D printer filament can be purchased in Hong Kong for just HK$196. [17] This price difference is compounded by the lower purchasing parity in Rwanda. The exorbitant cost of filament creates a high barrier of entry for Rwandans to access 3D printing services.
The first major factor that influences consumer recycling behaviour in developing countries is the accessibility of recycling services, often based on the convenience of recycling collection services. [18]
Consumers who have easy access to recycling are 25% more likely to recycle.[19]
International runner up – Ivvy, invented by Charlotte Blancke
The problem
Charlotte became aware that a colleague of her mother was unhappy about the uncomfortable apparatus her child was required to use for her medical treatment. The colleague mentioned that she in fact switched an intravenous pole for a coat hanger to improve her daughter’s comfort.
During Charlotte’s research, she found that at-home medical treatment is rising, but the equipment used for at-home intravenous therapies is the same as that in hospitals, despite the characteristics of a home setting being different. As more patients move to home healthcare services for recuperation or long-term care, complex medical devices are now used more frequently in the home, often under unsuitable conditions.[20]
The solution
Infusion therapy is when fluids or medication are administered through a cannula or needle at a controlled pace.[21] Ivvy replaces the current intravenous drip pole with a wearable device that provides patients with optimal mobility, an easy-to-use infusion pump, and on-board software so nurses can monitor their patients remotely.
Currently, there is a lack of feedback about intravenous treatments and existing infusion pumps have a complex interface. Charlotte has developed an infusion pump with a simplified interface and intuitive use. Nurses can easily set up the treatment at-home and patients can follow their therapy through a LED strip, display, and sound notifications.
“Being treated with an old-fashioned IV drip on a tall stand can make home seem like a hospital. Ivvy is a simple concept that could improve people’s treatment and enhance their quality of life. It shows the brilliance of simple design and I wish Charlotte every success in developing her idea towards commercialisation.” – Sir James Dyson, Founder and Chief Engineer at Dyson.
Next steps
Charlotte is working with professionals in the industry to support her with further developing Ivvy.
Fact and stats
The current IV pole is costly and has a complex design. There is no wireless communication between a nurse and the IV pole and the machines consume a large amount of power.[22]
The most common type of IV stand is the free-standing mobile pole. The primary disadvantage of this design is that it is prone to falling over. The large height and relatively small base make it unstable. [23]
NOTES TO EDITORS
The James Dyson Award forms part of a wider commitment by Sir James Dyson, to demonstrate the power of engineers to change the world. The competition has supported over 300 inventions with prize money, and is run by the James Dyson Foundation, an engineering-education charity funded by Dyson profits.
The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Foundation’s work encourage aspiring engineers and problem solvers, to apply their knowledge and discover new ways to improve lives through technology. To date, James and the James Dyson Foundation have contributed over £140m to boundary-breaking concepts in education and other charitable causes.
This includes £12m to Imperial College London to create the Dyson School of Design Engineering, and £8m to Cambridge University to create the Dyson Centre for Engineering Design and the James Dyson Building.
At school level, the James Dyson Foundation offers robotics workshops, led by Dyson engineers, and provides free educational resources. These include its most recent launch, Engineering Solutions: Air Pollution: introducing young people to air pollution and engineering’s role in finding solutions.
The Foundation also supports medical research and the local community in Malmesbury where Dyson’s UK offices are based. Last summer, the Dyson Cancer Centre at Royal United Hospitals in Bath broke ground, and the Foundation continues to support the Race Against Dementia Dyson Fellow, Dr Claire Durrant, in accelerating finding better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
This year’s International winners are Tomasz Raczyński, Dominik Baraniecki and Piotr Walter, all current PhD students studying at Warsaw University of Technology, Poland. Tomasz is the team leader and technology expert, Piotr is the electrochemistry expert and Dominik is the electronics expert. The team came together five years ago over their shared interest in printed electronics. After multiple conversations with doctors and medics, they discovered the problem with the treatment of chronical wounds and decided to investigate this further; this is how SmartHEAL was created.
ABOUT THE INVENTORS OF POLYFORMER
This year’s Sustainability winners are Swaleh Owais (from Canada) and Reiten Cheng (from California). Swaleh is a recent engineering graduate studying in Canada at McMaster University, and Reiten is a recent industrial design graduate from ArtCenter College of Design in the USA, with a background in mechanical engineering. They met when Swaleh was waiting to board a flight and was scrolling through an online community of programmers (Discord), and he came across Reiten on the site. Swaleh worked at a 3D printing centre in Rwanda after graduating from university. He was inspired to invent Polyformer when he saw people were not able to 3D print due to the high price of importing filament into the country. Rwanda also lacks infrastructure to recycle plastic bottles, so Reiten and Swaleh had the perfect opportunity to design, program and build their invention.
ABOUT THE INVENTOR OF IVVY
Charlotte Blancke is a recent graduate of the University of Antwerp. Charlotte was searching for a thesis subject at university and heard her mother’s colleague complaining about the uncomfortable apparatus her child needed for medical treatment. She mentioned that she switched the intravenous pole for a coat hanger that she found in a store. With Ivvy, Charlotte tries to find a solution that tailors the equipment to the needs of patients and nurses in the home environment.
PREVIOUS GLOBAL WINNERS
2021 International winner – HOPES Home Eye Pressure E-skin Sensor (HOPES) is a wearable biomedical device for pain-free, low cost, at-home intraocular pressure (IOP) testing.
2021 Sustainability winner – Plastic Scanner Plastic Scanner is a handheld device that when held against plastic will tell the user what materials it’s made from. It uses near-infrared spectroscopy, a technology that can categorise more than 75% of plastics.
2020 International winner – The Blue Box Invented by 23-year-old Judit Giró Benet, The Blue Box is a new way to detect breast cancer, at-home, using a urine sample.
2020 Sustainability winner – AuREUS Invented by 27-year-old Carvey Ehren Maigue, AuREUS is a new material, made from waste crop, which converts UV light into renewable energy. The Sustainability prize was newly created in 2020.
2019 International winner – Marina Tex MarinaTex is a home compostable material designed as an alternative to single-use plastic films. The material is comprised of waste material from the fishing industry and sustainable algae.
2018 International winner – O-Wind Turbine O-Wind Turbine is an omnidirectional wind turbine that can capture wind travelling in any direction, unlike conventional turbines. This allows it to be used in urban environments where wind flow is multi-directional.
2017 International winner – The sKan The sKan is a low cost and non-invasive melanoma detection device invented by a team of medical and bioengineering undergraduates from McMaster University, Canada. The team are currently using the prize money to refine their design to ensure it passes the US Food and Drug Administration standards.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The brief. Design something that solves a problem. This problem may be a frustration that we all face in daily life, or a global issue. The important thing is that the solution is effective and demonstrates considered design thinking.
The process. Entries are judged first at the national level by a panel of external judges and a Dyson engineer. Each operating market awards a National winner and two National runners-up. From these winners, a panel of Dyson engineers then select an international shortlist of 20 entries. The Top 20 Shortlist projects are then reviewed by Sir James Dyson who selects his international winners.
The prize
The International winner receives a prize of £30,000
Sustainability winner receives a prize of £30,000.
International runners-up receive £5,000.
Each National winner receives £5,000.
How to enter. Candidates enter through an online application form via the James Dyson Award website. Entries open again in March 2023. Entrants should concisely explain what their invention is, how it works, and their development process. The best entries solve a real problem, are clearly explained, show iterative development, provide evidence of physical prototyping and have supporting imagery and a video.
Australia issues warning on travel to Bokeo Province, Laos
The Australian government travel advisory website, Smartraveller, has upgraded its travel advice for Laos, advising Australians exercise caution when entering Bokeo Province.
A group photo during the MOU signing ceremony | Photo credit: Vientiane Times
The United States of America supports strengthening the information management capacity of the national regulatory authority for the UXO/mine action sector in Laos.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 16 November 2022 – Since the lifting of travel restrictions to allow independent travelers from countries listed under Japan’s visa-waiver program to enter Japan, the country’s culture and gastronomy have once again taken the spotlight for many visitors to Japan.
1) Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs decided to register Kyoto’s traditional cuisine, known as “Kyo-ryori“, as a national intangible cultural property.
While washoku, or Japanese food, was designated an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2013, the city of Kyoto has a unique culinary culture that has been refined over centuries, for example Kyo-kaiseki multicourse meals and Shojin-ryori, the traditional food of Buddhist priests. The expression of “Kyoto-ness” permeates everything, including the artistry, the furnishings within the room and the level of hospitality to make up parts of Kyo-Ryori.
2) 2023 Kyoto Osaka MICHELIN Guide has been released
This news complements the recent announcement of 389 places which have been selected in the 2023 Kyoto Osaka MICHELIN Guide, including 41 restaurants which have been newly awarded. In the historic city of Kyoto, 196 addresses were selected, including 19 new restaurants. Ryō-shō and VELROSIER have been newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars in Kyoto. Meanwhile in Osaka, 193 restaurants are within the selection, of which 22 are new. The full selection of the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka is available on the MICHELIN Guide website.
For the first time in the Guide’s Kyoto Osaka edition, the MICHELIN Service Award was introduced, which aims to shine a spotlight on talented, passionate and experienced professionals in the industry. Sachiko Nakahigashi of two-MICHELIN starred restaurant, Miyamaso received this award. Miyamoso specializes in cuisine centered around wild foraged vegetables and grasses sourced from the pristine fields and mountains around their secluded village. It bears the MICHELIN Green Star, which is awarded to restaurants within the selection who are leading in their sustainable approach to gastronomy.
Located in the Kansai region of Japan, Kyoto and Osaka are accessible from Kansai Airport and offer a variety of culinary delights for travelers. Find out more about Japanese gastronomy on JNTO.
3) Shinjuku bar Bar Benfiddich among World’s 50 Best Bars
Japan isn’t only renowned for food, but also top-tier mixology and innovative bars. This year’s World’s 50 Best Bars list included Shinjuku bar Hiroyasu Kayama’s Bar Benfiddich coming in at number 48. This bar specializes in farm-to-bar cocktails, thanks to owner and mixologist Kayama’s ability to produce fresh herbs directly from his own farm sustainably.
4) “Meat Meet” program showcases Miyazaki prefecture’s top-quality Japanese beef
Another traditional Japanese spirit is shochu, usually distilled from grains and vegetables. The city of Miyakonojo, in Kyushu’s Miyazaki prefecture, is typically known for being Japan’s top producer of meat products, but is also the country’s premier producer of shochu. Tourists and locals alike may enjoy a traditional meal that typically includes slices of top-quality Japanese beef washed down with the local shochu. The city authorities have launched a “Meat Meet” program providing details of recommended local restaurants and offering special packages combining accommodation and dining options in the area. It includes a “Meat & Sakagura Tourism” initiative aimed, it says, at “those who love meat and shochu, as well as craft beer and Japanese wine.”
5) 7th UNWTO World Forum will be held in Nara, Japan
International-level events are also resuming in Japan. With efforts to advance innovation across the tourism sector, the 7th UNWTO World Forum is themed ‘Gastronomy Tourism for People and Planet: Innovate, Empower and Preserve’ will be held in Nara, Japan this 12th to 15th December 2022. The event is organized by The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), the Japan Tourism Agency and the Nara Prefectural Government.
The Forum will focus on the role of gastronomy tourism in promoting women empowerment and young talents, advancing cultural exchange and authenticity, enhancing the value for destinations and food producers, as well as showcasing best practices in destination branding through gastronomy tourism and supporting a Global Roadmap on Food Waste Reduction in Tourism. For more information, visit UNWTO.
With the resumption of international travel in October 2022, Japan hopes to be able to reclaim its spot as a top destination for gourmand tourists moving forward.
Hashtag: #JapanNationalTourismOrganization #JNTO
About JNTO Kuala Lumpur Office
JNTO is a non-profit governmental organization of Japan and JNTO Kuala Lumpur’s office is involved in a variety of activities in Malaysia to promote and encourage tourists from Malaysia to consider Japan as a top destination in their travel plans. For more information, visit https://www.japan.travel/en/my/
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 16 November 2022 – Premier global nutrition company,Herbalife Nutrition today announced the results of its Simply Recycle Challenge, a regional initiative that aimed to motivate its members across the Asia Pacific markets to submit used Herbalife Nutrition product canisters for recycling. Held from June to August this year, the program accumulated a total of 712,232 product canisters, weighing 36 tonnes – which is equivalent to six African elephants, from more than 3,300 Herbalife Nutrition members who participated in the Challenge.
The result of the Simply Recycle Challenge will also enable Herbalife Nutrition to plant 1,421 trees through its partnership with the non-profit organization, One Tree Planted. On average, a tree can absorb about 10kg of carbon dioxide per year for the first 20 years, therefore, these trees could sequester the equivalent of approximately 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the planet every year, equivalent to two round-the-world trips in terms of carbon footprint generated by a car running on petroleum.
“We are delighted with the results of the Challenge and the positive response from our members in support of this green initiative,” said Stephen Conchie, Regional President of Asia Pacific and China for Herbalife Nutrition. “Environmental stewardship is a key component of our global responsibility strategy. From implementing the Simply Recycle Challenge to incentivize recycling of our product packaging, to reducing use of plastic throughout our distribution network, we are taking meaningful steps to do what’s needed to promote a sustainable future for people and the planet.”
Launched on World Environment Day 2022 (June 5) as part of the company’s Go Green initiative in Asia Pacific, the Simply Recycle Challenge encouraged Herbalife Nutrition independent members and Nutrition Club owners across the region to recycle their used Herbalife Nutrition product canisters.
Apart from the Simply Recycle Challenge, some Herbalife Nutrition markets in the Asia Pacific region have implemented additional recycling programs in partnership with local organizations; for instance:
In Vietnam, Herbalife Nutrition has collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (HANE) to convert used product canisters into plastic grains for reuse in manufacturing;
In the Philippines, the company’s partnership with Green Antz enables the transforming of discarded product packaging into green building materials;
In Malaysia, the company has engaged Recycle for Life (RFL) to collect used product canisters and bottles from its Sales and Distribution Center in Kuala Lumpur on a regular basis. 100% of the cash rewards resulted from this program will be donated to Herbalife Nutrition Foundation to improve the lives of children and communities in the country; and
In Thailand, the company donates used product canisters to Chak Daeng Temple in the Samut Prakan Province for reprocessing into useful materials.
On a global level, Herbalife Nutrition continues with ongoing initiatives in eliminating negative environmental impacts, such as reducing the use of plastic by increasing the integration of recycled materials like PCR (post-consumer resin) in its Formula 1 canisters, while decreasing the overall amount of packaging for its nutrition products.
Herbalife Nutrition (NYSE: HLF) is a global nutrition company that has been changing people’s lives with great nutrition products and a business opportunity for its independent distributors since 1980. The Company offers science-backed products to consumers in 95 markets by entrepreneurial distributors who provide one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that inspires their customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Through the Company’s commitment to nourish people, communities and our planet, Herbalife Nutrition pledges to achieve 50 million positive impacts – tangible acts of good – by 2030, its 50th anniversary.
GUERNSEY, UK – Media OutReach – 16 November 2022 – Skipton International, the award-winning Guernsey-licensed bank, says next year’s UK property market in 2023 offers many opportunities for overseas investors, family offices and high net wealth individuals. With customers in over 100 countries worldwide, Skipton International offers buy-to-let mortgages and offshore savings accounts, giving investors a gateway into the UK property market.
Jim Coupe – Managing Director
Skipton International has identified three spotlights of potential interest to overseas investors in the coming year:
Spotlight One: Interest in brand new properties high due to proposed EPC requirements
The UK Government has proposed introducing stricter energy savings rates from 2025, meaning house owners will be required to renovate their properties to comply with the appropriate Environmental Performance Certificate (EPC).
“Landlords already faced with high building and labour costs will need to decide whether to sell or spend on renovation work to meet the 2025 deadline. But newer properties already comply with strict energy saving requirements so we can expect to see more buy-to-let interest in this area,” said Jim Coupe, Managing Director, Skipton International.
Spotlight Two: Student accommodation as an investment
The new EPC requirements may mean older properties put up for sale rather than the owner paying for renovations, and this presents an investment opportunity in the buy-to-let market for buyers willing to renovate.
Aaron Walden, Senior Commercial Manager, Skipton International said:
“According to Connells, the UK’s largest property agency, rental properties in Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, and Newcastle rose by 12 percent from December 2021 to August 2022 and our buy-to-let mortgages in these cities increased by GBP12 million during this period.
“Students make up a sizeable portion of this market because they usually need to look at and book accommodation a full twelve months before their next academic year begins. This is one reason we are continuing to see a demand for buy-to-let mortgages in university towns.”*
Spotlight Three: Bright prospects ahead
Demonstrating a continued customer-centric approach, this year saw Skipton International refresh their mortgage and savings interest rates and introduce a new US$ savings product enabling customers to further diversify their investment portfolios.
“By offering customers new US dollar savings accounts, refreshing interest rates, and reducing minimum loan amounts, Skipton International gave customers stability, flexibility and accessibility to the UK market during a year of high volatility. How the UK economy will play out in 2023 is uncertain, but we believe that our continued customer focus will help us navigate through any challenges that may arise,” concluded Coupe.
Earlier this month, Skipton International announced unaudited interim results of Profit before Tax of GBP11.4 million for Quarter 3, first half year profits of GBP18 million and mortgage lending to the end of September 2022 was GBP334 million.
More Information and Account Opening
For more information about opening a Skipton International offshore bank account or buy-to-let mortgages, please visit www.skiptoninternational.com
*Connells is owned by Skipton Building Society.
Hashtag: #SkiptonInternational
About Skipton International
Headquartered in Guernsey, Skipton International is a bank wholly owned by Skipton Building Society, the fourth largest building society in the UK. We are a leading offshore bank and winner of multiple awards, including the Moneyfacts ‘Best Offshore Account Provider’ award 2022.
Our aim is to help customers achieve their property owning and savings goals, by offering quality products and excellent customer service.
Skipton International offers a range of offshore savings accounts and is one of the Channel Islands’ leading mortgage lenders for residential Channel Island mortgages and UK Buy-To-Let mortgages for expats and non-UK resident nationals. It is the winner of the Moneyfacts ‘Offshore Bank Account of the Year’ award 2022, and the Mortgage Introducer ‘Top Mortgage Employer’ Award 2022.
Skipton International Limited (Skipton), registered in Guernsey: 30112, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society.
Skipton is licensed under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law. Skipton is a participant in the Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for ‘qualifying deposits’ up to £50,000, subject to certain limitations. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any five-year period. Full details are available on the Scheme’s website www.dcs.gg or on request. To help maintain service and quality, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.
Skipton International has a customer service rating of 4.6 / 5 according to Feefo, an independent online assessor of customer service, and is a three-times Platinum award winner as a trusted provider.