On Oct. 17, American Industrial Partners announced its definitive agreement to acquire PPG’s U.S. and Canadian architectural coatings business, which generated $2 billion in 2023 revenue.

At Graybar, sustainability is an expression of the company’s core values and its long-term view. The company’s sustainability plan includes acting as a responsible steward of its resources, reducing its impact on the environment, and providing sustainable solutions in the marketplace.

Codeless Platforms has revealed that Meridian Farm Market, a Canadian-based retailer of meat and farm produce, has automated its sales orders and data transfers between SYSPRO, Shopify and its POS system using BPA Platform.

Mastercard has introduced Biz360, a digital platform...

Businesses are cutting back on hours to avoid having to provide health care coverage under the new Affordable Care Act.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, who's affected here?

Mark Lacter: Thirty hours a week is the magic number for workers to be considered full time under the new law.  If a business has 50 or more full-time employees, health care coverage has to be provided.  Except that a lot business owners say that the additional cost is going to be a financial killer, so instead, some of them have been cutting back hours to below that 30-hour threshold.  More than 200,000 Californians are at risk of losing hours from the health care law - that according to one study.

Julian: What kinds of businesses are doing this?

Lacter: Restaurant chains have received much of the attention, but the city of Long Beach, as an example, is going to reduce hours for a couple of hundred of its workers.  And, last week came word that the L.A.-based clothing chain Forever 21 will cut some of its full-time employees to a maximum 29-and-a-half hours a week, and classify them as part time.  That touched off an outcry on the Internet - people were saying that Forever 21 was being unfair and greedy - though the company says that only a small number of employees are affected, and that its decision has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act.  There's really no way to know - Forever 21 is a private company, which means it's not obligated to disclose a whole lot.  What we do know is that those people will be losing their health care coverage.

Julian: And, the ultimate impact on businesses and workers?

Lacter: Steve, you're looking at several years before the picture becomes clear.  Here in California, workers not eligible for health care through their employer can get their own individual coverage, and if their income levels are not over a certain amount, they'd be eligible for Medicaid.  And, let's not forget many businesses already provide coverage for their employees.  So, lots of rhetoric - but, not many conclusions to draw from, which does make you wonder why so many business owners are unwilling to at least give this thing a chance.  Just doesn't seem to be much generosity of spirit for their workers, not to mention any recognition that if people can go to a doctor instead of an emergency room we'd probably all be better off.

Julian: Health care is far from the only controversy for Forever 21, true?

Lacter: In some ways, it's one of the biggest Southern California success stories.  Don Chang emigrated here in 1981 from Korea at the age of 18, opened his first store in Highland Park three years later (it was called Fashion 21), and he never looked back.  Today, revenues are approaching $4 billion.  But, the guy must have some pretty hefty legal bills because his company has been accused of all kinds of workplace violations.  The lawsuits alleged that workers preparing items for the Forever 21 stores didn't receive overtime, that they didn't get required work breaks, that they received substandard wages, and that they worked in dirty and unsafe conditions - sweatshop conditions, essentially.

Julian: Are most of their claims settled out of court?  You don't hear much about them.

Lacter: They are, which means there's usually a minimal amount of media coverage.  If a privately held company decides to keep quiet by not releasing financial results or other operational information, there's not likely to be much of a story - unlike what happens with a company like Apple, which is always under scrutiny.  Sometimes, plaintiffs will try to organize class-action suits, but that's extremely tough when you're dealing with low-wage workers who are often very reluctant to get involved because of their legal status.  And, let's not forget that Forever 21 - like any low-cost retailer - is simply catering to the demand for cheap, stylish clothes that are made as quickly as possible.

Julian: I guess you can't make that happen when wages and benefits are appreciably higher than your competition.

Lacter: The next time you walk into a Forever 21 store and wonder how prices can be so reasonable, that's how.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

We've been reporting on the city of Los Angeles approving major developments without seismic studies attached.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, why is this?

Mark Lacter: Steve, this is a real gotcha moment for the L.A. Planning Department, the City Council, and everyone else at City Hall who signed off on these projects.  The latest revelation, which was reported by the L.A. Times, shows that a planned 39-story residential tower in Century City is just 300 feet from the active Santa Monica fault.  And, we're only learning about this because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority did its own seismic testing near the site when it was looking for potential subway stops, and officials decided that it was too close to the fault.  This also comes after three large-scale projects in Hollywood were found to be located quite close to the active Hollywood fault.

Julian: The concern is that if any faults were to rupture, the foundation of a building could be split apart.

Lacter: Kind of an inconvenient truth both for the developers, who have millions of dollars riding on these projects, and for L.A. city officials who are betting on a future that will include many more high rises.  And, we should note that more than two-dozen high rises are either in the process of going up, or are at least on the drawing board.  In case you're wondering why there aren't regulations that monitor this sort of thing, the answer is that there are regulations.  California has a law that requires state geologists to map active earthquake faults, and then set zones on either side of the fault line.

Julian: Has the state done this?

Lacter: The state says it hasn't had the time nor the money to map areas within the city of L.A., though the faults have been known to be in the general vicinity of these projects - and so, you'd think the city would want them tested extensively.  Of course, that would mean more delays, which the developers wouldn't be happy with.

Julian: Of course, seismic studies are not always definitive.

Lacter: They're not - and it's possible that different geologists would come up with different findings.  But so far, most of the information seems to be coming from the developers, and you have to wonder whether it's a great idea to rely on folks who have a financial interest in a project to tell us what's safe and what isn't.  Probably not.

Julian: Your article in the new issue of Los Angeles Magazine raises a broader point about the city's business climate.

Lacter: Steve, for many years, L.A. has been branded as a terrible place to do business because of government interference, but that's largely a myth.  If anything, city officials have been too accommodating.  Frankly, the anti-business rap never made much sense when you consider the thousands of companies that start up here each year.  A study by the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers ranks L.A. particularly high when it comes to ease of doing business, which runs counter to the conventional wisdom.

Julian: You're not saying it's truly easy, are you?

Lacter: Easy, no.  There certainly are plenty of reasons for business owners to pull out their hair.  And those hassles, along with an unemployment rate that remains quite high, has given developers and others the leverage to ask for various giveaways.  All they have to do is say that their projects will generate more jobs, and city officials tend to respond favorably - no matter how questionable those proposals might be.  And, by the way, job creation doesn't always determine economic growth, certainly not in the short term.

Julian: We all remember during the mayoral campaign, candidates were talking about how their policies would lead to lower unemployment...

Lacter: ...right, almost like they could pick up jobs at Ralphs.  Well, it doesn't work that way.  Thing is, the city of L.A. doesn't need to cut so many deals - the local economy is rich enough and broad enough to keep prospering.  Which is why city officials would be much better off laying off the incentives, and focusing on the basics - public safety, transportation, the parks, and libraries.  Do that right, and the business climate will take care of itself.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Will Davidson and his Minecraft creation, modeled off the Santa Cruz Mission; Credit: Steve Henn

Minecraft is a deceptively simple video game. You're dropped into a virtual world, and you get to build things. It's like a digital Lego set, but with infinite pieces.

Its simplicity makes it a big hit with kids, like 10-year old Will Davidson. Last year, Will built a Spanish mission for a school report. He modeled his off the Santa Cruz Mission. "I made a chapel over here," Davidson says. "I also have a bell tower."

After he turned in his report, he added a few things. Like skeleton archers. "And zombies ... and exploding things, and spiders, that try to kill you," he said.

Minecraft is popular with kids because they're free to create almost anything, says Ramin Shokrizade, a game designer.

Also, kids aren't manipulated into clicking buttons to buy add-ons within the game. In other games, designers give players a special power for free at first, then take it away and offer it back at a price.

Zynga, the creator of Farmville, calls this fun pain, according to Shokrizade. "That's the idea that, if you make the consumer uncomfortable enough, and then tell them that for money we'll make you less uncomfortable, then [they] will give us money," he says.

Kids, Shokrizade says, are especially susceptible to this — and Minecraft has a loyal following, in part, because it doesn't do it.

Susan Linn, from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, agrees. She says a big reason she likes Minecraft is because after you purchase the game upfront, that's it.

"Parents don't have to worry that their kids are going to be targeted for more marketing," Linn says. "How forward-thinking!"

But Linn is worried. Microsoft bought Mojang, the company that created Minecraft, on Monday for $2.5 billion, and she says that any time a large company spends billions to acquire a smaller company, executives are bound start looking for new ways to get even more money out of it.

At ServiceOne Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we transitioned from traditional marketing to digital strategies during an economic downturn. Recognizing the need for better visibility and growth, I sought a marketing partner to help elevate our business. This shift transformed us from at-risk to successful, resulting in more leads and higher revenue.

 At a recent seminar, three contractors invited me to have lunch. Two of them had used my consulting services more than 10 years ago and they were trying to convince the third to call me.  

A key issues roundtable discussion Monday afternoon will address how to manage OSH risk and business polarities when there are competing priorities. Too often high visibility incidents cause organizations to switch into “fire-fighting” mode rather than executing their strategy.

At the Safety 2016 expo it's clear OSHA's emphasis on preventing serious fall injuries and fatalities has caught the attention of PPE and facility safety vendors.

Meeting will be held in Naples, FL, March 12-13, 2013.

Dayana Custer, MBA, serves as the division director at BAYADA Home Health Care

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one?if not the?key technology of our decade. Technological advances in this field are not only fundamentally changing our economies, industries and markets, but are also exerting enormous influence on traditional business practices, many of which will disappear, while others will be transformed or completely reinvented.

Australia’s premier business organisation dedicated to promoting investment and trade with China will be the first bilateral business chamber to be part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s new International Chamber House (ICH). The Australia China Business Council (ACBC) will move its head office from Sydney to Melbourne to be part of ICH, which is set to open later this year in Melbourne’s city centre.

The expression of interest for the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) has officially opened. BWEZ is the Ballarat region’s engine room for jobs and economic growth over the next 20 years. Located just over an hour north-west from the Melbourne city centre, Ballarat has fantastic connections to road, rail, ports and airports and the region is home to a large, skilled and stable workforce. With an increasing population of 100,000, Ballarat is one of the largest inland cities in Australia and serves as a key access point to the other regional centres in Northern and Western Victoria.

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has announced updates to the saveONenergy Retrofit Program that provide additional financial incentives for Ontario businesses to reduce energy used by lighting, HVAC systems, refrigeration systems, and building plug loads.

OKI Develops Ultracompact Photonic Integrated Circuit Chip Using Silicon Photonics Technology to Realize Various Optical Sensors  Business Wire

Talent New Energy and Changan Automotive Released the World Premiere Separator-Free Solid-State Battery Technology  Business Wire

ZentrumHub and Mize Unite to Revolutionize Online Travel Agencies through Advanced Technology Integration  Business Wire

UK Startup Naturbeads Secures Series A Round to Further Pioneering Technology That Addresses Worldwide Microplastic Pollution  Business Wire

A new technology at BRG could improve patient care  Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

Codeless Platforms has revealed that Meridian Farm Market, a Canadian-based retailer of meat and farm produce, has automated its sales orders and data transfers between SYSPRO, Shopify and its POS system using BPA Platform.

By Aaron Stillman, Head of Product Marketing at Tresorit.

Research shows that 81 per cent of UK businesses handle digitised personal data, digitised non-personal data, or both, making secure and efficient data management crucial, particularly when critical transactions and confidential processes are at play. This is where virtual data rooms (VDRs) become invaluable.

The Fed is in a rate cut cycle as Trump is coming to the White House—just as he would prefer.

The post Breitbart Business Digest: Trump Will Love the Fed Doves appeared first on Breitbart.

The Honda Passport was always the most rugged Honda SUV sold in the United States, with more of an off-roading edge than the Pilot and more capability than the CR-V. However, the new 2026 Honda Passport is more capable off the pavement than ever before, making it the most rugged SUV to ever wear…

1. Vivo Y300 5G launching in India on Nov 21 with AI features: Expected specs  Business Standard
2. Vivo Y300 5G confirmed to launch in India soon, rear design teased  Moneycontrol
3. Vivo introduces Suhana Khan as the new face for its Y series  ETBrandEquity
4. Suhana Khan becomes the face of Vivo’s Y-Series smartphones  afaqs!
5. Vivo Y300 confirmed to launch in India on November 21: From price to specs, all you need to know  India Today

Businesses in Ottawa are bracing for the prospect of a postal strike or lockout on the eve of the holiday shopping season.

Treasury has proposed the implementation of a floor price below which alcoholic beverages cannot be sold.

Treasury has published a discussion document on phase 2 of the carbon tax, which kicks in 1 January 2026

Bitcoin reached a record high above $91 000 Wednesday as the world's biggest cryptocurrency benefits from president-elect Donald Trump's pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens.

The company is laying off 40% of its workforce and discontinuing its therapeutics division.

A source says over 1 300 customers have been lured away using data allegedly harvested by a franchise employee.

Tencent's revenue rose 8% after the summer release of Dungeon & Fighter Mobile helped China's most valuable company resist a severe economic downturn.

Teraco Data Environments hired Absa to syndicate an R8 billion loan as the company gears up for a new facility to meet rising demand from artificial intelligence applications.

Prosus, the consumer internet behemoth and Naspers subsidiary, says it unlocked $2 billion (about R36 billion) in value after the listing of Indian food delivery giant Swiggy on Wednesday.

TFG's Bash platform, which is set to break even or be profitable two years earlier than forecast, has bought the South African domain name of the now-defunct online fashion retailer Zando.

Investment holding company Brait reported a boost from its underlying portfolio on Wednesday, including a 6% rise in Virgin Active membership.

While SA's commercial property prospects are improving along with renewed interest from investors, Dipula Income Fund says Johannesburg's water crisis is a significant concern for landlords, carrying serious ramifications for fire protection and insurance.

Nompumelo Nene is facing disciplinary proceedings and has launched several applications in an attempt to stop them.

Emira Property Fund's partnership with Poland-focused DL Invest Group includes redemption clauses that could yield it up to R4.2 billion in five years, more than 70% of Emira's current market value on the JSE.

An overview of the biggest business developments in SA and beyond.

South Africa's metalworkers' union said it will go on strike at ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd on Thursday to protest job cuts that have impacted 107 workers.

Brait is looking to sell UK fashion retailer New Look between October 2025 and March 2026 with a Virgin Active sale or initial public offering (IPO) targeted a year later, after which the rest of its operations will be wound down.

Postbank has said that it has reached a profit in the first two quarters of the financial year, with reported cases of fraud down 80% year-on-year.

Ameesha addressed Nirvaan as "darling" in the caption