Singapore is a small and open economy, with its economic growth highly dependent on international trade. With the momentum of global trade growth being buffeted by increased economic uncertainties and rising trade tensions, does Singapore’s position in the global value chains, or GVCs, stand it in good stead to navigate choppy waters ahead? In this podcast, Associate Professor of Economics and Lee Kong Chian Fellow Chang Pao-Li from the SMU School of Economics, discusses the key findings of her research jointly conducted with Phuong T. B. Nguyen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow from SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business. They evaluate how intensively the Singapore economy has participated in the GVCs, and characterise Singapore’s key upstream and downstream trade partners in the international production network. They also analyse the position of Singapore in the GVC, and how its position has shifted over the years. The pattern of Singapore’s position is compared with those of major regional exporters including China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the US, and the world as a whole.

Data has emerged as the most important driver for modern economic development. New industries have arisen from the use of data with personal information as the core asset, while many traditional models of business are ‘disrupted’ or drastically transformed. Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has also become an integral tool for the management and processing of data, including personal data, as it provides greater accuracy and capability. How should the use of A.I. in data management be regulated and should it be treated any differently under the data protection regime? What role can A.I. play in regulating the use of personal data and as a cybersecurity tool? Is creating a form of propertisation of personal data and ‘data ownership’ useful? These are just some of the lingering questions that regulators and organisations are currently grappling with. Central to the issue is how A.I. can best serve and safeguard humanity’s interests. Warren Chik is Associate Professor of Law at SMU School of Law, and concurrently Deputy Director at SMU’s Centre for AI and Data Governance. In this podcast, he shares his recent research into Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection in Singapore, which takes a deeper look into consumers’ trust, organisational security and government regulation.

TikTok catapulted in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has now come to dominate the social media landscape. With over 1 billion monthly active users, science communicators have the potential to capitalize on TikTok’s success and share their science with a broad, engaged audience.

The post Harnessing the power of TikTok for science communication appeared first on The Plainspoken Scientist.

On 9 July, AGU joined nearly 200 organizations in sending a letter to House Appropriations leadership expressing concern over proposed cuts to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor- HHS).   We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to share our opposition to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor- HHS) Appropriations bill as currently …

The post AGU joins letter opposing FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services cuts appeared first on The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy.

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and NürnbergMesse today announced that registration and housing are now open...

Amcor’s new AmSky blister packaging uses HDPE throughout for curbside recycling.

The 105mm wipes canister is made with Altium’s Dura-Lite technology that uses 23% less plastic, and the disinfecting formula is made from citric acid-based botanicals.

Against the backdrop of a lack of skilled labor, the food and beverage sector continues to invest in automated, efficient and stable processes. 

The patented solution brings life-changing potential for over 60 million Americans with physical limitations, while also reducing plastic usage.

The new group will be positioned among the Top 5 cosmetics packaging companies worldwide, boasting combined sales of around €350 million.

Available in sizes from one to 30 liters, Politainer comprises a polyethylene container held within a sturdy cardboard outer.

Custom packaging can help offset rising freight costs by optimizing packaging size and weight, reducing damage, streamlining logistics, and enhancing brand recognition.

The update emphasizes collaboration among cross-functional stakeholders—such as procurement, R&D, and corporate sustainability—who often have competing priorities like sustainability commitments and cost control. 

Verde’s biobased, biodegradable and recyclable PolyEarthylene resins – already being sold to global brands and large plastics converters – could potentially be incorporated into Nxu’s EV charging systems.

In the beverage industry, new products are fulfilling more than just offering refreshment.

When making the choice between premade pouches and form-fill-seal, OEMs should consider factors like run speed, changeovers and flexibility of package sizes handled, according to the 2019 Flexible Packaging Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a division of Ardagh Group, has  achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification at its Dolton, Ill., facility. ISO 14001 is the internationally recognized standard for the environmental management of businesses.

The new technology repurposes surplus barley straw into six-pack packaging material in a circular process.

New unit is strengthened by RLG’s recent acquisitions of MedLit Solutions and Pharmaceutic Litho and Label.

Until recently, most pharmaceutical manufacturers would buy blister foils pre-printed with product names, dosage information, and branding and use a basic in-line printing or embossing system to add a batch code and expiry date to the blister in human-readable text.

With commercial readiness expected just in time for Dairy Month (June), the facility can process up to 1 million pounds of local milk per day into shelf-stable and ESL milk and other liquid dairy products, many of which will be packaged in Tetra Pak® cartons.

Club Zero Refillable Milk is designed to cut the carbon footprint of Abel & Cole’s single-use milk bottles in half, with Abel & Cole estimating a saving of up to 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles annually.

The reworkable and repulpable barrier coating resins are applicable for food and beverage, pet food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals packaging industries.

Guittard Couverture showcases the brand's commitment to providing customers with premium chocolate in enhanced, sustainable packaging.

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) today released the details of four sessions of the educational program at PROCESS EXPO 2015 to be presented by speaker Dr. Tatiana Koutchma of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Guelph Food Research Center and www.novelfoodsciences.com.

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) today announced the details of two sessions on the PROCESS EXPO University schedule featuring speakers from the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Animal Sciences.

Find Canadian provincial psychology licensing boards, application information, and rules and regulations.

Processing tests approved for evaluating students for Exceptional Student Education services, Florida Department of Education.

Find psychology state licensing boards, national certification boards, contact and application information, and rules and regulations. Look up and verifiy licensed and board certified psychologists.

The state-of-the-art technology combines the agility and speed of digital printing with exceptional print quality, a wide color spectrum and minimal energy consumption.

The pandemic caused a sudden storm that has buffeted individual companies and entire industries and caused business leaders to seriously consider the critical importance of resilience, efficiency, and sustainability.

The picking productivity increase may solve one direct labor problem, but in doing so, it creates another. The company will now have to find space and people for manual pack & ship stations to accommodate the improved picking productivity.

Waldner North America expert stresses the importance of choosing flexible machines that allow for efficient operations when changing between products and formats.

Automation by Rockwell, an award-winning educational platform on sustainable packaging, and pouch filling and sealing equipment are among the many packaging innovations to be on display.

2023 was abundant with packaging innovations, including when it comes to one of the most ubiquitous packaging options of all: bottles.

The relaunched brand, made in collaboration between musician Dave Matthews and winemaker Grayson Stewart, is rooted in sustainability, from grapes to glass.

Mars' use of this simulation technology has already reduced the quantity of plastics purchased by Mars for testing by approximately 246 tons.

Texwrap’s Kayat SRX Series Single Roll Bundler uses a bottom overlap seal technology for a strong seal and improved product presentation.

Acquisition allows ProMach to establish a powerful position in the food and pet care sectors where can filling and sterilization are required.

Erik Bronander brings life-long experience in packaging, including nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industry experience to lead the team.

The Top Wrap and Top Close labelers offer two high-quality and resource-saving solutions for the closing of fresh produce trays with labels.

A variety of conveyor technologies were implemented to smoothly transport beverage cans between different processing machines in the line. 

The plan includes four core strategies intended to create better earnings for groups involved in the meat and poultry supply chain.

The fully servo-driven HQ Series counting & dispensing machines are designed to provide 100% accuracy for primary or secondary packaging of candy, confectionary and chocolate as well as non-food products.

Advances in sophistication, quality and ease of use have made x-ray machines an indispensable tool for food safety.

In a recent video, Domino, a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions, caught up with Label King to learn more about the company, their vetting process for adding digital printing, and the impact digital has had on their business. 

Registration Now Open for Destinations International Fall 2024 Conferences: Advocacy Summit, Social Inclusion Summit and Business Operations Summit dbreisch@desti… Wed, 07/10/2024 - 18:22

The price of crude oil is trading down $-2.20 or -3.12% at $68.20. That's the lowest level since October 30.

The price reached a peak on Thursday at $72.84. That the price briefly above its 38.2% retracement of the move down from the July high at $72.59. However on Friday, the price fell below its 100-hour moving average near $71.50 and in trading today, fell and stayed below its 200-hour moving average at $70.52. It would take a move back above the 200-hour moving average to hurt the bearish bias.

On the downside, the price is approaching a swing low going back to October 18 at $68.13. Move below that level and traders will start to look toward a rising trendline near $68.10. The low price from October 29 comes near $66.69.

Meanwhile, gasoline prices in the US are down -11.36% on the year at $3.19 (average price for all grades of gasoline). Prior to Covid, the price was around $2.78. The low at the depth of Covid reached $1.87. The current level is near the lows from the end of 2023 and start of 2024 near $3.17.

Retail Gasoline prices for all grades of gasoline

Last week, the preliminary Michigan consumer sentiment index rose to 73.0. With gas prices continuing to move lower and the Trump victory, what will that do to sentiment? The high for the Biden administration reached 86.5 with the low at 50.2 in June 2022. That corresponded with the high in gasoline prices.

The high yield close for the 10-year note last week reached 4.433%. The current yield is currently at 4.4315%, up 12.3 basis points. A close above would be the highest close going back to July 1, 2024 when the close came in at 4.465%.