Japan Exports Saw Rise in April
Japan's exports rose 5.1 percent in April from a year earlier, above analyst forecasts in a Reuters poll for a 4.8 percent rise. Imports rose an annual 3.4 percent versus forecasts for a 0.8 percent rise, while the trade balance stood at a deficit of 808.9 billion yen ($7.98 billion), much larger than expectations for a 646 billion yen deficit. Japan's trade balance has been in a deficit for 22 months in a row now. "The data was not really a surprise at all. They were hoping for a lower yen to stimulate exports and a lower yen just isn't coming," said Boris Schlossberg, managing director at BK Asset Management. "The problem is that the unbelievable decline in U.S. rates that has kept dollar-yen much lower than what everybody thought. It's frustrating all the plans of Kuroda and Shinzo Abe to stimulate the economy," he said. The Bank of Japan ends a two-day meeting on Wednesday and is expected to maintain its current monetary policy, under which it plans to increase Japan's base money by 60-70 trillion yen ($589-$688 billion) a year via aggressive asset purchases. "The Bank of Japan hasn't done enough. They need to do at least a 100 trillion yen to drive dollar-yen to 105 and stimulate the economy," Schlossberg added.
CapitaLand Mark 20 Years Construction in China with 145 Properties
China is one of CapitaLand's two core markets and the Group's largest market outside Singapore, accounting for 39 per cent of the company's total assets. As the company marked its 20th anniversary this month, CapitaLand Limited announced that it currently owns or manages 145 properties in 45 Chinese cities, worth over S$42 billion. Since CapitaLand began investing in China in 1994, the business has grown into a leading real estate developer, boasting a diverse real estate portfolio of homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed-use developments. With one of the largest real estate fund management businesses in China, the company has 12 private equity funds and two Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) that hold a strong presence in China. By the end of September 2013, CapitaLand's China business accounted for 39 per cent, or S$14.2 billion of the Group's total assets. Mr Lim Ming Yan, President and Group CEO of CapitaLand said: "2014 marks a significant milestone for CapitaLand. As one of the first foreign developers in China 20 years ago, we are honoured to have contributed and benefited from the country's economic development and phenomenal urbanisation programme." The company has built more than 40,000 mass to high-end residential units across China, has a pipeline of over 60,000 homes and remains committed to address the housing needs to Chinese residents. 50 per cent of CapitaLand's global staff originates from China, with over 7000 staff in the country, 95 per cent of which are local.
China flies first Airbus A380 superjumbo
An Airbus A380 jet touched down at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport on Monday, marking the superjumbo jet's first commercial flight in China. Departing Beijing for the southern city of Guangzhou at 10:00 a.m., the fully-loaded flight landed around 1:00 p.m. with more than 500 passengers aboard, including Chinese basketball player Yao Ming and mayor of Guangzhou Wan Qingliang. "Flying on board the first A380 in our country is really different. I felt exceptionally comfortable, while the space available on other jets is quite narrow for me," said Yao who used to play with the U.S. Houston Rockets. Many passengers snapped pictures of the plane, with some saying that they booked tickets well in advance because they were eager to fly on a new jet. "I am so excited. My camera never left my hand," said passenger Zhou Xiaofei. "The performance of the A380 is extraordinary. I felt more comfortable when piloting the plane," said Liu Xian, vice general manager with the China Southern Airlines, the operator of the superjumbo. The A380 jumbo is scheduled to fly between Beijing and Guangzhou until Oct. 26 and then travel between Beijing and Shanghai from Oct. 27 to 29. And then it will be used on an international route afterwards. China's domestic air travel market is predicted to grow 13.9 percent annually by 2014 and transport 379 million domestic air travel passengers, which will make the country the world's second-largest air travel market after the United States, according to a report released by the International Air Transport Association. The purchase of…
BT targets growth in Africa, Middle East and Asia
British multinational telecommunications services company BT has announced a new phase of investments into the rapidly growing economies of Asia Pacific, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa (AMEA) with the objective of accelerating its expansion in high growth markets. In a statement, the company said that by hiring more people in the region, launching more competitive capabilities across a larger number of countries and delivering a differentiated service experience, it will be in a "strong position to capture opportunities in a total AMEA market evaluated at around £32 billion." "This new phase of investments builds on the success of earlier programmes announced in 2010 for the Asia Pacific region and in 2012 for Turkey, the Middle East and Africa. Earlier this year, BT brought those regions together into a single integrated market unit to better address the needs of a new generation of regional multinationals and big domestic players that are increasingly expanding from China and India into the Middle East and Africa," BT said. "The combined geography is expected to generate 44 percent of the global GDP growth by 2025, with 3 billion people expected to enter the middle class over the next decade." BT said it will hire more than 400 new people – in addition to 600 positions announced earlier this year for BT's Global Development Centre in Bangalore - to focus on regional business growth across "all key markets", including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey. New hires will include…
APT Showfreight
A league of their own Asia Outlook speaks to APT Showfreight about airshows and working across different time zones. It's all in a day's work for one of Asia's largest exhibitions logistics companies. Writer Hannah Eiseman-Reynard Project manager James Mitchell PT Showfreight & Logistics Group is a culmination of five different companies coming together to offer a comprehensive package of niche logistics in specialty transport and logistics to the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry in Asia and the world. The companies are APT Showfreight Hong Kong, APT Showfreight Shanghai (with five offices in China), APT Showfreight Singapore, APT Showfreight Vietnam and APT Showfreight Thailand. This combination has enabled the APT Showfreight Group to offer a seamless service to customers in Asia, leveraging on the regional expertise of each office to offer bespoke services to meet the demands of customers together. Managing Director Danny Khor is the man charged with charting APT Showfreight's business course. He says the business came into being in 2008 to offer specialised exhibition and events logistics service to tradeshow and event organisers and customers in Asia. Notwithstanding the global financial crisis, the company persevered and with persistency in overcoming obstacles, it hasn't looked back. One of the biggest challenges was securing show appointments and in 2008 APT Showfreight was appointed as joint official forwarder and on-site handler for the Singapore Airshow (the third largest airshow in the world) in 2010 and 2012. Since then, they have proven their capability to handle mega logistics operations of this kind and have now…
Geodis Wilson : A Region on the Rise
Asia Outlook talks to René Bach Larsen, Geodis Wilson’s cluster Managing Director of Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Profile: Pan Asia Logistics
Asia Outlook profiles Pan Asia Logistics, a preferred air and ocean freight forwarder and logistics partner for many top brands in the East Asian market. Writer Ian Armitage Pan Asia Logistics (PAL) is a preferred air and ocean freight forwarder and logistics partner for many top brands in the East Asian market. It is a "holistic logistics provider", offering a "complete range" of fully integrated logistics services and supply chain solutions" which are efficient, intelligent and cost-effective. "We have been active in the market for ten years and specialise in air and ocean freight, contract logistics and project logistics for infrastructural projects in Southeast Asia," says founder and majority shareholder Christian Bischoff. "We also have a number of complementary added-value services such as customs clearance and storage, distribution management, supply and inventory management, dangerous goods and waste logistics and so on and provide supply chain management as a 3PL and 4PL provider." PAL, he says, "provides highly efficient concepts" which are designed to "optimise" customers' supply chains and "drive value for their businesses." The approach is paying off. The rapidly growing firm recorded a turnover of nearly 100 million euros in 2012 and has over 45 offices in Asia and various agents around the world, all staffed to the highest professional standards. PAL's offices in Asia are linked to this global network and continue to expand living by the mantra, "we go where our customers are". "We started with six people in 2003 and we now employ over 700 staff in Asia Pacific alone," says Bischoff.…
Pan Asia Logistics
Pan Asia Logistics targets Asia growth Asia Outlook profiles Pan Asia Logistics, a preferred air and ocean freight forwarder and logistics partner for many top brands in the East Asian market. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager James Mitchell Pan Asia Logistics (PAL) is a preferred air and ocean freight forwarder and logistics partner for many top brands in the East Asian market. It is a "holistic logistics provider", offering a "complete range" of fully integrated logistics services and supply chain solutions" which are efficient, intelligent and cost-effective. "We have been active in the market for ten years and specialise in air and ocean freight, contract logistics and project logistics for infrastructural projects in Southeast Asia," says founder and majority shareholder Christian Bischoff. "We also have a number of complementary addedvalue services such as customs clearance and storage, distribution management, supply and inventory management, dangerous goods and waste logistics and so on and provide supply chain management as a 3PL and 4PL provider." PAL, he says, "provides highly efficient concepts" which are designed to "optimise" customers' supply chains and "drive value for their businesses." The approach is paying off. The rapidly growing firm recorded a turnover of nearly 100 million euros in 2012 and has over 45 offices in Asia and various agents around the world, all staffed to the highest professional standards. PAL's offices in Asia are linked to this global network and continue to expand living by the mantra, "we go where our customers are". "We started with six people in 2003 and we now…
Bibby Ship Management
Bibby Ship Management opens two new offices Liverpool-based Bibby Ship Management recently announced the opening of two new offices in Singapore and India, bringing the total number of global locations to six. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager James Mitchell UK-based Bibby Ship Management Ltd, part of the Bibby Line Group, provides "a quality assured comprehensive technical management service to the International Marine Industry" its website says. The firm can trace its roots back to more than 200 years. "In a highly competitive environment a dedication to quality brings economic advantages," its website says, adding, "Our adherence to the Quality Management System means that we prioritise the long term interests of our clients. This means acting with foresight and integrity, especially in our primary role as providers of a personalised Ship Management Service. These principles have brought success to several sectors within the Marine Industry, namely but not limited to: Oil, Chemical and Gas Tanker Management; General Cargo ships; Ro-Ro Vessels; Ferries; Cable Layers; Offshore Vessels; Floating Production Storage and Offloading; Floating Storage Unit; Jack Up Rigs; and Floating Accommodation vessels." In early 2013 Bibby Ship Management was "delighted to announce" the opening of two new offices in "key strategic locations across the globe" – Singapore and India. The opening of those new locations brought the total number of global Bibby Ship Management locations to six, ensuring the company is "ideally placed to service the needs of its customers worldwide", it said in a press release. Bibby Ship Management's new office in India is situated in Mumbai.…
Deugro
Continued expansion in Asia for deugro Asia Outlook talks to Sven Hergemoeller, deugro's Regional Vice President for Southeast Asia. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager James Mitchell Founded in Germany in 1924, the deugro Group is one of the world's leading project freight forwarding companies and has completed complicated turnkey logistics contracts on almost every continent. deugro is historically known for project logistics, specialising in turnkey projects and complicated cargo moves to and from major industrial sectors. It is also active in international freight services such as sea freight and airfreight. "We are a global leader in our niche of project logistics and freight forwarding," says Sven Hergemoeller, deugro's Regional Vice President for Southeast Asia. "deugro is a truly global presence but significantly we remain a privately held, family organisation in the third generation. We are highly specialised offering a diversified portfolio of services to a variety of clients located in every corner of the globe. Our company slogan is "Minds over Matter" and our strength and competitive advantage lies in our people – they are our most valuable resource. This, and close working relationships with our clients, distinguishes us from our competitors and provides a platform for future growth, flexibility and superior service." He says deugro takes "the best minds to make the right moves." "Our philosophy is to get the best people in the industry. Our people really do make the difference." deugro has enjoyed substantial growth over the last year and it aims to continue to expand its core business in existing and new…
