Manufacturing in China, the world's fastest growing market, is every carmaker's dream.
Making the dream come come true is far from easy, however, as Chinese-owned Volvo Cars has discovered.
Nearly two years have passed since Geely paid $1.8bn for Ford's Swedish subsidiary, in a deal said to be the biggest acquisition of a non-Chinese rival by a Chinese carmaker.
Last year, Volvo sold more than 100,000 cars in China, 24% more than in 2010.
Yet the Chinese authorities still see Volvo as a foreign player, which means it cannot make cars there.
"We are being treated as a foreign company," observes Stefan Jacoby, Volvo's chief executive.
"Obviously we cannot hide that we are a Swedish registered company, so we'll need to enter into a joint venture in China in order to comply with Chinese automotive regulations."
For the full article read here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17190800
Monday, 23 April 2012
Global Car Production Threatened by a break in the Supply Chain
When a fire in the small town of Marl in the west of Germany closed down an obscure chemical plant on 31 March, it barely made headlines.
Two people died and that was a personal tragedy for their families and friends, but the shock waves did not resonate far beyond.
Except, it turns out, to the other side of the Atlantic - in Detroit, Michigan.
So tight is the global car industry's supply chain that one break in a small link threatens the lot.
About three weeks after the fire, executives from the world's biggest auto-makers and their suppliers have met with furrowed brows to take stock of the implications of the fire.
And they are serious.
It turns out that the braking and the fuel systems of cars depend on a resin called PA-12.
And PA-12 is made out of an inelegantly named chemical: cyclododecatriene, or CDT.
Evonik Industries' plant in Germany was responsible for a good chunk of the world's supply - one estimate put it between a quarter and a half.
From BBC Business News. Read the article in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17769466
Two people died and that was a personal tragedy for their families and friends, but the shock waves did not resonate far beyond.
Except, it turns out, to the other side of the Atlantic - in Detroit, Michigan.
So tight is the global car industry's supply chain that one break in a small link threatens the lot.
About three weeks after the fire, executives from the world's biggest auto-makers and their suppliers have met with furrowed brows to take stock of the implications of the fire.
And they are serious.
It turns out that the braking and the fuel systems of cars depend on a resin called PA-12.
And PA-12 is made out of an inelegantly named chemical: cyclododecatriene, or CDT.
Evonik Industries' plant in Germany was responsible for a good chunk of the world's supply - one estimate put it between a quarter and a half.
From BBC Business News. Read the article in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17769466
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Futuristic plans from Japan and Russia
Some really interesting articles on the future of travel and space.
London to Tokyo in 90 minutes
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/london-tokyo-90-minutes-721053
Russia's space hotel
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/russians-unveil-space-hotel-678591
London to Tokyo in 90 minutes
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/london-tokyo-90-minutes-721053
Russia's space hotel
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/russians-unveil-space-hotel-678591
Japan's Space Elevator
Japanese firm Obayashi Corporation are planning to take us to space via an elevator, just like the one envisaged by sci-fi luminaries such as Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
The 36,000-kilometer high, 200-kph lift will be ready by 2050, and will take passengers a tenth of the way to the moon.
The space elevator will 30 people and transport them using carbon nanotubes on the week long journey to a “terminal station,”.
The terminal station will house laboratories and living space, presumably enough for people to stretch their legs and gawp at the blackness, before hopping back inside for the week-long return leg.
For the full article read here: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/escape/japan-plans-space-elevator-2050-539598
The 36,000-kilometer high, 200-kph lift will be ready by 2050, and will take passengers a tenth of the way to the moon.
The space elevator will 30 people and transport them using carbon nanotubes on the week long journey to a “terminal station,”.
The terminal station will house laboratories and living space, presumably enough for people to stretch their legs and gawp at the blackness, before hopping back inside for the week-long return leg.
For the full article read here: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/escape/japan-plans-space-elevator-2050-539598
New product development - Google Project Glass
Google's long awaited sci-fi glasses are on the way. The product is called Project Glass and involves users wearing special digital and wifi glasses which will relay lots of up to date information to the wearer such as translating place names into languages, giving directions, identifying wear certain products are being sold, or even helping you find a good restaurant or hotel.
The glasses may well end up playing music and even offer communication such as mobile phone and internet/email in the future.
It really could be a revolutionary product, which could even be reduced in future to contacts as some people have said they don't want to wear big glasses.
It has the whiff of the movie Minority Report about it, which had specialially targetted adverts playing for consumers as they walked by and their retina was scanned.
The future may well be here!
Read more here:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17618495
The glasses may well end up playing music and even offer communication such as mobile phone and internet/email in the future.
It really could be a revolutionary product, which could even be reduced in future to contacts as some people have said they don't want to wear big glasses.
It has the whiff of the movie Minority Report about it, which had specialially targetted adverts playing for consumers as they walked by and their retina was scanned.
The future may well be here!
Read more here:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17618495
Friday, 6 April 2012
Pearl Oriental Tower - Shanghai
Shanghai is called the Paris of the East and is possibly the most international of all Chinese cities.
Thursday, 5 April 2012
The Future of China and infrastructure
Some interesting things I have noticed on my trip to China so far. One that will have a huge impact on the global economy is something that is perhaps unexpected. A decade ago entrepreneurs like Jim Rogers and other experts where confidently predicting that learning Cantonese or Mandarin where going to be key for the businessmen and women of the 21st Century or as we perhaps should refer to it as the 'Pacific' century.
However, with the opening up of China and the rapid urbanisation and modernisation of its economy the reverse is actually happening. In Shanghai and many other mega cities in China learning English in primary school has now become compulsory. Within 20 years everyone under the age of 30 will speak at least some English.
What will the impact be? Tourism is taking off in a big way and so is Business travel. For the Chinese to offer world class services, which in many cases they do already, they will now add that most important piece of soft infrastructure: language.
China has the road, rail, air, sea, energy and telecommunications links either in place just now, being upgraded or being planned. This last piece of the jigsaw could help China challenge the USA in becoming the world's number one economy.
English became the language of business during the 1800s and 1900s. The 21st century was headed for a Blade Runner style mix of Hispanic and the Orient. However, Perhaps in the future the language of Earth will be English? It was once earmarked for demise due to Spanish and Mandarin being the languages of the future, but as we are witnessing now in China, the Chinese can't wait for the future and want to be number one, now.
Sent from my iPad
However, with the opening up of China and the rapid urbanisation and modernisation of its economy the reverse is actually happening. In Shanghai and many other mega cities in China learning English in primary school has now become compulsory. Within 20 years everyone under the age of 30 will speak at least some English.
What will the impact be? Tourism is taking off in a big way and so is Business travel. For the Chinese to offer world class services, which in many cases they do already, they will now add that most important piece of soft infrastructure: language.
China has the road, rail, air, sea, energy and telecommunications links either in place just now, being upgraded or being planned. This last piece of the jigsaw could help China challenge the USA in becoming the world's number one economy.
English became the language of business during the 1800s and 1900s. The 21st century was headed for a Blade Runner style mix of Hispanic and the Orient. However, Perhaps in the future the language of Earth will be English? It was once earmarked for demise due to Spanish and Mandarin being the languages of the future, but as we are witnessing now in China, the Chinese can't wait for the future and want to be number one, now.
Sent from my iPad
Canton Tower, Guangzhou
It stands at 600 metres high. Which is really, really,tall!
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