Issue 29
Al Rawabi Dairy Company
Al Rawabi Dairy Company is supplying the GCC’s heightening demand for dairy products and fruit juices, this having introduced a series of firsts to the region in its early yearsWriter: Tom WadlowProject Manager: Thomas ArnoldThe GCC is developing a taste for dairy. Take the fresh milk category, for example. While the region may not be blessed with the natural elements one might associate with cattle raising, its climate being extremely dry and terrain arid, consumers are drinking more and more freshly produced milk. In 2017 the GCC consumed some 757.2 million litres of it, and by 2023 the market is expected to hit 1.18 billion litres, growing at a rate of 7.6 percent a year. The rising affluence of the region’s consumers has encouraged the demand for premium and innovative products, including vitamin fortified, lactose-free, low-fat and sugar-free variants, in turn, providing an impetus to the fresh milk market growth. Likewise, GCC citizens are becoming aware of milk’s nutritional benefits. It is a rich source of essential nutrients, such as calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D and phosphorus, helping to keep the body hydrated and supplied with both micro and macronutrients to support optimal health. Moreover, fresh milk helps to strengthen bones, maintain muscle mass, improve the circulatory and skeletal systems, boost metabolism, lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, increase immunity and support favourable body composition.Governments in the GCC are responding to this trend in kind, with many making investments into new and efficient technologies for the handling of fresh milk, from production and cooling to storage. Enter Al Rawabi This rise in…
Wikov Industry
A company established in the Czech Republic over 100 years ago, Wikov Industry today remains a drivetrain of change for Europe’s productive ambitionsWriter: Jonathan DybleProject Manager: Thomas ArnoldManufacturing. A staple global industry and one that has become increasingly fundamental to the success of the European economy.Take statistics from the International Monetary Fund, for example. According to these, continental manufacturing has enjoyed a prolonged period of expansion over the last two decades, now playing a crucial role in bolstering regional trade and supporting millions of jobs. Meanwhile, PwC has predicted that the industrial manufacturing and automotive sector will remain one of the highest contributors to European GDP between now and 2022, second only to the consumer goods sector.However, in an increasingly hesitant and tense economic and political climate, many major industry players are calling for governments to not only better-recognise this vast contribution, but also consider the merits of a manufacturer-first approach. “In my opinion, more attention needs to be paid to our industry,” states Antonín Růžička, Managing Director of mechanical engineering specialist Wikov Industry. “Europe needs to ease the tax load, more readily implement manufacturing into educational systems, and negotiate fair conditions for international trade with North America, China and India in particular.“By doing so, local businesses such as ourselves can then accelerate research and the development of hi-tech products and services, something that will ensure Europe becomes a long-term spearhead of global market competitiveness.”A company that has been ever-present on the industrial manufacturing scene since the First World War, passed down from generation to generation, Wikov Industry…
Samskip
Sea, road and rail transportation combined, Samskip’s integrational excellence is serving to revamp and revitalise logistics across industriesWriter: Jonathan DybleProject Manager: Richard ThomasTransportation. A cornerstone of European integration and economic growth, it is often considered to be the lifeblood of industry for many continental businesses.A vital part of the supply chain, mounting transportation challenges such as congestion and adverse environmental effects are being placed under the microscope as the logistics industry continues to become increasingly difficult to navigate.One company championing innovation in the face of these rising pressures, however, is Samskip Norway – a business that has been able to excel with a differentiated approach, and one with more than two decades of experience in the field. “Samskip began operating in Norway in the mid-90s, starting out by operating a shipping service between Norway and Iceland,” explains Are Grathen, the company’s Managing Director. “Since then, we’ve become a core part of the Samskip Group’s pan-European multimodal logistics network, committed to delivering operational excellence.”Combining rail, road and waterway transportation services into one overriding network, these multimodal operations stand the business apart from the competition, allowing it to proficiently provide sustainable and cost-effective supply chain solutions while cutting out unnecessary road mileage.“The fact that we are involved in all of these segments bar air freight, blending and fusing a multitude of different networks and logistics hubs under the same roof is our core competency,” explains Grathen. “It’s undoubtedly a competitive advantage, with attractive pricing, optimal transit times and environmentally friendly operations being staples of Samskip in Norway and across…
Water-Link
In the wake of a successful 2018, Flanders’ primary water provider, Water-Link, will continue to leverage innovation, differentiation and digitalisation in order to excel throughout the coming year.
Mobile World Congress 2019 Review
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Expert Eye: Salesforce on tackling the UK’s digital skills gap
Today, there are over 1.5 million people working in digital tech roles in the UK.The number of these across the country has grown at more than twice the rate of non-digital sectors, and now collectively contributes a staggering £130 billion to our economy, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As digital growth continues to accelerate, there is a real opportunity for the youth of today who can fulfil the world’s increasing digital needs as they venture into employment. To ensure we are giving young people the best chance of success in achieving this, sufficient support must be introduced. This requires a collaborative effort, not only to address the curriculum being offered in schools and other educational institutions, but also in workplaces so employers can continue to give staff the opportunities to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow. Accelerating learning for all We believe that everyone – no matter their background or circumstance – should have equal access to open learning that enables people to hone their digital skills and, in turn, put the building blocks in place for their careers. According to research conducted by City & Guilds Group and Emsi, nine in 10 UK employers are struggling to find qualified talent to fill vacant roles. This is putting pressure on our education system to prepare students for full-time employment. At the same time, the education provided by many schools is no longer what the workforce is looking for. Employers don’t require applicants to provide an array of exam results…
A look at Dubai’s newest luxury property project, XXII Carat
“A decade ago, Dubai was not a place to buy a home and settle down.“It was transient and short term and wasn’t taken seriously as somewhere you might want to spend the next 20 to 30 years of your life. But that has changed, dramatically.“Dubai is continuing to outperform real estate markets around the world in spite of the economic downturn and the drop in oil prices, with long-term stable growth patterns. And there is every indication that we will see strong growth in the next few months in particular.“We can expect a much more competitive environment going forward.”These are the words of Anton Yachmenev, Managing Director of Forum Group’s XXII Carat, a luxury property development sat in the Palm Jumeirah, one of the most exclusive and expensive residential areas in the emirate.“Dubai’s luxury real estate market is fast becoming an attractive proposition to a multitude of international buyers,” he continues.“The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai remains a hot spot for the luxury sector and, when complete, our XXII Carat development will redefine luxury living offering residents unrivalled style, convenience and seclusion.“There is an inherent resilience in the luxury market in particular, which continues to outpace the overall market.”Yachmenev correctly observes that Dubai’s luxury market is well sheltered from the nuances impacting the rest of the city’s property industry.While prices may fluctuate for a number of reasons, there is always a demand for one-off, high-end properties that buyers will acquire regardless of what the overall market is up to.This is evident in research released by Core Savills,…
MWC exclusive: Vodafone’s Phil Skipper on the future of IoT
What is IoT?A simple question at first glance, but one which carries an ever-changing answer depending on who you speak to and when.For us it was Phil Skipper, Head of Business Development (IoT) at Vodafone Business, who answered this in our final meeting before we hot-footed on a metro to Barcelona Airport.“For me, IoT is about connecting remote devices to drive two outcomes,” he says, sat across from us in a Vodafone-clad meeting room at the back of another enormous booth.“One is to drive efficiency in the business process and the second is to generate new revenue streams, what we call the business case of cost avoidance and the business case of revenue generation.”Skipper quickly refers to smart meters and internet in cars as examples of these two outcomes before the common denominator of MWC, 5G, enters the conversation.“The interesting thing is what 5G then does,” he continues. “It takes this from a data centric service to a control centric service, which potentially presents a third business case, meaning the definition may evolve from two business cases to three in time.”Vodafone, and Skipper, have witnessed first-hand the fluidity and evolution of IoT’s meaning over many years.The latter’s personal experience outside of the telco industry has served him in good stead, a manufacturing background with the likes of Siemens helping appreciate customer needs from an outcome-based perspective.“IoT very much started off as a technology sale, typically to a multinational with equal capabilities to companies like Vodafone,” Skipper recalls. “It was a peer-to-peer conversation.“As the market has matured,…