INKIA POISED TO BECOME THE LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCER IN PERU WITH TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPANSION PLANS

• More than 1 GW of new solar capacity to be available by end of 2025
• 3+ GW pipeline, out of which over 600 MW of wind projects to be launched in 2026
• By adding to its existing 2,237 MW of hydro, natural gas and BESS capacity, Inkia will secure its position as the largest and most diversified generation company in Peru

LIMA, Peru, Oct 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Inkia Energy, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kallpa, received environmental approval for the expansion of its solar power plant currently under construction in Southern Peru, a leading global solar resource hub. The approval will bring the solar project, Sunny, from 228 MWp to 338 MWp, and is expected to be fully operational by the second half of 2025. Based in Peru, Inkia Energy is the country’s largest power generator and is controlled by global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241008839657/en/

 

Besides Sunny, Inkia has enabled the construction of two adjacent solar projects, by signing energy and I-REC off-take agreements for these developments. With these three projects, Inkia will consolidate the energy of ‘Peru’s Solar Hub’, contributing approximately 1 GWp of renewable capacity to the National Interconnected Grid starting in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In addition, the company expects to launch two wind projects, with an aggregate capacity of at least 600 MW, in 2026. The wind developments, plus several other solar and BESS projects, will bolster the company’s position as the leading renewable energy player to supply Peru’s current and future energy needs. The initiatives reinforce Inkia’s value proposition to provide its customers with a continuous and reliable power supply produced by a combination of different renewable sources and efficient natural gas capacity, which is critical for covering renewable energy shortfalls and intermittency.

Inkia also offers several behind-the-meter energy solutions to its clients through its dedicated retail vehicle, Kondu, which has become one of the largest players in the small and medium enterprise (SME) market segment.

“Inkia is a developer at its core and was the fastest growing generation company during the last decade. The launch of Sunny marks the beginning of the Inkia 2.0 expansion campaign, aligned with Peru’s energy needs and securing Inkia as a leading energy solutions company in the country,” said Willem Van Twembeke, Inkia Energy’s CEO. “We believe that Inkia’s balanced portfolio, along with its investment grade rating, makes the company the top choice for clients in terms of reliability, both in energy and financial support.”

About Inkia Energy

Inkia is the largest power generator in Peru boasting 2,237 MW of installed capacity through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kallpa. Inkia Energy is controlled by I Squared Capital, a leading independent global infrastructure investor with over $40 billion in assets under management. In Peru, Inkia operates a portfolio of hydroelectric and efficient combined-cycle natural gas generation, and recently commissioned a 34 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Besides Sunny, Kallpa is developing several wind, solar and BESS projects, ensuring a continuous, reliable, and environmentally friendly electricity supply for Peru. Inkia also owns Kondu, an energy solutions vehicle dedicated to retail demand, offering several energy supply and behind-the-meter solutions to Inkia’s clients. Outside of Peru, Inkia has owned and operated generation and distribution assets for over 5.5 GW and 2 million clients, respectively, across Latin America. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=49498

NXHD Completes Acquisition Of German’s Simon Hegele, Becoming A Fully Owned Subsidiary

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Nippon Express Holdings Inc (NXHD) has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of all shares in German-based SH HoldCo GmbH (Simon Hegele), a group of companies specialising in contract logistics in the healthcare industry.

According to a statement, following a sale and purchase agreement inked recently, this transaction will enable NXHD to acquire a unique and scalable healthcare platform in Europe, a significant market for contract logistics.

The company expects to receive highly complementary capabilities and synergistic value through the integration of Simon Hegele with its global network and international forwarding business, resulting in three new growth opportunities.

The three new growth opportunities are growth in the healthcare market; enhancement of end-to-end solutions and cross-selling for healthcare as well as industry and retail clients; and geographical expansion of Simon Hegele's business.

NXHD aims to achieve early realisation of these growth opportunities and provide its customers with higher quality logistics solutions by welcoming Simon Hegele into the group.

"I am looking forward to moving forward on the same path towards the future with the Simon Hegele Group. Specifically, I believe that we can provide even greater value to our customers by combining NX Group's global network capabilities with Simon Hegele's advanced logistics expertise, especially in the healthcare sector," said NXHD Director and Executive Officer, Mamoru Akaishi.

Meanwhile, Simon Hegele Group Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Ulrich said: "It was clear to us that we wanted to find a strategic partner that was a good fit for us, and at the same time is passionate about working with us to further develop tailor-made solutions for our internationally active customers on a global level."

Earlier this year, the company launched the "NX Group Business Plan 2028 Dynamic Growth 2.0 ~ Accelerating Sustainable Growth~" as a guideline for the next five years, promoting business growth in the global market towards the achievement of its long-term vision "To become a logistics company with a strong presence in the global market by 2037".

One of the company’s strategies to achieve this vision is to expand its range of services for each customer, and as part of this strategy, it is advancing the development of a global end-to-end service infrastructure tailored to its customers' industries.

-- BERNAMA

DUCK CREEK TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE RISK MANAGEMENT, MITIGATION SOLUTIONS VIA RCT ACQUISITION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) insurance, has acquired Risk Control Technologies Inc (RCT), a Toronto-based provider of risk management and loss control solutions.

This strategic investment is set to transform how insurance carriers prevent loss and manage risk, enabling deployment of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities at the forefront.

In a statement, Duck Creek Technologies Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mike Jackowski said RCT is a leader in not only identifying potential loss, but preventing it through preemptive risk mitigation.

“In addition to sharing Duck Creek’s core values, RCT’s leadership and team members bring a wealth of insurance knowledge and experience. Together, we will help insurers work closely with their policyholders to prevent losses, improve safety and better prepare for the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, RCT CEO, David Da Costa said being part of Duck Creek will strengthen its goal to help carriers optimise and increase risk-data coverage across their entire business.

“We are excited to be part of Duck Creek and to work jointly to deliver modern technology innovations that transform the insurance industry and help insurers strengthen their customer engagements and drive impactful operational efficiencies,” said Da Costa.

The RCT RiskHub platform will enhance the Duck Creek software as a service (SaaS) suite of insurance technology products, further increasing Duck Creek’s ability to improve underwriting accuracy, optimise claims processes, and reduce overall risk exposure.

By integrating RCT’s solution into Duck Creek platform, insurance carriers will have rich predictive capabilities, enabling them to better manage underwriting risks and maximise an efficient, integrated policy and claims management experience.

RCT’s industry-leading loss control and risk assessment platform will be seamlessly integrated with Duck Creek’s comprehensive suite of products to enable data-driven decisions for all stakeholders to improve proactive risk mitigation.

-- BERNAMA

QIANDONGNAN SEES SURGE IN TOURISM ALONG CHINA'S RURAL TOURISM HIGHWAY 1

QIANDONGNAN, China, Oct. 9, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

From January to August 2024, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 has welcomed over 25 million visitors and generated a tourism revenue of more than 12 billion yuan, showcasing the vigorous development of tourism in Qiandongnan, according to the data from the Bureau of Culture, Sports, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.
 
Qiandongnan, located in the southwest of China, is praised as the last refuge for the weary human spirit for its ecological and cultural treasures such as Yuntai Mountain, Xijiang Miao Village and Village Super League.
 
To enable tourists to experience the charm of these treasures all at once, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 was jointly launched by Qiandongnan Prefecture and Chinese National Geography in September 2023. It aims to integrate with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, serving as an important step for rural revitalization and East-West Pairing-off Cooperation for Poverty Reduction.
 
With a total length of 2,180 kilometers, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 includes the Miao and Dong Cultural Route, Cultural and Natural Scenery Route and Terraced Fields Scenery Route, running through 16 counties (cities), featuring natural scenery, minority villages and sports events.
 
Since the launch of the Boutique Tourism Loop of Traditional Villages in Dong Township, part of the Miao and Dong Cultural Route, Zhaoxing Dong Village and 12 surrounding villages have welcomed 787,200 visitors and generated a tourism revenue of 702 million yuan from January to August 2024, benefiting the locals and promoting economic development.
 
To further explore tourism resources along China's Rural Tourism Highway 1, Qiandongnan has created China's first premium road trip route for women and established a system of slow-paced travel on scenic highways in the region. It has also launched the Three Thousands and Three Villages Tourism Route, and a new traveling plan, Have Fun in Qiandongnan, providing tourists with diverse experiences.
 
For future plans, Qiandongnan will continue to develop tourism towards the goal of building a world-class ethnic cultural tourism destination based on China's Rural Tourism Highway 1.
 
Source: Bureau of Culture, Sports, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=49479

‘CHA CHAAN TENG’ DEBUT IN PARIS TO FURTHER CEMENTS HONG KONG AS ASIA’S ARTS AND CULTURE HUB

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced its presentation of a Hong Kong-style café, a “Cha Chaan Teng”, at Art Basel Paris from Oct 16 to 20 at the Grand Palais, inviting Hong Kong-based artist Trevor Yeung to illuminate the classic diner with his light artistry.

This marks the first activation in its pioneering three-year global partnership with the world class art fair, following the initial announcement in Basel this June, according to HKTB in a statement.

HKTB Executive Director, Dane Cheng said this collaboration underscores its commitment to promoting Hong Kong as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, and the art hub in Asia.

“By sharing the city’s unique character through this immersive experience at the inaugural edition of the three-year partnership at Grand Palais, we hope to inspire travellers to visit our city and discover its thriving creative community and rich cultural experiences,” he said.

HKTB will bring an authentic Cha Chaan Teng experience to Art Basel Paris, a dining format harking back to the 1950s known for its bustling ambiance and eclectic menus of comfort food merging Eastern and Western cultures.

This vibrant gathering space in the heart of Grand Palais will introduce international audiences to the city’s unique culture by showcasing diverse culinary flavours, artistic excellence, and dynamic social atmosphere.

Yeung has created a new artwork especially for the Cha Chaan Teng, which is his next instalment of a well-known series titled Chaotic Suns featuring chandelier-like illuminated artworks, last seen at the 24th Biennale of Sydney in 2024, where he uses the gradient of light to bring the classic Cha Chaan Teng to life.

The positioning of a Hong Kong-style café in the locality of Paris encapsulates Hong Kong’s intrinsic ‘East-meets-West’ culture, presenting a sensory journey to visitors by serving the city delicacies including pineapple buns, egg tarts, milk tea, and mango pudding.

The space will also feature classic design elements such as nostalgic colourful patterned floor tiles and cosy booths, as well as Hong Kong’s signature neon signage.

The collaboration between Art Basel and HKTB fortifies Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s arts and culture hub, hosting flagship art events such as Art Basel, the fair’s only destination in Asia.

-- BERNAMA

OPENGEAR FURTHER SIMPLIFIES IT MANAGEMENT COMPLEXITY

Opengear Unveils Advanced Solutions to Streamline IT Management for AI Innovation, Security, and Compliance

EDISON, N.J., Oct 9 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Opengear, a Digi International company (NASDAQ, DGII, www.digi.com) and provider of secure and Smart Out of Band management solutions, has introduced two new advanced offerings. These innovative solutions will simplify initial setup with zero-touch provisioning and ensure access to IT infrastructure. Opengear continues to be an IT industry leader by providing a highly secure and easy-to-use management solution that reinforces its commitment to supporting IT professionals around the globe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241008772657/en/

 

Today, Opengear unveiled key enhancements for its Network Resilience Platform. These advanced solutions — Connected Resource Gateway (CRG) and Lighthouse Service Portal (LSP) — dramatically reduce complexity and provide efficiency to IT organizations that are under vast pressure due to increasing demands to deliver results with fewer resources. CRG and LSP simplify the deployment process while providing ease of access, improved security, and simplified management when monitoring and managing IT infrastructure.

Opengear's hybrid cloud model for Lighthouse enables organizations to choose where to use critical applications and services, ensuring they meet regulatory and compliance requirements. As IT complexity increases with growing security, compliance, and AI demands, this hybrid approach mitigates risks while ensuring resilience across IT operations.

Douglas Wadkins, Vice President of Product Management & Strategy, said, “Opengear is committed to delivering solutions that solve real-world challenges. Customers rely on Opengear's solution before their network is operational, when it is unavailable and for everyday IT operations. LSP provides zero-touch provisioning for Opengear appliances and CRG ensures immediate, reliable, and secure access to essential tasks when managing IT infrastructure.”

Connected Resource Gateway (CRG): Simplifying access while strengthening security, CRG streamlines operations for IT teams managing complex infrastructure. It seamlessly integrates with Opengear's Smart Management Fabric (SMF), ensuring a dependable link between network management tools, users, and managed endpoints.

Available via our Lighthouse software solution, CRG now enables IT professionals and networking tools to securely access connected IT resources through a web interface offering serial or IP-based connectivity options. Access is managed through roles, permissions, and attributes, providing flexible and secure connections. It simplifies network management by eliminating the need for complicated client software installations or configurations.

Lighthouse Service Portal (LSP): Designed to simplify the deployment of data center and edge site network infrastructure, LSP streamlines the provisioning of Opengear devices into the Lighthouse software. This cloud-based service easily automates the onboarding of new Opengear appliances. Customers can then leverage configuration management tools and API integrations to push configurations through the Lighthouse Smart Management Fabric and Connected Resource Gateway, completing the provisioning of Opengear appliances and connected network resources.

Available through the Opengear customer portal and in conjunction with Lighthouse, LSP simplifies and secures the enrollment process, providing a smoother, more efficient starting point for IT management.

For more information, request a demo and visit: https://opengear.com/products/lighthouse/. Or please contact your Opengear representative for details.

About Opengear

Opengear, a Digi International company, delivers secure, resilient access and automation to support critical IT infrastructure on the First Day, Worst Day, and Every Day. Through presence and proximity, Opengear solutions enable provisioning, orchestration, and remote management of network devices through innovative software and appliances. Opengear solutions are trusted by global organizations across financial, digital communications, retail, and manufacturing sectors. The company is headquartered in New Jersey, with an R&D center in Brisbane, Australia. For more information, visit www.opengear.com/.

About Digi International

Digi International (NASDAQ: DGII) is a leading global provider of business and mission-critical Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity products and solutions. We help our customers create next-generation connected products and solutions to deploy, monitor, and manage critical communications infrastructures and compliance standards in demanding environments with high levels of security, relentless reliability, and bulletproof performance. Founded in 1985, the company has helped customers connect more than 100 million things — and counting. For more information, visit www.digi.com, or call 877-912-3444 (U.S.) or 952-912-3444 (International). 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=49472

Curia Makes Significant Strides In Net Zero Pledges

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Curia announced its commitment to set near- and long-term company-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in line with science-based net zero with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

According to Curia in a statement, to achieve this goal, the company will be investing resources over the next two years to evaluate and develop GHG emission reduction targets for submission to and approval by the SBTi.

“Our targets are ambitious, but we recognise the urgency and importance of cutting emissions in the near-term. With facilities in the United States, Europe and Asia, our actions can have a significant effect on communities on a global scale.

“Environmental stewardship has long been a priority for Curia, and this pledge underscores our commitment to continuous improvement in reducing our environmental impact and bringing us closer to a more sustainable future,” said its chief executive officer, Philip Macnabb.

The net-zero commitment is another step forward for Curia’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programme, a cross-functional team that advances the company’s environmental and social stewardship with sound corporate governance.

Its ESG programme links with the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) management system, modelled after ISO 14001 and 45001, the global standards for environmental management systems and occupational health and safety management systems.

Curia’s EHS management system is grounded on eight key pillars that serve as the framework to deliver measurable improvements year-over-year, and sustainability is one key pillar within that framework that underlies the net-zero commitment.

With this commitment, Curia also joins the United Nations’ Race to Zero campaign, a global coalition of non-state actors working toward halving global emissions by 2030.

Curia is a contract research, development and manufacturing organisation, with over 30 years of experience, an integrated network of over 20 global sites and 3,500 employees partnering with biopharmaceutical customers to bring life-changing therapies to market.

-- BERNAMA