13 October 2021 Brussels, Belgium

The Board of Members of the World Steel Association (worldsteel) has elected the following Executive Board of Directors for the 2021/2022 period. The individuals on the Executive Board of Directors will hold office for one year:

• Chairman – Sajjan JINDAL, JSW Steel Limited
• Vice-Chairman – YU Yong, HBIS Group Co., Ltd.
• Vice-Chairman – Jeong-Woo CHOI, POSCO
• Treasurer – Mark VASSELLA, BlueScope Steel Limited
• Chairman of the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) – Timoteo DI MAULO, Aperam

Mr Jindal addressed the Board of Members, thanking Dr Yu Yong for his capable chairmanship over the last two years, and welcoming addressing the challenges for the global industry going forward, particularly with respect to climate change.

The Board of Members has also elected the 2021/2022 Executive Committee:

• Salah AL-ANSARI – HADEED, Saudi Iron & Steel Company (a SABIC affiliate)
• David B. BURRITT – United States Steel Corporation
• CHEN Derong – China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited
• Jeong-Woo CHOI – POSCO
• Uğur DALBELER – Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş.
• Eiji HASHIMOTO – Nippon Steel Corporation
• Sajjan JINDAL – JSW Steel Limited
• André Bier Gerdau JOHANNPETER – Gerdau S.A.
• Yoshihisa KITANO – JFE Steel Corporation
• Lakshmi N. MITTAL – ArcelorMittal
• Alexey A. MORDASHOV – Severstal (PAO)
• Thachat Viswanath NARENDRAN – Tata Steel Limited
• Paolo ROCCA – Techint Group
• Leon J. TOPALIAN – Nucor Corporation
• YU Yong – HBIS Group Co., Ltd.
• Hubert ZAJICEK – voestalpine A.G.

and

• Edwin BASSON, World Steel Association (worldsteel), as Secretary

The Board of Members has also welcomed the following steel producers as regular members:

• Siam Yamato Steel Company Corporation (SYS) (Thailand), represented by Damrongsak JATURONGPATANA
• SULB Company (Bahrain), represented by Ravi SINGH

The following is welcomed as an affiliated member:

• Indian Iron & Steel Sector Skill Council (IISSSC) (India), represented by Sushim BANERJEE

• The World Steel Association (worldsteel) is one of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world, with members in every major steel-producing country. worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. Members

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AccorHotels has signed an agreement with Thailand-based real estate developer Khaolak Inter Co., Ltd. on 15 June 2018 to launch the brand new 251-room Pullman Khao Lak Resort opening in 2021.

The resort is the group’s second partnership with Khaolak Inter Co., Ltd. following the opening of Novotel Phuket Patong in 1996. Renowned for its stylish contemporary design, Pullman is where the new global nomads find inspiration and make connections.

Differentiating from its neighbouring resort island of Phuket, the coastal town of Khao Lak is sought out for its uncrowded beaches, magnificent offshore islands, and pristine nature. The world-renowned SCUBA dive and snorkelling hotspots of Surin Islands and Similan Islands are just 1.5 hours off the beach-rimmed coastline by speedboat.

“This partnership marks an important step for AccorHotels and we are very excited to partner with Khaolak Inter Co., Ltd. to expand our portfolio in Southern Thailand with the Pullman brand. Pullman represents global nomads of hyper-connected travellers and sophisticated explorers who enjoy combining work and pleasure,” said Patrick Basset, Chief Operating Officer AccorHotels Upper Southeast & Northeast Asia and the Maldives.

Located just an hour’s drive north of Phuket Island on the gorgeous Andaman seaboard, Khao Lak is one of Thailand’s most peaceful resort destinations. A rare oasis for a private getaway and relaxation, Pullman Khao Lak Resort offers beachfront accommodation with expansive white sandy beaches.  Designed by award winning Tierra, Design and Hypothesis, Pullman Khao Lak is situated in a tranquil stretch of gentle-sloping beach in Khaolak near to the historical heritage town of Ta Kua Pa.

The resort boasts 50 family suites and a large kids club specially designed for guests travelling with children. For couples and business travelers looking for a peaceful getaway, the resort also offers 7 private villas and an adult-only infinity pool that overlooks the sparkling blue waters of the Andaman.

“We look forward to another exciting partnership with AccorHotels with the launch of Pullman Khao Lak. The resort offers travellers a gorgeous backdrop of the island’s sunsets with stunning views of its surrounding nature that showcases a rich historical local culture. The combined expertise with AccorHotels will give us an opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of the local community in the area.” said Michael Choo, Director of Khaolak Inter Co., Ltd.

To wine and dine, the resort offers an all-day dining, a specialty restaurant and lobby bar. Wellness facilities include three pools, health and fitness centre, a beach club and a spa.  For meetings, weddings and corporate events, the resort features two meeting rooms with two breakout rooms.

The favoured flight gateway to Khao Lak is 80 kilometres south in Phuket International Airport, which welcomed the opening of a new terminal last year. Should ongoing plans of Phang Nga Airport come to fruition, it will provide the first commercial aviation gateway to Khao Lak, bringing travellers one step closer to the tropical beauty of Khao Lak and Phang Nga Province.

There are currently over 120 Pullman hotels in 33 countries worldwide and Asia Pacific accounts for more than 70 hotels and resorts and more than 21,000 rooms. Pullman will continue to expand its portfolio with Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa in Fiji; Pullman Doha in Qatar; Pullman Mandalay Mingalar in Myanmar; Pullman Westlands in Nairobi; Pullman Luang Prabang in Laos; and Pullman Tokyo Tamachi in Japan.

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS

AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,300 hotels, resorts and residences across 100 different countries.

With an unrivaled portfolio of internationally renowned hotel brands encompassing the entire range from luxury to economy, from upscale to lifestyle and midscale brands, AccorHotels has been providing savoir-faire and expertise for more than 50 years.

In addition to its core hospitality business, AccorHotels has successfully expanded its range of services, becoming the world leader in luxury private residence rental with more than 10,000 stunning properties around the world. The Group is also active in the fields of concierge services, co-working, dining, events management and digital solutions.

Relying on its global team of more than 250,000 dedicated staff, AccorHotels is committed to fulfilling its primary mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome.  Guests have access to one of the world’s most attractive hotel loyalty programs – Le Club AccorHotels. 

AccorHotels plays an active role in its local communities and is committed to promoting sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21 Acting Here, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.

From 2008, the AccorHotels Solidarity Endowment Fund has acted as a natural extension of the Group’s activities and values, helping to combat the social and financial exclusion experienced by the most disadvantaged members of society.

Accor SA is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACRFY) in the United States.

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit accorhotels.group or accorhotels.com. Or join and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT PULLMAN

Pullman Hotels & Resorts delivers an experience that is upscale, upbeat and perfectly in tempo with the global zeitgeist. Against the backdrop of today’s fast paced life, Pullman helps guests be at their best, in business and at leisure, enabling them to seamlessly conduct business, explore the locale, workout and make connections – to the neighborhood and people around them. Retaining the values of exploration, comfort and dependability that drove it to become a pioneering travel brand over 150 years ago, Pullman today features more than 120 worldwide properties including Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, Pullman Park Lane Hong Kong, Pullman Shanghai South, Pullman London St Pancras and Pullman Sao Paulo Vila Olimpia. Pullman is part of AccorHotels, a world-leading travel and lifestyle group which invites travelers to feel welcome at more than 4,300 hotels, resorts and residences, along with some 10,000 of the finest private homes around the globe.

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AccorHotels and LP Holding have signed a joint agreement to develop three new hotels in Myanmar. The partnership will see the opening of Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort in the second quarter of this year and the development of Pullman Yangon Centrepoint and Mandalay Hill Resort MGallery by Sofitel slated to open in 2017 and 2020 respectively.

“We are very pleased to partner with LP Holding with the development of these three new properties in Myanmar. The three hotels are situated in strategic locations in Yangon and Mandalay, for tourists and business guests alike,” says Patrick Basset, Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels, Upper Southeast and Northeast Asia. “Pullman, our upscale hotel brand, is designed to cater to the requirements of cosmopolitan, seasoned travelers, as well as meetings and incentive events while MGallery by Sofitel is a collection of high-end boutique hotels, each with its own unique personality and story that are experienced by guests through the architecture, interior design and services. Mercure hotels, our midscale brand, are always unique because they are rooted in their local communities and meet shared quality standards. Combined, the three hotels will add to the Group’s growing portfolio, which ranges from luxury to economy,” Mr. Basset adds.

“LP Holding’s partnership with AccorHotels combines the expertise of a global hospitality company with a strong local market expertise,” says Lertsak Nopburanand, Director of LP Holding Co., Ltd. “After the sanctions were lifted, Myanmar became one of the most sought-after destinations in Southeast Asia. These three hotels will give travelers additional hotel choices with the growing tourism in the country particularly in Mandalay, as the city continues to develop.”

In 2015, tourism was the driving force in the Myanmar economy where revenue grew by 19% as inbound traffic increased totally $2.1bn or more than 4% of the country’s GDP. In the next 10 years, the World Travel and Tourism Council projects that Myanmar’s tourism industry will rank second out of 184 countries for long-term growth. It was ranked 15th globally in 2016.[1]

Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort

Set on 11 acres of tropical gardens, Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort features 206 rooms with spectacular views of Mandalay Hill, the Royal Palace, the Irrawaddy River and the city of Mandalay, once the Royal Capital of Myanmar. Dining outlets include three restaurants – Yadanabon, Mings Chinese and Kinsana Garden and two bars – Kipling’s Lounge Bar and Garden Tivaratee.  MICE facilities include a conference centre, a ballroom and three meeting rooms.

Pullman Yangon Centrepoint

Situated opposite Yangon’s iconic High Court building and the famous Independence Monument Park, the newly built Pullman Yangon Centrepoint will be part of Centrepoint Towers, one of the tallest commercial buildings in the city. The hotel features 300 guest rooms, an all-day-dining outlet, two specialty restaurants, a destination sky bar and lobby lounge. Meetings and events space include a ballroom and ten meeting rooms.  Leisure facilities include a pool, fitness centre and a spa.

Mandalay Hill Resort, MGallery by Sofitel

Debuting in 2020, the newly built Mandalay Hill Resort, MGallery by Sofitel will offer a high-end experience in a truly unique atmosphere. Situated near Mandalay’s most iconic cultural monuments, the luxury boutique hotel will feature 150 guest rooms and villas, a restaurant and bar. The stunning outdoor pool and spa, shared with neighbouring Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort, promise memorable moments.

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS

AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,100 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 3,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. Benefiting from dual expertise as an investor and operator through its HotelServices and HotelInvest divisions, AccorHotels operates in 95 countries. Its portfolio comprises internationally acclaimed luxury brands including Raffles, Sofitel Legend, SO Sofitel, Sofitel, Fairmont, onefinestay, MGallery by Sofitel, Pullman, and Swissôtel; as well as the popular midscale and boutique brands of 25hours, Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter and Adagio; the much-prized economy brands including JO&JOE, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and the regional brands Grand Mercure, The Sebel and hotelF1. AccorHotels provides innovative end-to-end services across the entire traveler experience, notably through the recent acquisition of John Paul, world leader in concierge services.

With an unmatched collection of brands and rich history spanning close to five decades, AccorHotels, along with its global team of more than 250,000 dedicated women and men, has a purposeful and heartfelt mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome. Guests enjoy access to one of the world’s most rewarding hotel loyalty programs – Le Club AccorHotels.

AccorHotels is active in its local communities and committed to sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.

Accor SA is publicly listed with shares trading on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY) in the United States.

For more information and reservations visit accorhotels.group or accorhotels.com.

[1] http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/news/myanmar%E2%80%99s-tourism-industry-set-rapidly-expand

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Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the grand opening of the “CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO,“ the world’s first flagship store from the Citizen Watch Group, in the newly launching GINZA SIX, Tokyo’s premier luxury shopping destination, opening in Ginza on April 20, 2017. The new store boasts one of the largest collections of CITIZEN brands and Citizen Watch Group brands curated under one roof, including the world’s first Arnold & Son boutique, and aims to welcome customers from around the world, in line with company’s mission to enrich the lives of global citizens.

Citizen Flagship Store Tokyo

CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO is located ground floor of GINZA SIX—the newest and largest commercial complex in the prestigious Ginza district, the foremost shopping destination for international travellers to Japan. With 300 square meters of floor space throughout, the store was designed with wide display areas for a leisurely shopping experience, where customers may view,

touch and experience a full range of timepieces first-hand. The location also incorporates devoted spaces catering to both domestic and international shoppers, including an onsite repair workshop staffed with multilingual customer service agents and knowledgeable brand specialists, to consult visitors on the full range of products and brands. Regular events will also be held to showcase the beauty of Citizen Group watches and the craftsmanship of its watchmakers, to engage customers and collectors, and encourage a unique experience upon every visit.

“Ginza represents an international destination of the latest fashion and trends, where thousands of visitors from around the world visit each year,” said Toshio Tokura, President and CEO, Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. “The new Citizen Flagship Store Tokyo, located in this world-renowned district, offers our most complete collection of watches from our most celebrated Citizen Watch Group brands, brought together to cater to international shoppers and their wide-ranging tastes and preferences. New flagship store aims to stand as a base for watch enthusiasts, where they can come together and learn about our bands, and discover and appreciate the beauty of our timepieces. We are pleased to be able to accomplish this at the first-class Ginza Six complex.”

In keeping with the company’s global multi-brand strategy, the CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO houses a full line up of CITIZEN and Citizen Watch Group brands, including Alpina, Arnold & Son, BULOVA, CAMPANOLA, Frederique Constant, and others, and also features exclusive, limited edition models commemorating the new store launch.

To commemorate the launch of the new store, CITIZEN is releasing an exclusive “CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO Limited Edition” watch line, in addition to limited edition models “ATTESA” and “xC,” which are exclusive to the Japan market. CAMPANOLA will also introduce a limited edition model to commemorate the opening of the flagship store, as well as offer a large selection of timepieces, including the CAMPANOLA Mechanical Collection.

About CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO Limited Edition Watches

Citizen is introducing two limited edition timepiece sets under the Eco-Drive One and CAMPANOLA brands, commemorating the grand opening of the CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO; both models are available at the store beginning on April 20, 2017.

Models:                  Eco-Drive One (5 sets)

CITIZEN’s flagship light-powered timepiece with a refined ultra-slim design

CAMPANOLA (20 sets)

A limited edition combining traditional Japanese urushi lacquer and mechanical movement by La Joux-Perret SA of Switzerland

Price range: JPY750,000 – JPY1,200,000 (excluding tax)

Available: April 20, 2017

Product Specifications

Eco-Drive One

Model Number                AR5014-12E

Launch Date                   April 20^th 2017

Price                                JPY750,000 + tax

Limited Edition                 Five sets available / CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO Limited model

Case Material/                Cermet with binderless cemented carbide bezel

Crystal                             Sapphire with anti-reflective coating

Dial Color                        Black

Size                                  Diameter: 39.0mm /thickness: B2.la9c8km m (design specification only*)

Movement                      Cal.8826/ Eco-Drive/ Accuracy of ±15 seconds per month / Light-powered Eco-Drive / runs 12

CAMPANOLA- the Mechanical Collection – Kinran

Model Number                NZ0004-06P

Launch Date                   April 20, 2017

Price                                JPY1,200,000 + tax

Limited Edition                 Total 200 units available / CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE TOKYO Limited model

Case Material/ Band       Stainless steel / crocodile leather

Bezel                                18K gold

Crystal                             Dual spherical sapphire crystal (anti-reflective coating)

Back cover                      Screw-type transparent/ sapphire crystal

Dial                                  Black Urushi lacquer + gold color

Size Diameter:                 42mm / thickness: 14mm (*design specification only)

Number of jewels            25

Country                           Swiss movement /Japan assembly

Run time                          About 42 hours (on full wind)

Frequency                       28,800 beats/hour (8 beats/second)

Precision                          Average -5 to +10 seconds per day

Movement                      Cal.Y513 Mechanical (automatic + manual winding) big date calendar / power reserve indicator Second hand stop function / water resistant

CITIZEN WATCH GROUP MAIN BRANDS

CITIZEN

Founded in 1918, CITIZEN is a watch brand that operates in over 130 countries across the world. Based on our philosophy, “Better Starts Now,” a belief that no matter where you are, you can make now a starting point to make things better, over the years, we have introduced ‘Eco-Drive,’ the world’s first light powered technology, the state-of-the-art GPS satellite wave watch, amongst other innovations with a relentless passion to invent the next possibility of watches. We invite you to our extensive collection of timepieces, an infusion of technology and beauty, only possible from a true manufacturer who creates everything from the parts to the final watch.

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New Delhi – May 4^th, 2017 – Gionee India, country’s leading youth marketer, celebrated their association with one of the most followed teams of the Indian Premier League Team, ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’, in the presence of Mr. William Lu, President, Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Ltd.

Celebrating the occasion, Mr. William Lu, President, Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Ltd, says, “Reaching out to every last customer and adding a mile to their smiles is integral to us, at Gionee. It’s a great association with Kolkata Knight Riders as the team resonates with our brand philosophy of providing the best to our customers and keeping them cheerful and satisfied. The strong relationship has empowered us to grow our customer base as well as secure supporters for the team. As the players continue to triumph with such high notches, we are extremely proud to be part of KKR’s shining fortune with our orange identity, focusing on Selfie and Battery”.

The winning association further pushes Gionee’s aggressive brand strengthening in India which includes launching its flagship product of the year, A1, with an exciting proposition, #Selfiestan featuring brand ambassador Alia Bhat. Gionee has also recently signed up three new brand ambassadors – Shruti Hasan, Diljit Dosanjh and Dulquer Salmaan to further its regional and emotional connect with consumers across the country.

Gionee is also the principal sponsor of the Kolkata Franchise- ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’ in the league for the last 3 years. The smartphone giant is also the presenting sponsor for Royal Challengers Bangalore this season, hence becoming the first brand ever to bag the jersey sponsorship for two IPL teams in the same edition.

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ANDREW YULE & CO., LTD.

Chairman’s Speech at the 67^th Annual General Meeting held on 28^th July, 2015

Dear Shareholders,

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to the 67^th Annual General Meeting of your Company and present before you the Annual Report of your Company for the financial year 2014-15.

The Annual Report containing the Director’s Report and Audited Accounts for the year 2014-15 has been with you for sometime now and I am sure you have had the opportunity on going through it. With your permission, I take it as read.

I am very proud to announce that your Company has come out of BIFR. The year  2014-15 was an excellent year for your Company and after a gap of 21 years your Company had recommended to pay dividend, subject to your approval.

I am happy to inform you that your Company have achieved an all-time record turnover of Rs. 377.64 crores which indicates an upward trend in Company’s overall performance. I am sure, very soon your Company’s turnover will be over Rs. 500 crores.

The turnover of Andrew Yule Group had reached an ever best height of Rs. 1585.70 crores and profit before tax of Rs. 172.48 crores. This could be achieved mainly due to improvement in the operations and dedicated work of all the employees of your Company and the Group Companies.

I am happy to inform you that current year’s performance of your company will be better than the last year mainly due to excellent performance of Tea Division of your Company.

Your Tea Division are constantly modernizing their facilities to remain at the top of the quality chart and giving special emphasis on value added deliverance. Now Estates are considered as one of the best managed Tea Estates among the Tea Industry, which is a matter of pride for all of us and most of our Gardens are within the top 10 in terms of quality. Your Company’s Gardens have now become a “Bench Mark” for many in the Tea Industry.

The performance of your Electrical Division, improved considerably compared to that of the previous year. The order in-take position of your Engineering Division continuous to be encouraging but despite of all efforts the expected level of activity could not be achieved as execution thereof became difficult owing to paucity of Working Capital. However, every endeavour is being made to provide requisite financial support for gradual improvement in the performance of the Division. Your Directors hope that some positive result maybe achieved during the current financial year.

Your Company under its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) different Project Schemes have taken up ‘Yule Centre for Learning’, Vocational Training Centers, Medical Camps, Village Development Programme, Awareness Programme during 2014-15 and total expenditure on different project of social activities during last four years are available in the Annual Report, already with you. Details of CSR activities are available in Company’s Website www.andrewyule.com

A Report on Corporate Governance together with a Certificate from the Auditors regarding compliance of condition of Corporate Governance as required by Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement is annexed with Annual Report already with you.

I would like to acknowledge the valuable guidance, support and co-operations received from the Department of Heavy Industry, the Central and State Governments, valued shareholders, suppliers and for the contributions made by the employees of your Company at all levels and seek their continued co-operation and support for the years to come.

Thanking you,

Chairman

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Outages and failures of public cloud twice as likely when compared to private cloud

Kolkata– May 21, 2015 – Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), announced results of an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) study, “Preparing for next-generation cloud: Lessons learned and insights shared,” which found that 87% of the organizations surveyed indicated their senior management were concerned with security and privacy of corporate data for cloud implementations. Responses also indicated that outages and failures of public cloud implementations were twice as likely to occur when compared to private cloud. Almost half of the respondents indicated the biggest risk of a failed implementation to be loss of customer data.

Cloud computing continues to transform the entire IT industry. It’s created new market opportunities, adjacent product or service opportunities and new lines of business for many organizations. It has also given IT organizations, providers and integrators more agile, streamlined and cost-effective ways to deliver services to users and customers. While cloud computing has delivered many benefits, cloud adoption also continues to challenge even the most nimble of companies.

Study Highlights

• 67% of respondents have suffered some type of incident or issue related to their cloud computing implementation.
• Of the respondents experiencing an incident, 9% indicated it as being “high damage”, while 55% indicated the damage as being “limited” and 34% “medium.”
• 46% of respondents consider “loss of customer data” as the biggest risk to their organization of a failed cloud implementation, followed by loss of revenue (40%) and breach of customer privacy (36%).
• 26% of survey respondents who experienced a cloud incident cite a “prolonged failure to integrate” with the public cloud as a problem. A majority (36%) cited a technical error on the part of their own organization as being a primary cause of the incident.

By gathering lessons learned from cloud implementations of 232 global IT executives, the 2015 Economist Intelligence Unit report identifies five best practices that can help organizations make the most of their cloud opportunities. These best practices can help drive greater business agility, improved data access and a more productive, mobilized workforce:

• Ensure cloud providers can meet corporate business and IT requirements.
• Choose the right cloud service for greater control over security and data protection.
• Use cloud architectures that enable connections from cloud services to existing IT infrastructure.
• Consider factors beyond costs, such as cloud’s potential to improve business operations and boost innovation and employee efficiency.
• Define business requirements for IT to offer cloud services and act as cloud brokers.

The Silver Lining: Opportunities Abound for Companies to Secure and Protect Their Data in the Cloud

In alignment with these best practices, the Hitachi Content Platform (HCP), rated #1 most secure object storage solution according to Gartner in their Critical Capabilities report, delivers distinct advantages that can accelerate cloud adoption for organizations. This family of products lets you build your own secure, scalable and easy-to-manage cloud. It includes HCP, an object-based cloud storage platform; HCP Anywhere, an enterprise-class file sync and share solution; and Hitachi Data Ingestor (HDI), a cloud storage gateway. These three solutions are tightly integrated, offering maximum data mobility so that organizations can avoid being trapped by traditional technology silos. Taking data mobility a step further, HCP provides a hybrid cloud architecture that enables organizations to move data to and between their choice of public clouds for the datasets and workloads they deem appropriate to move offsite. The rich data management and hybrid capabilities of HCP provide IT with the tools to become internal brokers for their organizations’ cloud services, while maintaining full control and visibility to ensure that proper data security, sovereignty and compliance are upheld. This means IT organizations can provide secure data access for their users anywhere, anytime, on any device.

The industry-leading HCP portfolio for content mobility, empowers workforces and maintains visibility and control with an agile hybrid cloud. It is cloud neutral with no lock-in and manages data globally for secure flexibility to stay ahead of cloud and mobility trends. Poised for outstanding efficiency gains and new business innovations, the HCP portfolio promotes faster time to value, and adaptability to market changes. Organizations can more easily meet compliancy demands with automated data retention policies and proactive responses to storage capacity management. Finding a balanced approach between flexible workplace mobility and corporate control and visibility of the data is now possible.

“One of the reasons we chose Hitachi Content Platform was for its integrated architecture that is ready for cloud. It is extremely flexible and scalable, eliminates the need to run daily backup procedures, provides synchronization and file sharing, and ensures a high level of security. All key requirements for us.” – said Giuseppe Alibrandi, CTO di Banca Popolare di Milano.

About the Report
“Preparing for next-generation cloud: Lessons learned and insights shared” is an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) research program, sponsored by Hitachi Data Systems. The report surveyed 232 global IT executives in 2015 to explore companies’ experiences with cloud adoption.

About HDS and Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., provides information technologies, services and solutions that help companies improve IT costs and agility, and innovate with information to make a difference in the world. Our products, services and solutions are trusted by the world’s leading enterprises, including more than 70% of the Fortune 100 and more than 80% of the Fortune Global 100. Visit us at www.HDS.com.      

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

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Launch of “  ”, New Brand in Bar & Wire Rod Business
First in the steel industry – a business brand covering from base material to final processing

Bar & Wire Rod Unit of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC; Representative Director and President – Mr. Kosei Shindo) launches “SteeLinC*1”, a new business brand, together with various bar and wire rod processing companies (hereafter referred to as “Member Companies*2”). The brand will commence operation on October 1, 2014.

Our bars and wire rods are essential steel products in the modern society and are used in various kinds of industries and infrastructure, such as components for construction and electric industrial machinery, ropes for architectural and bridge use, bolts, wires, and staples. They are also used in important functional automotive components, such as engines, transmissions, suspensions, and tires. After shipment by NSSMC, our bars and wire rods are used by processing companies through various processing steps and assembled in final products. Hence a variety of qualities and functions are required to suit their respective applications, shapes, and processing methods. 

NSSMC has decided to create a brand for its bar and wire rod business, together with processing companies, with the aim of deepening relationship with customers by presenting the customer-friendly solution menu (i.e., broad product variation, basic quality and supply capabilities, a global wide-ranging supply chain*3, and technologies that support customers’ manufacturing). This brand launch will also facilitate customers to select bar and wire rod products that are more suited to product shapes and processing methods. Moreover, NSSMC’s support technologies will help customers to solve their processing challenges, shorten their product development process, and enhance the efficiency.

Going forward, under the SteeLinC brand, NSSMC and the Member Companies will make a greater contribution for customers to enhance product value and increase productivity, by strengthening manufacturing capability, accelerating the development and application of high-performance and high-end products, and reinforcing technology development (multiplication of steel×processing methods) and the supply chain. We are dedicated to propose excellent products and service in an easy-to-understand, specific way to our existing and new customers, partly by using PR tools (i.e., a dedicated website*4 and pamphlets) shared with the Member Companies.

*1. The meaning of SteeLinC





*2. Member Companies (alphabetical order)
(9 companies in Japan): Matsubishi Metal Industry Co., Ltd.; Miyazaki Seiko Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel & Sumikin Precision Forge, Inc.; Nippon Steel & Sumikin Steel Processing Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel & Sumikin Steel Wire Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel & Sumikin Welding Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel & Sumikin BOLTEN Co., Ltd.; Sanyu Co., Ltd.; Suzuki Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
(2 overseas companies)
China:      Nippon Steel & Sumikin Cold Heading Wire (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (NBC China)
Thailand: Nippon Steel & Sumikin Steel Processing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (NSSPT)

*3. SteeLinC Supply Chain

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  This facility has been set up by OAT & IIL India Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture co. of IIL and Japanese company OAT Agrio Co Ltd

• OAT & IIL India Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. aims to invent new agro chemical molecules for India and International requirements, beneficial for important crops like soybean, cotton, wheat & rice
• Insecticides (India) announces to observe September 25  as Crop Care Day to dedicate this facility to the farmers

New Delhi, September 25^th, 2014:  Insecticides (India) Ltd., country’s leading agrochemical company which manufactures and markets several popular and international brands, today announced the operationalization of its new Research and Development (R&D) facility at Chopanki, Rajasthan, which has been established in a joint venture with Japanese company OAT Agrio Co., Ltd.

Spread across 25,000 sq ft working area, the state-of-the art R&D centre of the JV Company, OAT & IIL India Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., will bring scientists of India and Japan under one roof to research and invent 2-3 agrochemical molecules to control pests, weeds, and diseases affecting important crops like soybean, cotton, wheat and rice across globe in next 3 years.

IIL had entered into a joint venture with Otsuka Agritechno Co., Ltd, now OAT Agrio Co., Ltd, for research and development of new agrochemical molecules in 2013. Situated adjacent to the company’s Bhiwadi plant and set up at an investment of Rs 40 crores, the facility employs about 42 employees including chemists and biologists to synthesize and evaluate about 7, 000 compounds every year.

“It is momentous to see the operationalization of the facility. This is the first time that we have set up this kind of facility outside Japan which makes it all the more glorious for us. The coming together of the two companies has set the ball rolling for discovery of new molecules that will be beneficial for important crops like soybean, cotton, and wheat and rice world over. We are aiming to apply for 10 basic patents in the next three years and discover 2-3 new molecules,” said Mr. Akihei Mori, President & CEO, OAT Agrio Co., Ltd.

“Indian companies shy away from Research, as it is costly, risky and has long gestation period. This centre is one of its kinds where the research and invention of altogether new agro chemical molecules will be done for first time in India. I am sure that joining hands with OAT Agrio for this noble cause will really be able to make difference to farming community in India. We already have an In house R&D Centre which is recognized with DSIR and QC labs are NABL accredited, where the process of                off-patented, specialty and generic products by reverse engineering are developed. The world has 1055 agrochemical molecules and today India has just 250 agrochemical molecules, so there is a vast scope of developing technology in the country.  I am sure that this will help the Indian farmers to get the benefit of the latest technology at the most reasonable prices. To mark this golden day, we also propose a Crop Care Day, that will be observed by Insecticides (India) and the company will work towards the awareness among the farmers,” said Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) Ltd.

“India is distinct country in terms of the variety of soil conditions and the different climates it has across states. The examination and gauging of results of new molecules on different soil and climates become easy here. Being evenly spread across the country, IIL has an edge. With the operationalization of the JV facility, we look forward to achieving results that will prove fruitful for farmers across globe,” said Dr. Tetsuya Imai, MD & CEO, OAT and IIL India Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.

The ultra modern JV facility consists of three synthetic laboratories, 2 air-conditioned green houses, three breeding rooms, two bio-assay rooms, growth chambers, dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP) among others. It is exclusively divided in Chemical and Biological departments and chemical laboratories confirm all the world-class norms with latest instruments like NMR and the Lab is designed and set by Kewaunee, USA.

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