Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi opens doors, presents mechanical watches

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 -- Seiko Watch Corporation opened a new chapter in the 60-year history of the Grand Seiko brand with the inauguration of an entirely new studio, dedicated for Grand Seiko's mechanical watch production. 

The studio was declared open on July 20, in a ceremony that took place simultaneously at the Wako building, a retail establishment of Seiko Holdings Corporation in Tokyo and at the studio in Shizukuishi, Iwate Prefecture.

In Tokyo, Seiko Watch Corporation Chairman and CEO, Shinji Hattori was joined by the studio's architect, Kengo Kuma, while in Shizukuishi, the Governor of Iwate Prefecture, Takuya Tasso, participated alongside the studio's directors.

Hattori said: “The studio provides the ideal environment for our craftsmen and women to bring Grand Seiko's mechanical watches to life and for the next generation of watchmakers to be trained and their skills developed.”

Explaining his design, Kuma said: “Grand Seiko's view of the importance of nature is reflected in every corner of its design and construction. I greatly enjoyed the challenge of making the clean room, where watches of the highest precision are assembled, from wood.” 

The studio also incorporates an exhibition space where visitors can immerse themselves in Grand Seiko's history and explore the manufacturing characteristics of Grand Seiko's mechanical watches. 

Events will be held at which visitors can try their hand at assembling a mechanical watch in a dedicated space known as the Studio Seminar Room.

In addition, a Grand Seiko watch made exclusively for, and at the studio, will be presented and available for purchase. It is a limited-edition Hi-beat 36000.

More details at https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-en/special/studio-shizukuishi/ 

-- BERNAMA

Apifiny appoints Thomas Trepanier as Director of Business Development, Roxe

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 -- Apifiny, a global liquidity and financial value transfer network has appointed Thomas Trepanier as Director of Business Development, Roxe to lead the growth of Roxe™ global settlement and liquidity solutions for banks, central banks and digital asset exchanges.

Trepanier brings over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech, serving banks, central banks, stock exchanges, central securities depositories and asset managers, according to a statement.

Apifiny Chief Business Officer, Josh Li said Trepanier’s success in both traditional and digital finance was a powerful combination that would bring tremendous value to the bank and central bank partners and help execute the company’s vision to accelerate the financial value transfer, anytime, anywhere.

His experience includes key business development and sales roles with Global Accelerated Ventures (GAV), Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) and Omgeo (a DTCC company), among others.

At GAV, Trepanier led customers’ onboarding of innovative methodologies and technologies. He was also the head of payments and securities market infrastructure strategy at SWIFT.

Prior to SWIFT, Trepanier was director of Americas relationship management and Latin America sales at Omgeo. He led sales executives and relationship managers in the US and Canada, and successfully launched Omgeo’s presence in Latin America.

More details at https://www.apifiny.com/

-- BERNAMA

Toshiba offers constant-current 2-phase stepping motor driver for automotive applications

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has launched ‘TB9120AFTG’, a constant-current 2-phase stepping motor driver for automotive applications.

According to a statement, the new IC outputs a sine-wave current using only a simple clock input interface, with no need for an advanced functional MCU or dedicated software.

TB9120AFTG was developed as a successor to TB9120FTG, introduced last year as Toshiba’s first automotive stepping motor driver, and provides improved noise resistance.

The device incorporates DMOS FETs with low on-resistance (upper + lower = 0.8Ω (typ.)), which achieve a maximum current of 1.5A.

Both the DMOS FETs and the controller that generates micro-stepping sine waves (supporting up to 1/32 steps) are housed in a small QFN type package (6.0 mmｘ6.0 mm).

The new IC delivers an operating temperature range of -40 to 125℃, and meets AEC-Q100, a certified standard for electronic components for automotive applications.

It is suited to a wide range of automotive general applications using stepping motors, such as adjustment of the projection position of heads-up displays, and in the expansion valves of refrigerant circuits.

-- BERNAMA

NIPPON PAINT REVEALS THE WINNERS OF THE ASIA YOUNG DESIGNER AWARDS 2019/20

Functional and sustainable winning entries of the year celebrated virtually with Nippon Paint

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- Following the 13th instalment of the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), Nippon Paint has crowned Lin Honghan, from China and Greta Elsa Nurtjahja, from Indonesia the grand title of being the Asia Young Designers of the Year 2019/2020, beating other participants across 15 geographical locations, in a rigorous selection process to represent their countries for the prestigious title in the Architectural Category and Interior Design Category respectively.
 
This year’s competition marks the Asia Young Designer Awards’ first virtual event in light of COVID-19 restrictions, establishing Nippon Paint’s steadfast passion in fostering the next generation of designers. Following the virtual competition, both winners walked away with more than US$10,000 worth of prizes, including the opportunity to attend a fully-funded 6-week Design Discovery programme at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=37731

Analog Devices strengthens analog semiconductor leadership via Maxim acquisition

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 -- Analog Devices Inc (ADI) and Maxim Integrated Products Inc have entered into a definitive agreement, under which ADI will acquire Maxim in an all stock transaction that values the combined enterprise at over US$68 billion. (US$1 = RM4.268)

The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, will strengthen ADI as an analog semiconductor leader with increased breadth and scale across multiple attractive end markets.

Under terms of the agreement, Maxim stockholders will receive 0.63 of a share of ADI common stock for each share of Maxim common stock they hold at the closing of the transaction.

According to a statement, upon closing, current ADI stockholders will own approximately 69 per cent of the combined company, while Maxim stockholders will own about 31 per cent.

The transaction is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganisation for the United States (US) federal income tax purposes.

Upon closing, two Maxim directors will join ADI’s Board of Directors, including Maxim President and Chief Executive Officer, Tunç Doluca.

The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of US and certain non-US regulatory approvals, and approval by stockholders of both companies.

Morgan Stanley served as lead financial advisor to ADI. BofA Securities also served as financial advisor. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as legal counsel.

J.P. Morgan served as exclusive financial advisor to Maxim, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel.

-- BERNAMA

Guotai Junan International supports Financial Street Property to enter Hong Kong capital market

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited (GTJAI or the Company) has successfully assisted Financial Street Property Co Limited (Financial Street Property) in its listing on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

The initial public offering (IPO) has gained high recognition from investors, with more than 145 times over-subscription in the Hong Kong public offering and about 20 times over-subscription in the international offering.

As the sole sponsor, sole global coordinator, joint bookrunner and joint lead manager of the IPO, GTJAI team facilitated the issuer with dedication, high efficiency and professional attitude.

This is to actively assist in close communications between the issuer and domestic and overseas regulators, introduce several high quality institutional investors to the issuer and lock up cornerstone investors for the IPO, representing the business team’s excellent client coverage and execution capability.

According to a statement, Financial Street Property is a state-owned comprehensive property management company in China, focusing on providing property management and related services to commercial and business properties.

As at 2019-end, the Company provided property management services to 144 property projects in China with the total GFA under management of approximately 19.9 million square metres, 41 per cent of which are located in Beijing.

Last year, in terms of property type, over 50 per cent of its revenue was generated from providing property management services to office buildings.

-- BERNAMA