Tuesday, August 30, 2011

How Pepsi and Coke's Plant-Based Bottle Wars Affect Manufacturers



How Pepsi and Coke's Plant-Based Bottle Wars Affect Manufacturers
One of the best indirect results of the headlong rush companies are making into sustainability initiatives is the rise of green competition. We see it across sectors, as companies work to out-do each other on green efforts and green messaging
Whether it's FedEx and UPS, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, or Coke and Pepsi, companies are increasingly pushing each other to do more, faster to reduce their impacts.
That last example is especially relevant. For example, The Coca-Cola Company has recently taken its years of environmental initiatives -- from energy-efficient lighting to hybrid vehicle fleets -- to a new level, with the introduction in 2009 of the PlantBottle, a PET beverage bottle made of 30 percent plant-based plastics.
The PlantBottle was a game-changer for green packaging on its own, giving a highly innovative product about the highest-profile platform it could have.
But then its chief competitor raised the bar.
Earlier this year, Pepsi announced an aggressive objective to introduce a 100 percent plant-based PET bottle to the market in 2012.
These competing initiatives will have a big impact on consumer awareness as well as the landscape for green packaging. And they will no doubt lead to a shake-up of how packaging companies do their daily business.
Pushing the envelope on what constitutes green means frequent new product designs and new technologies if you want to compete in the packaged drinks markets. As a manufacturer, this means you must work with new, untested materials ... and expect there will be many adjustments necessary to stay relevant.
What are the operational and manufacturing concerns that power this movement?
Behind-the-Scenes Challenges to Manufacturing Green
If you're in the industry, you know all too well that product packaging requires a high degree of proficiency, flexibility and responsiveness to a wide range of market factors and consumer whims. All consumer products manufacturers face these issues. The challenge is how to simultaneously deal with the pressures of reducing cost and improving efficiency while following good manufacturing practices and green initiatives.
Next page: Four key challenges, and how to overcome them
As an Industry Director at Apriso, where we design software to help manage manufacturing efficiency, I have the opportunity to work closely with packaging manufacturers to help them tackle these challenges. One of our clients is Amcor, a global packaging giant with 300+ sites in 40+ countries. They will be greatly impacted -- directly or indirectly -- by Pepsi's objective of introducing a 100 percent plant-based PET bottle by next year.
Based on what I have observed in my work with Amcor, there are four key challenges and considerations that consumer goods manufacturers should consider as they continue to push the envelope on green:
  • More Manufacturing Flexibility is Better. As companies work to incorporate newer, more sustainable materials into packaging, they need a manufacturing system that can adapt quickly to changes in a way that doesn't impact operations. Typical bottling plants run non-stop, 24x7, 365 days a year, with close to "Just-in-Time" deliveries. This makes it very difficult to develop and incorporate new designs into the process without a very sophisticated view and understanding of your whole manufacturing process.

  • Make the Product and Process Sustainable. It's not just about the end product. Consumer Goods manufacturers must remain agile to adjust both product ingredients and the process of how their packaging is made, to ensure it is made in the most energy efficient way with as little waste as possible. This requires strong manufacturing discipline and a clear, real-time window into operations, materials and output. It's not enough to say the bottle is made of recycled material.

  • Stay Innovative. Green packaging and manufacturing is clearly not just a fad, and will continue to accelerate in the years ahead. It's important for Pepsi and so many other consumer product manufacturers to continue to set aggressive goals to introduce greener product formulations to help their customers differentiate their own branding and marketing efforts.

  • Drive best practices for efficiency sake. Innovation is clearly needed to support brand conscious consumer product companies. However, packaging companies must continue to do so at very high levels of efficiency. The market demands innovation, yet will not tolerate inefficiencies that translate to higher costs.
As a person who drinks packaged beverages, it is easy to take for granted a new bottle design, embedded temperature gauge or other innovative feature. From a manufacturer's perspective, however, these innovations can add a lot of stress to their systems, processes and employees. In the end, however, we all win with more environmentally friendly packaging that can help preserve our natural resources and leave our planet in better shape for our future generations.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

BMW Embraces New Fuel Efficiency Goals as VW, Mercedes Dig in to Fight

BMW Embraces New Fuel Efficiency Goals as VW, Mercedes Dig in to Fight

BMW Embraces New Fuel Efficiency Goals as VW, Mercedes Dig in to Fight
For decades, automakers claimed they lack affordable technologies to meet higher fuel economy targets. So it's no surprise that some companies are struggling to pull themselves into the 21st century and work more cooperatively on developing stronger standards.
But in a curious twist, it's "Beetle-loving" Volkswagen which has decided to make war not peace with the Obama Administration's 54.5 mpg proposal. Joining them in their battles is luxury-loving Mercedes. But in the most surprising additional twist, horsepower-loving BMW has parted ways with its German brethren and has chosen to take the greener high road.
VM Wants Loopholes for Diesels
Tony Cervone, a VW vice president, told PluginCars.com, "Volkswagen does not endorse the [54.5 mpg] proposal under discussion." He's apparently not complaining about the overall mpg target. His complaint is that the laws as written offer "no consideration" for diesel cars. It's no coincidence that Volkswagen cars, like the Jetta TDI and Passat TDI, dominate the market for diesel vehicles in the United States.
VW wants to get special credits toward the 54.5 target simply for producing cars with diesel engines -- even though the 40-plus fuel efficiency of diesel models like the Jetta and Passat are already fairly considered in CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) and CO2 emission testing and are applied to the automakers fleetwide average.
Meanwhile, Mercedes doesn't care so much about diesel credits (although it sells a few diesel models). Mercedes apparently wants even more credits for hydrogen cars and for the plug-in hybrids it plans to sell, despite the fact that the proposal already offers generous electric and hydrogen vehicles treatment as "zero emissions" from 2017-21. Furthermore, the proposed program allows them to multiply this generous treatment by treating them as if they were up to two vehicles.
Here's the problem: Besides undermining the oil and pollution benefits of the program, these kinds of protestations over bonus credits for one kind of technology, fuel or powertrain eventually leads to uneven treatment and loopholes. That, in turn, gets automakers upset, pitted against one another, and demanding that the entire program be scrapped or riddled with so many loopholes that it becomes worthless.
VW Succumbing to the Dark Side on Both Sides of the Atlantic
Volkswagen's role as the bad cop -- raising the most stink about stronger standards -- apparently is not confined to just the U.S. In fact, VW's stance in Europe is so bad that is has made them the target of a Greenpeace "dark side" consumer campaign.
According to Greenpeace:
Despite the green image it likes to portray, VW is at the heart of a group of companies lobbying against new laws which we need to cut CO2 emissions...
Along with spending millions on groups lobbying against the 30 per cent target, VW is also opposing new fuel efficiency targets.
Can BMW Become the "Greenest" German Automaker?
Curiously, a company that most Americans do not associate with environmental leadership, BMW, has in fact step forward along with 12 other automakers to support the proposal. BMW, in a letter to the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency, pledged its support for the 54.5 mpg proposal and eve wrote that it "will use its best efforts to ensure that trade associations to which it belongs will not contest" the new 2017 to 2025 standards. BMW, VW and Daimler (Mercedes parent company) all belong to the Auto Alliance, which spearheaded the fight against stronger standards.
In its press release Josef Kerscher, President, BMW Manufacturing, stated:
"Regulatory consistency is critical to synchronize product development with government rules. This way, companies have the time necessary to develop technologies that fulfill the requirements while remaining profitable and sustainable. The path from 2017 to 2021 is now clearly marked and we are ready for the challenge."
BMW's different approach appears to be at least in part due to its aggressive advanced vehicle product blitz that will re-position the company in the U.S. away from just luxury performance to luxury plus environmental performance. They have branded their overall efforts as "efficient dynamics".
To be clear, BMW cannot declare itself the "greenest" German automaker just yet. According to the EPA's annual Fuel Economy Trends report, BMW's fleetwide fuel economy in 2010 was just 27.9 mpg, below VW's 31.1mpg but above Daimler's 24.1 mpg. Furthermore BMW' s score is "below average". Perhaps its emphasis on "efficient dynamics" and advanced technologies can turn their score around.
So when it comes to environmental corporate citizenship, not all German automakers are created equal. It's time for VW and Mercedes to follow the lead of BMW (and 12 other automakers) and send their lobbyists back home and put their engineers to work.
By Roland Hwang

Monday, August 15, 2011

Google to acquire Motorola for $12.5 billion cash

Google’s taking no prisoners in its war on competitors like Microsoft and Apple, who, in recent months, have teamed up to buy patents that would threaten the Android platform.  Google just announced that it’s fighting back by acquiring Motorola--and its patent portfolio—for $12.5 billion in cash, or $40 per share.  The deal represents a premium of 63% on Motorola’s closing price on Friday of $24.47. 
Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha and his team will continue to run Motorola as a separate business, according to the companies’ announcement, and will remain a licensee of Android.  Android will remain open, Google assured users and shareholders during an early morning conference call.
The conference call took place at 5:30 AM PT and included Google CEO Larry Page, Sanjay Jha, Google SVP and CFO Patrick Pichette, Google SVP and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond, and SVP and head of Android Andy Rubin.
Much of the discussion centered on Motorola’s patents and how they will help Google ward off the anti-competitive efforts of Microsoft, Apple, and Oracle.  One theme that definitely dominated the call: Yes, Google believes that Motorola’s patents will help it fight off its competitors, but no, Google is not ready to talk strategy.  Question after question came through as to how Google planned to use the Motorola patent portfolio to protect Android, but David Drummond  explained vaguely: “We look to protect the android ecosystem, and some companies are trying to attack it…we’re not prepared to talk about strategies at the moment, but we think that acquiring Motorola is a good thing.”
You might remember Drummond from recent blog posts about Google's patent scuffles with Microsoft, Apple, and Oracle, among other competitors.  Microsoft has vehemently denied the charges, but Google hasn't backed down at all.
Sanjay Jha added that Motorola currently holds no less than 17,000 patents, with another 7,000 pending.
As for Android’s other licensees, Larry Page claimed that all of Android’s top five licensees were “very enthusiastic” about the deal.  He also insisted that there will be no change in how Android is run and it will continue to be open and all-inclusive.
When Citi analyst Mark Mahaney asked Page why he believed acquiring Motorola was the optimal decision, Page explained: “I’m excited about this deal.  There are competencies there that aren’t core to us, but we plan to operate Motorola mobility as a separate business.  I’m excited about protecting the android ecosystem. Their patent on android is evidence of their competency.”
As he usually does in Google conference calls, Page continually reiterated how “excited” he is.
Adding to this, Andy Rubin explained that Motorola was one of the first Android licensees, and one of the first to make an Android handset.  “They’ll protect the Android ecosystem and extend it at the same time.”
Patrick Pichette also noted that the acquisition will be immediately (if mildly, he noted) accretive to Google on a non-gaap basis.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Smart Transportation Industry to Grow to $67B by 2015

by leslie Guevara
The business of intelligent transportation -- everything from traffic and transit controls to sophisticated telematic systems for connecting EVs to the smart grid -- is a quiet but growing industry poised for a boom.

That's my takeaway from a new report that predicts the intelligent transport industry will grow from $48 billion in revenue in 2009 to $67 billion by 2015 in the U.S.

"Intelligent transportation is the largest industry you've never heard of," said Scott Belcher, president of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, during an online media briefing today.

Smart transportation -- cars, public transit, commercial trucking, traffic and the systems that help power and manage them -- is central to a concept GreenBiz Group calls VERGE. That's the intersection of vehicles, energy, buildings and information technology and its effect on the evolution of business.

In researching the report, ITSA and IHS Global Insight found that revenue for intelligent transportation outstripped that for computers and motion picture video production during the recession.

The factor is a key reason why continued growth is projected for industry. As companies and cities remain pressed by the tough economy and its faltering recovery, "we're a way to squeeze much more out of existing systems," Belcher said.

"More creative leaders, in tough financial times, look to technology as their solutions base," he said. "We're bullish on the intelligent transportation systems industry and do expect it to grow even despite the economic slowdown."

Belcher offered more reasons for the positive forecast when I asked about barriers for companies participating in the industry:
  • Size doesn't matter.  Most of the 3,000 companies in the industry, which employs about 183,000 in the U.S., are small to medium-sized with 500 employees or fewer.
  • There's money for the taking. "There is a lot of money out there right now for companies out there trying to get into this space," Belcher said, pointing to the $37-million infusion that traffic tech firm INRIX received last month in Series D funding led by Kleiner Perkins and August Capital. Up to 10 firms will have a chance to pitch to Kleiner Perkins and Fontinalis Partners in an investment match-up event at ITSA's annual conference later this year.
  • The concept isn't difficult to wrap your head around. Two years ago, Massachusetts' Department of Technology opened the books on its transit data and invited software developers to create apps that make it easier for people to use public transit. Developers flooded the department with hundreds of apps, Belcher noted.
"This is an area where I don't think there are really huge barriers to entry," he said.

Here are the some of the report's major findings:
  • Market Growth: Industry revenue is expected to jump 40 percent to $73 billion in North America over the next four years, with the lion's share in the U.S.
  • Job Growth: About 203,000 people work in the industry in North America. The figure is expected to grow more than 10 percent with 208,000 in the U.S. and 26,000 in Canada and Mexico by 2015.
  • Jobs Pay Well: The average salary in the industry was about $75,000 a year in 2009, roughly 75 percent more than the average salary.
  • Best States for Jobs: California, Texas, Virginia, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois are the 10 states with the most people working in the industry. The first three states also lead projections for 2015; the other seven are in the mix in different order.
  • States with Best Revenue: California, Texas, Virginia top the lists for recent and projected revenue. The others in varying order for present and future revenue are Michigan, Florida, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The report is available for free download at www.itsa.org.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Stop the Morning Madness! Back to School Tips.


Stop the Morning Madness! Tips for Making a Smooth Back-to-School Transition
Although summer's heat has not yet faded, ready or not, a new school year is fast approaching. And with that comes the early-morning frenzy as parents across America race to get kids out the door on time, properly fed and with all the snacks, books and homework they need for the day.
The start of school brings on new challenges as families juggle various activities and multiple schedules. The good news is that you can bring order to this chaos and stay organized throughout the year when you apply the following tips.
Clear the Clutter
Kids and clutter go hand-in-hand as they outgrow clothes, wear out toys, and change interests. Along with your child, cull through their closets and drawers for items to give away or store for later. Organize the remainder and make room for the new. Each child's room should be neat and orderly before school starts.
Stock Up and Save
Did you know that back-to-school sales already began in July? Don't miss out on huge savings on clothing and school supplies. Take an afternoon to assess each child's wardrobe. Before making your list, check for possible hand-me downs from older siblings. Once you start shopping look for mix-and-match outfits to stretch your dollars and simplify mornings. Find out from the school or teacher what supplies might be needed and take advantage of savings by stocking up on the usual items they'll need throughout the year like paper, folders, pens, pencils, markers, binders and so on.
Establish Guidelines and Routines Ahead of Time
The most important routine to establish is a set bedtime. It's a proven fact that well-rested kids are more alert in school, so get them to bed early on school nights. Establish appropriate bedtimes based on age. A 3 to 6-year old child needs 10-12 hours of sleep, 7 to 12-year olds need 10-11 hours and 12 to 18-year olds need 8-9 hours. The night before school starts is not the time to set up the household sleep schedule. Instead ease kids into the school year routine slowly during the last two weeks of summer. Gradually begin earlier bedtimes and wake up times as the start of school approaches. Keep in mind it takes an average of two weeks for your body to adjust to time changes.
Set ground rules for other school-related issues as well. For example, establish where, when and how homework will be done - in the dining room, bedroom, with music and the TV on? While some kids sit down immediately after school, others may need to relax before tackling assignments. It's fine if kids have different times and styles as long as they know the rules and stick to them. Make it clear when cell phones, computer games and internet is shut off. Turning devices off early allows for kids to unwind before lights out.
Have a Dedicated Space for School Items
Select a spot near the door to stash backpacks, books, homework, lunch money and supplies so they're not strewn about the house. Having a dedicated space or cubby for each child makes it easy to grab what they need without frantically searching the house in the morning. If it stays in one place it will not be forgotten.
Establish a Central Calendar
Between school projects, lunch menus, and sports practice, it's hard to keep busy schedules straight. That's where a central calendar helps. Whether you select a large paper calendar with big squares, a bulletin board, an erasable whiteboard or use a smart phone app, choose a format that works for you. Make each child responsible for reporting and recording his or her events. Don't forget to block off family time each week so you can all reconnect.
Start the Day Calm, Cool and Collected
The more you can do ahead of time, the smoother the mornings will go. The night before set out breakfast dishes, make lunches, lay out clothes, and collect supplies and homework needed for the next day. Older children can assume these responsibilities but be sure to develop consequences if they become lax. Allow for plenty of time to get ready in the morning with a set schedule for the shower, getting dressed and eating breakfast. Many parents find it helpful to complete their own morning routine before getting the kids up. Staying with a set structure creates a sense of order and calm that continues throughout the day.
Planning is key to lowering the anxiety of a new school year. Start organizing today for a great academic year ahead.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Natural vs Organic. Is there any difference?


Natural vs Organic. Is there any difference?
People confuse
Many people often confuse between “natural” and “organic” Some products which are claimed natural however when you check their ingredients actually containing disastrous chemicals. Some followers ask to ban or to tell people about some of giant company’s products which claim “natural” in their products. However the most important for us is to realize the difference between these two words and help it spread over!
Consumers are often misled or misinformed about the difference between these two words which always being advertise anywhere in media.  Basically you have to notice few things when buying products either food, health products or anything that ecogreen4us is listing here and going to list in the future.
Thus be careful when you see products labels mention these words;
  • Natural
  • All Natural
  • 100% natural or
  • Some natural products.
What you have to do is simply IGNORE THESE LABELS and check again their ingredients.
The FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) never regulate any claims of "all natural" or "natural vs. organic". Perhaps they do in some of their articles but in reality, they don't.
The fact that is any companies can get away with using all sorts of non-natural processes and chemical ingredients in their products that they claim is all natural.
What does ‘natural’ means?
According to arcdictionary.com
Definition: Fixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing; belonging to native character; according to nature; essential; characteristic; not artifical, foreign, assumed, put on, or acquired; as, the natural growth of animals or plants; the natural motion of a gravitating body; natural strength or disposition; the natural heat of the body; natural color.
According to thefreedictionary.com
  • Present in or produced by nature: a natural pearl.
  • Of, relating to, or concerning nature: a natural environment.
  • Biology Not produced or changed artificially; not conditioned: natural immunity; a natural reflex.
  • Not altered, treated, or disguised: natural coloring; natural produce.
According to the Webster's new world dictionary, the word "natural" means, "produced or existing in nature; not artificial."
According to those definitions above anything derived from plants, animals or elements found on planet Earth could earn the "all natural" label.
In any industries today, there's NO official definition for the term "all natural." Thus it means that whatever the producers want it to mean. It can mean, for example, that all the chemicals found in the product simply aren't listed on the label. (There's no requirement for food companies to list chemical contaminants found in their foods.)
Products which are labeled with "all natural" can contain:
  • pesticides
  • herbicides
  • toxic heavy metals
  • trace amounts of PCBs
  • toxic fluoride
  • hidden MSG
  • high-temperature cooking byproducts
  • synthetic chemical vitamins
  • other non-natural substances
According to the FDA – their definition of “natural”
Natural foods are processed without preservatives or additives, but may have been grown with the use of pesticides or other conventional methods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the term ‘natural’ only as it applies to added color, synthetic substances, and flavors.
The term ‘natural’ can include free-range and hormone-free, and it can mean that a product contains no synthetic ingredients or color additives. However, you should always check the label to be sure of a product’s ingredients.
This is all perfectly allowed and tolerated by the FDA as well as all virtually every media outlet in the world. Cable news stations, magazines, newspapers and other media giants are all too happy to take money from junk food manufacturers and run their advertisements claiming their foods are "all natural." There is absolutely no effort to determine whether such claims are really true or even partially credible. Media companies simply take the money and run the promotions, regardless of whether such promotions tell the truth.