EuPD Research – global experts and leaders in solar market research – has awarded REC with the highly regarded “TOP BRAND PV” seal for each of France, Germany, and Italy, the three largest markets in Europe. The seal is based on independent analyses, including surveys of solar installers and end customers on criteria such as brand awareness, distribution, and installer recommendation.

“The ‘TOP BRAND PV’ seal represents REC’s excellent reputation amongst those who work with and use our solar products every day,” said Luc Graré, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Cells and Modules, REC. “It’s a credible indication of customer satisfaction and the reliability of our products, helping installers in their sales initiatives and end customers make educated purchases.”

In addition to the seal, a 2012 IMS Research report ranked REC as the largest European supplier of solar modules in 2011 based on MW shipped. IMS Research is among the most respected independent analysts of the global solar market. “The 594 MW of solar modules shipped worldwide in 2011, plus REC’s increase in the market share demonstrate the demand for quality solar solutions,” adds Graré.

The “TOP BRAND PV” seal and the number one ranking by IMS Research are the latest accreditations for REC, whose modules ranked first in Photon Laboratory’s 2011 Field Performance Test, producing six percent more energy than competing modules.

RIM is preparing for the launch of its new BlackBerry 10 platform.

“Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as we sharpen our focus on delivering long-term value to our stakeholders,” said Thorsten Heins, RIM’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Most importantly, both Kristian and Frank possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.”

Tear is from Sony Mobile Communications, where he served as Executive Vice President. He previously held a variety of operational leadership positions with Ericsson in Europe, Asia and Latin America. At RIM, Tear will serve as Chief Operating Officer overseeing all operational functions for handhelds and services, including research and development, products, global sales, manufacturing and supply chain.

Boulben is the former Executive Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and Sales for LightSquared. He joined LightSquared after serving as Global Director of Commercial Strategy for Vodafone Group and Executive Vice President of Brand and Consumer Marketing for Orange Group. Boulben will oversee global marketing efforts at RIM.

Boulben said “We all know how fast the mobile arena evolves and with the BlackBerry 10 platform, I believe RIM will once again change the way individuals and enterprises engage with each other and the world around them. I could not resist the opportunity to be part of that transformation.”

Tear with 25 years of experience holds a Masters Degree in Science from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and completed the Ericsson Executive MBA program at Columbia University in New York.

Frank Boulben has 20 years of experience. he was also the Director of Commercial Strategy for Vodafone Group, responsible for strategic marketing, customer insights and segmentation, pricing, customer investment optimization and roaming. Prior to Vodafone, Frank was the Executive Vice President for Brand and Consumer Marketing for Orange Group, responsible for brand and communications, consumer propositions, value-based marketing, which included pricing and customer investment optimization, customer insights and segmentation, CRM, product marketing and devices portfolio management.

Before joining Orange, Frank spent eight years working for Vivendi Universal, occupying several strategy and marketing roles for SFR and then as CEO of Vivendi Universal Internet division with a focus on mobile services. During 2005-2006, Frank served on the Board of the GSM Association (the world’s largest trade association representing more than 800 wireless carriers in 219 countries) and was the Chairman of the Strategy Committee.

He holds diplomas from the École Polytechnique and from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, where he studied mathematics, physics and economics.

MasterCard also unveiled a new brand identifier ‘ MasterCard PayPass Ready ‘ – now available to device manufacturers to use with NFC-enabled smartphones that have been tested and certified by MasterCard for use with PayPass technology. The MasterCard PayPass Ready identifier will signify a device is available for commercial deployment of PayPass, and can be included as a sticker on the approved device, and in an approved device’s packaging, marketing collateral and advertisements. Nokia and BlackBerry-maker RIM are among the first handset manufacturers committed to supporting this brand mark.

“In the near future, millions of phones will ship with NFC technology embedded within them. The new PayPass Ready identifier will help consumers make informed device purchasing decisions by providing a visual mark that indicates devices are certified to make simple, smart and secure payments via the MasterCard PayPass network,” said Mung Ki Woo, group executive, Mobile at MasterCard.

Unite national officer Roger Maddison said “Ford faces the very real prospect of the first strike since the 1970s. Unite will not stand by and allow Ford to create a two tier workforce on pay and pensions. We urge Ford to return to the negotiating table if it wants to avoid this dispute.

“We fiercely oppose the closure of Ford’s final salary scheme to new entrants. This is the thin end of the wedge. Ultimately we believe Ford will try to close the entire scheme.

The sites being balloted include Manufacturing engine/stamping and diesel design centre at Dagenham; Manufacturing engine plant, Bridgend; Transmission plant at Halewood; Parts distribution centre at Daventry; Transit assembly plant at Southampton; Ford of Britain HQ at Warley; and Design and technical centre, Dunton, Basildon.

Ducati will join the traditional Italian brands Lamborghini and Italdesign, as the third pillar for AUDI AG in Northern Italy. Another building block in the Company’s growth strategy thus falls into place. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, declared: “It has great expertise in high-performance engines and lightweight construction, and is one of the world’s most profitable motorcycle manufacturers.” The progressive control systems and special combustion chamber process of Ducati engines, their resulting sporty character, and Ducati’s extensive know-how in lightweight construction thus offer great potential for AUDI AG and the Volkswagen Group.

Ducati is a globally active company and has manufacturing operations at its headquarters in Bologna and at its own factory in Thailand. It maintains a series of importer companies in strategic markets. Experts predict that the motorcycle market will enjoy strong growth over the next few years, especially in Asia. In 2011, Ducati sold around 42,000 motorcycles and generated revenue of some €480 million, employing around 1,100 people.

The company was founded by Adriano Ducati and Marcello Ducati in Bologna in 1926. Known originally as Società Scientifica Radiobrevetti Ducati, it initially built parts for radios. It ventured into the manufacture of motorcycles in 1949.

Ducati has been actively involved in motorcycle racing for many decades through its racing division Ducati Corse. Its racing activities are currently focused on the Ducati official factory team in the MotoGP class of the Motorcycle World Championship and in the Superbike World Championship, supporting competitive private teams. Ducati won the manufacturers’ championship in this latter class 17 times in 21 championships and the pilots’ 14 times.

China is prepared to pay premium prices for strategically important companies and the companies with a higher risk profile such as bankruptcy, restructuring needs, etc. are not excluded from the list of potential targets. Even initial “ramp up losses” with difficult cases are accepted. Know-how acquisition and transfer are main purchasing motives. While it is good for For European asset sellers, the buying side finds the situation increasingly difficult with more buyers chasing currently very few attractive targets.

After a rather slow start in the 1980s, Chinese buyers have accelerated their acquisition pace in the years after 2000 after having gained some valuable first hand experience. Supported by leading western legal, financial and strategic advisors, Chinese executives have then started on rather large targets. Especially in Germany, the purchase of PC maker MEDION by IT giant LENOVO for an estimated value of €600 Mio as well as the just announced deal for concrete pump producer PUTZMEISTER by the major competitor SANY HEAVY INDUSTRIES have made major headlines.

In addition to the high visibility deals the Chinese buyers are mostly interested in industries which have been given top priority by the State through the various 5-year development plans. Automotive industry is one such industry in China which has been one of the key strategic development area for the last 20 years and continue to be for the foreseeable future. The strategy not only calls for satisfying the rapidly growing domestic market for passenger cars and trucks, but also to take over the world market with state-of-the-art products in the medium term. Chinese vehicle manufacturers are looking at technical knowhow via acquisitions and cooperations. Recently sealings specialist SAARGUMMI was taken over by Chongqing Light Industry (CQLT), interior company SELLNER by NINGBO Huaxiang Electronic, PREH Electronics by JOYSON, casting company KSM Castings by CITIC as well as the just announced purchase of world market leader for automotive latches KIEKERT by the NORINCO group.

“Particularly interesting has been the fact that two of these acquisitions were difficult bancruptcy cases and the Chinese purchasers outbid interested Private Equity firms and Corporate buyers by offering the highest purchase price and gaining the support by the very critical German car manufacturers which are gradually accepting Asian owners for their critical suppliers.

“It is not just the suppliers, Chinese company hunters, the publicly stated intererst of state fund CIC in a stake holding in industrial giant MERCEDES BENZ shows of ambitious targets overall,” adds the report.

Tillerson said that even with significant efficiency gains, ExxonMobil expects global energy demand to increase by 30 percent by 2040, compared to 2010 levels. Demand for electricity will make natural gas the fastest growing major energy source and oil and natural gas are expected to meet 60 percent of energy needs over the next three decades. ExxonMobil is anticipating an investment profile of approximately $37 billion per year through the year 2016.

A total of 21 major oil and gas projects will begin production between 2012 and 2014. In 2012 and 2013, the company expects to start up nine major projects and anticipates adding over 1 million net oil-equivalent barrels per day by 2016.

Among the achievements in 2011, ExxonMobil replaced 107 percent of its 2011 production (116 percent excluding asset sales), increasing proved reserves to 24.9 billion oil equivalent barrels. It was the 18th consecutive year the company replaced more than 100 percent of its production, with proved reserve additions of 1.8 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

Nine major upstream projects are expected to start-up in the next two years including four in West Africa, Kashagan Phase 1 in Kazakhstan and the Kearl Oil Sands project in Canada.

In the downstream, the company completed a large project at the Thailand refinery, which is expected to increase the supply of lower sulfur motor fuels by more than 50 thousand barrels per day. Additional projects are under way, including new facilities at ExxonMobil’s Singapore refinery and at a joint-venture refinery in Saudi Arabia.

A major expansion at the Singapore chemicals facilities is nearing completion. Commissioning and startup activities are expected to continue through 2012 and will provide a world-scale integrated platform with unparalleled feedstock flexibility. The expansion will add 2.6 million tonnes per year of additional capacity and will help meet demand growth in Asia Pacific.

The funding is part of the Regional Growth Fund and takes the total fund to £2.4 billion. It will be available to businesses and public / private partnerships with ambitions to create new jobs and make a significant impact on their local economy.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will make the announcement at the Government’s National Manufacturing Summit being held at the Bristol & Bath Science Park.

He is also set to confirm that 48 of the successful firms from the first two rounds of the fund have completed their legal checks and have access to the Government fund which leverages private sector investment, with at least £5 put in for every £1 of public money.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said “The Regional Growth Fund is already having a huge impact across the UK. So far there have been over 170 successful bids to the fund, leveraging around £7.5 billion of private sector investment and set to create and protect 330,000 jobs. I want to see more businesses that are confident they can create jobs and get Britain building and making things again, coming forward – making sure their hats are in the ring.

“Funding from rounds one and two has gone to some extraordinarily promising manufacturing projects. From Pirelli Tyres in Carlisle who’ll use the money to develop a new range of carbon-cutting tyres; to a Portsmouth based company which hopes to use theirs to create a cutting edge boat building college.

“These are the kinds of projects that will lead their communities into brighter times, helping put industry at the heart of the UK’s economy. Businesses have until June to apply for a share of this extra £1 billion.”

Ahead of the summit, the Deputy Prime Minister will be joined by Business Secretary Vince Cable at GKN Aerospace, Bristol to open the company’s new £150 million advanced composites manufacturing centre, where the 27 metre long Airbus A350 wing is being made. When operating at full production, the facility will provide employment for 250 people.

It was also announced at the Summit that ‘See Inside Manufacturing’, a pilot initiative introduced last year to give young people the opportunity to go behind the scenes of some of the UK’s world-class automotive facilities to learn about modern manufacturing, will return again this June. This time it will be extended to three new sectors – aerospace, defence, and food and drink.

Year-on-year figures continue to be higher but less dramatically than those seen in previous months. The average number of gold ounces transferred was greater by 15.3%, with the number of transfers greater by 21.0%. The average value of gold transferred increased by 40.7%.

Silver ounces transferred fell in January by 24.3%, to a daily average of 149.2 million ounces, the lowest since March 2011. The average price rose slightly by 1.2% to $30.77 and the value of ounces transferred fell by 23.4% to $4.59 billion. The number of transfers also decreased slightly, by 2.0%, to a daily average of 795.

All year-on-year statistics for silver continue to be higher: ounces transferred were greater by 24.6%, the number of transfers by 33.1% and the average value of silver transferred by 35.0%.

Gold’s trading range in January, as measured by the PM fix, was $146. Gold began the month at $1,598.00, which would turn out to be the lowest price of the month. A steady climb throughout the month resulted in the high, of $1, 744, on the 31st.

Silver’s trading range in January was $4.82. Silver mirrored the performance of gold with the month low occurring on 3rd January of $28.78. Strengthening of the price throughout the month resulted in a high of $33.60 on the 31st.

BAE Systems cited defence budget cuts in US and UK and failure to sell Eurofighter Typhoon in India as the reason for fall.

Criticizing the UK rime Minister, Waddel said “”When Sarkozy goes to India of behalf of French manufacturers he comes back with contracts for fighter jets, nuclear submarines and nuclear power stations worth tens of billions. When Cameron goes to India he comes back empty handed. British manufacturers like BAE Systems would be in a better position if the government took manufacturing seriously rather than banking on ‘spin and a prayer’.”

Saudi Arabia and Australia were the largest foreign market for the Company, followed by MBDA and India. BAE Systems listed sale of land systems to India as a possibility in the 2011 preliminary results. Continued Hawk trainer aircraft delivery, Brazilian OPV deal and Oman’s RFP for Eurofighter Typhoon were also listed as potential.