Author: Rabindra

Aluminium China 2024 to Unveil in Shanghai This July

Shanghai, China, April 06, 2024 — Aluminium China, Asia’s premier tradeshow and B2B platform for the aluminium industry and its main application fields, is set to return to Shanghai, China on July 3 to 5. Organized by RX Greater China, this highly anticipated event aims to create a unique space where global industry professionals and suppliers come together, explore business opportunities, and foster innovation through exhibition, networking events, and concurrent forums.

Hosted at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the annual trade fair Aluminium China, is now open for registration. It brings together top-tier resources across the aluminium value chain, facilitating collaboration between upstream and downstream businesses and promoting sustainable development of the industry.

“In 2023, driven by the rapid advancements in new energy vehicles and photovoltaics, China’s aluminium market has experienced substantial growth. This expansion signals immense potential for further development in the years ahead. Additionally, aluminium, known for its lightweight properties and recyclability, continues to gain favour across global markets and industries, especially in the context of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Against this backdrop, Aluminium China 2024 is scheduled to be co-located with Copper China and Asia’s Lightweight Automotive Trade Fair. This resourceful integration aims to maximize opportunities for global buyers and suppliers within the non-ferrous metals industry and related application sectors. By providing a comprehensive business platform, the event fosters business cooperation, technology sharing and networking, contributing to the overall growth and innovation in the industry,” stated Chris Zang, Senior Project Director at RX Greater China.

Converging global resources on one platform with an unprecedented scale Anticipated to welcome over 28,000 visitors, the 19th edition of Aluminium China centers around the innovation and applications of aluminium products, processing equipment, and other non-ferrous metals, including copper and magnesium. The expansive show floor spans an impressive 50,000 square meters. The event’s international reputation has grown significantly, with this year’s edition poised to attract more than 1,800 overseas attendees from over 80 countries and regions.

In 2024, streamlined Chinese visa application processes and visa-free policies for multiple countries—including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand—have made international business exchanges even more convenient. Capitalizing on these favourable policies, Aluminium China introduces the International Visitor Benefits Program, a new initiative aimed at global buyers.

This program will facilitate attendance at the exhibition, allowing visitors to explore premium, high-quality aluminium products, and processing equipment displayed by both Chinese and international manufacturers.

Visitors will also benefit from a range of on-site events curated by Aluminium China, including the ALU Insight International Aluminium Industry Development Forum, business matching sessions, and factory tours. These opportunities provide insightful updates on the market, boost business prospects, and offer a glimpse into advanced technology and solutions for aluminium processing.

Exploring Multi-Exhibition Collaboration to Drive Industry Innovation
After years of rapid development, China has emerged as the largest manufacturer and consumer of copper globally, establishing a robust presence in the industry. To empower professionals in the global non-ferrous metals sector and related application fields, the show creates a comprehensive platform where visitors can connect with diverse suppliers of non-ferrous metals, industrial materials, processing equipment, and auxiliaries.

RX Greater China has partnered with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Fabrication Association (CNFA) to introduce the 2024 Shanghai International Industrial Materials Exhibition · Copper (Copper China). This dynamic tradeshow spotlights copper materials, semi-products, processing equipment, auxiliary materials, and engineering services related to the copper industry.

Global professionals from various application sectors – including wire and cable, automotive OEMs, photovoltaic energy storage, air conditioning and refrigeration, electronic communication, and connectors – are invited to this trade fair. Serving as a global hub for technology exchange, business networking, and academic dialogues, Copper China fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Furthermore, RX Greater China will host a themed forum that brings together industry experts and forward-thinking minds. These forums will provide a platform for sharing expertise, experiences, and insights on market trends, advanced technologies, and the dynamic forces shaping the future of the copper industry.

Propelling Industry Development with Cutting-Edge Innovation
Aluminium China 2024, a global platform committed to driving sustainable development in the aluminium industry, is poised to unite over 600 domestic and international exhibitors. These industry leaders will showcase innovative products and state-of-the-art technology spanning the entire aluminium value chain.

Aligned with its core objectives, Aluminium China has meticulously planned a series of on-site events that spotlight the diverse applications of aluminium across various sectors. By bringing together industry elites, these events shed light on the market’s outlook.

“In the face of escalating competition within the aluminium industry, companies are adopting multifaceted strategies. They focus on product quality, cost optimization, and groundbreaking innovations to gain a competitive edge. Simultaneously, they recognize the importance of collaboration to enhance their technological profiles and stabilize supply chains. Aluminium China 2024 will host themed forums and business matching services, fostering cooperation across the industry chain,” emphasized Chris Zang, Senior Project Director at RX Greater China.

Verde, the Green Janitorial Company, Teams with Latinos In Action

Phoenix, AZ, April 06, 2024 — On Friday April 12 at 10 am, legendary Latino entrepreneur Richard Montañez will speak at Estrella Mountain Community College in Phoenix. Verde crew members and their kids can attend for free as part of the company’s Volunteer Time Off (VTO) policy.

Latinos In Action’s exciting, annual Youth Leadership Conference, co-sponsored by Verde, is designed to empower Latino youth through the incredible rags-to-riches story of the Frito-Lay’s janitor who influenced the world’s hottest snack, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and became known as “The Godfather of Hispanic Marketing.”

“As a Hispanic-owned and operated janitorial company, our people feel connected to Richard Montanez’s story,” says Jared Rivera, second generation Hispanic American and Verde Chief Financial Officer.

Don’t know Montañez’s story? Not to worry. If you like snacks, you’ve likely tasted his work.

During the years Montañez worked at a Frito-Lay factory, the company invited employees to propose cool ideas to management. Inspired by the street vendors in their Los Angeles neighborhood, Montañez and his wife Judy had an idea: Season classic Cheetos with the bold flavors of their Mexican American heritage. So Montañez took home a huge trash bag filled with unseasoned Cheetos to experiment with in their home kitchen. After Montañez cold-called Frito-Lay CEO Roger Enrico to pitch his invention, Enrico had him perform a formal presentation for other C-suite executives.

To prep, Montañez read library books about marketing, packaging, and product design. Remember, despite the popularity of snacks like chile-lime chips and Takis in 2024, in the early 1990s, the mainstream U.S. marketplace had very few Latino-inspired snack flavors.

Montañez’s presentation went well. Although there is debate about the exact behind-the-scenes details and timeline of the product’s origin, the market impact is clear: When Frito-Lay put a chili-infused Cheeto into production for the California and Midwestern markets, that product helped turn around the company’s fortunes, and it transformed Montañez from a janitor and machinist into an executive with in-demand knowledge of multicultural sales.

Inspiring, right? And that’s only the short version.
“It’s exciting to partner with Verde on this great opportunity for our youth and community,” says Dr. Jose Enriquez, CEO and Founder of Latinos in Action. “Latinos In Action and Verde hope that Montañez’s story will show Latino youth the many exciting, creative ways that they can seize the opportunities that are available to them as they continue their education and professional lives.”

“We believe that empowering stories of innovation, opportunity, and success like Montañez’s compliment a formal education,” says Rivera.

Verde has been actively involved in Latinos In Action since partnering with them last year. This spring, Verde is supporting Latinos In Action’s conferences in both Arizona and Colorado. Verde President & CEO Paul Sarzoza will host a workshop at the Arizona conference on April 12. Verde CFO Jared Rivera will host a workshop at the Colorado conference, at the Auraria Campus, on May 3. Both workshops center around the conferences’ theme “Stronger Together.”

“There are many paths to success. Sometimes you carve your own,” adds Rivera. “After all, Montañez started as a janitor.”

Shavonne Reed is Officially a BOSS with Purpose

Atlanta, GA, April 06, 2024 — Announced today, OPUA LLC is the recipient of the $10,000 grant and full year of monthly mentorship through the BOSS Business University to help grow its capacity to promote future health now. As part of the grant, OPUA will receive the benefits of The BOSS Network, an empowering online community dedicated to promoting the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The company started as a side hustle in 2005 while Shavonne Reed was a graduate student and first-time expectant mother. With hopes of one day running the company full-time, she entered into the Georgia Business Plan competition hoping to receive seed money. As her family was growing, and knowing the high percentages of businesses that fail, she knew she had to be certain her business would sustain her family’s income before she jumped all the way in. If the fail rate was a global percentage, then the rate for minority owned firms had to be so much greater.

She gave it a try full-time, during a brief stint between opportunities. However, she thought it would be safer to stick with her corporate safety net. Until she learned the hard way that the safety net was a misconception. After her third position elimination which was due to no fault of her own, she decided it was time to suck it up and go all the way in or die trying. With a purpose that was placed upon her heart after the surging mental health crisis of the pandemic and seeing her mother’s untimely demise, Reed knew there was something she had to do with her talents to leave the world a healthier place than she found it.

That is when she reimagined her brand and OPUA became Optimistic People Unified for Awareness, a Gen-Z focused health communications and behavioral change agency. As a mother of two Zoomers, she realized from her lived experiences that although parental influence is vital throughout a child’s development, according to a study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, during adolescence, peers become more increasingly important as sources of social support, validation, and identity formation, often surpassing the influence of parents in certain domains.

Another study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that peer influence was particularly strong in shaping behaviors such as substance use, delinquency, and risky decision-making during adolescence. “Given this insight, as a health communicator and experienced marketer, I am determined to leverage the latest technology and platforms to create change that will break generational curses and health trends, especially in marginalized communities,” shares Reed. I faced several adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) growing up that guided my decision making, however, I was not up against the many factors pre-teens, teens and young adults are currently up against.” With the advent of the latest breakthrough from studies like the How Right Now campaign sponsored by the CDC Foundation in partnership with NORC at University of Chicago, Reed is convinced her organization can be the change we all want to see in the world. To learn more about this initiative follow the www.cdcfoundation.org/howrightnow. Reed champions wellbeing of teachers who are critical to the success of each and every student they encounter. “I see teachers as dream keepers, as they are the ones who helped me through the darkest periods of my life.”