In this issue... More new appointments at Hung Hing UK and our team building day, Frankfurt Book Fair, Hung Hing's autumn update and a view on shipping and freight.
| Frankfurt Book Fair |
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The Frankfurt Book Fair is the biggest book and media fair in the world - with around 7,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries. This year there was a real thrust of energy at the Fair, with the US American and English exhibitors describing the Fair as the best for many years, after last year had been marked by the economic crisis and a sense of uncertainty. This optimism has carried across the publishing world and the organisers report that exhibitors and the 279.000 visitors leave with diaries packed with appointments and numerous deals done internationally at the Fair's events.
What's new at Hung Hing UK
September saw our first Teambuilding day, highly successful and certainly to be repeated next year. With Lee and Louise heavily pregnant, the activity needed to be chosen with care. Winchester provided the location and the backdrop for a two team treasure hunt, a challenging series of clues and the need for deciphering, crossword, deduction and photography skills, and, each team were roped together, which produced some interesting observations from the public. We won’t say which team won!
Click on the image to enlarge
New members of Staff
We are delighted to welcome two new members of the team, Kate Wendes, who joins Operations and Sarah Fay who joins as an Account Manager to strengthen the service we provide. David Jenkins has moved over to head up Business Development, and provide a stronger focus to this key area, which takes new opportunities for first order to an established account.
Hung Hing Autumn Update
| We are pleased to announce that this year, we are retaining more workers than last year (Group total 2010 – 13,300, 2009 – 12,000). This allows us to balance the workload outside the peak season and be able to respond to any increase in customer demand. |
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We continue to invest in making our plants greener and our Shenzhen plant has been awarded “Hong Kong – Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners Recognition Scheme” and “Hang Seng PRD environmental award”, to recognise our continuing efforts in driving greener production practices into the business.
There has been a positive change to our FSC accreditation. We now have all three sites (Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Heshan) covered under one group license. This introduces more flexibility in allowing us to assign FSC customer work to the required production site and speeds up the approval process.
One 6 colour large format (1020 x 1420mm) press with in-line coating has been ordered for Heshan, due delivery in the first quarter of 2011.
Shipping updates from
Woodland International |
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Asia-Europe Freight Rates Soften
Following the continual upward pressures on freight through 2010, rates have finally softened now we have made it through another ‘peak season’.
Carriers cut capacity
A number of shipping lines are again cutting capacity and dropping services in order to fall in line with the post-peak demand levels. More capacity cutting can be expected post Chinese New Year (mid-February), with restoration likely some time after March.
Transport improvements get go-ahead
Transport spending escaped last week’s proposed cuts by the coalition government. £30 Billion of investment has been budgeted for the UK transport sector and will fund various projects over the next 4 years. Full details of the plans for the spending are yet to be confirmed. |