Automated Cleaning Technologies to Reduce Cost and Labour in the Region by 2020

The UAE remains the cleanest in the GCC by adopting hi-tech green solutions in the sector

02 June 2016; Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

The regional cleaning and hygiene industry is expected to grow exceptionally over the coming decade with two most important gulf countries officially named to host the Expo 2020 and FIFA World Cup 2022. Reports in media suggest that Dubai will add 100,000 hotel rooms by 2020 while Qatar aims to add 60000 rooms to fill the demand by 2022 for FIFA World Cup.

The demand for cleaning equipment and technology is poised to grow further as labour in the cleaning industry accounts to 80% of the cost. Hospitality remains one of the most important sectors boosting the cleaning industry’s growth, and with hotels increasingly adopting eco- clean policies, the use of green cleaning products and procedures is a trend to watch out for in the region.

The GCC is also seeing the arrival of automation technologies in the cleaning industry. One of the major breakthroughs in this direction was the Hands-Free Cleaning HydroBot demonstrated at Dubai Festival City Mall in 2015, which uses a perceptive sensor and pre-programmable routes to clean floors. It was one of the robots within the series of the ‘Intellibots’ launched by US-based supplier Sealed Air. Evidently, the cleaning industry is seeing the introduction of solutions that reduce labour costs and utility consumption, as well as environmental pollution.

Commenting on the recent trends in the cleaning sector, Mr. Vishal Hegde, Portfolio Lead – MENA at Sealed Air, said, “We have seen an increase in demand for automated technology; a few years ago, it was hard to convince clients about our automated solutions, whereas now the clients approach us for innovative solutions that are effective and efficient to reduce total operating costs. Our latest innovation is the 'Internet of Clean'; as pioneers in the industry, we aim to create automated technology that is easy to use and cost effective.” 

He added that some key trends in the cleaning industry include improved sustainability through the adoption of green solutions that reduce CO2 emissions; there is also increased demand for a one-stop-shop solution provider for cleaning needs, as well as an increased interest in advanced innovations in the industry. 

Speaking about Sealed Air’s participation at MECTW 2016 Mr. Vishal Hegde said, “We will showcase our latest innovations at MECTW 2016. The market today is looking to reduce total operating costs, CO2 emissions and increase efficiency and effectiveness. As pioneers in the industry for automated cleaning technology, we have many easy-to-use yet sophisticated technologies. We aim to educate customers on how our innovations can improve performance, productivity, and reduce total operating costs.”

The Middle East Cleaning Technology Week (MECTW) in 2015 had projected steady growth across the cleaning industry including commercial laundry and car wash services. Organised by VIS Exhibitions and Conferences, MECTW will be featuring new pavilions dedicated to waste management, sewerage and sanitation, and specialised cleaning for the year 2016.  MECTW brings together all facets of the cleaning industry under a single umbrella and houses three platforms such as Gulf Laundrex and Linen Care Expo and Gulf Car Wash and Car Care Expo along with Clean Middle East Pulire. The event will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 13 – 15 November this year.

تقنيات التنظيف المؤتمتة تحدّ من النفقات وتكلفة العمالة في المنطقة بحلول عام 2020

• الإمارات العربية المتحدة الأكثر التزاماً بمعايير النظافة بين دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي بفضل تبني الحلول الخضراء عالية التقنية في القطاع
• تشير التوقعات إلى زيادة نمو في قطاع التنظيف والصحة العامة الإقليمي بشكلٍ استثنائي خلال العقد المقبل
• سيقام’أسبوع الشرق الأوسط لتقنيات التنظيف‘في مركز دبي الدولي للمؤتمرات والمعارض خلال الفترة الممتدة من 13- 15 نوفمبر2016

دبي، الإمارات العربية المتحدة:

تشير التوقعات إلى زيادة نمو في قطاع التنظيف والصحة العامة الإقليمي بشكلٍ استثنائي خلال العقد المقبل في ظلّ اختيار اثنتين من أهمّ دول الخليج بشكلٍ رسمي لاستضافة معرض إكسبو 2020 وكأس العالم لكرة القدم 2022، كما تشير التقارير الإعلامية إلى أنّ دبي ستضيف 100 ألف غرفة فندقية بحلول عام 2020، بينما تهدف دولة قطر إلى إضافة 60 ألف غرفة لتلبية الطلب المتزايد على الغرف الفندقية مع حلول كأس العالم لكرة القدم في عام 2022.

ومن المتوقع أن يسجل الطلب على تقنيات ومعدات التنظيف نمواً ملحوظاً بعد ارتفاع تكلفة العمالة في قطاع التنظيف إلى نسبة 80% من إجمالي التكاليف، كما لازالت الضيافة تعتبر من أهم القطاعات التي تعزّز من نمو قطاع التنظيف، في ظلّ اعتماد الفنادق المتزايد على سياسات التنظيف التي تعنى بالبيئة واستخدام منتجات وإجراءات التنظيف الخضراء بصورةٍ أكبر في المنطقة.

وتشهد دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي إقبالاً على تقنيات الأتمتة في قطاع التنظيف؛ حيث كانت تقنية التنظيف الآلية بدون استخدام اليدين ’هايدروبوت‘ بالاعتماد على استخدام أجهزة استشعارٍ ذكية ومسارات مبرمجة مسبقاً لتنظيف الأرضيات، والتي تمّ تجريبها في ’دبي فيستيفال سيتي مول‘ عام 2015 أحد أهمّ الإنجازات في هذا الاتجاه، وهي أحد روبوتات التنظيف ضمن مجموعة ’انتيليبوس‘ التي أطلقتها شركة ’سيلد اير‘ التي يقع مقرها في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، وقد بات إقبال قطاع التنظيف على إدخال الحلول التي تقلّل من تكلفة العمالة واستهلاك المرافق العامة وتحدّ من التلوث البيئي أكبر بصورةٍ واضحة.

وتعليقاً على هذا الموضوع، عقّب السيد فيشل هيجد، مدير محفظة منتجات ’سيلد اير‘ في الشرق الأوسط: "لقد شهدنا ارتفاعاً في الطلب على التقنيات المؤتمتة، وكان إقناع العملاء بحلولنا المؤتمتة أمراً صعباً قبل بضع سنوات، في حين نجد العملاء اليوم ينشدون حلولاً مبتكرة وفعالة وذات كفاءة للحدّ من تكاليف التشغيل الإجمالية، وتعتبر تقنية ’إنترنيت أوف كلين‘ أحدث ابتكاراتنا على الإطلاق في إطار سعينا لتعزيز مكانتا الرائدة في هذا القطاع عبر ابتكار تقنيات مؤتمتة سهلة الاستخدام وفعالة من حيث التكلفة".

وأوضح السيد هيجد بعض الاتجاهات الرئيسية في قطاع التنظيف والتي تشمل تعزيز مستوى الاستدامة عبر اعتماد الحلول الخضراء التي تقلل من انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون، كما أشار إلى زيادة في الطلب على متاجر المحطة الواحدة التي توفر حلولاً متكاملة لاحتياجات التنظيف، فضلاً عن الاهتمام المتزايد بالابتكارات المتقدمة في هذا القطاع.

وفي معرض حديثه عن مشاركة ’سيلد اير‘ في ’أسبوع الشرق الأوسط لتقنيات التنظيف‘ لعام 2016 أردف السيد هيجد: "سنستعرض أحدث ابتكاراتنا في ’أسبوع الشرق الأوسط لتقنيات التنظيف‘ 2016، في الوقت الذي يتطلع السوق اليوم إلى خفض تكاليف التشغيل الإجمالية وانبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون وتعزيز مستوى الكفاءة والفعالية. ونحن نمتلك بصفتنا رواداً في قطاع تكنولوجيا التنظيف الآلي العديد من التقنيات المتطورة وسهلة الاستخدام في آنٍ معاً. كما نهدف إلى زيادة مستوى إدراك العملاء بدور ابتكاراتنا في تحسين الأداء والإنتاجية، وتقليل تكاليف التشغيل الإجمالية".

وقد أشارت تقارير خاصة بـ ’أسبوع الشرق الأوسط لتقنيات التنظيف‘ لعام 2015 إلى توقعات بنمو مطرد في قطاع التنظيف بما فيها الخدمات التجارية الخاصة بغسل الملابس والسيارات، وسيضمّ ’أسبوع الشرق الأوسط لتقنيات التنظيف‘ الذي تنظمه شركة ’فيرتشول إنفو سيستمز للمؤتمرات والمعارض‘ أجنحة جديدة خاصة بإدارة النفايات وشبكات المجارير والصرف الصحي والتنظيف المتخصص لعام 2016. كما يجمع الأسبوع جميع الجهات الرائدة في قطاع التنظيف تحت سقفٍ واحد ضمن ثلاثة منصات، مثل معرض ’جلف لاوندريكس‘ ومعرض ’لينن كير إكسبو‘ ومعرض ’جلف كار ووش‘ ومعرض ’كار كير إكسبو‘، بالإضافة إلى معرض ’كلين ميدل إيست بولير‘، وستجري الفعالية في مركز دبي الدولي للمؤتمرات والمعارض خلال الفترة الممتدة من 13- 15 نوفمبر هذا العام.

Standard Chartered launches Africa’s most extensive roll out of mobile and online banking

Digital Banking made easier, faster and safer for over 1 million clients across 8 markets

LONDON, United Kingdom, May 31, 2016/ -- Standard Chartered Bank (www.SC.com) is bringing its newest mobile and online banking platform to 1 million clients across 8 African markets, the most extensive digital rollout of its kind in Africa by an international bank. Supported by the Bank’s global-standard technology, clients will enjoy a consistent online experience across laptops, tablets or mobile phones, and the convenience of banking from the location of their choice. After the rollout to Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the first half of 2016, the Bank will launch fingerprint recognition technology in these markets later in the year, giving clients a more secure and convenient way to log in to their accounts. “We’re bringing the best in mobile banking to Africa – consumers across the continent are increasingly affluent and tech-savvy and they want convenient access to their bank, wherever they happen to be,” said Karen Fawcett, Standard Chartered’s CEO for Retail Banking. “Africa is important to Standard Chartered and this launch is another demonstration of that.” "We are committed to making banking easier, faster and safer for our more than 1 million retail clients across Africa,” commented Jaydeep Gupta, Standard Chartered’s regional head of Retail Banking for Africa and the Middle East. “This multi-country roll-out is in line with our promise to bring world-class products and functionality to Africa, consistent with the trends and progress we are making in our international markets in Asia and the Middle East. By early next year, we expect at least 35% of all client transactions to be done through online channels; significantly advancing the transformation of banking in Africa.” The launch is central to Standard Chartered’s strategy of using digital technology to deliver the future of banking to clients in Africa. The Bank last year announced it will invest $1.5bn in technology globally over three years. With Africa’s mobile penetration estimated to be around 67%, the launch brings Standard Chartered Mobile, Standard Chartered’s mobile banking application to Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe for the first time. In Nigeria and Ghana, mobile banking clients will move to the Bank’s standard global platform. Through Standard Chartered Mobile, clients can check balances, transfer money and pay bills securely, all through their smartphones. Standard Chartered is also upgrading its online banking platform in these eight markets, so clients will benefit from improved navigation and user-friendly interfaces on the Bank’s websites. Clients will soon be able to use a new self-service option for wealth management that lets them set up their investment profiles online and find out which products are most suitable by answering a series of questions on their financial position, investment objectives and risk tolerance. Overall, clients will enjoy a consistent mobile and online banking experience: usernames and passwords, beneficiaries, standing instructions and bill payees are replicated across both channels. Paying bills is easier too as the revamp comes with an expanded list of utility companies, cable TV and internet providers. Bringing the future of banking to Africa – This online and mobile banking platform puts Standard Chartered at the forefront of digital banking technology in Africa and the first international bank to extend a brand-new global platform to eight countries in one rollout. In Kenya and Nigeria, the bank also recently launched the Retail Workbench, a tablet-based sales-and-service tool that “brings the bank to clients.” Retail Workbench allows sales staff can open an account for a client in any location and makes banking services like loan approvals and credit card issuance fast, simple and completely paperless. Zimbabwe and Zambia have also launched digital branches, revolutionising traditional branch formats. Standard Chartered’s retail banking business serves the banking needs of nearly 10 million individual and business clients across more than 30 markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, through more than 1,000 branches, 5,000 ATMS and a range of digital and staff-assisted channels. In 2015, Global Finance named Standard Chartered the World’s Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Regional Consumer Digital Bank for Africa and the Middle East. Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Standard Chartered.

The new Dutch Herring arrive right on time in SOHAR.

SOHAR, 31 May 2016

• Eighth annual Herring Reception in SOHAR celebrates Rotterdam partnership
• Over 200 staff and industry specialists attend this year’s networking reception
• In the Netherlands, people have been eating raw herring for over 600 years

Now in its eighth year, the SOHAR Herring Reception brings together SOHAR staff and stakeholders with industry leaders from all over the Sultanate. The event has become a regular feature in the SOHAR calendar and provides a chance to reflect on the strong ties that have been established between the Sultanate of Oman and The Netherlands. As SOHAR Port and Freezone continues to build on its regional success story, investments of more than US$25 billion have helped to create a world-class facility, with industry leaders across many sectors now firmly established in both the Port and its neighbouring Freezone.

Herring are small fish, very popular among Dutch people, which are caught in the North Sea and the East Sea, near Denmark, in a short season from mid-May to mid-July. The herring is then frozen and laid in salt for a few days to ripen. The first ‘Hollandse Nieuwe’ (Holland’s new herring) marks the start of the annual fishing season and, with a little help from KLM, reached SOHAR yesterday at almost the same time as they reached Amsterdam.

People from Holland, the West of the Netherlands, have been eating raw herring for over 600 years, traditionally holding the fish by its tail, dipping it in onions and then lowering it whole into the mouth. As some of the guests pointed out, it’s an acquired taste, although insiders say that thanks to the unusually warm spring in Europe, the herring is excellent this year. Herrings feed on plankton, and plankton grows in sunlight — so the better the weather, the fatter and better the herring.

Andre Toet, SOHAR CEO, used the occasion to talk about his past five years at SOHAR: “The Port of Rotterdam has a long and rich history, dating back to the 1300’s. By comparison, we are still at the beginning of a long journey in SOHAR, but our vision is to create the same kind of long-term sustainable growth and prosperity for maritime, business and industry sectors, right here in the Sultanate of Oman.”

SOHAR management held a Shipping Agents’ meeting ahead of the reception, a regularly scheduled open forum that allows the Port and its associated maritime industries to update each other, and to ensure that the communication channels stay as short as possible. CEO Andre Toet summed up when he said: “As the region’s fastest growing Gateway Port, at SOHAR we try to make sure we are not only talking, but also take every opportunity to listen - to ensure we stay fully aligned with our tenants, our stakeholders, our investors, the government and the local community.”

Understanding the 5 Common Motives for Today’s DDoS Cyber Attacks can help Companies in Egypt Prevent them!

Author: Chris Gale, EMEA Partner Director at A10 Networks

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks continue to be one of the most prevalent methods hackers use to disrupt businesses. Involving the use of multiple systems (personal computers, smartphones, etc.), DDoS attacks overload an organization's network by generating web traffic that can't be accommodated by the system's capacity limits.

Unlike with other forms of cyber attacks, DDoS attackers run the gamut in terms of their technical prowess. With DDoS services available for purchase online, even the least tech-savvy teenager with a credit card is capable of taking down company web assets for hours and even days.

Due to the diversity amongst those carrying out DDoS attacks, ranging from high-school kids to state-sponsored hackers, the purpose behind separate incidents can vary significantly. For example, while an experienced cyber criminal may use a DDoS attack for diversionary purposes, a disgruntled employee may carry out an attack just for the sake of causing chaos. Chris Gale, EMEA Partner Director at A10 Networks at A10 Networks has mapped out some of the most common motives for these attacks and describes the tell-tale signs that will help companies in Egypt combat these cyber attacks:

Hit-and-Run 

The least sophisticated form of DDoS is the hit-and-run attack. These come in a wide variety, targeting gaming services, consumer websites and various other high-visibility targets. These attacks aren't typically very strategic and are commonly executed by hackers causing chaos for attention or young cyber criminals testing their chops.

Considering these attacks are typically the least organized, and pulled off by the least technical individuals, they are the easiest to prevent. Unskilled troublemakers typically will use a paid service to pull off the attacks, making it costly to sustain long-term. By optimizing your network configuration, and utilizing technology with robust load balancing capabilities, the risks posed by these attacks are greatly minimized.  

This category of attacks serves as a grab-all for incidents that don't fit into the more defined versions of a DDoS attack. As they are often poorly organized attacks on random companies, it is difficult to pin down specific warning signs. If you are a high-profile company that would make for good headlines, you can assume you've been the target of this sort of incident.

Political 

Government and state-run websites have been a common target for protestors and activists looking to make a statement via cyber means. Most commonly associated with the likes of Anonymous and other hacker collectives, these attacks are a slightly more advanced/targeted version of the hit-and-run. There is no true end-game in terms of tangible payoff — these attacks tend to be symbolic in nature.

By taking down government web assets, attackers cause headaches for officials looking to both save face and bring critical services back online. While there is little payoff for the hacktivists, the damage caused to operations and reputation is very real.

Fiscal 

The ease of pulling off a rudimentary DDoS attack means that the hackers aren't always the usual suspects. For example, a recent survey from Kaspersky Labs found that 48 percent of companies who had experienced a DDoS attack believed their competition was responsible. While these statistics may be slightly inflated due to human paranoia, at least some of the attacks being reported fall into the category of B2B cyber crime.

Along with causing productivity declines that reduce the efficiency of a key competitor, companies perpetrating these attacks also aim to damage the target's reputation. While there are no direct monetary gains for the perpetrator, the indirect benefit of not having yourself associated with a cyber attack is enough to draw customers away from the competition.

Smokescreen 

Hackers have increasingly turned to DDoS attacks as a means of diverting IT's attention away from separate, and often times more damaging, behaviour. When an attacker damages or completely brings down a company's network, the process for complete remediation can take days. Coupled with the fact that DDoS attacks are highly visible, both externally and internally, returning to business as usual becomes priority one for responders.

With the IT team's attention focused elsewhere, it is easy for otherwise alarming behaviour to slip through the cracks. False-positives are already a common headache for those monitoring network activity, and during a time of crisis, it becomes much easier to neglect best practices and allow for incidents such as malware injection or data theft to occur.  

You typically don't realize a DDoS attack is being used as a smokescreen for a larger security incident until it's too late. The best defense comes from ensuring that all normal cybersecurity processes are continued in the wake of an attack and never assuming the worst is over.

Ransom 

The last form of attack has the most obvious pay off for hackers: cold hard cash (or at least cold hard cryptocurrency). For companies involved in e-commerce, stock trading, customer service and basically any form of business requiring access to a website or portal, extended network downtime is not an option.

Depending on the resources of attackers, sophisticated DDoS attacks on improperly secured networks can be extended for days, costing companies thousands and even millions of dollars in lost business. Attackers know this and prey on businesses looking to cut their losses and pay their way out of the situation. The good news is these attacks are easy to categorize since they come in conjunction with a communication demanding a ransom. The bad news is the price tag (usually requested in Bitcoin) is at the complete discretion of the attacks, and as more companies pay up, the demands are only bound to increase.

The Sustainable City officially starts clean energy production with the approval of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

- Up to 10 megawatts of Energy production to operate the residential area and city facilities -  

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 1 2016: The Sustainable City, based in Dubai, has announced that they are now successfully producing clean and sustainable energy using ‘Solar Power Panels’. This recent accomplishment has made The Sustainable City the first residential project in Dubai to produce clean energy for over 500 villas, which are spread out over five residential clusters, and which comprise of many amenities. The beginning of clean energy production is part of wider efforts the project has taken to ensure a fully sustainable lifestyle for the 100 plus families that are already in residence.

Commenting on the announcement, Anwar Zebn, CEO of ‘City Solar’, whose company is the main contractor for all energy production at The Sustainable City said: "We have already installed 12% of a total of 40 thousand solar panels, which are distributed on villas throughout the residential complex, and which will produce up to 10 megawatts of power at maximum capacity. Energy production will reach 1.2 MW, with surplus energy stored in DEWA’s Grid, to be later drawn upon to operate more than 200 villas with clean renewable energy. The energy produced hourly per year will be equivalent to 2000 megawatts, which will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions by a thousand tonnes per year. "

He Continues "The smart design of the villa along with the application of energy-saving solutions, such as insulating materials, solar water heaters, and energy-saving home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and lightings, will all contribute to reduce the energy consumption to 50% in each villa.”

The city’s project is in line with The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy, which aims to provide 7 per cent of Dubai’s energy from clean energy sources by 2020. It will later increase this target to 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050. The Sustainable City integrates different sustainable solutions that include separating grey and black water, and recycling grey water for community irrigation. In addition, the city is also preparing to inaugurate the city’s mosque and community mall, which will provide retail outlets, as well as medical and social outlets.