Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Oxford Business Group, in partnership with Ominvest, showcases Oman’s investment potential and its role in shaping a resilient Gulf economy in its latest Growth Perspectives video

MUSCAT, Oman, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Oman’s investment sector is playing an increasingly strategic role in the country’s economic diversification efforts under Vision 2040, supported by fiscal reforms, private capital mobilisation and cross-border partnerships. A new Growth Perspectives video produced by Oxford Business Group (OBG), in collaboration with Oman International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest), explores how Oman is strengthening its economic foundations while positioning itself as an active player in regional growth.

The video, titled “How Oman and Ominvest drive sustainable growth beyond oil,” highlights the country’s progress in reducing its reliance on hydrocarbons over the past decade, underpinned by policy frameworks such as the Five-Year Strategy and the Medium-Term Fiscal Plan. These measures have helped lower public debt from nearly 70% of GDP to under 34%, restore investment-grade status and channel resources into infrastructure, private sector development and job creation.

Particular focus is placed on the rise of emerging industries, including tourism, logistics, mining, fisheries and green hydrogen, all aligned with Oman Vision 2040. The video also examines how Ominvest is contributing to this shift, not only through domestic investment but also by expanding its footprint in high-growth regional markets such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

With sustainability, governance and innovation becoming core investment priorities, Ominvest is building partnerships across borders, investing in platforms that connect markets, and supporting sectors such as finance, insurance and technology. This approach reflects a broader transformation in the role of Gulf investment institutions, which are increasingly shaping industries and fostering deeper regional integration.

Dana Carmen Agarbicean, OBG’s Country Director for Oman, said the video underscores the importance of aligning capital flows with national and regional objectives: “Oman’s investment sector is emerging as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth and diversification. By combining fiscal discipline with a forward-looking investment strategy, the country is creating opportunities for the private sector and reinforcing its position in the regional economy.”

This Growth Perspectives video is now available to view online, offering insights into Oman’s evolving investment landscape and Ominvest’s role in supporting the country’s diversification and regional integration efforts. To watch the video, visit: https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/videos/how-oman-drives-sustainable-growth-beyond-oil-ominvest-growth-perspectives/

About Oxford Business Group

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global research and advisory company with a presence in over 30 countries, spanning Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. It is recognised internationally as a distinctive and respected provider of on-the-ground intelligence on world’s fastest-growing markets, termed The Yellow Slice, in reference to OBG’s corporate colour. 

Through its range of products – Economic News and Views; OBG CEO Surveys; OBG Events and Conferences; Global Platform, which hosts exclusive video interviews; and The Report publications – as well as its Advisory division, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sector-level developments for sound investment opportunities and business decisions.

OBG provides business intelligence to its subscribers through multiple platforms, including its direct subscribers, Dow Jones Factiva subscribers, the Bloomberg Professional Services subscribers, Refinitiv’s (previously Thomson Reuters) Eikon subscribers, and more.

For more information, please contact:
Marc-André de Blois
Director of PR and Video Content, Oxford Business Group
E-mail: mdeblois@oxfordbusinessgroup.com 

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SOURCE Oxford Business Group

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hang Seng Indexes Company recently announced the 2025 sustainability ratings for listed companies. Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (“Ping An” or the “Group”; HKEX: 2318; SSE: 601318) has been upgraded from “A-” to “A” in recognition of its outstanding achievements in sustainable development. This upgrade fully demonstrates Ping An’s continued progress and industry-leading position in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. 

Since 2014, Hang Seng has annually assessed the sustainability performance of listed companies. The latest review covered approximately 500 Hong Kong-listed constituents of the Hang Seng Composite Index and over 1,300 A-share constituents of the Hang Seng China A (Investable) Index. The evaluation framework is based on the three core pillars of environmental, social, and governance, using both general and industry-specific criteria with weightings adapted to different sector characteristics.

Key Results:

• Ping An (601318) placed in the top 10% among China A-share (Investable) index constituents, with both corporate governance and environmental performance ranking in the top 10% of all companies assessed.
• Ping An (02318) ranked in the top 30% among H-share constituents and in the top 20% within the financial industry. Its environmental metrics were in the top 10%, and corporate governance in the top 20%.

Robust Governance Drives Stable Growth and Over a Decade of Dividend Growth

With 37 years of operations, Ping An has established a clear board positioning, a professional board structure, and standardized operating procedures to ensure the Group’s long-term, stable, and rapid growth. The Group is committed to creating value for all stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, employees, and society. In the first half of 2025, Ping An maintained solid business operations, demonstrating strong resilience and innovation. The Group achieved an operating profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 77.732 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%. Cash dividend continued to rise, with an interim dividend of RMB0.95 per share, up 2.2% year-on-year. The Company’s dividend has now grown for more than ten consecutive years, underscoring Ping An’s commitment to rewarding shareholders and creating long-term value.

Deepened “Integrated Finance + Health and Senior Care” Strategy to Meet Senior Care Demands

With China’s aging population, customer’s needs for wealth management, health and senior care services is diversifying. Ping An continues to deepen its “integrated finance + health and senior care” strategy, providing one-stop services including wealth management, insurance protection, and consumer credit through its “one customer, multiple accounts, multiple products, and one-stop services” model. As of June 30, 2025, the Group had nearly 247 million retail customers, with an average of 2.94 contracts per customer; 26.6% of customers held four or more contracts with Ping An. In addition to traditional insurance, Ping An is actively integrating medical and senior care resources to manage customer health and provide cost-effective services. As of June 30, 2025, nearly 63% of customers were also entitled to service benefits in the health and senior care ecosystem. In the first half of 2025, over 13 million Ping An Life customers used health management services. Nearly 210,000 customers were entitled to home-based senior care services, which covered 85 cities nationwide.

Committed to Green Development and Low-carbon Transition

Ping An actively promotes green and low-carbon development, leveraging insurance, credit, and investment to support green industries and industrial transformation. As of June 30, 2025, Ping An’s green investment of insurance funds reached RMB144.482 billion, and its green loan balance stood at RMB251.746 billion. In the first half of 2025, green insurance premium income totaled RMB35.836 billion. The Company also actively promotes green operations to meet its carbon neutrality goals. In the first half of 2025, Ping An’s operational carbon emissions decreased by 13,000 tons year-on-year, with total greenhouse gas emissions at approximately 195,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, a 11% reduction year-on-year.

Empowered Risk Reduction and Enhanced Service Efficiency with Technology

To address the increasing frequency of extreme weather and natural disasters caused by climate change, Ping An P&C launched its proprietary “EagleX” risk mitigation platform in 2017. The platform pioneers the use of big data, meteorological disaster models, satellite remote sensing, and machine learning, integrating over 2 trillion data points covering geography, disasters, meteorology, and insurance. It assesses risks of nine types of natural disasters, including typhoons and extreme rainfall, and provides 15 types of disaster alerts. Since its launch, the platform has been widely applied across various insurance lines, including agricultural, property, and auto insurance, effectively helping governments, businesses, and individuals reduce disaster-related losses by hundreds of millions of RMB. In the first half of 2025, the “EagleX” system issued warnings for 259,000 disasters and sent 4.26 billion alert messages, covering 64.02 million corporate and individual customers.

Fulfilled Social Responsibility and Supported Community Development

Ping An leveraged its “integrated finance + health and senior care” capabilities to support rural revitalization in the key areas of industry, health, and education. In the first half of 2025, Ping An provided funding amounted to RMB32.809 billion for rural industrial vitalization. The Group also invested heavily in public welfare and volunteer activities. The “San Cun Hui” welfare platform has 3.51 million registered users, including over 490,000 Ping An employees and agent volunteers. In the first half of 2025, “San Cun Hui” initiated 1,033 public welfare activities.

Sustainable development remains a cornerstone of Ping An’s development strategy and core competitiveness. The Group will continue to focus on customer needs, deepen its “integrated finance + health and senior care” dual-pronged strategy, enhance corporate governance and risk management, and actively promote green and low-carbon initiatives to drive sustainable development for both the Group and society. Ping An is committed to creating long-term and steady value for its customers, employees, shareholders, and society.

– End –

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (HKEx:2318 / 82318; SSE:601318) is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. It strives to become a world-leading provider of integrated finance, health and senior care services. Under the technology-driven “integrated finance + health and senior care” strategy, the Group provides professional “financial advisory, family doctor, and senior care concierge” services to its nearly 247 million retail customers. Ping An advances intelligent digital transformation and employs technologies to improve financial businesses’ quality and efficiency and enhance risk management. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. As of the end of December 2024, Ping An had more than RMB12 trillion in total assets. The Group ranked 27^th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2025 and 47^th in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2025. 

For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn – PING AN.

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SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.

BEIJING, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

Hefei, the capital of East China’s Anhui province, is rapidly establishing itself as a global hub for technology and innovation, while embracing its profound cultural heritage and advancing sustainable development.

A group of young international influencers from the United States, France, Canada, and Yemen took part in a three-day immersive tour of the city from Aug 27-29.

Luogang Park, one of the world’s largest urban parks, impressed the influencers with its vast scale. After visiting a helicopter base here, some expressed a desire to view the park from the air someday.

Hefei’s ecological progress has touched the influencers a lot. Visits were made to Shibalianwei Ecological Wetland, Hefei Binhu National Forest Park, Hefei Thermal Power Binhu Science City Energy Station and Hudaying Sewage Treatment Plant, where environmental protection efforts are strengthened and advanced pollution control measures are implemented.

”I’m super impressed by Hefei’s natural beauty. The air is so fresh, and there’s greenery all around,” said Alexandra Ogden, a Canadian travel blogger with 200,000 followers.

Bradley Johnson from the United States, who now teaches at the University of Science and Technology of China, shared his perspective as a resident: ”Hefei is my home right now. There are a lot of great park areas and places for me to be and enjoy – it’s a very livable city. The wastewater treatment technology here is also impressive and efficient.”

Cultural experiences were also highlighted, with a trip to the Tongqinglou Catering, Anhui New East Cuisine Institute, and an introduction to traditional Chinese medicine at Anhui University of Chinese Medicine.

Their visit to Xingfuba, or ”happiness” subway station on Aug 28, coincided with Qixi Festival. Couples were tying the knot there, allowing the international guests to share in the festive atmosphere.

”I’ve heard back in 2024 that the Hefei population has reached 10 million people and half of that are the younger generation under 35. Now Hefei is a rich technology hub. I hope more people will come to Hefei to develop that and start their lives here,” said Douglas Dueno, a foreign expert at China Daily Website.

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SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn

OFTRINGEN, Switzerland, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Omya, a global producer of essential minerals and distributor of specialty materials, will present its latest innovations at K 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and rubber, in Düsseldorf. With a strong focus on performance polymers, circularity, decarbonization and lightweighting. Omya will showcase a portfolio of sustainable solutions to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Visit Omya at Hall 6, Booth D75.

A key highlight is the launch of Omya Performance Polymers Distribution (OPPD). Formed earlier this year, OPPD combines Omya’s global polymer distribution network with Distrupol, enhancing the company’s ability to serve a dynamic global market with a comprehensive range of high-performance polymers.

Fostering Decarbonization with Mineral Expertise

Omya’s advanced calcium carbonate solutions lower the carbon footprint and improve performance of plastic products. The company offers pre-consumer recycled grades, including Omyaloop FC for general purpose applications and Omya Smartfill 55-AV for engineering materials and biopolymers, verified by Bureau Veritas and produced using green electricity. These grades reduce emissions by up to two-thirds and support compliance with EU sustainability directives.

“Our mineral solutions reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance” said Marco Viel, Vice President of Polymers.

Lightweighting for Performance and Efficiency

Omya’s hollow glass microspheres — Omyasphere 900 series are engineered to significantly reduce product weight while maintaining strength. These lightweight fillers are ideal for automotive, aerospace, and electronics, offering improved flow, higher filler loading, and enhanced thermal and dielectric performance. They support dimensional stability and are suitable for advanced polymer and construction applications.

Performance meets sustainability in hygiene market

New Omyafilm developments enable the production of thinner films without compromising process stability or product quality. Meanwhile, Omyafiber is commercialized to the nonwovens, textiles and carpets industry delivering not only the general advantages of reduced material costs and lower environmental impact, but also technical benefits.

A One-Stop Solution for Polymer Challenges

Beyond minerals, Omya distributes a wide range of specialty materials including bio-based additives and CO₂-reducing solutions through partnerships with leading manufacturers. This integrated approach allows Omya to deliver tailored, high-performance solutions that meet the evolving needs of the plastics industry. With global reach and deep technical expertise, Omya is a trusted partner for innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

Omya invites visitors to meet the team, experience live demonstrations, and discover how Omya is helping shape the future of plastics.

Read more about: Omya at K Show 2025 | Omya

About Omya

Omya is a leading global producer of essential minerals and a worldwide distributor of specialty materials. Founded in Switzerland in 1884 and privately owned, we employ 9,000 people across 160 plants in 50 countries. Omya provides added-value products and services from responsibly sourced materials to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Customers rely on us for a comprehensive range of sustainable, high-quality products, backed up by exceptional customer service, regulatory advice and quality control.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2750859/Omya_K_Show_2025.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2750858/Omya_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE Omya GmbH

NANTONG, China, Aug. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — RAINBOWCO (SZ002483), a global leader in high-end equipment manufacturing, announced that effective September 1, 2025, port container equipment manufactured at its Taicang, China base will transition from the GENMA-KALMAR joint brand to the unified group brand “GENMA”. This strategic move aims to enhance GENMA’s global brand influence and marks a new phase in RAINBOWCO’s global expansion in high-end equipment manufacturing.

Following the upgrade, RAINBOWCO’s product brand portfolio will focus on two core brands: “GENMA” and “KOCH”. Founded in 2003, RAINBOWCO operates five manufacturing bases worldwide with over 3,600 employees and reported revenue exceeding $1 billion in 2024. Its port container equipment is manufactured by Jiangsu Rainbow Industrial Equipment Co., Ltd. (RIC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of RAINBOWCO, based in Taicang, China.

Since initiating a strategic partnership with global equipment giant Cargotec in 2004, RAINBOWCO has steadily advanced in the port equipment sector:

• 2012: Established a joint venture with Cargotec in Taicang, undertaking design, manufacturing, and global services for Kalmar heavy port cranes under a dual-brand strategy: KALMAR and GENMA.
• 2020: The joint venture completed strategic restructuring and was renamed RIC, optimizing operations and deepening localization.
• 2022: RIC acquired global intellectual property rights for Kalmar heavy port cranes and launched the GENMA-KALMAR co-brand to combine technological strengths and expand into global high-end markets.
• 2025: The brand strategy is upgraded, establishing GENMA as the core brand for container port machinery and opening a new chapter in global high-end equipment manufacturing.

Mr. Martin Wu, CEO of RAINBOWCO, stated: “RAINBOWCO remains committed to the high-end equipment sector. This rebranding is a major milestone in our global strategy. We will continue to expand our global manufacturing footprint and deepen localized service networks to deliver efficient, intelligent solutions for customers worldwide.”

Global partners are cordially invited to experience GENMA’s latest technological innovations at:

• TOC Africa 2025: September 17–18, Morocco (Booth: GENMA SOLUTIONS_B10)
• TOC Americas 2025: October 21–23, Panama (Booth: GENMA SOLUTIONS_E6)
• TOC Asia 2025: November 25–26, Singapore (Booth: GENMA SOLUTIONS_C10)

Learn more: https://www.genmasolutions.com/

 

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SOURCE RAINBOWCO

SHANGHAI, Aug. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As global supply chains accelerate their transition to sustainability, the high-performance waterproof-breathable textile sector has reached a decisive moment for innovation — a fabric revolution centered on PFAS-free technologies is now underway.

On August 28, 2025, ANTA, in partnership with Donghua University, formally unveiled China’s home-developed high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable material — AEROVENT ZERO — marking a pivotal breakthrough for the global high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable textile industry. As China’s first independently developed and mass-produced high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable membrane, the launch of ANTA AEROVENT ZERO signifies that China has overcome a world-class industrial challenge and will reshape the competitive landscape of technical textiles.

Accelerating sustainability in high-performance textiles — ANTA’s in-house R&D leapfrogs industry norms

High-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable fabric is widely recognized as a global industry-level challenge. Current mainstream PFAS-free solutions are largely driven by international technology routes. To secure autonomy over core technologies and broaden consumer choice, ANTA — together with Donghua University — pursued an indigenous R&D pathway and developed a PFAS-FREE, bio-based high-performance waterproofing membrane: AEROVENT ZERO. This innovation represents a distinct “China solution” for the world.

AEROVENT ZERO leverages an internally developed, high moisture-conductivity bio-based polymer combined with micro- and nano-scale structural engineering to deliver a marked improvement in vapor permeability. Coupled with a suite of PFAS-FREE process innovations — including PFAS-FREE durable water-repellent (DWR) surface modification and PFAS-FREE adhesives — the membrane also preserves robust waterproof performance. Test results from Authorized Third-Party Laboratories confirm that waterproof-breathable laminates incorporating AEROVENT ZERO now meet international leading benchmarks on core metrics — a hydrostatic head of 18,000 mmH₂O and a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of 7,000 g/(m²•24h) — successfully overcoming the global challenge of “PFAS-FREE high performance.”

In a pioneering move, the R&D team substituted petroleum-derived polymers with a bio-based polymer (bio-based content ≈ 20%) in AEROVENT ZERO. This approach not only aligns more closely with long-term sustainability trajectories than many existing PFAS-FREE solutions from international competitors, but it also gives the Chinese brand a decisive first-mover advantage and demonstrates an ability to “leapfrog” in technology development. (PFAS-FREE in this context indicates that no organofluorine compounds were added during production; per GB/T 31126, “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances” were not detected.)

Deep industry-academia integration — ANTA’s model bridges the “final 99 km” from laboratory to market

Translating cutting-edge materials science from the lab to commercial scale requires a long, multifaceted value chain: fundamental research, applied testing, product refinement and finally scaled manufacturing. If the lab breakthrough counts as the opening kilometer of a technical endurance race, then testing, yield optimization and mass production make up the critical remaining 99 kilometers. Backed by extensive in-house R&D capability, a formalized industry-university collaboration with Donghua University, and efficient, deep-level integration across the supply chain — including vertically integrated garment factories — ANTA has closed that gap. The company has become the first in the sector to achieve large-scale production of AEROVENT ZERO, completing the “final 99 km” of scientific and technological achievement transformation

Throughout development, AEROVENT ZERO underwent comprehensive laboratory evaluation, iterative R&D tuning, pilot production trials and real-world field testing, with the overall R&D→testing→production workflow aligned with international advanced standards. After more than a hundred pilot production trials and collaborative field validations conducted with scientific experts across diverse outdoor environments, the product’s quality yield and performance stability meet stringent benchmarks. Thanks to ANTA’s mature manufacturing system and its ability to integrate industrial resources, AEROVENT ZERO not only rivals international brands on technical performance but is also priced at roughly one-third the cost of comparable global fabrics. This price-performance balance enables broader access to high-performance waterproof-breathable textiles, accelerates the diffusion of green textile technologies from lab to consumer, and strengthens the positioning of Chinese brands in leading the global shift toward PFAS-FREE performance apparel.

“The Fabric of the 21st Century” — delivering sustainable solutions for global textile innovation

Against the tide of industrial transformation driven by sustainability, innovation in technical textiles — the pursuit of the “Fabric of the 21st Century” — has become the fulcrum of technological breakthrough and green transition. AEROVENT ZERO, developed domestically in China, supplies the world with a sustainable, scalable solution and signals that Chinese brands, propelled by research excellence, are accelerating the sustainability shift and increasingly participating in the reconfiguration of global technological leadership and market pricing power.

ANTA Group aims to raise the share of sustainable products to 50% and to source 50% of raw materials from sustainable origins by 2030. The large-scale deployment of AEROVENT ZERO marks a significant milestone in ANTA’s sustainability roadmap. The new generation ANTA Waterproof Jacket featuring AEROVENT ZERO will roll out simultaneously to overseas markets, with projected sales surpassing 500,000 units by 2026. Poised to become an iconic product in the high-performance PFAS-FREE outerwear segment, it is expected to stand as a landmark in the high-quality development of China’s footwear and apparel manufacturing sector.

Key milestones in the development of China’s home-grown “AEROVENT“:

2017: ANTA begins investing in research and experimental development for high-performance waterproof-breathable fabrics.

2021: ANTA and Donghua University’s Innovation Research Institute establish a joint project to accelerate R&D in apparel innovation materials and fabric technologies.

September 2023: ANTA and Donghua University jointly introduce China’s first independently developed high-performance waterproof-breathable membrane — AEROVENT — and launch the first ANTA membrane-equipped shell positioned at the ~RMB 1,000 price tier: ANTA Waterproof Jacket.

2024: Small-batch production of ANTA Waterproof Jacket fitted with the PFAS-FREE bio-based ANTA membrane; internal testing and tuning are conducted in collaboration with China National Geographic’s outdoor expert team.

September 2025: ANTA officially releases the PFAS-FREE bio-based high-breathability waterproof membrane — AEROVENT ZERO — and debuts China’s first self-developed high-performance PFAS-FREE shell equipped with it: the new-generation ANTA Waterproof Jacket. Building on this foundation, ANTA continues to advance parallel R&D tracks across multiple technological pathways.

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SOURCE ANTA Group