BlackBerry to acquire Cylance, for US$ 1.4 bn
IPAWEEK
it & BPM i FOOD I HEALTHCARE i TEXTILES i INFRASTRUCTURE i ENGINEERING i tourism
SoftBank Vision Fund will invest US$ 2 bn in Coupang
THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR INVESTMENT PROMOTION EXECUTIVES
Colfax to acquire DJO Global for US$ 3.1 bn
Cimarex to acquire Resolute for approximately US$ 1.6 bn
Ashland to sell Composites business to INEOS for US$ 1.1 bn
www.globalfdi.net
19 - 24 November. 2018
IHG signs Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Direct Biologics acquires Paisley Laboratories, LLC
Healthcare
IT-BPM
Boston Scientific announces recommended offer to acquire BTG for $4.2 billion
Cimarex to acquire Resolute for approximately $1.6 billion
Equinix to build a new Data Center in London
BlackBerry to acquire Cylance, for US $1.4 billion
Visa Strengthens Commitment to Growing Digital Payments in India
Juhl Energy partners with GE Renewable Energy to build Solar-Wind Hybrid Project
Quiet Logistics opens new Large-Scale Fulfillment Center
Brightline forms strategic partnership With Virgin
Elsevier signs agreement with Al Hammadi for Digital Transformation
Colfax to acquire DJO Global for $3.1 billion
Autodesk to acquire PlanGrid
Infrastructure
SoftBank Vision Fund will invest $2 billion in Coupang
Staybridge Suites, the first of its kind in The Netherlands
Ashland to sell Composites business to INEOS for US$ 1.1 billion
Hilton expands in New Zealand with new DoubleTree by Hilton Napier
Food
Tourism
Engineering
Nespresso expands in Romont, Switzerland
IHG opens the Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha hotel in Brazil
Costa Group announces agreement for acquisition of Nangiloc Colignan Farm
Xenia Hotels & Resorts acquires Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa
Yamaha Motor invests in New Zealand Agricultural Automation and Robotics Company
BlackBerry Limited announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to wholly acquire Cylance, an artificial intelligence and cybersecurity leader, for US $1.4 billion in cash, plus the assumption of unvested employee incentive awards. Pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, the deal is expected to close prior to the end of BlackBerry’s current fiscal year (February 2019). “Cylance’s leadership in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will immediately complement our entire portfolio, UEM and QNX in particular. We are very excited to onboard their team and leverage our newly combined expertise,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO of BlackBerry. “We believe adding Cylance’s capabilities to our trusted advantages in privacy, secure mobility, and embedded systems will make BlackBerry Spark indispensable to realizing the Enterprise of Things.” According to Gartner in its most recent Internet of Things Backbone Survey: security was cited as the top barrier to IoT success (35%), with privacy concerns (25%), and potential risks and liabilities (25%) also in the top five. Cylance is a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence, algorithmic science, and machine learning to cybersecurity software that has proven highly effective at predicting and preventing known and unknown threats to fixed endpoints. The fast-growing company has become a market leader with an advanced and lightweight agent that resides on the endpoint, operates both online and off, and requires a minimum of memory and power to function.
BlackBerry Limited to acquire Cylance, for US $1.4 billion
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Coupang, one of the largest and fastest growing e-commerce companies in the world, announced that the SoftBank Vision Fund will invest $2 billion in Coupang. This follows SoftBank Group’s initial investment of $1 billion in June 2015. This new primary capital will enable Coupang to continue investing in consumer-first technology innovations. Lydia Jett, Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers and Coupang Board member, said, “Coupang seeks to have a revolutionary technology platform and uncompromising focus on customer delight. We believe the company is well-positioned to lead the Korean e-commerce market, with significant platform opportunities ahead given its data, payments and logistics advantage.” With revenue more than doubling in the last two years and approaching $5 billion in 2018, Coupang is Korea's largest online retailer. Korea is already a global top five e-commerce market and is one of the fastest growing. Coupang’s growth is propelled by technology. Rocket services deliver more than one million parcels every day and dynamically respond to surges in demand that sometimes double delivery volumes overnight. RocketPay, Coupang’s payment service (which is growing 200% year-over-year), makes buying easy, allowing millions of customers to make One-Touch purchases already worth billions of dollars a year. Coupang's data platform helps customers discover more than 300 million items per day and renders search results in a fraction of a second.
Visa announced a minority investment in BillDesk, a leading platform for online payments and bill payments in India. Visa’s investment and collaboration will help BillDesk develop new product lines for its payments and loyalty businesses and also expand its footprint into other geographies. The investment will be subject to necessary statutory approvals and is expected to have no direct bearing on Visa’s existing Indian business. “As a leading payments player in India, BillDesk has been a long time business partner to Visa. Having worked with BillDesk’s founders over the years, the Visa leadership has been consistently impressed with their vision, market knowledge and execution capabilities, as well as alignment on values. This investment further reinforces our long-term commitment to India’s digital payments growth story,” said Asia Pacific regional president, Chris Clark. “We are truly excited by this investment from the world's largest global payment network, Visa. We now look forward to building new products and solutions that benefit merchants as well as consumers. Visa with its deep network and strong relationships is a great partner as well looking to offer our services in other markets,” said M N Srinivasu, Co-founder, BillDesk. This is Visa’s latest partnership and investment with emerging payment innovators. As a global payments technology company, Visa continually partners with technology and financial services businesses across the world – especially those that have the potential to advance digital payments growth for clients and customers.
Visa expands its digital payments in India
Autodesk, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PlanGrid, a leading provider of construction productivity software, for $875 million net of cash. This acquisition will enable Autodesk to offer a more comprehensive, cloud-based construction platform. PlanGrid software lets general contractors, subcontractors and owners in commercial, heavy civil and other industries work together throughout the construction project lifecycle. PlanGrid software offers real-time collaboration, keeping the field and the office on the same page. It gives builders real-time access to project plans, punch lists, project tasks, progress photos, daily field reports, submittals and more. "As designing and making converge, Autodesk is connecting project data from design through construction and putting predictive insights into the hands of contractors," said Andrew Anagnost, Autodesk CEO. "There is a huge opportunity to streamline all aspects of construction through digitization and automation. The acquisition of PlanGrid will accelerate our efforts to improve construction workflows for every stakeholder in the construction process." "At PlanGrid, we have a relentless focus on empowering construction workers to build as productively as possible," said Tracy Young, PlanGrid CEO. "One of the first steps to improving construction productivity is the adoption of digital workflows with centralized data. PlanGrid has excelled at building beautiful, simple field collaboration software, while Autodesk has focused on connecting design to construction. Together, we can drive greater productivity and predictability on the jobsite."
Equinix, Inc., the global interconnection and data center company, announced it will build a new International Business Exchange data center at its London Slough campus. The data center – called LD7 – will provide interconnection and colocation to businesses to support their IT transformation initiatives and adoption of the cloud while supporting the digital infrastructure of the UK. The data center will cost approximately $120M (£90M) and scheduled to open Q2 2019. The new data center will bring the company's UK portfolio to 12 IBXs and supports increasing demand for interconnection bandwidth capacity from UK enterprises looking to gain a competitive advantage in the digital economy. These data centers are built on Platform Equinix™ which is comprised of 200 data centers in 52 markets globally. Including current expansion projects, Equinix will have invested over $1.2 billion to build and expand its presence in the London metro area. This sizeable investment is an indicator of Equinix's confidence in the future of London as Europe's major financial hub and one of the world's greatest commercial cities, regardless of the outcome of the ongoing negotiations around the UK's departure from the European Union. The investment has been acknowledged by the UK Government as a positive contribution to the UK's continued success in global business. As part of Equinix's commitment to its long-term goal of using 100% clean and renewable energy and lowering its carbon footprint for its global platform, LD7 has been designed to provide an energy-efficient foundation on which customers can accelerate their business in this era of digital transformation. As a result, the LD7 data center will be built to LEED gold certified standards. Highlights/ Key Facts The new $120M (£90M GBP) data center forms part of a total $387M (£295M GBP) investment in the UK's digital economy from Equinix throughout 2018/19. This includes $108M (£82M GBP) in expansion to Equinix's LD10 data center, $120M (£94M GBP) in expansion at its LD9 data center and $39M (£29M GBP) expansion of its LD4 data center. The investment in expansions at LD9 and LD10 include the development of dedicated space for hyperscale infrastructure to meet demand from cloud service provider customers. Earlier this year the company also announced that it would expand its LD4 data center due to continued growth of the world's largest multi-asset class electronic trading ecosystem which consists of a robust collection of interconnected execution venues, trading platforms, market data vendors, service providers, buy-side firms, and sell-side firms. The new LD7 data center will enable customers to interconnect securely with 1,000+ businesses in London including leading capital markets participants, insurers and electronic payments firms, as well as 200+ network service providers and 275+ cloud and IT service providers. LD7 will add 1,750 cabinets in its initial phase and expand to 2,650 cabinets at full build. Energy efficiency will be achieved at the site with the aid of an innovative chilled water system in combination with an Adiabatic heat rejection system. This will contribute to LD7 having lower energy consumption and a smaller carbon footprint than other facilities of its kind.
Cimarex (NYSE: XEC) and Resolute Energy Corporation (NYSE: REN) ("Resolute") today announced that Cimarex has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Resolute in a cash and stock transaction valued at $35.00 per share, or a total purchase price of approximately $1.6 billion, including Resolute's long term debt of $710 million, as of September 30, 2018. The transaction was unanimously approved by both companies' Boards of Directors. "This high-quality, bolt-on asset is tailor-made for Cimarex," said Thomas E. Jorden, Chairman, President and CEO of Cimarex. "It is a perfect fit with our existing Reeves County position and will allow us to leverage our knowledge and deliver superior results over a broader asset base for the benefit of both Cimarex and Resolute shareholders. The Resolute assets are expected to generate free cash flow in 2019, basically funding any additional development capital from the start. I want to compliment Rick Betz and the entire Resolute team on the outstanding job that they have done in building these premier Reeves County assets." Cimarex will continue to maintain an industry-leading cost structure and strong balance sheet. Cimarex expects the combined companies to generate free cash flow in 2020. "Today's transaction further demonstrates the commitment of the Board of Directors and entire management team at Resolute to maximizing long term value for the company's shareholders," said Rick Betz, Chief Executive Officer of Resolute. "Our dedicated team of talented professionals has worked tirelessly to position this company to be able to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity this merger represents. The combination of our assets and people with the incredibly strong platform that Tom and his team at Cimarex have built will surely lead to superior results for the shareholders of both companies. We look forward to working through a seamless transition with the Cimarex team." Compelling Strategic and Financial Benefits include: Acquisition Consistent with Disciplined Investment and Capital Allocation Strategy: Cimarex utilized its disciplined returns-driven approach in this transaction, employing its strong balance sheet to acquire assets with attractive returns that are competitive with those in Cimarex's existing high-return portfolio. Operational Excellence Results in Productivity Gains: Through the application of sound, idea-driven science, Cimarex has shown significant well productivity gains in this area. Cimarex expects to apply these learnings to the acquired properties in the future. Increases Scale of Key Delaware Basin Asset: Net acres in Reeves County, Texas, increase 34% with the addition of 21,100 acres. Pro forma Q3 2018 production was over 253 MBOE/d (79,647 bo/d). Financially Accretive: Accretive to 2019 key per-share metrics including: earnings and non-GAAP cash flow.
Quiet Logistics opens new Fulfillment Center
Quiet Logistics, Inc., the leading outsourced fulfillment partner to premium apparel and lifestyle brands, announced significant expansion with the opening of a world-class, 355,000 square foot fulfillment center on Jackson Road in Devens, Massachusetts. The new facility creates 150 full-time jobs, and is designed to handle Quiet's current and projected growth, enabling the company to scale with customers that are facing significant increases in order volumes fueled by the booming global e-commerce industry. "Retailers are under tremendous pressure to manage higher order volumes and shifting consumer expectations due to fierce competition from big e-commerce players like Amazon and Walmart," said Brian Lemerise, President of Quiet Logistics. "We are thrilled to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Devens that will allow us to continue to deliver the highest level of service to current and future customers, ensuring that they are able to meet demand for faster online order delivery." Founded in 2009 by Bruce Welty and Michael Johnson, Quiet Logistics integrates cutting-edge robotic technology, robust proprietary software systems and human touch to deliver the next generation of post-click fulfillment services with unprecedented speed and precision. The new facility deploys 200 new autonomous, mobile robots from Locus Robotics, which work safely and collaboratively alongside human employees to drive unparalleled productivity and precision.
Brightline, America's first new major private intercity passenger railroad in over a century, announced a new strategic partnership and trademark licensing agreement with the Virgin Group, one of the world's most recognizable brands in travel and hospitality. The partnership will allow Brightline to leverage Virgin's industry-leading expertise and customer experience to establish a powerful new brand, “Virgin Trains USA”. Brightline launched service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in May, 2018. Brightline currently has plans to expand to Orlando and Tampa, and pending the closing of the previously announced XpressWest acquisition and receipt of necessary federal approvals, to begin railway construction next year to connect Las Vegas to Southern California. Virgin Group has more than 60 companies focused on its core consumer sectors of travel and leisure, telecoms and media, music and entertainment, financial services and health and wellness. “We have had a lot of fun and success creating innovative transport businesses that shake up markets and establish loyal followings. We transformed domestic air travel with Virgin America. Tens of millions of Americans travel on the railways every day, and we have tried for over a decade to find an opportunity to provide them with that same excellent service experience,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin. “Brightline is at the forefront of innovation in this market, and the ideal partner for Virgin to work with to alter perceptions and traveling habits across the United States.” The partnership could help to provide access to millions of customers with the potential for increased ridership from other Virgin branded travel and hospitality businesses, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages.
Brightline forms strategic partnership with Virgin
Ashland Global Holdings Inc. announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Composites business and the butanediol (BDO) manufacturing facility in Marl, Germany, to INEOS Enterprises in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion. The transaction is expected to close prior to the end of the June 2019 quarter, contingent on certain customary regulatory approvals, standard closing conditions and completion of required employee information and consultation processes. Ashland expects net proceeds from the sale to total approximately $1 billion and anticipates that proceeds primarily will be used for debt reduction. Prior to reporting its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, Ashland plans to update its outlook for both the first quarter and for the full 2019 fiscal year to reflect the impact of moving these businesses to discontinued operations. Ashland's Composites unit is a global leader in unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins and gel coats, while the BDO facility in Germany and related merchant products included in the agreement are part of Ashland's Intermediates and Solvents (I&S) segment. Ashland's Composites and Marl BDO facility have combined sales of more than $1.1 billion per year and approximately 1,300 employees. Ashland will retain its BDO plant in Lima, Ohio, to ensure consistent supply for the company's internal needs.
Ashland to sell Composites business to INEOS Enterprises for $1.1 billion
Juhl Energy announced that it has selected GE Renewable Energy to supply equipment for the first commercial integrated solar-wind hybrid power generation project in the U.S. The Minnesota-based clean energy company has developed the 2.0MW community-based renewable energy project to provide low-cost, locally generated energy to the Lake Region Electric Cooperative of Pelican Rapids, Minn. Bank of America has provided necessary financial support for the project, agreeing to purchase the project-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), in line with its environmental goals. 3Degrees facilitated the connection between Juhl Energy and Bank of America. "Distributed generation will play a major role in the implementation of renewable energy in the U.S. electrical market in the years to come," said Dan Juhl of Juhl Energy. "Projects such as this one, with Juhl Energy's package design and GE hybrid technology, will economically blend clean, renewable energy into the electric grid at a lower cost, plus add reliability to the system." "This unique renewable energy project will provide a tremendous amount of value to the local community. The cost savings from purchasing the hybrid project's energy will help provide rate stability, benefiting all of our co-op members," stated Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative. The project will use one 2.0-116 wind turbine from GE Renewable Energy's Onshore Wind business supported by 0.5 MW of PV solar. The innovative project utilizes GE's Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) technology platform – developed through GE's Global Research Center - to directly integrate the solar panels through the wind turbine's converter so both wind and solar share the same balance of plant, increasing system net capacity by 3-4 percent and annual energy production by up to 10 percent. The hybrid design gives these type of projects the ability to produce power when it is most needed, with the solar essentially providing summer peak energy, and the wind providing winter peak energy.
Costa Group Holdings Limited Australia’s leading horticultural company, advises that it has signed a conditional agreement for the acquisition of the farming operations of Nangiloc Colignan Farm (NCF) located in the greater Sunraysia district of North West Victoria. NCF is a grower of high quality citrus and grapes across 567 hectares, which includes 240 hectares of citrus, including 103 hectares of Afourer mandarins and 105 hectares of oranges, 204 hectares of table grapes and 123 hectares of wine grapes. The transaction agreements for the purchase of NCF’s farming operations have been entered into in conjunction with a subsidiary of CK Life Sciences Int’l (Holdings) Inc. (CK Life Sciences). Under the agreement, the CK Life Sciences group will acquire the farm (subject to satisfaction of various conditions) and subsequently enter into a 20 year lease of the farm to Costa. The principal activities of CK Life Sciences are investment holding and the activities of its subsidiaries include investment in nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and agriculture-related products and assets. Costa CEO Harry Debney said the acquisition and its focus on the Sunraysia growing region opens up growth opportunities which are not available in the South Australian Riverland, an area where Costa produces approximately half of the citrus crop. “This acquisition and location in the Sunraysia region will reduce reliance on any one region in our portfolio and will also open up additional growth opportunities. In particular, with respect to Afourer mandarins and navel oranges this will allow us to further take advantage of export market demand”, said Mr Debney.
Nestlé Nespresso has announced a CHF 43 million investment in the creation of two new production lines in its factory in Romont, Switzerland to satisfy growing demand for the versatile coffee system Vertuo. This will create 33 additional jobs in the next two years. It has also inaugurated a state-of-the-art innovation centre consisting of Product Development Center and Coffee Campus to drive global innovation and coffee expertise. The Product Development Center is dedicated to developing new Nespresso machines and Grand Cru coffees, including unique coffees from rare origins. In addition, with its small-scale production facility it enables experimentation to provide new and different coffee experiences to consumers. The Coffee Campus functions as a training center that will continuously raise the level of expertise within the company and among external partners such as chefs. The two units were created to bolster the company’s work in innovating sustainable, quality coffee. Jean-Marc Duvoisin, CEO of Nespresso, said: “Innovation has always been at the heart of Nespresso. The new facilities will play a central role in our ability to offer consumers the latest developments in sustainable, high quality coffees and personalized customer service.” Nespresso opened its third factory in Switzerland, in Romont, in 2015, which represented a CHF 300 million investment. It has already invested an additional CHF 48 million to expand production capacity and create the Product Development Center and the Coffee Campus. The Romont factory is the primary production site for Nespresso Vertuo, an innovative portioned coffee system delivering a variety of sizes of high quality coffees, from 40 ml to 414 ml.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it has made an additional eight million U.S. Dollar investment into Robotics Plus, a New Zealand agricultural automation solutions development company. In addition to the two-million-dollar investment made in December 2017, this brings Yamaha Motor’s total investment to ten million U.S. Dollars. Founded in 2008, Robotics Plus develops agricultural automation and robotics solutions in the agricultural field based on intelligent robotics, automation, and analysis technology. Its developments include a robotic apple packing system, general purpose UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) for smart orchard and horticultural applications, robotic kiwifruit harvester, robotic pollinator, crop estimator and a number of confidential projects. The investment in Robotics Plus is part of Yamaha Motor's "Solutions Business: Creating Distinctive Diversity,” which is one of the growth strategies in the company's current medium-term management plan. The collaboration and investment was made possible through the research conducted by Yamaha Motor’s corporate venture capital group, Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), and aims to further Yamaha Motor’s business development in the agricultural technology field.
Boston Scientific announced it has reached an agreement on the terms of a recommended offer to acquire BTG plc., a company headquartered in the United Kingdom, which develops and commercializes products used in minimally-invasive procedures targeting cancer and vascular diseases, as well as acute care pharmaceuticals. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Boston Scientific and BTG. Under the terms of the transaction, holders of BTG's common shares would receive cash consideration of 840 pence per share. The total cash consideration for 100% of BTG's equity is approximately £3.3B, or U.S. $4.2B The transaction is intended to be effected by way of an English court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement, and is expected to close in the first half of 2019. BTG has three key businesses, the largest of which is its Interventional Medicine portfolio which encompasses several peripheral interventional product lines. The interventional oncology franchise includes the TheraSphere Y-90 radiotherapy microspheres and the GALIL™ cryoablation system, used to treat patients with liver, kidney and other cancers. More than 840,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with liver cancer in 2018, and that number is expected to grow to 1.1 million by 2030.i Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women.ii The company's Interventional Medicine business also has a highly-differentiated vascular portfolio, including filters, crossing catheters, microfoam and the EKOS Endovascular System. The EKOS system, in combination with clot-dissolving drugs, breaks down blood clots to restore blood flow in patients with pulmonary emboli, deep vein thrombosis and peripheral arterial occlusions. It was the first device cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pulmonary embolism – a common complication of hospitalization and a leading cause of preventable hospital deaths.iii
Colfax Corporation, a leading diversified technology company, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DJO Global Inc. from private equity funds managed by Blackstone for $3.15 billion in cash. DJO is a global leader in orthopedic solutions, providing orthopedic devices, software and services spanning the full continuum of patient care, from injury prevention to rehabilitation. “The acquisition of DJO is a compelling next step in the strategic evolution of Colfax that creates a new growth platform in the high-margin orthopedic solutions market,” said Matt Trerotola, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colfax. “As a clear market leader in bracing and rehabilitation systems – with a track record of innovative new products, globally recognized brands, and a diverse product portfolio – DJO is well-positioned to benefit from secular trends driven by changing demographics and increased preventive healthcare. This transaction reflects our strategic intent to diversify our portfolio and end-market exposure, reduce cyclicality, and increase profitability. We see significant opportunities to apply our proven Colfax Business System across DJO to create a continuous improvement culture, further improve productivity and margins, and accelerate innovation and new product development.”
The agreement will see the implementation of Elsevier's Order Sets and Care Planning solutions in all three Al Hammadi hospitals over the next five years Elsevier, the information analytics business specializing in science and health, announced an agreement with Al Hammadi Company for Development and Investment (Al Hammadi) to implement Elsevier's Order Sets and Care Planning solutions in Al Hammadi hospitals across Saudi Arabia. Al Hammadi currently oversees three large hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Al Hammadi Hospital Al Olaya (300 beds), Al Hammadi Hospital Al Suwaidi (428 beds), and Al Hammadi Hospital Al Nuzha (600 beds). Implementation of Order Sets and Care Planning solutions marks an important step of digital transformation for the hospital. The Saudi Arabian government is encouraging hospitals to harness technology optimizing patient care by putting hospitals with HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6 accreditations or above in higher reimbursement plans. The first step in the agreement with Elsevier will be to complete the implementation phase by the end of 2018. Al Hammadi will join a growing number of hospitals in the region to implement Elsevier's Clinical Decision Support Solutions. Last year, following the implementation of Order Sets and Care Planning solutions, the Al Habib Medical Group achieved HIMSS EMRAM stage 6 .
Direct Biologics, LLC has acquired Paisley Laboratories, LLC and their entire patent portfolio. This strategic acquisition will further allow Direct Biologics to rapidly develop new innovative technologies utilizing stem cell factors intended to transform the medical and cosmetic industries. The mission of these combined research and development companies is to transform regenerative healing with an emphasis on improved patient care. Direct Biologics is focused on optimizing the regenerative potential of its unique technologies as an industry leader in providing innovative tissue-based technologies for stimulating regeneration across various applications in orthopedics, plastic surgery, general surgery, podiatry, and more. The acquisition of Paisley Laboratories, LLC expands their ability to develop innovative and revolutionary products based on utilizing human mesenchymal stem cells. Currently, in the United States, over 60 million people have some type of joint or spine pain and there are approximately 12 million interventional procedures performed every year. Direct Biologics’ goal is to change the treatment paradigm for this market through clinical and scientific initiatives. Additionally, Direct Biologics owns a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio and is developing products to revolutionize the aesthetics market with technology that has been scientifically proven to minimize skin aging and restore hair loss. The global aesthetics market is valued at $10 Billion and Direct Biologics’ products are applicable in a majority of these 23 million procedures. Direct Biologics’ human stem cell technologies work with your body by stimulating your cells’ inherent regenerative ability to achieve natural healing. Joe Schmidt, the company’s President and Co-founder, said, “Imagine having the ability to treat arthritis, skin aging or pain by unleashing the power of regeneration already present within your own body”. Mark Adams, the company’s CEO and Co-founder, said, “This new level of unequaled human cellular regeneration is about to become a reality because of the disruptive technologies currently being marketed by Direct Biologics and via the stem cell technology patents we acquired”.
Hilton expands in New Zealand with new DoubleTree in Napier
Hilton announced the signing of DoubleTree by Hilton Napier Hotel and Suites, adding to DoubleTree by Hilton’s portfolio of 54 properties across Asia Pacific. Auckland-based Sarin Investments will manage the hotel under a franchise agreement with USAR Napier Limited. Napier is a beautiful coastal city on New Zealand’s North Island, which is set amid the renowned wine region of Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand’s famous art-deco themed city. DoubleTree by Hilton Napier will be located in the central business district – a short walk to Hastings Street pedestrian mall, the waterfront and Napier’s famous art-deco attractions. Construction of DoubleTree by Hilton Napier is underway and is due for completion early 2019. The hotel will have a modern art-deco design theme running throughout and will feature stylish guest rooms, including spacious suites, a restaurant and bar, fully equipped gym, and a boardroom. Guy Phillips, senior vice president, development, Asia & Australasia, Hilton, said, “Having recently worked with Sarin Investments on the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Wellington, we are thrilled to once again partner with them to bring our world-renowned DoubleTree by Hilton signature welcome to Napier.”
IHG, (nterContinental Hotels Group) one of the world’s leading hotel companies, announces the opening of the newly-built 98-room Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha hotel in Brazil’s southern region of Serra Gaúcha. The hotel is integrated into Casa Perlage, a new large commercial complex that includes a convention center, restaurants and parking. Known as the birthplace of the Italian migration to the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Farroupilha is also the country's main manufacturer of textiles and knitted fabrics as well as the largest producer of Muscat grapes. Just 20 minutes from Caxias Do Sul Airport as well as the charming cities of Gramado, Garibaldi and Bento Gonçalves, the Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha allows travelers an affordable and hassle-free stay that combines comfort, convenience and value for guests. Gerardo Murray, Regional Vice President Marketing, Commercial and Revenue Strategy, Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean, IHG, said: "We are thrilled to bring the smart and simple travel of Holiday Inn Express to this rich and historic city. An ideal hotel for both business and leisure travelers who appreciate a good value, Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha is a fresh and modern hotel close to many of the region’s main attractions.” Designed to provide guests with everything they need and nothing they don’t, the Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha offers a 24-hour fitness center and a business center with three modern meeting rooms. Guestrooms have modern design, comfortable king-sized or two twin-sized high-quality beds with a choice of firm or soft pillows for a restful night’s sleep, a sitting area with a lounge chair, TV Flat Screen, iron and ironing board, mini refrigerator and coffee machine with complimentary coffee. Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha will also be the first hotel in Brazil to open with IHG® Connect, which delivers enhanced Wi-Fi with the fastest speeds in the industry as well as an auto recognition feature for IHG® Rewards Club members, so guests only need to sign in once to access hotel Wi-Fi at all IHG Connect-enabled hotels. The hotel also participates in IHG Green Engage® and offers unique programs to ensure sustainability. The Holiday Inn Express Farroupilha is franchised by an affiliate of IHG and is part of IHG’s diverse family of brands in nearly 100 countries and territories.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group®), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has opened its first Staybridge Suites® in The Netherlands, Staybridge Suites® The Hague – Parliament. Located in the heart of The Hague, the hotel is situated opposite the world’s oldest parliament building still in use, the Binnenhof, and sits alongside the stunning Court Pond the ‘Hofvijver’ and the famous Mauritshuis Museum, making it the perfect locations to take pictures of The Hague’s historic skyline. Designed to meet the needs of extended stay guests from business travellers to families, Staybridge Suites The Hague – Parliament offers 101 contemporary designed suites that deliver the comforts of home with fully equipped kitchens, comfortable living areas, and flexible working spaces. The unique layout and interior design is inspired by the city’s rich history and environment. The hotel itself is comprised of three buildings, two of which are located on the central Lange Vijverberg. The historical design influence can be seen in the hotel’s use of panelling, brass finishing and a traditional colour palette of rich deep blue and warm ochre. Connecting all three buildings together is a stunning Parisian style courtyard, adding to the ambience of the hotel. From the moment visitors step into the hotel’s bright and beautiful indoor courtyard lobby, guests will be made to feel completely at ease in the relaxing Livingroom. Those staying can take advantage of Staybridge Suites The Hague – Parliament’s free Wi-Fi, The Pantry which provides food essentials for guests to purchase 24 hours a day, complimentary breakfast, free laundry facilities and 24/7 fitness room. In addition, Staybridge Suites provides guests with a midweek ‘Social’ to give those staying a chance to relax with drinks and snacks and meet their neighbours. Staybridge Suites The Hague – Parliament is a two minute walk from some of the city’s most popular bars, shops and restaurants, including the iconic Bijenkorf department store. With The Hague Central Train Station just a 10 minute walk from the hotel, guests can easily explore nearby cultural venues and attractions, such as the Peace Palace, and miniature theme park Madurodam, Rotterdam, while the sea is just five kilometres away.
Staybridge Suites, the first of its kind in Netherlands
Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc. announced its acquisition of Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa, a 327-room luxury resort located in Carlsbad, California, for a purchase price of $170 million, or approximately $520,000 per key. The Company does not anticipate the hotel to materially contribute to the company's EBITDA during the remainder of 2018. Additional details on the transaction can be found in the presentation posted on the Company's website, www.xeniareit.com. "We are excited to have acquired Park Hyatt Aviara, an iconic resort located on 222 acres in a highly desirable coastal California location," said Marcel Verbaas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xenia. "Our ability to purchase the resort at a price substantially below replacement cost and well below those of comparable resorts in the region provides a significant value creation opportunity for the Company." "The property has an irreplaceable location in the Northern San Diego submarket and should benefit from high barriers to entry and very limited luxury resort supply in the development pipeline," Mr. Verbaas continued. "We see substantial opportunities to enhance financial performance at the resort through our asset management initiatives as well as a comprehensive capital plan to elevate the resort above its prior competitive positioning. We look forward to working with Hyatt to improve the asset physically and operationally which we believe will improve the resort's regional and national appeal and result in strong growth in revenues and profitability." Situated on a prominent 222-acre site, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa features 327 rooms, 78,000 square feet of meeting space, and impressive amenities including the 15,000 square foot Aviara Spa, six tennis courts, two outdoor swimming pools, Aviara Kids Academy, and the highly acclaimed Aviara Golf Club, which includes an 18-hole golf course designed by Arnold Palmer. San Diego is firmly established as a leading year-round visitor destination with its idyllic climate, 70 miles of pristine beaches, and an extensive array of renowned attractions. As part of the 1,443-acre Aviara master planned community, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa enjoys a prominent location in North San Diego providing convenient accessibility to the region's primary demand drivers including a wide range of corporate, leisure, and group demand drivers. The resort also benefits from local demand generated by Aviara's affluent resident base and the adjacent Four Seasons Residence Club.
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of Kimpton Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The hotel is signed under a management agreement with Omnam Group, and is set to open in 2022. This is the second hotel for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in The Netherlands and will be located in Rotterdam’s POST building, the city’s former main Post Office dating back to 1921, which today is part of a dynamic mixed-use project in the heart of the city centre. When open, the hotel will offer 231 luxuriously-finished guest rooms, created by ODA NY, leading architects who will restore the historic building to its full potential. This hotel will be developed and opened with Omnam Group, a real estate group and active investor, with significant projects in the European hotel market. Omnam specialises in medium to large scale hotels, aparthotels, mixed-use developments and conversion opportunities, with destinations including Brussels, Belgium; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Rome, Italy. Karin Sheppard, Managing Director, Europe, IHG, commented: “Rotterdam is the second largest city in The Netherlands, growing in popularity with both domestic and international tourists and attracting a bustling leisure scene. It is an ideal fit for our Kimpton brand, whose heartfelt, personalised service and bold design will resonate well with this vibrant city. We’ve seen in Amsterdam just how well our luxury boutique offering has been received in Europe, and this new signing only reinforces momentum for Kimpton’s international expansion.”
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