RICHMOND, Va. - Thursday, June 26th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Afton Chemical Corporation will expand its global supply network with the addition of a new chemical additive manufacturing facility on Jurong Island, Singapore. Designed and located to support the growth of the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets, the plant will start to produce components in January 2016 to support the next generation of additive solutions.

Construction will begin after a June 25th groundbreaking ceremony on Jurong Island. The site was selected after an extensive analysis focused on local infrastructure, market access, economics, safety, and logistics.

“Afton Chemical has been a key player in the lubricant and fuel additive industry for more than 90 years,” said Rob Shama, Afton President. “We have a strong commitment to Asia’s fast-growing economy, and this plant means we can improve service levels to all of our customers in the region and sec ... Read more »

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Friday, June 27th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Subsidiaries of Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE/Euronext Paris: PM) today filed papers seeking review of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU) by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

Commenting on the matter, Marc Firestone, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Philip Morris International, said:

"We believe that the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive disrupts the balance that the EU treaties establish between the Union and the Member States.

“The Directive claims to improve the internal market in tobacco products, but its provisions go in the opposite direction. The Directive includes a mix of product bans, mandates, and delegations of authority that raise serious questions under the EU Treaties about consumer choice, the free movement of goods, and competition.

“There is no disagreement that th ... Read more »

ME NewsWire/Business Wire

SAPPORO, Japan. - Friday, June 27th 2014

"Sekai Menu", a smartphone-based service targeted at restaurants and accommodations with foreign customers, began trial service in April 2014. The service, which allows customers to display translated menus and place orders directly from their smartphones, is developed bySekai Menu, Inc. (Main Office: Sapporo, Japan; Representative Director: Nobuyasu Fukunishi), and will be provided worldwide along with a new "Self Plan" starting June 27, 2014.

With the "Self Plan", restaurant and accommodation owners can provide business information, menu details and photos through an online form, after which a printable QR code image will be provided for free use. By reading the QR code with a smartphone, patrons will be sent to a smartphone web page, where they can view a translated menu and place orders directly to the business. In order to provide multilingual service, the bu ... Read more »