CALGARY, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Canadian Pacific Railroad (NYSE: CP) announced today it has completed its previously announced agreement to purchase an 83.5 percent stake in the Detroit River Rail Tunnel from certain affiliates of OMERS, the defined benefit pension plan for municipal employees in the province of Ontario. CP previously owned a 16.5 percent stake of the tunnel in partnership with OMERS. The purchase price for the transaction is approximately US$312 million, subject to customary closing adjustments.
Strenghtens Rolls-Royce’s market position in safety-critical applications with a leader in dynamic uninterruptible power supply
Completes Rolls-Royce’s product offering and accelerates the strategy of offering integrated solutions
Acquisition expected to deliver cost and revenue synergies, and help support medium-term profitability and create long-term shareholder value
Rolls-Royce is strengthening its business in power supply for safety-critical systems with the completion of the acquisition of Kinolt S.A., a Belgian-based specialist in dynamic uninterruptible power supply. Rolls-Royce is already a leading provider of back-up power generation through its Power Systems business with its product and solutions brand MTU. This market has remained a growth area during the Covid-19 pandemic and is expected to grow in the coming years as customers look to further minimize their risk of disruption.
Uninterruptible power supply systems are used wherever stable electricity is required or a power failure would be extremely harmful, for example within data centres, hospitals or manufacturing facilities which operate sensitive processes. This acquisition is another important step on the strategic journey of Power Systems towards becoming a full-service provider of integrated solutions. Kinolt’s uninterruptible emergency power supply technology is particularly well suited to applications where space is at a premium, such as urban areas or installations in existing buildings and complements Rolls-Royce’s own MTU branded solutions for large scale and greenfield sites. As a result, the deal is expected to result in cost and revenue synergies, medium-term long-term shareholder value in the back-up power generation business.
Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “The extraordinary times created by the Covid-19 pandemic have shown just how important it is to secure electricity supply to sensitive and critical infrastructure. The provision of uninterruptible power is vital in any situation and even more so today, as it ensures the provision of vital services such as medical care or the world’s continued flow of internet traffic. Without it, no public authority or company would be able to act in any crisis.”
The demand for uninterruptible power solutions is expected to remain strong in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The acquisition of Kinolt will give Rolls-Royce a market-leading solution for businesses and local authorities who experienced issues with supply, or do not wish to run the risk again.
“We originally signed the deal to acquire Kinolt before the full global impact of Covid-19 was apparent,” added Schell. “Since then we have rigorously examined the rationale for the transaction and the opportunities it presents to our business and concluded that the arguments in favour of the acquisition are even stronger than before.”
Power Generation is already the top-selling segment within the Power Systems business. In the future it is expected to be the only manufacturer in the world able to supply customers with all components and consequently a complete uninterrupted power generation system in the power range from 200 to 3,200 kVA. Kinolt’s technology consists of a combination of rotating, kinetic mass storage devices, a diesel engine and a generator that can also be used as an electric motor. MTU engines from Rolls-Royce are often already used within Kinolt’s solutions. The Kinolt system is connected between the external power supply system and safety-critical equipment and supplies the latter with the required electrical power during normal operation. The grid frequency and voltage are generally more stable than the grid of public power suppliers. This is necessary because data servers, computer-controlled systems or sensitive devices such as those in hospitals can fail in the event of voltage and frequency fluctuations. In the case of a power failure, the flywheel mass accumulator ‘bridges’ the first few seconds before the diesel engine takes up the load.
“We will integrate the products and systems of our new subsidiary into our MTU product portfolio,” said Andreas Görtz, Vice President of Power Generation at Rolls-Royce. “Our worldwide sales and service network will open up new market opportunities by offering innovative uninterruptible power solutions. This will significantly strengthen our market position in safety-critical applications.”
Kinolt is based in the town of Grâce-Hollogne in the Belgian province of Liège and was known as Euro-Diesel until mid-2019. The transaction was completed on 1 July 2020 following the approval of antitrust authorities.
Rolls-Royce stärkt sein Angebot an Stromversorgungssystemen für sicherheitskritische Anwendungen mit dem Abschluss der Übernahme von Kinolt S.A., einem in Belgien ansässigen Spezialisten für dynamische unterbrechungsfreie Stromversorgung.
Rolls-Royce is strengthening its business in power supply for safety-critical systems with the completion of the acquisition of Kinolt S.A., a Belgian-based specialist in dynamic uninterruptible power supply.
Avec l’aboutissement de l’acquisition de Kinolt S.A., un spécialiste de l’alimentation dynamique sans interruption (ASI) établi en Belgique, Rolls-Royce élargit son offre de systèmes d’alimentation électrique dédiés aux applications cruciales en matière de sécurité.
Rolls-Royce heeft de overname afgerond van Kinolt S.A., een in België gevestigde specialist voor dynamische onderbrekingsvrije stroomvoorziening. Met deze overname vergroot het zijn aanbod van stroomvoorzieningssystemen voor veiligheidskritische toepassingen.
MONTREAL, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Canadian National Railway Co has started calling back many of the 450 workers it laid off earlier this month in eastern Canada, when blockades crippled operations on strategic rail lines, according to a company email sent to customers on Friday.
Earlier this week, police made 10 arrests and cleared a blockade in eastern Canada that had been stopping freight and passenger traffic for almost three weeks on one of Canada’s busiest lines.
The blockades were held in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en people in the Pacific province of British Columbia, who are seeking to stop TC Energy Corp from building a gas pipeline over their land.
“In the absence of illegal blockades on our network over the last 24 hours, and while we are keeping a close watch for any further disruptions, we have started calling back many of the temporarily laid off employees based in Eastern Canada,” CN chief executive Jean-Jacques Ruest said in the email seen by Reuters.
The email did not specify how many of the 450 workers were being called back.
After 21 days of disruptions, “there is a significant backlog of trains parked on our tracks and in our yards that will be processed,” the email said.
“The complete network recovery process will take several weeks.”
Montreal-based CN said the company was on its way to recovering in Western Canada, and said products like export grain, imported containerized goods, coal, potash and other commodities are moving to market.
Canada relies on CN and rival Canadian Pacific Railway to move crops, oil, potash, coal and manufactured goods to ports and the United States. About half of Canada’s exports move by rail, according to industry data.
(Reporting By Allison Lampert; editing by Grant McCool)
FILE PHOTO: A model of the Airbus A220-300 aircraft is seen at a media event at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Airbus SE’s <EADSY> Canadian-designed A220 narrowbody jet has the potential to be stretched to carry more passengers but the company has no current plans to do so, a top executive said on Tuesday.
Air France KLM SA <AFLYY>, which has a firm order for 60 A220 jets, has expressed interest in a larger variant of the plane. The A220-100 model can carry from 100-120 passengers while the larger A220-300 takes from 120-150.
In a presentation to investors, Air France KLM last week posted a slide referring to a larger A220-500 plane.
“It’s no secret that the aircraft has potential to be stretched, potential to grow,” said Philippe Balducchi, head of an Airbus-led venture which took over production of the airliner in July 2018.
Airbus’ first responsibility was to make sure the two existing planes become established in the marketplace, he told Reuters on the sidelines of an aviation conference. After that the firm would decide how to develop its planes.
“Will (there) be an A220-500 or not? I cannot tell you that today. It’s definitely not my priority but there is the potential – we will see,” said Balducchi.
Montreal-based Bombardier <BDRBF> originally drew up designs for the airliner some 15 years ago but sold Airbus a 50.01 percent stake for a token fee of one Canadian dollar in 2018 after sluggish sales and low production rates pushed the program well over budget.
Balducchi sidestepped questions as to whether Airbus would buy Bombardier’s 33.58% minority stake, saying that was a decision for shareholders.
“I think Airbus is comfortable with the situation today,” said Balducchi.
Under the terms of the 2018 deal, Bombardier could oblige Airbus to acquire its stake in the program in 2026 for market value. Airbus could also oblige Bombardier to sell the stake.
Bombardier Chief Executive Alain Bellemare recently said the company is “looking at all options” regarding its stake, while specifying that such a decision “is not for today.”
The Canadian province of Quebec continues to hold a 16.41% stake in the program.
(Additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
First pilot project with Coradia iLint outside Germany
31 October 2019 – Alstom and the Province of Groningen, local operator Arriva, the Dutch railway infrastructure manager ProRail and the energy company Engie have signed plans for a pilot project to test the Coradia iLint, the world’s first passenger train powered by hydrogen fuel cells, for the first time in the Netherlands. The signature took place as part of the “Klimaattop”, or Climate Summit Northern Netherlands, taking place this week in Groningen.
The tests will be carried out on the track between Groningen and Leeuwarden at up to 140 km/h and will last about two weeks. The ambition is to organise the test during the first quarter of 2020. The objective is to demonstrate that hydrogen fuel cell technology is an appropriate way to achieve zero-emission rail traffic on non-electrified lines in the Netherlands where there are currently diesel trains running.
“Alstom is committed to developing and implementing mobility solutions that permit not only the emergence of fully sustainable transport systems but also help drive the broader energy transition. We look forward to demonstrating what has already been proven in Germany – that hydrogen represents a highly suitable way forward in both cases,” said Bernard Belvaux, Managing Director of Alstom Benelux.
The Coradia iLint is the world’s first passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which produces electrical power for traction. The train is quiet and emission-free, emitting only water and steam during operation. It represents a clean alternative for railway operators and regional authorities wishing to replace diesel fleets for operation on non-electrified lines and meet ambitious zero-emission objectives.
The world’s first two hydrogen trains have already been in regular passenger service in Lower Saxony in Germany since September 2018. The local transport authority LNVG will operate 14 Coradia iLint trains on that line from 2021. Also in Germany, RMV this ordered 27 Coradia iLint – the largest fleet of hydrogen trains in the world – for operation from 2022.
The Dutch railway network has approximatively 1,000 kilometres of non-electrified line.
DAR ES SALAAM/JOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) – South African authorities impounded an Airbus 220-300 aircraft leased by Tanzania’s national flag carrier following a court application by a retired farmer who is owed compensation by the Tanzanian government, the farmer’s lawyer said.
The plane had been scheduled to fly from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday, but was seized on an order issued by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, Tanzania’s transport ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Roger Wakefield, of Werksmans Attorneys, said his client, an elderly farmer who asked not to be named, was owed $33 million, including interest, in compensation from the Tanzanian government after his land in the country was expropriated several decades ago. The farmer was subsequently awarded the compensation in an arbitration, he said.
Wakefield said the only way Tanzania could secure the release of the plane was if it put up security or paid the debt.
A Tanzanian government spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Calls to the High Courts in Gauteng province went unanswered outside of usual business hours.
Speaking by phone to Reuters, Wakefield said the plane was impounded in line with South African and international laws allowing for an asset owned by a foreign entity to be attached to a case related to a foreign arbitration award.
The plane was chosen because there is evidence it is owned directly by the Tanzanian government and its value is commensurate with the amount owed to the farmer, who was born in Namibia, he said.
While the Tanzanian government has acknowledged it owes the farmer money, has previously made some payments and promised to pay the rest, it has not made a payment since around 2014, Wakefield said.
The plane is leased by loss-making state carrier Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL).
President John Magufuli has personally taken charge of the revival of the airline, spending hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing eight new planes since 2016.
The airline’s existing fleet, which is leased from the state-run Tanzania Government Flight Agency (TGFA), includes one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, two Airbus A220-300 jets and three DHC Dash 8-400 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier Q400 turboprop.
ACTL managing director Ladislaus Matindi told Reuters earlier on Saturday that the impounded plane was an Airbus 220-300, and arrangements had been made for its passengers to use another plane for their planned flight.
Tanzania has pinned hopes on the revival of the national airline to turn the country into a regional transport hub and boost the tourism sector, its biggest foreign exchange earner.
In 2017, a Canadian construction firm seized one of Tanzania’s new Q400 turbo-prop planes in Canada over a $38 million lawsuit related to a compensation ruling by the International Court of Arbitration.
The Q400 was released in March 2018 after Magufuli sent the country’s prime minister and attorney general to Canada to negotiate its release. Aviation sources said the government reached a financial settlement to secure the aircraft.
(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng’wanakilala in Dar es Salaam and Emma Rumney in Johannesburg Writing by Hereward Holland and Emma Rumney Editing by Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry)
Newly opened hotel in the heart of Yantian District of Shenzhen brings Hyatt Regency brand’s signature hospitality and connecting guests to the booming city
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) today announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian in the east Guangdong Province, China. The 298-room hotel aims to bring the Hyatt Regency brand’s signature intuitive service and energizing experiences to business and leisure guests alike.
As part of a newly concepted Recreational Business District, Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian is located in the heart of Yantian District, neighboring Dameisha Beach and Overseas Chinese Town East along a 12 mile (19.5 kilometer) golden coast. Within an hour’s drive to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, the hotel is also half an hour to Shenzhen Railway Station and only a five minute drive to the Shatoujiao port of entry to Hong Kong.
“We sincerely appreciate the support from our owner Shenzhen Vanke Binhai Real Estate Ltd. and are excited to see the Hyatt Regency brand footprint grow in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA),” said Stephen Ho, president, Greater China, global operations at Hyatt. “We look forward to welcoming our guests to Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian with confidence for a world-class hospitality experience.”
Guestrooms
Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian was designed by the renowned HEITZ PARSONS SADEK and features 298 contemporary guest rooms with varied dimensions ranging from 462 square feet to more than 2,300 square feet (43 square meters to 215 square meters). There are 20 suites, four Regency Executive Suites and one Presidential Suite, all of which are spacious and located on the 41st to the 50th floor. Select rooms offer gorgeous ocean views and all rooms feature high-quality amenities and panoramic French windows. Guests staying in Club Access Rooms and Suites can enjoy the exclusive Regency Club benefits on the 49th floor.
Dining and Drinking
The hotel offers several fine dining restaurants that cater to varying tastes and group sizes, including:
XIANGYUE, a Chinese Restaurant on the 6th floor providing authentic Cantonese flavors as well as cuisines of neighboring areas. A comfortable experience that feels like dining in a country village, the restaurant’s layout includes a “Dai Pai Don” style open kitchen offering guests a high-touch taste of Cantonese life.
Market Café is a stylish all-day dining restaurant where guests can enjoy a collection of global delicacies. Whether buffet breakfast and dinner, or all-day a la carte service, Market Café will satisfy any taste with a flavorful option. The Lounge is the ideal place to gather friends or family and enjoy themed afternoon tea and various hand-crafted cocktails. Guests can also visit the Sky Lobby, ideal for connecting with colleagues over a vibrant scenery. For a stress-free meal, the hotel offers 24-hour in-room dining services with a range of selections available anytime.
Meetings and Events
To build a dynamic experience for groups that feels connected, motivated and inspired, the hotel events team will be at hand to support customers during conferences, special events and weddings. The hotel offers nearly 25,000 square feet (2,321 square meters) of meeting and event space in total, including a 12,916 square foot (1,200-square meter) pillar-free grand ballroom and five salons equipped with high-tech audio and video systems. Additionally, the ballroom foyer provides more than 6,500 square feet (612 square meters) of flexible pre-functional space to perfectly showcase the creativity of any event.
The scenic surroundings at Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian create the perfect backdrop for weddings of all sizes. A bridal suite with separate fitting room and living room is situated right beside the grand ballroom to deliver a brilliant wedding experience.
Wellbeing
Guests can relax in the hotel’s refreshing outdoor pool or work out anytime at the hotel’s fully equipped fitness center featuring state-of-the-art equipment.
“Inspired by the hotel’s surroundings, the hotel was built with the concept of bringing the forest into the city, offering guests a place to take a deep breath of fresh air and bask in the beautiful scenery,” said Mary Liu, general manager of Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian. “As a bridge between GBA and the Pearl River Delta area, Shenzhen is at the core of this booming region. We are delighted to deliver Hyatt’s well-known expertise in food and beverage and full range of services and amenities for a productive stay.
CHICAGO(December 10, 2018) – Hyatt Place Chongli is the first Hyatt-branded hotel to open in Zhangjiakou in China’s Hebei Province. The hotel features the Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities such as free Wi-Fi.
Hyatt Place Chongli is located within Thaiwoo Ski Resort, which offers offering skiing and other exhilarating snow-sports in the winter and mountain biking and horse riding in the summer.
Hyatt Place Chongli is a 55-minute drive from Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport and a three-hour drive from Beijing Capital International Airport. By the end of 2019, guests will be able to travel by train from Beijing to Thaiwoo Ski Resort in 50 minutes. The hotel offers easy access to local attractions, including Grass Skyline, a 133-kilometer stretch of picturesque grassland dotted with Mongolian yurts and grazing cattle; Cuiyun Mountain Forest Park, which is comprised of more than 20 peaks; Huapiling scenic area, a mountainous border between Zhangbei and Chongli counties; and Ice & Snow Museum Chongli, the largest museum of its kind in China.
“As the Chongli district continues to develop its infrastructure and thrive economically, we are excited to add to the momentum with the opening of the first Hyatt Place hotel,” said General Manager Luke Li. “With our smartly designed social spaces and guestrooms with separate work and sleep areas, our multitasking guests can easily accomplish what they need to do while on the road.”
Hyatt Place Chongli offers:
132 spacious guestrooms with separate spaces to sleep, work and play, as well as a Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper
Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and guestrooms
Gallery Kitchen Breakfast features an array of Western and Chinese breakfast favorites, including noodles, dim sum, ham, and eggs, as well as fresh fruit, yogurt and more
Gallery Menu serving freshly prepared meals
24/7 Gallery Market offering ready-to-go sandwiches and salads all day long
Coffee to Cocktails Bar featuring coffees and premium beers, as well as wines and specialty cocktails
Odds & Ends program for forgotten items that guests can buy, borrow or enjoy for free
Meeting Places with 160 square meters of flexible, high-tech meeting/function space
24-hour Gym featuring cardio equipment with LCD touchscreens and free ear buds
Heated indoor swimming pool with views of Thaiwoo Ski Resort as well as a freeform kids pool and a massage pool
HYATT PLACE CHONGLI LEADERSHIP
Hyatt Place Chongli is under the leadership of General Manager Luke Li and Director of Sales Justin Guo. In his role, Li is directly responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the hotel, including overseeing the hotel’s 54 associates and ensuring guests encounter the thoughtful service for which the Hyatt Place brand is known. Guo is responsible for providing sales service and support to travelers and meeting planners frequenting the Beijing area.
