Tag: silicon

Lufthansa connects India Silicon Valley to Munich and beyond

November 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Deutsche Lufthansa Group AG (Xetra: LHAG) connected the Indian metropolis of Bengaluru with Munich, the capital of Bavaria when its new service began on November 4, 2023. Alongside Delhi and Mumbai, Bengaluru is the third Indian city with a direct connection for travelers via Lufthansa’s 5 star Munich hub and is India’s third-largest city. The Indian city serves an IT hub and a center of the aerospace industry.

India in Focus

With a legacy in India that spans more than 90 years, the Lufthansa Group will be operating 64 weekly frequencies between India and Europe by January 2024. The Indian aviation market is currently the 3rd largest globally. This Bengaluru-Munich service represents Lufthansa’s strong commitment to the Indian market as Lufthansa Group’s capacity to India now exceeds pre-COVID levels.

Currently operating service three times a week and conveniently arriving the same day at 8:05 in Munich, Lufthansa guests will enjoy their experience on one of the most modern and fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. As with all services to India, local cuisine and catering will be offered to passengers onboard their direct service from India’s “Silicon Valley” to Munich and beyond.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

OBB orders another 35 new double-decker multiple units from Stadler

July 10, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) is once again ordering 35 new KISS double-decker multiple units from Stadler Rail AG (SWISS: SRIAF). In addition to 14 trains for long-distance services, Stadler is also supplying 21 KISS vehicles for local transport. The order is part of the framework agreement signed in 2022 for up to 186 double-decker multiple units. Including the first call-off, 76 vehicles were thus ordered. Thanks to its high degree of innovation and generous space, the KISS has impressed customers in 14 countries.

ÖBB and Stadler are continuing the joint replacement of the Austrian local and long-distance transport fleet. Last year, OBB called off 41 KISS double-decker multiple units from a framework agreement for 186 trains. OBB and Stadler have signed the contract for exercising the next option with a volume of around 600 million euros. This comprises a total of 35 new double-decker multiple units, 14 of which are six-car trains for long- distance services and 21 are four-car KISS vehicles for local transport. The deployment of the new trains is planned in stages from mid-2026.

The KISS double-deck multiple units ordered as part of the first call-off in April 2022 will go into assembly on schedule and are scheduled for service in the eastern region as of 2026. For Stadler, it is a great vote of confidence and proof of the good cooperation that OBB is already calling off such a high number of further trains in this project phase.

Maximum capacity for tomorrow’s rail transport

Since 2010, the KISS has been successfully operating as a local or long-distance train with a high passenger capacity from Western Europe to the Caspian Sea – and soon also in the USA. Since the first delivery, 620 double-deck trains have been sold in 14 countries. Under a wide range of climatic conditions, in climates from Silicon Valley to Azerbaijan, from suburban trains to long-distance transport, the KISS cover hundreds of thousands of kilometers every day. Hardly any other double-decker vehicle concept demonstrates such flexibility.

Loft Orbital Signs Agreement to Procure Over 15 Airbus Arrow Satellite Platforms

January 17, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus (OTC: EADSY) has been contracted to supply space start-up Loft Orbital with more than fifteen satellite platforms derived from the Airbus Arrow platform. Arrow is the foundational satellite platform of the OneWeb constellation. There are 394 Airbus Arrow platforms in orbit for the OneWeb constellation and a further 254 are being produced to complete the 648 spacecraft required by OneWeb. With this acquisition, Loft Orbital confirms its intention to make the Airbus Arrow platform a true workhorse enabling its service business model.

Loft Orbital offers a true end-to-end service enabling customers to rapidly deploy and operate their payloads on reliable high-performance satellites at an unprecedented simplicity and affordability. Loft Orbital has also contracted Airbus to modify the Arrow platform to make it suitable for a wider range of longer lifetime missions and applications. Loft Orbital has offices both in the USA and France, being based in the heart of Silicon Valley in San Francisco, and in the European space capital Toulouse, and intends to continue rapidly growing its French presence following this contract relationship with Airbus.

The improvements to the Arrow platform, including all the engineering, qualification, test, and production of the first few spacecraft will be performed by Airbus in Toulouse. The production at scale of the remaining Arrow-derived platforms will be performed by Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS).

Airbus Space’s strategy of Next Space will seek further engagement with new players in the space ecosystem to ensure that sustainability and reliability in the LEO space environment is guaranteed for the future.

Hyatt House Brand Celebrates 100 Hotel Locations Globally With Opening of Hyatt House San Jose Airport

January 9, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

165-room Hyatt House San Jose Airport officially opens in heart of Silicon Valley

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today celebrates a significant brand milestone with the opening of the 100th Hyatt House hotel: Hyatt House San Jose Airport. The newly built airport hotel provides guests the service and convenience of hotel living with the casual comforts of home. The hotel is jointly owned by Liberty Group and Hyatt Hotels.

Conveniently located adjacent to the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), Hyatt House San Jose Airport is accessible from all major freeways in Silicon Valley including 880, 101, and 87, and is less than 35 miles from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Downtown San Jose is just five miles from the hotel, where guests can enjoy a number of attractions, including California’s Great America amusement park, Levi’s Stadium, San Jose McEnery Convention Center, Avaya Stadium, and SAP Center at San Jose.

“We are thrilled to be the Hyatt House brand’s one hundredth hotel and to bring a new and dynamic guest experience to the San Jose marketplace for both business and personal occasion travelers,” said General Manager John McEntee. “With more than 15 million passengers traveling through SJC in 2019, we’re confident Hyatt House San Jose Airport will provide guests with a comfortable stay experience before embarking on the next leg of their journey.”

Hyatt House San Jose Airport offers:

165 stylish guestrooms, including 113 apartment-style Kitchen Suites with fully equipped kitchens, comfy living rooms, spacious bedrooms and stylish bathrooms
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel and guestrooms
The Commons, a comfy lobby lounge with an open and welcoming space for guests to relax, work or socialize, and the Outdoor Commons, which includes a fire pit and BBQ grill, the perfect place to sip cocktails and enjoy savory bites
Complimentary Morning Spread, a full hot breakfast buffet served daily for guests, featuring a made-to-order Omelet Bar and assorted breakfast breads and bowls bar with steel-cut oatmeal, fresh fruit and more, along with vegetarian and gluten free options
H Bar, which features the Sip + Snack menu, serving freshly prepared items including soups and sandwiches, plus craft cocktails and premium beers and wines, offered seven days a week
24-hour grab-and-go H Market to meet the everyday needs of guests, from snacks and sundries to freshly prepared salads and sandwiches
24-hour Workout Room to keep fitness routines going
Gathering Rooms with more than 1,800 square feet of flexible meeting or event spaces, a thoughtful food and beverage menu, audiovisual equipment and a House Host to make sure gatherings are a real crowd pleaser
Borrows Menu with often-forgotten items from phone charges to razors and extended stay extras like blenders and laundry baskets
A Very Important Resident (VIR) program, which includes a complimentary welcome amenity, H Bar dining credit, laundry credit, and other personalized perks, for guests staying 21 or more consecutive nights
Additional conveniences, including 24-hour Guest Laundry
A pet-friendly policy that welcomes most dogs or cats (fees apply)
Free hotel shuttle for guests to/from SJC and companies within a three-mile radius

“The opening of this hotel comes at a time of strong momentum for the brand, with Hyatt House hotels under development around the world, including new markets for the brand, such as Canada and Kenya,” said Paul Daly, senior vice president of operations, Americas, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House. “We continue to build and cultivate strong relationships with guests, colleagues, owners, operators, and developers around the world. With their support, the Hyatt House brand is on a terrific trajectory.”

Hyatt House San Jose Airport Leadership

Hyatt House San Jose Airport is under the leadership of General Manager John McEntee and Director of Sales Joanne Bianchi. In his role, McEntee is directly responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the hotel, including overseeing the hotel’s 45 associates and ensuring guests encounter the neighborly service for which the Hyatt House brand is known. McEntee joined by Bianchi, Director of Sales, who is responsible for providing sales, service and support to travelers and meeting planners frequenting the San Jose area.

For more information, please visit hyatthousesanjoseairport.com.

Toyota to Build Prototype City of the Future in Japan

January 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, speaks at a news conference, where he announced Toyota’s plans to build a prototype city of the future on a 175-acre site at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan, during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp <TM> said on Monday it plans to build a prototype “city of the future” at the base of Japan’s Mt. Fuji, powered by hydrogen fuel cells and functioning as a laboratory for autonomous cars, “smart homes,” artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Toyota unveiled the plan at CES, the big technology industry show. The development, to be built at the site of a factory that is planned to be closed, will be called “Woven City” – a reference to Toyota’s start as a loom manufacturing company – and will serve as a home to full-time residents and researchers.

Toyota did not disclose costs for the project.

Executives at many major automakers have talked about how cities of the future could be designed to cut climate-changing emissions from vehicles and buildings, reduce congestion and apply internet technology to everyday life. But Toyota’s plan to build a futuristic community on 175 acres (71 hectares)near Mt. Fuji is a big step beyond what rivals have proposed.

The proposal highlights not only Toyota Chief Executive Akio Toyoda’s ambition, but also the financial and political resources Toyota can bring to bear, especially in its home country.

Toyota expects 2,000 people will live at the city initially, with construction slated to start next year. Toyoda called the project “my personal ‘field of dreams.’

“You know if you build it, they will come.”

Toyota said it has commissioned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to design the community. Ingels’ firm designed the 2 World Trade Center building in New York and Google’s offices in Silicon Valley and London.

Toyota said it is open to partnerships with other companies that want to use the project as a testing ground for technology.

(Reporting by Jane Lanhee Lee and David Shepardson; Writing by Joe White; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Watch the 30 second Woven City YouTube video by clicking HERE!

New Flights from Austin to Boston and San Jose Start this Spring

December 10, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Airline also adds service for special events next year

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines is giving customers a treat this holiday season with the announcement of two new routes from the vibrant and eclectic city of Austin, Texas (AUS), to the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose, California (SJC), and to the historical city of Boston (BOS). These new routes will operate twice daily beginning in April.

The airline is also introducing unique service in support of special events like golf tournaments in Augusta, Georgia (AGS), music festivals in Palm Springs, California (PSP), and the annual visit to one of the nation’s biggest shareholder meetings with increased service to Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). Austin flights will be available for purchase starting Dec. 16 and special events flights will be available for purchase starting Dec. 22.

New Austin flights takeoff in April

American’s newest service is in response to strong demand from customers who need to travel between one of the nation’s largest tech cities, Austin, to the tech centers in San Jose and Boston.

“Our customers have expressed the desire for more routes between major tech cities, and we’re pleased to respond to their needs by helping them reach these important destinations with ease,” said Alison Taylor, Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Distribution. “These new routes reflect our commitment to partnering with customers to seamlessly support their travel needs.”

Flights will operate twice daily, Monday through Friday, on a Boeing 737-800, year-round. The aircraft features high-speed Wi-Fi, access to power at every seat and 16 first class seats, providing additional comfort while commuting. With convenient flight times, customers flying the new service can get to meetings early and get back home in time for dinner. The airline has also recently renovated the Admirals Club to relax before flights, and, by the end of the year, American will have five contiguous gates at AUS.

“We added these routes with our customers top of mind to bring them closer to the places they value the most when conducting business,” said Vasu Raja, Senior Vice President of Network Strategy. “While it’s not our traditional hub and spoke routing, we understand the importance of travel for the tech community and look forward to offering these new flights to our loyal customers.”

And, for a quick weekend beach escape from the capital of Texas, American will also introduce the only service from AUS to Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD) on Saturday and Sunday, starting May 9.

Special flights for special events

In addition to the yearly increase in service for special events, American is also adding more unique flights that will make it easier than ever to attend must-see special events such as sports tournaments, concerts and meetings. American is adding direct service from Los Angeles (LAX) to PSP in April, for a faster way to get to one of the biggest music festivals of the year. The airline is also adding new service to AGS from BOS on an Embraer E175, and upgauging existing service from Chicago (ORD) to Augusta on a 737-800 to help customers who want a front row seat to golf’s biggest championship tournament. And in May, American will have the most seats to Louisville, Kentucky (SDF), for one of the most unique sporting events under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, from BOS, CLT, DCA, DFW, LAX, LGA, MIA, ORD and PHL. American also has customers covered who care more about investing with the only service from BOS to OMA, as well as new flights from New York City (LGA) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to OMA on an E175 on May 1.

“It’s important to spend time and resources on memorable experiences, and we want to make sure our customers have options when it comes to the most important events around the country throughout the year,” Raja said. “We’re adding more seats, introducing new routes and making sure that our customers are taken care of throughout their travel journey.”

Flight times are subject to change.

Electric Vehicle Startup Rivian Gets Big Van Order From Amazon.com

September 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DETROIT, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Electric vehicle startup Rivian Automotive LLC got a big boost from one of its investors on Thursday when Amazon.com announced it was ordering 100,000 electric delivery vans.

Before Rivian has even begun commercial production at its factory in Normal, Illinois, the Amazon order rocketed it to the forefront of electric vehicle makers.

Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in Washington that as part of the online retailer’s plan to be carbon neutral by 2040 it would order the electric vans from Rivian, with deliveries starting in 2021. The goal is to deploy all the vehicles by 2024.

Rivian, a potential rival to Silicon Valley’s Tesla Inc, unveiled its electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV last November, but had piqued Amazon’s interest earlier. Bezos personally reached out to Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe last summer to express interest in an investment, sources previously said.

Plymouth, Michigan-based Rivian, founded in 2009, has raised close to $1.9 billion from investors, including a $700 million February round led by Amazon.

The deal solidifies Rivian’s place among EV builders, said Sam Fiorani, a vice president with Auto Forecast Solutions. “It helps boost the image of the (Rivian) brand,” he said.

Rivian aspires to be the first to produce a mass market electric pickup. It intends to begin selling its R1T by the end of 2020, a target that has not changed with the Amazon deal in place, said Rivian spokeswoman Amy Mast said.

Traditional U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co, a Rivian investor, and General Motors Co, as well as Tesla, are pushing to develop their own electric pickups.

The Amazon vans, under the exclusive deal, will be built at Rivian’s plant, a former Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois, Mast said. The first vehicles will be delivered in 2021 and 10,000 should be on the road by late 2022, she said. The vehicles will be serviced by Rivian.

Scaringe has described the Rivian vehicle’s platform as a skateboard that packages the drive units, battery pack, suspension system, brakes and cooling system all below wheel height to allow for more storage space and greater stability due to a lower center of gravity.

Amazon is looking to speed packages to shoppers’ doorsteps regardless of spikes in consumer demand or shortages of delivery personnel. Last year, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz said Amazon had become the biggest customer of its Sprinter vans, securing 20,000 vehicles for delivery contractors.

Ford invested $500 million in Rivian in April with plans to use the Rivian EV platform to build a new vehicle in North America. Details of that vehicle were not disclosed. Ford is not involved in the Rivian deal, Mast said.

Cox Automotive Inc, the owner of the Autotrader online automobile market and the Kelley Blue Book car valuation service, invested $350 million in Rivian this month. The companies will explore partnerships in digital retailing, service operations and logistics.

Other backers include Saudi auto distributor Abdul Latif Jameel Co, Sumitomo Corp of Americas and Standard Chartered Bank.

Amazon’s reputation and the contract size would raise Rivian’s status with potential customers and investors, Fiorani said. It also offers the advantage of not having to chase buyers or ship vehicles all over the country.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by David Gregorio)

Tesla’s $2.6 billion payday for Elon Musk faces opposition

March 6, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Tesla Inc.’s proposal to give Chief Executive Elon Musk an estimated $2.6 billion payday stretched out over a decade would be too costly and too dilutive to shareholders, said one of the two largest independent services meant to advise investors on crucial shareholder votes.

Tesla’s (TSLA, $333.35) proposal “is peculiar in that it provides increasingly outsized compensation for levels of success ranging from noteworthy to unparalleled,” while at the same time allowing Musk to keep his distance from the company, proxy service Glass Lewis said in a report Monday.

Click the link below for the full story!

Tesla’s $2.6 billion payday

New Austin flights takeoff in April

Special flights for special events

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