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Author: Jim O Brien/CEO
CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.
Hewlett-Packard has a controversial approach to pricing. Like other printer giants, the company sells ink with price tags that look outrageous considering the affordability of basic equipment. This textbook example of the “razor and blades” logic prompts consumers to turn to cheaper supplies.
However, many still doubt the quality, safety, and legality of these products. Is it a really good idea to save on printer ink? Discover the main advantages and caveats consumers should be aware of in 2022.
1. You Can Save a Lot
Suppose you own an Officejet Pro printer that requires 953-series cartridges. A pack of pigments from the original store costs around £96. The international Smart Ink shop provides an HP 953xl multipack for only £41.59. Moreover, you will print twice as many pages thanks to a bigger volume!
2. Quality Is High
Reputable suppliers have quality certificates proving compliance with ISO, CE, STMC, Reach, and other standards. Provided you install their products properly, you shouldn’t notice any differences and the print quality.
The industry of compatible supplies has grown immensely in recent years, and smaller brands have adopted cutting-edge technologies. At the same time, they can afford to offer huge savings as their R&D needs are modest compared to Canon or HP.
3. You Get an Original Product
Thanks to slight differences in design, compatible cartridges are perfectly legal to use, so they will not void your printer warranty. Big corporations have tried to outlaw them in the past, but their lawsuits were futile.
Consumer protection legislation in different parts of the world, including the UK, entitles you to freedom of choice. Brands may only urge against using non-original products, and they always cite poor quality and potential harm. In reality, thanks to recent technological advancements, cheaper products are highly competitive.
4. Safer Than Refilling
YouTube is packed with tutorials for at-home refills. Yet, this process is more complicated and messy than you may think. Without experience, proper technique and tools, you risk damaging your cartridge or even printer beyond repair. Why take the gamble? You could inject too much ink, damage the contacts or chip, or cause a variety of other malfunctions.
One alternative to purchasing new cartridges is to explore compatible options, which can often be found at lower prices; however, it’s essential to ensure compatibility and quality. Additionally, considering environmentally friendly options such as recycling ink cartridges through services like Sell Toner can be a sustainable choice
What Is the Downside?
Compatible products are strong alternatives to OEM cartridges. They are original and more affordable. However, this industry has its stars and scammers. UK consumers should do research online before placing an order. In particular, pay attention to these benefits:
Only certified quality confirmed by certificates
Updated chip on each cartridge
24/7 support
Excellent rating on Trustpilot
Free shipping
Sustainability
The version of the chip defines the ease of recognition. Printer giants cannot hinder the use of compatible cartridges legally, but they try to do it with firmware updates. Reliable stores guarantee instant recognition.
HSBC, one of the world’s largest international banking and financial services providers, andThe Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming virtual world and subsidiary of Animoca Brands, today announced a new partnership that will open up a host of opportunities for virtual communities across the world to engage with global financial services providers and sports communities in The Sandbox metaverse.
The groundbreaking partnership between The Sandbox and HSBC will see the global financial services provider acquire a plot of LAND, virtual real estate in The Sandbox metaverse, which will be developed to engage and connect with sports, esports and gaming enthusiasts.
The agreement opens the door for other global institutions to continue innovating in Web3 as consumer adoption demands more robust experiences in the metaverse through decentralized and gamified offerings.
Metaverse virtual worlds deliver interactive and immersive experiences to users, with many of these platforms built on blockchain technology. The global metaverse market is estimated to grow from $45.4bn in 2019 to a staggering $1.5tn in 2030 (source: PwC | Seeing is Believing).
Suresh Balaji, Chief Marketing Officer, Asia-Pacific, HSBC, said: “The metaverse is how people will experience Web3, the next generation of the Internet – using immersive technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality and extended reality. At HSBC, we see great potential to create new experiences through emerging platforms, opening up a world of opportunity for our current and future customers and for the communities we serve. Through our partnership with The Sandbox we are making our foray into the metaverse, allowing us to create innovative brand experiences for new and existing customers. We’re excited to be working with our sports partners, brand ambassadors, and Animoca Brands to co-create experiences that are educational, inclusive and accessible.”
Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-founder of The Sandbox, said: “We’re pleased to see large, trusted institutions such as HSBC join The Sandbox open metaverse and embrace the culture of Web3, connecting with users through entertainment, gaming and user-generated content. We believe this is the beginning of a broader adoption of Web3 and the metaverse by institutions driving brand experiences and engagement within this new ecosystem.”
As the metaverse’s leading decentralized gaming virtual world, The Sandbox fully embraces the idea of the metaverse as a continuous shared digital space where worlds and brands collide to make magic and create real utility and economy. HSBC joins over 200 existing partnerships including Gucci, Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Richie Hawtin, The Smurfs, Care Bears, Atari, ZEPETO, and CryptoKitties, all following The Sandbox’s vision of empowering players to create their own experiences using both original and well-known characters and worlds. Details of the HSBC and The Sandbox collaboration will be announced in due course.
Google for Startups is inviting Ireland-based, Black-led tech startups to apply for this year’s European Black Founders Fund worth a total of $4 million in an effort to help tackle the stark inequality in VC funding.
Black founders have long been playing a key role in Europe’s economy by solving challenges with agility, resilience and innovative technology. But we’ve known for a long time that Black founders do not have the same opportunities and support as many others. Less than 0.5 percent of venture capital (VC) funding goes to Black-led startups, despite the fact that 77% of Black-led tech startups generate revenue and create an average of 5.4 jobs each.
When we opened applications for the first $2 million Google for Startups Black Founders Fund in Europe last year, we were blown away by demand. Almost 800 people applied from across Europe, and 30 startups were selected across fintech, healthcare, beauty, gaming, healthcare and commerce. These startups have gone on to raise over $63 million collectively in funding, and hired more than 100 people, since the program began. When given the right opportunities, Black founders thrive.
Since receiving capital from Google in 2021, founders have gone on to raise funding, hire new employees and grow.
Established in 2020, the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund provides cash awards — without giving up equity in return — and hands-on support to help Black entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses. The Black Founders Fund has awarded more than $16 million in Europe, Brazil, Africa and the U.S. toward making a resounding impact to help Black-led startups secure funding, strengthen communities and create generational change.
In addition to up to $100,000 (approximately 89,000 Euros) in non-dilutive cash awards, Black Founders Fund recipients receive ongoing Google mentorship and product support to help them navigate every stage of their startup process—including up to $200,000 (approximately 179,000 Euros) in Google Cloud credits.
Founders will also be introduced to each other and the global Google for Startups community of experts for leadership, growth and technical support. This includes partnerships with leading firms to provide specialist support ranging from marketing support from WPP; advice on raising capital from Tier 1 venture capitalists; to donated media campaigns and creative support from national broadcasters like ITV.
Last year’s Black Founders Fund recipients have seen tangible growth and success in the nine months since first receiving the awards. That includes AudioMob, a UK-based startup transforming how game developers are monetizing their games, who recently raised another $14 million; Berlin-based Kwara, which digitizes financial cooperatives to give their members an easier way to manage money and build a credit history, which raised $4 million in follow-on funding; and Playbrush, a startup based in Vienna, Austria, making oral health care fun by connecting toothbrushes to phones and tablets, which was acquired by Sunstar in September. We can’t wait to see what this year’s cohort will achieve.
La La Land, a Startup which received funding from the first European Black Founders Fund
Applications for the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund in Europe are open from today. Black-led startups with a live product in market and early traction are encouraged to apply. Applications will close on April 17th.
What does controlling and revoking document access mean? And why would any organization require it? What is the need to give your recipients access to view your PDF files only to take it away from them at a later stage? Perhaps it may not appear rational right now, but several reasons point to the importance of controlling and revoking document access which you need to know. Let’s cover them now.
Compliance and regulations
Data protection laws are regulations that you need to comply with when it comes to holding valuable and personal information regarding your customers. If you carry the data for longer than required, it could lead to litigation. In addition, you may also have to face penalties for noncompliance. On the other hand, electronic PDF files that contain customer information can be stored for an infinite amount of time as they do not experience wear and tear similar to their physical counterparts.
Importance of controlling and revoking document access
You may have shared PDF documents with your colleagues in your area of work. However, after a period of time, it can become challenging to track down every PDF file that you have shared and ensure that files no longer in use have been deleted on all devices.
Since it can be nearly impossible to track down when you sent the files and what’s being done with them, here is where the ability to expire documents, and controlling and revoking document access comes into play. Controlling document access is particularly convenient in these scenarios and is far more timely than manually deleting every PDF file copy. That means, when you choose to distribute a PDF document, you can control how the document is reviewed and set an expiry date or revoke access to it manually through a suitable PDF digital rights management [DRM] system.
With PDF DRM, you do not have to delete files in order to revoke access. Once the document has expired, it is no longer accessible to users. That means PDF DRM provides you with effective elimination of documents while at the same time staying compliant with rules and regulations.
Why you need to control and revoke your PDF documents
In many instances, PDF files and documents in organizations need to be updated from time to time based on the latest real-time data available. Hence, if a PDF document contains data that is likely to be changed or is subject to revision, you need to expire access after a given period of time or revoke its usage once a new version is made available. This ensures that your authorized users are assured of having the latest information at all times.
Similarly, the need for controlling and revoking your PDF documents also comes in handy where your customers need to experience a trial before purchasing. For example, let’s assume you have the opportunity of evaluating a product in a shop before buying it. If you are unsatisfied, you can return the product. However, this can be a challenging issue when it comes to electronic documents. That’s because people tend to make copies of documents before the trial period ends, thus ensuring that they receive the document for free without having to purchase it.
Therefore, if you are in the business of offering or selling documents on a trial basis, you need to ensure that copies are not made arbitrarily. Hence, PDF DRM allows you to employ document control, expiry and revocation features to facilitate this. In this manner, once the user pays for the document, you can choose to set the expiry date to never. You can also choose to revoke the document after several views, days, or prints or revoke it on a specific date.
When you use PDF DRM, you get the benefit of logging document usage. This gives you the opportunity of knowing when, where and how your PDF documents are being used. That means if any specific PDF file has been in use in a particular location and appears to have suspicious activity around it, you can identify it as a security problem and revoke access accordingly. Moreover, if the PDF file contains classified information, your ability to revoke access through PDF DRM becomes invaluable.
In another example, perhaps a PDF document containing sensitive information has wound up in the wrong hands. Human errors such as this could lead to unauthorized use of your valuable content. And when documents are too sensitive to be left in the hands of unintended recipients, using your PDF DRM system to revoke access instantly can be extremely useful. Unfortunately, if your PDF file was not distributed through PDF DRM, you could be at risk of exposure, theft or misuse. Hence, employing DRM features to revoke access and have complete control over your PDF files can help you avoid such situations.
Conclusion
The ability to expire and revoke document access is critical in a business environment where confidential and sensitive information is being shared. How and when you withdraw access to confidential PDF files can make the difference in safeguarding your sensitive or classified information and document security.
Pure Telecom, the Irish-owned high-speed broadband company, today announces the results of a survey that found that 48% of adults in Ireland would like to have a job as an online influencer, either as their main source of income or in addition to their existing job. The research also found that one-in-five (21%) people would choose recognition on social media over kudos from their boss.
The survey of more than 1,000 adults across Ireland, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, found that men (58%) are more likely than women (45%) to aspire to become online influencers. In fact, 21% of men would like it to be their main source of income, versus 11% of women. The broadband company also found that at 78%, Gen Z adults are significantly more likely than all other generations to want a job as an influencer. However, there are also considerable aspirations among the older generations – Millennials (47%), Gen X (34%), and Baby Boomers (25%).
The survey also highlighted the value that adults in Ireland place on likes and comments on social media platforms versus the value they place on recognition from their boss for a job well done. Interestingly, at 29%, men are considerably more likely than women (19%) to favour online recognition. Meanwhile, Gen Z (39%) is the most likely generation to choose recognition on social media.
Geographically, Meath (60%) and Carlow (60%) have the highest proportion of residents who would like to be influencers, followed by Wexford (57%) and Laois (53%).
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “The online world now forms a significant part of our daily lives. So much of what we do is now online – socialising, shopping, learning – so it’s natural that many people want their careers to be online, too. We always expect the younger generations to be more drawn to the digital world, but it is interesting to see that even the older generations have aspirations of becoming influencers. And, our research shows that a significant proportion of all generations believe that recognition on social media trumps praise from their boss!
“Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have created even more opportunities for people to share content, go viral and build an audience, making the idea of earning a living online more achievable and appealing than ever. As an Irish-owned broadband company, Pure Telecom is proud to provide the best value high-speed broadband to support aspiring content creators in Ireland.”
Konftel has been making waves with supply specialist Transparent Communications by showcasing its latest conferencing technologies, aboard a ship moored in Portsmouth.
Dozens of visitors attended the Transparent IT EXPO 2022, hosted on the Princess Caroline boat. They witnessed hands-on product demonstrations from a mix of leading industry names and also enjoyed a trip on the Solent.
The day-long eventat Gunwharf Quays, was hailed a resounding success by Jeff May, UK Sales Director at Konftel.
“We had a fabulous day exhibiting with a mix great visitors and decision-makers in a wonderful and unique venue. It was all superbly organised and the weather was even kind too!
“Konftel’s latest video solutions generated lots of high interest especially our C2070 and C50800 Hybrid systems plus the Konftel Personal Video Kit which is ideal for meetings at home or in the office.”
He added: “We even spotted a huge aircraft carrier and several other vessels on a trip out into the estuary. It was a very successful event, blending product demonstrations with networking and exceptional hospitality.”
Flourishing Transparent Communications has seen a 20% rise in business over the lasttwoyears.
Director Richard Warwick said: “Our expo was a great way to engage with our customer base and demonstrate the many ways the world of technology continues to evolve, from numerous market leaders.
Jeff May demo
“We were able to showcase the latest innovations in the IT, AV, cloud, storage and computing world. Visitors learned from the experts and gained a valuable face-to-face understanding of their products.”
Transparent Communications is a growing UK supplier of IT, AV and networking hardware with a headquarters in the maritime city. It has been operating for 20 years and has a portfolio spanning over 100,000 products.
Fellow Director Steve Warwick concluded: “Our annual IT Expo brought the latest innovations together through a series of hands on demonstrations, specialist partner stands and event speakers.
“The event provided a great mix of fun, unique experiences and new technology as well as the opportunity to talk to the people behind the brands and gain a deeper knowledge of their product offerings. It was a positive experience for all who attended.”
Lepros a NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) collection, founded by young blockchain and crypto enthusiasts Niamh Coleman and Keith Finn have partnered with Kinsale Spirit Company to create three one of one NFT pieces which are inspired by the Kinsale Spirits Whiskey bottles: Red Earl, Spanish Earl and the Great Earl. These will be auctioned on St. Patrick’s day with a redeemable physical signed bottle from Kinsale Spirits and will have bespoke access/ privileges in the metaverse.
Kinsale Spirit company has previously embraced the NFT marketplace by auctioning off the first ever Whiskey Cask represented by an NFT (A non-fungible token) and auctioned on the NFT marketplace OpenSea.
Lepros’ aim is to build an Irish inspired Virtual Land powered by blockchain technology. With a vision is to recreate the Irish cultural experience in a virtual land and provide a space for people to be connected to Ireland no matter where they are based in the world. Holders from their NFT collection can experience, trade & connect with Ireland & Irish businesses virtually in the Metaverse.
This virtual land, named LeproLand, will provide a platform for Irish diaspora with Irish roots worldwide to connect online and experience Ireland through immersive gaming, music, sport, tourism, education, social events and more. It will also provide a platform for Irish businesses to connect, advertise and provide goods/services to their end users directly in the Web3 space.
Co-founders of Lepros, Niamh & Keith say, “In a world where people become more accustomed to digitalization and technology through the growth of new technologies like the metaverse, it’s important not to lose sight of the real world and that is why we wanted to combine the two.” adding “The inspiration came from many things, our shared fascination & passion for decentralised ecosystems/applications, and of course our love for Ireland & connecting with people.”
On the involvement of Kinsale Spirit Company, Ernest Cantillion says “ Kinsale Spirit Co was delighted to partner with the Lepros NFT project, it was a great fit for us. Not only are they embracing this emerging new technology as we are, but are also using it to leverage the global Irish diaspora . That diaspora makes up a huge part of the works market for Irish whiskey and we are happy to connect with them at every opportunity “
Coupled with LeproLand, Lepros are dedicating time and resources in creating an exclusive clothing store, secondary NFT collection with utility for holders and creating an innovative concept to teach people in all things Web3.
Red Earl Whiskey is part of the innovative Kinsale Spirit Company’s Battle of Kinsale Series which is themed around historic characters who fought on the Irish side in the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Released in April last year, Red Earl Whiskey is already being exported to several countries, including strong sales in the US and China. Work is under way in their distillery for the delivery of two more whiskeys later this year: Great Earl Single Grain Irish Whiskey named in honour of Hugh, The Great O’Neill, and Spanish Earl Single Malt Irish Whiskey, in honour of Juan del Agula, representative of the King of Spain who fought alongside the Irish.
Kingspan Group, the global leader in advanced insulation and building solutions, has released its second annual report for its 10-year sustainability programme, Planet Passionate.
Highlights include a 4.3% reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and a 29% reduction in carbon intensity year-on-year, against a background of 42% total revenue growth for the period.
For the second year running, the Group has made absolute reductions towards its 2030 net zero carbon manufacturing goal. This is underpinned by a verified SBTi target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 90% by 2030, from a 2020 base year.
Achieving this will require the decarbonisation of Kingspan’s energy sources and processes across its existing 198 manufacturing sites (up from 166 in 2020), while supporting newly acquired businesses to decarbonise as quickly as possible.
To accelerate the Group’s decarbonisation strategy, the report has announced the introduction of an internal carbon charge of €70 per tonne of CO2e, which will be implemented throughout the business in 2023.
The 2021 Planet Passionate report illustrates the positive progress made to date against the majority of the programme’s 12 measurable targets in carbon, energy, water and circularity. Notable achievements include:
Energy: An increase in the direct use of renewable energy from 19.5% to 26.1%, and an increase in the percentage of wholly-owned facilities with solar PV from 21.7% to 28.4%. The Group also achieved a 15% reduction in energy intensity[4] year-on-year.
Carbon: An increase in the percentage of zero emissions company funded cars from 11% to 29%.
Circularity: A reduction in company waste to landfill of 13%, as well as 843 million PET bottles recycled into our processes.
Water: The Group announced its second ocean cleanup project: a partnership with cleantech startup SeabinTM, to deploy their unique technology first in Sydney Harbour followed by LA later in 2022. This follows a three-year partnership with the ECOALF Foundation which works with a network of 2,000 artisan fishermen to remove around 150 tonnes of marine debris each year from the Mediterranean.
In addition, Kingspan’s science-based targets were updated in 2021 and are now in line with a 1.5°C future. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C means that the world must achieve a 45% reduction in global CO2 emissions versus 2010 levels by 2030.
While Kingspan did not make progress in 2021 against its target to halve the product CO2e intensity from its primary supply partners by 2030, the report highlights ongoing collaboration with suppliers to this end.
Moreover, during the year Kingspan invested in H2 Green Steel, a company pioneering new production methods for lower-impact steel manufacturing using green hydrogen. Use of lower-emissions steel could help Kingspan reduce the embodied carbon of its insulated panel products by up to 45%.
The report also presents the impact of Kingspan products sold during 2021. The built environment is responsible for roughly 39% of global carbon emissions[6], and high-performance insulation is one of the most important ways to increase energy-efficiency in buildings. The insulation systems Kingspan sold during 2021 are projected to save 193 million tCO2e during their lifetime. That’s equivalent to the emissions from 42 million passenger vehicles in a year.
In addition, Kingspan announced a new initiative called Planet Passionate Communities, a programme that will support people and communities around the world. The report unveils the programme’s flagship project: a five-year partnership with GOAL, the international humanitarian response agency, to support them in their transformative work in areas of most need.
Gene Murtagh, CEO of Kingspan Group, said: “The climate crisis, the pandemic, and now recent global events all serve to concentrate the mind on the need to build a more resilient and equitable world while ensuring energy security. Planet Passionate is our contribution to a future that uses resources efficiently, protects the natural world and delivers high-performance, energy-efficient products and solutions to our customers and global communities.”
Bianca Wong, Head of Sustainability of Kingspan Group, said: “Delivering a programme of this scale against a background of rapid business growth takes huge effort and determination and I would like to thank and commend the incredible efforts of our people across the world to achieve positive progress against the majority of our targets for the second year in a row.”
View the full version of Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Sustainability Report at:
Ford has announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe, which will see the company transformed and offering a new generation of seven, all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024.
Today’s announcement builds on the recent news that the company has created a new global business unit – Ford Model e – focused on the design, production, and distribution of electric and connected vehicles. Together with Ford Pro, the business unit focused on Ford’s commercial vehicle business, these two business units will define Ford’s future in Europe.
“I am delighted to see the pace of change in Europe – challenging our entire industry to build better, cleaner and more digital vehicles. Ford is all-in and moving fast to meet the demand in Europe and around the globe,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO.
“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety.”
With its extended range of electric passenger and commercial vehicle models, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, and also reaffirmed its intention to deliver a 6 percent EBIT margin in Europe in 2023. The acceleration in Europe supports Ford’s goal to sell more than 2 million EVs globally by 2026 and deliver company adjusted EBIT margin of 10 percent.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. “It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Together, these efforts will support Ford’s global plans to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The company today announced it is targeting zero emissions for all vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.
Seven new electric vehicles by 2024
Following the successful European introduction of the all-electric Mach-E in 2021 and Mach-E GT this year, plus the launch of the E-Transit in the next quarter, Ford today unveiled plans for seven all-electric vehicles to join the Ford family in Europe – three new passenger vehicles and four new commercial vehicles.
Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of an all-new electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover, built in Cologne with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production line-up in 2024. In addition, Ford’s top-selling passenger vehicle in Europe, the Ford Puma, will be available as an electric version made in Craiova, Romania, starting in 2024.
Reaffirming its leadership as Europe’s top-selling commercial vehicle brand, Ford’s iconic Transit range will include four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimized for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Rowley.
EV production and investment in Cologne
Ford confirmed today that the first volume all-electric passenger vehicle to come out of the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre will be a five-seat, medium-sized crossover. In 2021, sports utilities and crossovers accounted for 58 percent of all Ford passenger vehicle sold in the continent, up nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.
The all-electric crossover breaks new boundaries for Ford. Capable of a 500km driving range on a single charge, the vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.
Today’s confirmation that a second, all-electric passenger vehicle – a sports crossover – will be built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre means that electric vehicle production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe. Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.
New joint venture aims to increase battery production in Europe
To support Ford’s ambitious vehicle electrification plans, Ford, SK On Co., Ltd. and Koç Holding have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for a new, industry-leading joint venture business in Turkey. Subject to execution of a final agreement, the three partners plan to create one of the largest EV battery facilities in the European wider region.
The joint venture would be located near Ankara and will manufacture high Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.
The investment the three partners are planning in the battery joint venture – including support from the Turkish Government – will directly benefit large and small commercial vehicle operators across Europe, reducing energy and running costs and providing a significant contribution to CO2 reduction.
Boosting EV manufacturing capacity in Craiova
Ford’s manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania, will play a significant role in the company’s electric and commercial vehicle growth plans in Europe.
From 2024, European customers will be able to purchase an all-electric version of the Ford Puma, Ford’s popular compact crossover. The Puma was Ford’s best-selling passenger vehicle in Europe in 2021, and the all-electric Puma will bring this successful new nameplate to an even wider group of European customers when it goes into production in Craiova in 2024.
Additionally, the all-new Transit Courier, the popular light commercial vehicle, and Tourneo Courier, a compact multi-purpose vehicle, will also be produced in Craiova from 2023, with all-electric versions coming in 2024.
To further boost electric and commercial vehicle capacity, Ford announced this morning that Ford Otosan will assume ownership of the Craiova plant and manufacturing business, subject to regulatory approval and consultation. Ford Otosan, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, is one of the longest running and most successful joint ventures in the global auto industry.
“We welcome this opportunity to grow our joint venture with Koc Holding and leverage this strategic partnership to better utilize our resources and know-how in Romania,” Rowley said. “Ford Craiova is today a strong success story, and we believe that through Ford Otosan’s experience and expertise in electrification and commercial vehicles it can reach even higher levels of achievement.”
