Category: ACN Newswire

Queensland, Australia--(ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com - August 4, 2026) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the launch of its new company website — www.graphenemg.com. It includes revitalised branding around the core of GMG's mission — to enhance society with graphene by putting graphene to work with our unique products which are focused on helping our customers do better with their energy efficiency and emissions. The new website also includes a new investor centre.Figure 1To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/307862_5927016904c46bd6_001full.jpgCraig Nicol, CEO & Managing Director of the Company, commented: "We are very pleased to launch our new website and revitalised branding, which reflects who GMG is today — a company that puts graphene to work. Graphene's remarkable thermal and conductive properties are at the heart of our coatings, lubricants, coolants and battery products, and our new branding communicates simply and clearly how these products help our customers improve their energy efficiency and reduce their emissions. The new investor centre also makes it easier for our shareholders and prospective investors to access the information they need about the Company."Jack Perkowski, Non-Executive Chairman and Director of the Company, commented: "This is an important step in GMG's evolution as the Company continues its transition from graphene research and development to commercialisation of graphene enhanced products. The refreshed branding and website present GMG's value proposition with clarity and confidence, and the new investor centre reflects our ongoing commitment to transparent and accessible communication with our shareholders."About GMG:GMG is an Australian based clean-technology company which develops, makes and sells graphene enhanced products manufactured where the graphene is made via in house production process. GMG uses its own proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its natural elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications.The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications. In the energy savings segment, GMG has initially focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving coating) which is now being marketed into other applications including electronic heat sinks, industrial process plants and data centres. Another product GMG has developed is the graphene lubricant additive focused on saving liquid fuels initially for diesel engines.In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries"). GMG has also developed a graphene additive slurry that is aimed at improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries.GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processesBuild Revenue from Energy Savings ProductsDevelop Next-Generation BatteryDevelop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution CapabilityFor further information please contact:Craig Nicol, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the Company at craig.nicol@graphenemg.com, +61 415 445 223Leo Karabelas at Focus Communications Investor Relations, leo@fcir.ca, +1 647 689 6041Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "believes" "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding: the expected benefits of the Company's new website, revitalised branding and investor centre, GMG's mission to enhance society with graphene, the ability of GMG's products to help customers improve their energy efficiency and reduce emissions, GMG's intentions to develop commercial scale-up capabilities, GMG's focus in the energy savings segment, GMG's intentions for the use of graphene lubricant additive on saving liquid fuels, expectations for R&D and commercialisation of G+AI Batteries, GMG's ability to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries and the Company's four critical business objectives.Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management. Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation, the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated November 4, 2025 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/307862 Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, August 4, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - On July 30, 2026, Concord Healthcare Group Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 2453) issued a positive profit alert, forecasting revenue of approximately RMB 260–280 million for the first half of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 29%–39%. More notably, the Company expects gross profit to reach RMB 63–83 million, compared with only RMB 380,000 in the same period of 2025—an increase of approximately 163 to 216 times.The significant improvement in gross profitability signals that Concord Healthcare's long-term investment in proton therapy infrastructure has begun to enter the commercialization stage. As its flagship proton therapy center reaches scale, high-end radiation oncology services are becoming an increasingly important contributor to the Company's financial performance.From Gross Loss to Explosive Gross Profit Growth: A Long-Awaited Inflection PointTo fully appreciate the significance of this profit alert, it should be viewed within the broader context of Concord Healthcare's long-term strategic development.According to the Company's 2025 Annual Report, total revenue reached RMB 460 million, up 18.4% year over year. More importantly, the Company successfully reversed its gross loss of RMB 67.2 million recorded in 2024, reporting a gross profit of RMB 32 million in 2025.The first half of 2026 marks a further acceleration of this turnaround. Building upon a low comparison base from the previous year, gross profit has expanded dramatically, reflecting the strong earnings potential of the Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center Proton Therapy Center following its transition into full-scale clinical operation.This trajectory closely mirrors the development pattern observed at leading proton therapy centers worldwide.Officially entering full operation in December 2024, the Guangzhou Concord Proton Therapy Center became the first proton therapy facility in South China to commence full clinical operations. The center is equipped with four 360-degree rotating gantry treatment rooms and has a designed annual treatment capacity of 2,000 patients.During 2025, the center treated more than 550 patients across over 40 cancer indications. By July 2026, cumulative patient volume had exceeded 1,000, with daily treatment sessions surpassing 100. Patients have come from all 31 provincial-level regions across China as well as more than 20 countries worldwide.International experience demonstrates that proton therapy centers generally follow a three-stage development curve: construction, ramp-up, and scale expansion. Given the substantial upfront capital investment and high fixed operating costs, profitability during the early years is typically limited. However, as patient volume continues to increase, fixed costs are progressively absorbed, allowing operating efficiency and profitability to improve significantly.Surpassing 1,000 cumulative treatments represents an important operational milestone for the Guangzhou Concord Proton Therapy Center, indicating that it is entering a new phase of scaled operations. As treatment volume continues to grow, the center is expected to benefit from substantial operating leverage—a characteristic that distinguishes proton therapy from conventional radiotherapy services. Once patient volume exceeds the breakeven threshold, profitability has the potential to accelerate rapidly.Business Mix Continues to Improve: Hospital Operations Become the Primary Growth EngineA closer look at Concord Healthcare's 2025 Annual Report reveals another noteworthy trend—the continued optimization of its business mix.Revenue from the Company's hospital operations reached RMB 373 million in 2025, representing a 37.4% year-on-year increase and accounting for 81.2% of total revenue. By comparison, revenue from medical equipment, software, and related services declined to RMB 86.67 million, representing 18.4% of total revenue.This shift reflects the successful execution of Concord Healthcare's long-term strategic transformation—from a business model that relied primarily on medical equipment solutions with relatively volatile margins to one centered on sustainable, high-value oncology healthcare services with stronger competitive barriers.The hospital segment's 37.4% revenue growth and 9.3% gross margin indicate that the Company's premium oncology service model is steadily maturing.Unlike conventional medical service businesses, proton therapy centers are characterized by substantial capital investment and high fixed operating costs. Equipment depreciation, maintenance expenses, and highly specialized clinical personnel represent a significant portion of operating costs, placing considerable pressure on profitability during the initial years of operation.However, as patient volume increases, these fixed costs are spread across a larger treatment base, allowing gross margins to improve rapidly. This operating pattern has already begun to materialize at the Guangzhou Concord Proton Therapy Center.This is consistent with the development trajectory observed at mature proton therapy centers worldwide. Once the initial ramp-up phase is completed, a proton therapy center typically benefits from strong operating leverage, with profitability accelerating alongside continued growth in treatment volume.Notably, Concord Healthcare's proprietary AI-powered imaging solution received medical device regulatory approval in the second half of 2025, while its internally developed large language model (LLM) for proton therapy has already been deployed in clinical practice. Integrated into imaging analysis and proton therapy workflows, these technologies are improving clinical efficiency, standardizing treatment processes, and strengthening the Company's digital capabilities for future international technology exports.A Favorable Industry Outlook: A Golden Era for Private Oncology HealthcareConcord Healthcare's improving financial performance is not an isolated event. Rather, it reflects a broader structural shift taking place across China's oncology healthcare industry.According to data from China Research Puhua Institute, China's oncology healthcare services market is projected to expand from RMB 495.1 billion in 2022 to RMB 768.7 billion by 2026. Within this market, the private oncology healthcare segment is expected to grow even faster, exceeding RMB 109.2 billion by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.8% between 2022 and 2026.Demographic trends continue to provide strong long-term demand. China's aging population is expanding rapidly, with official data from the National Bureau of Statistics showing that the population aged 60 and above reached 310 million in 2024. As cancer incidence rises significantly with age, demographic changes are expected to drive sustained growth in demand for high-quality oncology diagnosis and treatment services.Policy support is also creating favorable industry conditions.The Healthy China Action – Cancer Prevention and Control Implementation Plan (2023–2030) proposes the establishment of 500 additional standardized oncology treatment centers nationwide, while the 14th Five-Year National Health Plan emphasizes optimizing the healthcare delivery system and accelerating the standardized development of specialized cancer hospitals.Meanwhile, China's ongoing DRG/DIP payment reforms are reshaping the economics of healthcare providers by encouraging hospitals to transition from a pharmaceutical-driven revenue model toward one based on high-value medical technologies and clinical services. Institutions capable of delivering superior treatment outcomes while maintaining strong cost discipline are expected to gain an increasingly competitive advantage.Against this backdrop, China's evolving multi-tier healthcare system—characterized by "public hospitals providing essential healthcare services, while private hospitals specialize in advanced medical care"—has become an important direction of healthcare reform.With its strategic focus on precision radiation oncology and proton therapy, Concord Healthcare is well positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for highly specialized cancer care, an area where private healthcare providers possess clear differentiation advantages.International Expansion: From Guangzhou to Central Asia and Southeast AsiaBeyond its improving domestic operations, another development attracting investors' attention is Concord Healthcare's transition toward a dual-engine growth strategy combining hospital operations with international technology and management exports.Just one day before issuing its positive profit alert, the Company announced another significant milestone: the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan to establish and operate a Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Center at the National Medical Center in Tashkent.The project will adopt a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under which Concord Healthcare will fully finance, develop, and operate the center over a 15-year cooperation period.The agreement represents a major step in the Company's expansion into the Central Asian healthcare market.Leveraging its extensive expertise in radiation oncology, Gamma Knife operations, hospital management, and AI-enabled clinical technologies, Concord Healthcare is exporting not only medical services but also operational know-how and integrated healthcare solutions. The project is expected to serve as a replicable model for future international collaborations.The overseas Gamma Knife business is strategically complementary to the Company's proton therapy operations in Guangzhou. Together, they provide the foundation for establishing cross-border multidisciplinary consultation (MDT) services, international referral networks, and collaborative treatment pathways.Compared with the traditional model of one-time medical equipment sales, long-term operational partnerships offer significantly greater strategic value. They generate recurring service revenue while enabling the export of comprehensive healthcare capabilities—including hospital management systems, AI software platforms, clinical training programs, and operational standards.As stated clearly in the Company’s 2025 annual report, “We will take cooperation in Indonesia as a strategic starting point to tap into the blue-ocean oncology medical market in Southeast Asia, home to a population of around 700 million people.” Expanding its footprint from South China to Central Asia and Southeast Asia, Concord Healthcare is advancing its transformation from a local high-end medical service provider to an international exporter of medical technologies and clinical standards.The Value of Long-Term Execution Begins to EmergeReturning to the Company's positive profit alert, it is important to maintain an objective perspective. The financial figures disclosed are based on unaudited gross profit estimates, and Concord Healthcare reported a net loss of RMB 306 million for full-year 2025. Future financial performance will continue to depend on sustained growth in patient volume and further improvements in operational efficiency.That said, the Company's operating trajectory has become increasingly clear. Its proton therapy business is entering the early stages of scalable commercialization, while the hospital segment continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum. Coupled with the gradual rollout of international projects, Concord Healthcare appears well positioned to deliver a significantly stronger financial performance in 2026.More importantly, this positive profit alert provides early validation of the Company's long-term strategy. It demonstrates the commercial viability of a business model built on long investment cycles, substantial capital commitment, and high barriers to entry—characteristics that define the premium oncology healthcare sector. As cancer care continues to evolve toward precision medicine, supported by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and next-generation radiotherapy, Concord Healthcare has steadily built differentiated capabilities across proton therapy technology, hospital operations, and clinical expertise. Together with its expanding international footprint, these strengths are positioning the Company for sustainable long-term growth.ConclusionA positive profit alert often reflects more than an improvement in a single company's financial performance—it can also signal a broader inflection point for an industry.Over the past eight years, Concord Healthcare has established a leading position in China's proton therapy market through sustained investment and disciplined execution. Today's improving profitability represents not only stronger financial performance but also growing confidence that China's private oncology healthcare sector is moving from catching up with global leaders to helping shape the future of advanced cancer care. Driven by demographic trends, continuous technological innovation, and rising demand for precision oncology, the industry's growth story is still in its early stages. Having successfully transitioned from building one of China's most advanced proton therapy centers to operating it at an increasingly meaningful scale, Concord Healthcare is now entering the next phase of long-term value creation. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, August 3, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Shoucheng Holdings Limited (0697.HK) announced that a fund under the Group has completed a strategic investment in Unitary Quantum (Hefei) Technology Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese trapped-ion quantum computing company. The investment marks another important addition to Shoucheng Holdings’ portfolio of frontier technologies, extending its presence beyond physical AI sectors such as embodied intelligence and robotics into quantum computing, a potentially transformative form of next-generation computing infrastructure.Founded in 2022, Unitary Quantum is currently the only quantum computing company in China focused on the quantum charge-coupled device, or QCCD, trapped-ion architecture. The company successfully delivered a complete trapped-ion quantum computer in 2024. In February 2026, it became the first Chinese quantum computing company to publicly report achieving a Quantum Volume of 32, or QV32, demonstrating significant progress in the overall performance of its full-stack quantum computing system.The investment follows Shoucheng Holdings’ earlier investments in dozens of companies across the robotics value chain, including Unitree Robotics, Galbot and Noetix Robotics, and represents another strategic move in the broader field of physical AI.Quantum computing has the potential to overcome certain computational bottlenecks encountered in conventional AI model training and inference by delivering breakthroughs at the underlying computing-power level. It could therefore create meaningful synergies with embodied intelligence, combining advanced intelligence with next-generation computing capabilities.Shoucheng Holdings is accelerating the development of a diversified frontier-technology portfolio spanning intelligent agents operating in the physical world and quantum-scale computing power. Through this strategy, the Group is continuing to strengthen its early positioning and investment advantages in industries expected to shape the future. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, August 3, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Driven by the rapid iteration of global artificial intelligence (AI) large models, the continuous surge in computing demand is profoundly reshaping the global optical communications landscape. As a technology enterprise focusing on AI silicon photonics interconnects, Crealights Technology Co., Ltd. (“Crealights” or the “Company”, Stock Code: 1191.HK) today issued a voluntary announcement stating that it has finalized its 2027 chip procurement arrangements with an independent third-party upstream core chip supplier. As of the date of this announcement, the Company has secured firm orders for a total procurement volume of approximately 10 million DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chips scheduled for delivery in 2027.Amid industry-wide bottlenecks stemming from upstream core chip shortages and capacity constraints across the global AI optical interconnect sector, Crealights' latest move goes beyond simple supply chain stockpiling. Instead, it represents a forward-looking strategic positioning aimed at leveraging its core high-speed optical interconnection business and pre-securing its mass delivery capabilities for 2027.Securing the Core of Computing Power to Overcome Industry Supply BottlenecksCurrently, AI data centers are experiencing explosive growth in demand for high-bandwidth optical interconnect products such as 800G and 1.6T. As the "computing brain" ensuring high-speed transmission and low-power operation, DSP chips directly determine the upper limit of manufacturing capacity and the delivery cadence of optical interconnect products. However, constrained by the global allocation of advanced-process semiconductor capacity and high technical barriers, high-end DSP chips have remained in tight supply, emerging as a core bottleneck for industry development.As a deep-tech enterprise focusing on AI optoelectronic interconnection, Crealights clearly recognises the robust demand from leading downstream cloud vendors and data center customers for "large-scale, highly reliable delivery." By successfully locking in long-term supply arrangements for 10 million DSP chips for 2027, the Company has precisely cleared the core supply bottlenecks restricting the capacity ramp-up of high-speed optical interconnects. This move fully demonstrates the strong supply chain integration capabilities of Crealights as a leading high-speed optical interconnection and silicon photonics technology innovation enterprise.Locking in Core Resources to Solidify Mass-Delivery FoundationsThe long-term investment value of an optical communications enterprise depends not only on its R&D prowess, but also on its "large-scale fulfillment and delivery capabilities" to translate market demand into actual revenue. By securing a multi-million-unit core chip supply in advance, Crealights ensures its manufacturing capacity for 2027 and beyond, establishing a core competitive foundation for undertaking long-term, high-speed optical interconnect orders from global hyperscale customers.This forward-looking strategic move transforms supply chain uncertainties into operational certainties for the Company, significantly elevating Crealights' supplier priority among global mainstream data center customers, and injecting strong momentum into its sustained, high-quality growth amidst the AI computing wave.About Crealights Technology Co., Ltd. (1191.HK)Crealights Technology Co., Ltd. is a joint-stock company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability, whose shares are listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1191.HK). Rooted in the forefront of optical communications, the Company focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of high-speed optical interconnection products, dedicated to providing high-performance and highly reliable optical communication solutions for global data centers, cloud computing, and telecommunication network customers. Led by its founder and CEO, Dr. Chaoyang Hu, the Company has established a solid market position and an exceptional industry reputation in the high-speed optical transmission field, underpinned by outstanding R&D innovation capabilities, rigorous quality management, and a comprehensive supply chain layout. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Toronto, Ontario and Sydney, Australia--(ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com - August 2, 2026) - TMX Group Limited (TMX Group) announced today it has completed the acquisition of Middlebury Holdings Pty. Limited (Cboe Australia) from Cboe Global Markets, Inc. The transaction was announced in April 2026.The transaction will bolster TMX Group's ability to serve clients across the capital markets ecosystem, expand the company's global presence and accelerate the company's growth strategy. TMX's acquisition of Cboe Australia will bring together the world's leading mining and energy transition financing ecosystems, unlocking potential to innovate for a growing global client base.Cboe Australia, which will be rebranded as TMX Australia Exchange, is an innovative securities exchange offering companies strategic tailored support for public market listings, including ETFs, as well as structured products and warrants, and providing a trading venue for brokers and investors with efficient and cost-effective access to local and global investment opportunities. Cboe Australia was also recently granted a license for corporate listings.For more information please visit tmxaustralia.com.About TMX Group (TSX: X) TMX Group operates global markets, and builds digital communities and analytic solutions that facilitate the funding, growth and success of businesses, traders and investors. TMX Group's key operations include Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, TSX Alpha Exchange, The Canadian Depository for Securities, Montréal Exchange, Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation, TSX Trust, TMX Trayport, TMX Datalinx, TMX VettaFi and TMX Newsfile, which provide listing markets, trading markets, clearing facilities, depository services, technology solutions, data products and other services to the global financial community. TMX Group is headquartered in Toronto and operates offices across North America (Montréal, Calgary, Vancouver and New York), as well as in key international markets including London, Singapore, and Vienna. For more information about TMX Group, visit www.tmx.com. Follow TMX Group on X: @TMXGroup. For more information please contact:Catherine KeeHead of Media RelationsTMX Group 416-671-1704catherine.kee@tmx.com Amanda TangDirector of Investor RelationsTMX Group416-895-5848amanda.tang@tmx.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/307507 Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

SHANGHAI, CHINA, Aug 1, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - As the 23rd China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference (ChinaJoy 2026) officially opened at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre under the theme "Travel with AI," Airwheel introduced its latest generation of AI Cabin Suitcase technology, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is moving beyond the digital world into everyday travel experiences.Known as one of Asia's largest technology and digital entertainment exhibitions, ChinaJoy has evolved into a showcase for emerging technologies where AI, gaming, robotics, and consumer electronics converge. Against this backdrop, Airwheel presented a new vision for intelligent mobility by allowing visitors to experience its lineup of Smart Suitcases, Rideable Suitcases, and AI-powered travel solutions firsthand.Redefining Mobility Beyond Traditional LuggageWalking thousands of steps across exhibition halls has become a familiar part of attending major trade shows. At ChinaJoy 2026, Airwheel offered visitors an alternative.At Booth E3-S202, attendees experienced Airwheel's intelligent rideable luggage, transforming a conventional suitcase into a personal mobility companion. With a simple touch, users could switch the suitcase into riding mode and comfortably travel between exhibition halls while carrying their belongings.The live demonstration quickly became one of the exhibition's interactive highlights, giving visitors a glimpse of how AI-enhanced mobility can simplify movement in airports, convention centers, railway stations, business districts, and urban environments.AI Suitcase: Where Intelligent Travel Meets Everyday ConvenienceUnlike traditional luggage designed solely for storage, Airwheel's AI Suitcase integrates electric propulsion, intelligent motion control, IoT connectivity, and smart interaction into a single travel platform.The result is more than a suitcase—it becomes an intelligent travel companion capable of actively assisting users throughout their journey.Rideable MobilityAirwheel's intelligent riding system combines a high-efficiency electric motor with advanced motion control algorithms, allowing users to ride comfortably at speeds ranging from 8 km/h to 13 km/h, depending on the model.Whether navigating airport terminals, railway stations, convention centers, or city streets, the Electric Suitcase reduces walking fatigue while making short-distance travel faster and more convenient.Intelligent Power on the GoModern travelers rely heavily on mobile devices, and Airwheel's integrated USB charging system ensures smartphones, wireless earbuds, smartwatches, and other electronics remain powered throughout the journey.By combining mobility with portable energy, the Power Suitcase helps users stay connected wherever they travel.Smart ConnectivityThrough the dedicated Airwheel mobile application, users can monitor battery level, speed, riding distance, and travel statistics in real time. Additional intelligent features include:Adjustable speed limitsIntelligent remote controlCustomizable ambient lighting effectsBluetooth disconnection alertsLow-battery notificationsSelected models also support Apple Find My, enabling travelers to locate their suitcase through Apple's global Find My network for enhanced security and peace of mind.A Complete Smart Travel EcosystemDuring ChinaJoy 2026, Airwheel showcased multiple intelligent travel solutions designed for different user groups and travel scenarios, including:Airwheel SE3SXD AI Suitcase — As Airwheel's flagship AI Suitcase, the SE3SXD introduces the industry's first fully intelligent riding system with one-touch automatic deployment. Powered by advanced AI interaction and smart connectivity, it transforms from a premium 20-inch Cabin Suitcase into a Rideable Suitcase within seconds. Equipped with an airline-approved removable battery, intelligent sensing technology, and seamless app integration, the SE3SXD represents Airwheel's vision for the next generation of smart travel.Airwheel SE3SL+ Airport Suitcase — Designed for modern professionals and frequent flyers, the SE3SL+ is a lightweight Smart Suitcase that combines elegant industrial design with intelligent riding performance. As a premium Carry-On Suitcase, it offers electric mobility, app-based controls, customizable ambient lighting, and support for Apple's Find My network, delivering both convenience and security throughout every journey.Airwheel SE3SX Cabin Suitcase is a premium intelligent mobility solution refined through years of product innovation, offering an ideal balance of advanced technology, elegant design, and everyday practicality for modern business travelers. Featuring a clean industrial aesthetic, high-quality craftsmanship, and award-winning engineering, it is perfectly suited for executive travel, international exhibitions, business conferences, and frequent air travel. Its integrated riding handle deploys smoothly for intuitive operation, while intelligent app connectivity enables users to monitor riding data, customize settings, and optimize their travel experience. Combined with Apple Find My support, convenient USB charging, and stable electric riding performance, the SE3SX helps travelers move efficiently through busy airports, convention centers, and urban business districts. Recognized by multiple prestigious international design and innovation awards, the SE3SX exemplifies how a modern Smart Suitcase, Electric Suitcase, and premium Cabin Suitcase can seamlessly integrate intelligent technology, sophisticated aesthetics, and reliable mobility into one refined travel companion.Airwheel SE3T Rideable Suitcase — Built for travelers who need additional storage without sacrificing mobility, the SE3T is a 24-inch Electric Rideable Suitcase suitable for checked baggage. Its spacious interior, high-strength construction, and integrated electric drive system allow users to move effortlessly through airports, railway stations, and urban destinations while carrying more luggage.Airwheel SQ3S kids suitcase — Created especially for children and family travel, the SQ3S combines safety, entertainment, and intelligent mobility in one compact design. Lightweight and easy to operate, the smart children's suitcase encourages young travelers to enjoy the journey while giving parents greater convenience during airport transfers, vacations, and family outings.Together, these products form Airwheel's intelligent travel ecosystem, integrating the capabilities of an AI Suitcase, Smart Suitcase, Rideable Suitcase, Electric Suitcase, Cabin Suitcase, and Luxury Suitcase into solutions tailored for a wide range of travel scenarios. Whether for business trips, family vacations, daily commuting, or international travel, Airwheel continues to redefine what modern luggage can achieve.Innovation Backed by Global Design RecognitionAirwheel continues to invest heavily in intelligent mobility technologies spanning electric drive systems, structural engineering, intelligent sensing, and motion control.Today, the Airwheel has accumulated more than 600 global patents, including numerous international invention patents and PCT patents, supporting continuous innovation across its smart mobility portfolio.Its products have also earned widespread international recognition through prestigious design awards, including honors from the IDEA Awards, DNA Paris Design Awards, London Design Awards, and several other globally recognized competitions.Expanding Intelligent Mobility WorldwideFrom its earliest developments in rideable suitcase to today's AI-powered travel ecosystemMedia ContactCompany: AirwheelContact: Media TeamEmail: Jonas@airwheel.net Website: https://www.airwheel.net Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Results Highlights- Revenue was RMB2,589.4 million, representing a 42.4% year-over-year increase;- Profit for the period was RMB321.2 million, representing a 58.3% year-over-year increase;- Adjusted profit for the period was RMB345.1 million, representing a 41.6% year-over-year increase;- Total stores were 13,155;- The Board declared an interim dividend of RMB20(tax inclusive) per ten shares, aggregating to approximately RMB210.4 million in interim dividends.HONG KONG, July 31, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Auntea Jenny (Shanghai) Industrial Co., Ltd. (“Auntea Jenny” or “the Company”, together with its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as “the Group”, stock code: 2589.HK) announced the unaudited interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2026 (the “Reporting Period”). During the Reporting Period, the Company recorded revenue of approximately RMB2,589.4 million, representing a 42.4% year-over-year increase. Profit for the period of approximately RMB321.2 million, representing a 58.3% year-over-year increase, with a net margin of 12.4%, representing a 1.25 percentage points year-over-year increase, and adjusted profit for the period of approximately RMB345.1 million, representing a 41.6% year-over-year increase.During the Reporting Period, Auntea Jenny demonstrated strong growth momentum across multiple core metrics. While steadily expanding its store network, the Company implemented refined management, continued to seize growth opportunities in the lower-tier markets, and continuously released long-term growth potential through advancing diversified innovation in products and business operations, and deepening supply chain layout. Against intensifying competition for existing demand, its high-growth attributes are expected to remain continuously realized.Expanding Store Network Steadily, Refining Operations for Quality & EfficiencyIn the first half of 2026, the freshly-made tea beverage industry gradually shifted from rapid expansion to intensive cultivation of the existing market. Against this backdrop, Auntea Jenny maintained the foundation of orderly store expansion, consolidating the scale advantages while further optimizing operational quality and efficiency. Leveraging the established advantages of scale and forward-looking analysis of future market trends, the Company further expanded its store network, fully seized development opportunities in lower-tier markets, and focused on consolidating its market position. The mature store model remained highly aligned with the partnership demand from its expanding franchisee base. The number of its franchised stores increased from 11,423 as of December 31, 2025 to 13,120 as of June 30, 2026, with a net increase of 1,697, achieving the goal of steady store development and orderly expansion. The proportion of stores in third and lower-tier cities further increased to 53.4%.While expanding the store scale, the Company focused on consumer experience and store operational performance, balancing the long-term development of the brand with reasonable returns for its franchisees. During the Reporting Period, the Company insisted on prioritizing quality and ensuring the viability of the single-store profitability model, implemented the principle of selective expansion and rationalisation, scientifically coordinated the management of franchised stores, and proactively optimized its network layout. In the first half of 2026, the number of franchised stores closed decreased compared to the same period of the previous year, further realizing the synergistic development of scale expansion and operational efficiency.Deepening Health-Conscious Beverage Portfolio, Building Multi-Dimensional Differentiated BarriersSupported by its comprehensive product development system, the Company continuously launched highly recognisable signature bestsellers and swiftly responded to market trends with seasonal and regionally exclusive offerings. At the same time, it was committed to advancing recipe enhancements and improving product consistency to maintain the competitiveness of the products. On this basis, the Company also actively expanded the new retail business, continuously enriching its product matrix to provide consumers with more choices and cover a wider range of consumption scenarios.In the first half of 2026, with the continuous iteration of health-conscious products and the integration of tea and coffee, the Company’s products effectively met the increasingly diverse and differentiated needs of the market.Building on the philosophy of “Daily Health+”, the Company continued to enhance the integration and delivery of the nutritional value of high-quality ingredients. Leveraging the deep understanding of the value of health, it launched a total of 142 new products. Among them, the newly upgraded Kale Series achieved dual breakthroughs in product nutrition and taste, earning widespread recognition from consumers. The Company also seized this opportunity to collaborate with industry experts to release the “Freshly Made Tea Beverage Dietary Fiber Nutrition Improvement Initiative”, actively promoting and advocating for the upgrade of nutritional standards in the industry, achieving a leap forward from recipe refinement to the popularization of standard initiatives, and leading the industry’s deep upgrade from “health labels” to “nutritional standardization”.Seizing the opportunity presented by the convergence of the tea and coffee sectors and focusing on consumer scenarios and needs, Auntea Jenny further broke down category boundaries, meeting the differentiated needs of a diverse range of consumers and improving the operational efficiency of its stores. With the gradual rollout of coffee machines in its stores, the Company upgraded its classic coffee offerings while also continuing to enrich its product portfolio, successfully launching new differentiated products featuring distinctive flavors such as Amber Camero and Quadruple Fragrance Coconut Macchiato.Adhering to the “health-conscious” principle, Fallstea operates on the core R&D concept of “Real Tea, Real Milk”. During the Reporting Period, several new iced milk products launched by Fallstea gained widespread consumer preference for their premium taste and high-quality ingredients, achieving synergistic development with the Company’s main brand.Strengthening Supply Chain System, Empowering Efficient Store OperationsDuring the Reporting Period, the Company continued to deepen the global origin resource layout. By establishing a model of designated planting at the source and direct sourcing, it forged deep and binding partnerships with quality suppliers and OEM manufacturers, comprehensively deepening its upstream supply chain presence and effectively ensuring the quality, flavor, and supply stability of the core product categories. Relying on the substantial procurement demand from its nationwide stores and its strong supply chain layout, the Company fully leveraged its scale advantages. Furthermore, the Company established a comprehensive supplier management system, using digital models and centralised management mechanisms to optimize its reserve of high-quality suppliers. Through forward-looking supply and demand forecasting, it strengthened price range management to enhance its bargaining power. By securing favourable purchasing terms through economies of scale, the Company effectively reduced raw material procurement costs and drove supply chain efficiency upgrades, providing strong support for the sustained operation of the franchise business.In terms of logistics and warehousing, the Company continued to focus on optimising its warehouse network structure, systematically calculating a more optimal warehouse-to-store delivery radius to further control delivery costs and improve distribution efficiency. It advanced the digital and intelligent upgrade of the entire warehousing and distribution chain, enhanced its warehousing and distribution service system, ensured stable logistics capacity, and empowered the stable operation and scalable expansion of its store network. As of June 30, 2026, the Company’s supply chain network included 17 large warehousing and logistics bases, 4 equipment warehouses, 7 fresh produce warehouses, and 11 frontline cold-chain storage warehouses.Driving Multi-Dimensional Brand Marketing Momentum, Scaling Membership System ConsistentlyThe Company remained committed to strategy-driven brand building, coordinating brand and promotional activities with a long-term development perspective to establish a differentiated brand image and achieve the multi-dimensional realization of brand value. During the Reporting Period, the Company continued to enhance the brand image and recognition through digital marketing, celebrity endorsements, and IP collaborations, effectively strengthening public awareness and goodwill towards the brand, attracting new customers, and enhancing customer recognition and user loyalty. Through various platforms, the Company actively interacted with consumers, sharing product stories and strengthening communication and emotional resonance with consumers. It also launched targeted promotional activities and consumer benefits based on user preferences, effectively reaching highly engaged and interactive customer groups.Furthermore, the Company continued to upgrade the membership system to enhance the consumer experience and boost repurchase intention. As of June 30, 2026, the Company’s WeChat Mini Program had 170 million registered members, an increase of 38.6 million compared with the same period last year, with an average of 16.3 million quarterly active members, an increase of 0.5 million from the same period last year. The quarterly repurchase rate was 42.3%, representing an increase of 1.7 percentage points from the same period last year.OutlookAuntea Jenny is expected to leverage its mature single-store model and comprehensive franchisee lifecycle management system to sustain its high-quality expansion trend in the lower-tier markets and further strengthen single-store profitability stability. With the enrichment of the tea and coffee integration product matrix and deep cultivation of the health-conscious tea beverage sector, its differentiated barriers will continue to consolidate. By optimizing the supply and resource allocation structure and strengthening the collaborative efficiency of warehousing and distribution, the Company will further enhance its bargaining power and control over core raw materials, supporting long-term business development. Also, leveraging the multi-brand matrix penetration into different market segments and the full-process digital empowerment to enhance operational efficiency, Auntea Jenny will continuously activate growth momentum, expand its market share, and achieve high-quality long-term development.About Auntea Jenny (Shanghai) Industrial Co., Ltd.Auntea Jenny (Shanghai) Industrial Co., Ltd. (2589.HK), founded in 2013 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May 2025, is a fast-growing freshly made beverage Company that precisely meets consumer demands through its diverse brand portfolio. It has three major brands, namely Auntea Jenny, Fallstea and Jenny x Coffee. Through its multi-brand portfolio, the Company is able to precisely meet the diverse consumption needs of consumers.The Company operate a franchise-focused business model. Its mutually beneficial franchise system is the foundation for the long-term and stable cooperation with franchisees. In terms of strategic presence, it focuses on the lower-tier market. As of now, the Company has established over 10,000 stores across more than 300 cities nationwide, which holds a strong market position among mid-priced freshly-made tea shop brands in the lower-tier market in the PRC.Auntea Jenny’s official Website https://www.hsay.com/ Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 31, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - On July 31, Xunce Technology (03317.HK) announced a profit forecast for its interim results as of June 30, 2026. The company expects revenue for the first half of 2026 to reach 967 million yuan, a significant year-over-year increase of 389%, setting a new record high for the same period; net profit attributable to shareholders is projected at 72.51 million yuan; compared to a net loss attributable to shareholders of 89 million yuan in the same period last year, this marks the company’s first profitable half-year; Adjusted net profit stood at 67 million yuan, compared to a net loss of 105 million yuan in the same period last year, marking a significant turnaround from loss to profit and the full realization of profitability.Just six months after listing on the capital market, Xunce Technology’s revenue has nearly quadrupled year-over-year, marking the first time in its ten-year history that the company has achieved profitability in the first half of the year. The results far exceeded market expectations, signaling the company’s official transition from the “investment phase” to the “profit realization phase” and the exploration of new avenues for AI profitability.In the first half of 2026, demand for enterprise AI implementation surged as companies accelerated their transition from traditional data processing to real-time AI-driven decision-making, leading to a sharp increase in the need for high-quality, structured, and scenario-specific real-time data. Facing this strategic opportunity, Xunce Technology—China’s leading provider of real-time AI data infrastructure and analytics services—has expanded its end-to-end data processing capabilities to cover the entire chain from data acquisition to large-model fine-tuning.Currently, Xunce Technology has applied its real-time AI data processing capabilities to eleven high-value, high-barrier industries, with penetration rates continuing to rise across these sectors. The company has refined three core technological advantages: millisecond- and second-level real-time response, 100% accurate data processing, and data tokenization—helping clients reduce costs, improve efficiency, and achieve more agile, data-driven decision-making.Five Key Drivers Fuel Strong Earnings Growth; Token Revenue Emerges as a New Growth EngineBehind this strong growth in performance lies the combined synergy of five key drivers: corporate demand for AI implementation, accelerated penetration across diverse industries, the accelerated deployment of TokenOS products, the implementation of the Token business model, and the accelerated expansion of international operations and ecosystem development.First, demand for enterprise AI implementation has surged. Enterprise AI is shifting from “training” to “inference” and from “general-purpose capabilities” to “industry-specific applications.” Companies urgently seek to embed AI into core business processes, driving an exponential rise in demand for high-quality, structured, and scenario-specific data. However, the deployment of general-purpose large models faces three major hurdles: data governance, real-time data supply, and security and compliance. Leveraging its decade-long expertise in millisecond-level response times and 100% accuracy, Xunce is now emerging as the most scarce infrastructure capability in the AI era. The accelerated deployment of real-time data infrastructure and analytics for enterprise AI is driving revenue growth in Xunce’s core business.Second, penetration into diverse industries is accelerating, and the company’s ability to replicate solutions across sectors continues to be validated. Since the beginning of this year, Xunce has successfully expanded into multiple new industries, including smart vehicles and the low-altitude economy, accelerating the integrated development of the full “computing power–data–Token–model–application” value chain. Recently, the company has partnered with Botai Vehicle Connectivity and Saimu Technology to enter the field of smart connected vehicles, establishing a closed-loop system for training physical AI and world models based on tokens; it has also formed partnerships with three leading domestic GPU manufacturers—Muxi, Tianshu Zhixin, and Biren—to expand its integrated “computing power + data” capabilities; and it has joined forces with Hongtai Fund to explore token commercialization solutions for vertical scenarios, building a new paradigm for AI-native and token-native funds; In partnership with Shenzhen Kaikong, the company is driving the tokenization of data within the HarmonyOS ecosystem and exploring new frontiers in world models and physical AI.Third, the accelerated deployment of the TokenOS product.In May of this year, the company launched the world’s first TokenOS operating system, which converts enterprises’ multi-source, heterogeneous data in real time into standardized, measurable, and priceable scenario-specific tokens, enabling the large-scale industrial production of scenario tokens and fundamentally resolving the core bottleneck of insufficient high-quality scenario data supply.Fourth, the volume of token calls has surged, becoming a new engine for revenue growth. The implementation and optimization of the token business have transformed the company’s revenue structure, shifting from project-based linear growth to a growth model driven by token call volume; the commercialization of the token economy has far exceeded expectations.Fifth, the expansion of international business and the development of the ecosystem are accelerating. The company is actively expanding its overseas operations, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a European digital and AI service provider to jointly develop a token factory for the European market, marking a substantial step forward in its global expansion. Additionally, the company has entered into strategic partnerships with the Shenzhen Data Exchange and the Beijing International Big Data Exchange, laying the regulatory compliance and ecosystem foundations for its global business expansion.In addition, the company’s gross profit margin has remained consistently high over the years. This earnings growth was primarily driven by three key factors: First, the profit share from the high-margin fee-based business model continued to expand, leading to an optimization of the revenue structure and an improvement in profitability; second, the platform-based and modular product architecture unleashed economies of scale, further optimizing the ratios of R&D, sales, and general and administrative expenses compared to the same period last year, and accelerating the realization of operating leverage; third, improved cash management efficiency contributed to incremental investment income, further boosting profits for the period. The combination of these three factors provided solid support for Xunce Technology’s performance turnaround in the first half of the year.The Data Sector Faces a Historic Opportunity, with Promising Long-Term Value AheadRecently, at a relevant press conference, the National Development and Reform Commission clearly outlined the strategic direction for China’s artificial intelligence industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, in which “strengthening research and development of key technologies such as models, computing power, and data” was listed as the top priority.The data sector is entering a historic period of growth. As China’s leading provider of AI real-time data infrastructure and analytics solutions, Xunce Technology has outlined a strategic roadmap for the four-stage evolution of AI data infrastructure over the “next decade”:Phase 1.0: Starting in the financial asset management sector, the company honed its millisecond-level real-time data processing capabilities and replicated them across ten industries with high entry barriers, thereby comprehensively validating its cross-industry data governance capabilities; Phase 2.0: Using the TokenOS operating system, the company refined enterprise private data into scenario-based tokens that are measurable, priceable, and exchangeable, opening up a growth channel for token-based business; Phase 3.0: Utilizing a token exchange platform to facilitate cross-enterprise data exchange and circulation, expanding growth opportunities to the entire ecosystem and platform; Phase 4.0: Leveraging enterprise-specific small models to bridge the “last mile” of AI implementation, providing enterprises with domain-specific small models that can be deployed on-premises and continuously evolved, thereby forming a complete closed-loop of “computing power—data—tokens—models—applications” and driving the transformation of AI from a general-purpose capability into enterprise productivity.The positive mid-year 2026 earnings forecast is not an endpoint, but a new starting point. Over the past decade, Xunce has deeply cultivated data governance through projects and subscription models, validating the feasibility of its technology and business model. For the new decade, Xunce has mapped out a clear three-step strategy: using the TokenOS operating system as the foundation, leveraging TokenRouters to facilitate cross-enterprise value exchange, and utilizing enterprise-level small models to bridge the “last mile” of AI implementation. By taking the lead in establishing a full-chain layout spanning from data governance to TokenOS, TokenRouters, and enterprise-level small models, Xunce will usher in a new cycle of exponential growth. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

JAKARTA, July 30, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Wintermar reports 24.4% YOY Growth in Attributable Net Profit to US$8.4 million with additional High Tier vessels in operation and better fleet utilization at 62% for 1H2026 compared to 56% in 1H2025.Owned Vessel DivisionOwned Vessel revenue grew by 41.4% YOY to US$45 million in 1H2026 as more vessels were operational compared to 1H2025. Margins for owned Vessels widened to 51.7% in 1H2026 compared to 39.1% in 1H2025 as more PSVs were deployed. However, fleet utilization in 2Q2026 was slightly lower than 1Q2026 as the market is still largely dominated by spot contracts in the period, although charter rates are higher.As the acquisition of FOS was completed at the end of June, earnings from FOS will only be consolidated in 2H2026. There has been a delay in the tendering timeline for some longer term domestic OSV contracts, which prolong the volatility in the fleet utilization as a large proportion of the fleet are still on short term contracts. The conflict in the Middle East has also impacted some vessels which had been planned for deployment in that region.Chartering Division and Other ServicesRevenue contribution from the Chartering division continues to decline as management focus has shifted toward maximizing the utilization of Owned Vessels and marketing the additional vessels, which offer significantly higher margins than chartered vessels. Total chartering revenue fell by 40.5% YOY to US$1.6 million for 1H2026, and gross profit fell to US$0.11 million compared to US$0.2 million in the previous year.Conversely, revenue from Other Services rose by 40.8% to US$3.4 million for 1H2026 from more fee-based income, with gross profit of US$1.5 million compared to US$1.4 million in 1H2025.Direct Expenses and Gross ProfitDirect Expenses for Owned Vessels rose by 12% YOY to US$21.7 million for 1H2026, largely from higher depreciation (+16.8% YOY to US$8.0 million) due to additional vessels in operation, and a 25.6% YOY jump in crewing costs also arising from the increase in the number of certified crew for the Dynamic Positioning vessels and vessels working in foreign countries. Operations costs rose 11% YOY to US$2.3 million for 1H2026 while maintenance costs fell slightly by 2.5% YOY to US$4 million, as there were some large repairs and upgrading costs for High Tier vessels last year which are now operating in 1H2026. As fleet utilization improved in 1H2026, fuel costs also reduced by 40% YOY as charterers are responsible for fuel expenses when the vessel is in operation.Total Gross Profit jumped by 76.9% YOY in 1H2026 to US$24.9 million, with the Owned Vessels Division contributing US$23.3 million.Indirect Expenses and Operating ProfitTotal Indirect Expenses fell by 6.2% YOY in 1H2026, largely from lower salary related costs which offset by higher marketing expense.Operating Profit rose by 124.6% YOY to US$20.1 million in 1H2026.Other Income, Expenses and Net Attributable ProfitInterest expenses continued to fall slightly by 6.8% YOY to US$1.0 million while interest income rose 25.7% YOY to US$0.4 million. Associated Companies recorded a loss of US$1.6 million, due to lower utilization of fleet as vessels underwent repairs and maintenance in 1H2026. There was a forex loss of US$0.4 million incurred in 1H2026 on the portion of the Company's cash held in Rupiah currency due to the depreciation of the Rupiah in the period.Total attributable Net Profit rose by 24.4% YOY to US$8.4 million compared to US$6.7 million in 1H2025 which included a gain on vessel sale of US$1.6 million. Earnings per share of Rp31.1 in 1H2026 compared to Rp25.05 in 1H2025.EBITDA rose by 76.8% YOY to US$28.2 million for 1H2026, compared to US$16 million in 1H2025.Industry OutlookDespite several attempts at resolution, the Iran conflict continues into 2H2026. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted with about 9.5 million barrels per day of oil and gas production shut in. Oil prices are expected to stay firm while global investment into upstream oil and gas continues to rise.The rapid adoption of AI has also raised expectations for energy demand in the coming years with more data centres being built to accommodate the processing capacity required. Globally, there continues to be more committed investments into oil and gas exploration, while offshore exploration has taken the largest share of overall Exploration and Production (E&P) capex. E&P capex in offshore is expected to continue rising until the end of the decade.The business cycle for offshore oil and gas investment continues to be strong, driven by higher oil prices amidst supply disruptions and political uncertainty. Capital expenditure in offshore oil and gas has doubled since the trough of 2020, as seen in the chart above. In Indonesia alone, there are now 5 strategic national projects which have been slated for accelerated exploration, with the US$21 billion Masela project breaking ground in July 2026.In general, there has been stronger demand for dynamic positioning enabled PSVs globally while the supply of vessels has been limited due to the absence of orders for OSV newbuilding for nearly a decade since 2015. As 47% of the global fleet is now over 15 years old, there will be tight supply in the coming years, thereby pointing to higher charter rates.Business StrategyTo capitalize on the momentum in OSV demand in the coming years, and in view of the expected shortage of OSVs globally, Wintermar has embarked on an expansion plan. The strategy is three pronged, involving:1. the purchase of second-hand vessels, 2. building new vessels, and 3. the acquisition of Fast Offshore Supply Pte Ltd to gain control of a fleet of new Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) which already have long term contracts.In July, we have taken delivery of 1 second hand diesel electric (DE) Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) and 1 second-hand DE Multi-role Support Vessel (MSV), which are undergoing repair and modification and expected to be operational by 4Q2026. We placed a new order to build 1 unit of MSV to be delivered in 2H2027. Through the acquisition of FOS, we will have 7 units of existing FMPVs, of which 2 have long term contracts, and in 2027 there will be 5 additional units of brand new CTVs to be delivered between 1Q2027 and 2Q2027 which have been contracted for 5 years with options. These investments will be funded through a combination of internal cash, bank loans as well as vessel sales.The effect of our expansion plan will be to raise our net gearing and add to expenses in the second half of 2026 prior to the vessels starting work in 2027. Although in the near term this is expected to reduce net margins for 2H2026, we are confident that these investments will be earnings accretive in 2027, where there will be a jump in revenue and profit when the new vessels start operations.In addition to the new vessels mentioned, we already have 1 second hand PSV purchased last year which is expected to be reactivated in 4Q2026, and 1 new built PSV to be delivered in 2Q2027. The below shows the contracts on hand before and after the acquisition of FOS.About Wintermar Offshore Marine GroupWintermar Offshore Marine Group (WINS.JK), developed over nearly 50 years with a track record of quality that is both a source of pride and responsibility that we are dedicated to upholding, and sails a fleet of more than 48 Offshore Support Vessels ready for long term as well as spot charters. All vessels are operated by experienced Indonesian crew, tracked by satellite systems and monitored in real-time by shore-based Vessel Teams.Wintermar is the first shipping company in Indonesia to be certified with an Integrated Management System by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance, and is currently certified with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO14001:2015 (Environment) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety). For more information, please visit www.wintermar.com.For further information, please contact:Ms. Pek Swan Layanto, CFAInvestor RelationsPT Wintermar Offshore Marine TbkTel (62-21) 530 5201 Ext 401Email: investor_relations@wintermar.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

LONDON, July 31, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - A new scientific review has found that nutritionally sound vegan dog food, vegan cat food and vegetarian pet diets are generally well digested and broadly comparable to conventional meat-based diets. The review, published in the journal Animals, examined 31 existing studies assessing the digestibility of vegan, vegetarian and plant-based pet diets and ingredients in dogs and cats.Twenty-two studies focused on dogs, two on cats and seven included both species. The review found that across a wide range of study designs, dietary ingredients and digestibility measures, vegan and vegetarian diets consistently showed high digestibility and were not normally significantly less digestible than conventional meat-based diets. Digestibility is an important factor because it indicates how effectively animals can absorb and utilise nutrients from food. While modern commercial plant-based pet foods are generally formulated to provide all essential nutrients, poor digestibility could still reduce nutrient absorption.Author Andrew Knight, an Adjunct Professor at Murdoch University veterinary school in Australia, said the findings challenge a common perception that dogs and cats cannot effectively digest plant-based proteins."Current evidence indicates that nutritionally sound vegan and vegetarian pet diets, and their main protein sources, are generally well digested by dogs and cats," Professor Knight said.The studies included in the review examined a wide range of ingredients used in vegan and plant-based pet food, including wheat gluten, rice protein, soy-derived ingredients, peas, lentils, chickpeas, potato protein, quinoa and proteins produced through microbial fermentation.Some studies also assessed commercially available vegan dog foods containing ingredients such as peas, barley, oats, sunflower oil and lentils. The review found that digestibility remained high overall even in studies where limited plant-based nutrients were less digestible than animal-derived ingredients.The global vegan and plant-based pet food market was worth USD 26.9 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow by 7.8% annually. This growth is being driven by increasing interest in pet health, environmental sustainability and farmed animal welfare. However, uncertainty about whether dogs and cats can effectively digest and utilise plant-based proteins remains a barrier for some pet owners.Professor Knight said the findings should reassure owners considering nutritionally sound vegan diets for their pets."These findings support the use of carefully formulated vegan and vegetarian diets and challenge the notion that such diets are less digestible than conventional meat-based diets."I recommend pet carers check product labels. There should be a clear statement that the diet is nutritionally complete. It should come from a good pet food company that can provide information about the steps taken to ensure nutritional soundness, such as working with veterinary nutritional specialists."The review also identified important gaps in the evidence. Most studies to date have involved dogs, with relatively few focusing on cats. Many have also focused on pets in real world conditions rather than confined with laboratory environments.Study: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/10/1454.Contact InformationProf. Andrew Knight andrew.knight@murdoch.edu.auSOURCE: Sustainable Pet Food Foundation Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Anytime Fitness Malaysia has officially launched its Malaysia debut of Battle of the Purple Champions (BOPC), bringing its regional fitness challenge to local shores for the first time. The BOPC launch, which was announced in conjunction with the opening of its 600th club, reflects the brand's continued success in growing its community of fitness club goers across the region.Pictured from Left to Right: Aliff Ros- Assistant Club Manager of Anytime Fitness Corporate, Khairul Imran- Area Business Manager of Anytime Fitness Corporate, Ryan Cheal - Group Chief Operating Officer of Inspire Brands Asia, Multi-club Anytime Fitness franchise owners - Nishanthen Nair, Jayabobi Shanmugam, Azmi Sadaka, and Kevin LuisHot on the heels of their successful editions in the Philippines and Singapore, the BOPC Malaysia debut reflects Anytime Fitness' philosophy and continued commitment to make fitness more accessible, inclusive and community-driven.More than a competition, the initiative is designed around functional movements that mirror everyday life, from being able to carry heavy groceries with ease or scaling a flight of stairs without breaking a sweat. Open to both members and non-members, the challenge takes that philosophy and turns it into a competition, embedding real-life movements while making it intentionally inclusive, so anyone from first-time gym-goers to seasoned fitness enthusiasts can aim for the Champion title.Ryan Cheal, Group Chief Operating Officer of Inspire Brands Asia, the regional master franchise of Anytime Fitness.Ryan Cheal, Group Chief Operating Officer of Inspire Brands Asia, said: “Community is among the strongest motivators for people to stay active over the long term. Reaching our 600th club milestone in Asia is proof that this community-first model works. For us, expansion isn't just about adding locations; it’s about creating inclusive, accessible spaces across Malaysia and the region where anyone—regardless of fitness level—feels empowered to build healthier habits for life.”“It is also a recognition that today’s urban lifestyles demand a fitness approach that is available and accessible to anyone who wants to work out anytime and anywhere.” he added.Ryan added, “Unlike traditional competitions that focus solely on peak athletic performance or isolated strengths, the Battle of the Purple Champions is built around real-life, functional fitness designed for everyday movement. Fitness shouldn’t be an intimidating solo pursuit or about being the strongest person in the room—it’s about building a supportive community that keeps you accountable for the long haul. BOPC brings people from all walks of life together to prove that when we train for real life, we become stronger together.”The brand's recent debut in East Malaysia, starting with Kuching, further solidifies its commitment to making quality fitness accessible to all Malaysians of all ages and fitness levels, spanning seamlessly from Semenanjung to Borneo.Anytime Fitness is dedicated to making fitness more accessible, inclusive, and community-driven across the region. The BOPC was crafted for this same purpose and to celebrate that spirit by bringing people from all walks of life together to discover that fitness isn't about being the strongest person in the room; it's about becoming stronger together for everyday life situations.Malaysia's inaugural Battle of the Purple Champions aims to bring together teams from across the country this October in a celebration of movement for real-life situations, teamwork and community. The initiative forms part of Inspire Brands Asia's wider vision in redefining fitness as an accessible, lifelong journey rather than a destination, while strengthening the role communities play in helping people live healthier, happier lives.To learn more about the challenge or register your interest, visit: https://anytimefitnessbopcmy.com/ABOUT ANYTIME FITNESSAnytime Fitness is the world's largest and fastest-growing fitness franchise, committed to providing accessible and inclusive fitness solutions for everyone, anytime, anywhere.Our mission is to help people reach their fitness goals with convenience, community, and expert support.ABOUT INSPIRE BRANDS ASIAInspire Brands Asia (IBA) is the multi-award-winning regional master franchise of Anytime Fitness, overseeing a network of 600 clubs across Southeast Asia, with more than 100 under corporate management.Operating in dynamic markets including countries and regions in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, IBA commands the region's largest fitness network, powered by 1,000+ employees across our eight markets.Contacts:Timothy GunapalanAssociate Consultant, Narro CommunicationsE: timothy@narrocomms.comJoyce ShaminiConsultant, Narro CommunicationsE: joyce@narrocomms.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 30, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) is accelerating the global expansion of BEAM Plus, Hong Kong’s leading green building rating system, through new strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan, reinforcing its role in advancing sustainable development, green building standards, and green finance collaboration across Belt and Road markets.Building on its commitment to promoting the wider adoption of BEAM Plus beyond Hong Kong, HKGBC has launched its latest initiative to sign an MOU electronically on 14 July 2026 with the Astana International Financial Centre Green Finance Centre (AIFC GFC) in Kazakhstan, a leading platform promoting green finance and sustainable investment in Central Asia. The MOU was signed by Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of HKGBC, and Mr Manas GIZHDUANIYEV, Chief Executive Officer of AIFC GFC.This follows the earlier MOU signed with the Saudi Contractors Authority (SCA), the official body responsible for regulating and advancing Saudi Arabia’s construction sector, further strengthening HKGBC’s presence in the Middle East. The MOU was signed by Ir Harry LAI, BBS, Executive Director of HKGBC, and Mr Mohammed AL-AJLAN, Chairman of SCA, during a construction forum in Shenzhen on 14 June 2026, witnessed by Mr Nicholas HO, Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Government of the HKSAR.Reinforcing Hong Kong’s Role as a Regional Green HubDr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of HKGBC, said, “By connecting green building standards with green finance ecosystems, these strategic partnerships accelerate the adoption of low-carbon development models and extend the global relevance of BEAM Plus. They also reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a regional hub for green building innovation, sustainable finance and professional services.”Integrating Green Building and Green Finance Across Emerging MarketsBoth MOUs establish a strategic collaboration platform spanning the Middle East and Central Asia, bringing together green building expertise and green finance capabilities to support sustainable urban development.Key areas of cooperation include:- Exchange of green building standards, sustainability frameworks and technical expertise- Alignment of green building and green finance practices to support low-carbon development- Capacity building, professional training and joint industry events- Promotion of green finance instruments and sustainable investment opportunities- Market development, pilot projects and technical advisory support- Industry engagement, data sharing and cross-border collaborationAdvancing BEAM Plus as a Global Green Building StandardIr Harry LAI, BBS, Executive Director of HKGBC, said, “By linking the built environment with green finance, these partnerships aim to accelerate the development of climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and low-carbon cities. They also support HKGBC’s strategy to position BEAM Plus as a scalable international green building certification system for sustainable urban development beyond Hong Kong.”Through its expanding global network of partners, HKGBC is advancing the adoption of BEAM Plus across diverse markets, strengthening alignment with regional regulatory, policy and financing frameworks, facilitating knowledge transfer and professional exchange, and supporting Belt and Road economies in achieving their carbon reduction and sustainability goals.HKGBC has already established a growing portfolio of international collaborations across Asia and beyond, including partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand, the Chinese Mainland and Macau, as well as initiatives with leading developers to explore applying BEAM Plus in overseas projects.Photo 1: HKGBC and AIFC GFC signed an MOU electronically on 14 July 2026, establishing a strategic collaboration platform spanning Central Asia. The partnership brings together green building expertise and green finance capabilities to support sustainable urban development.Photo 2: Facilitated by the Belt and Road Office of the HKSAR Government, HKGBC and SCA formalised their partnership through a MOU, during a construction forum in Shenzhen on 14 June 2026.About the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) is a non-profit, member-led organisation established in 2009 and has become a public body under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance since 2016. The HKGBC strives to promote the standard and development of sustainable buildings in Hong Kong. The HKGBC also aims to raise green building awareness by engaging the government, the industry and the public, and to develop practical solutions for Hong Kong’s unique, subtropical built environment of high-rise, high density urban area, leading Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to become a world’s exemplar of green building development. The Founding Members of the HKGBC include the Construction Industry Council (CIC), the Business Environment Council (BEC), the BEAM Society Limited (BSL) and the Professional Green Building Council (PGBC).To learn more about the HKGBC, please visit www.hkgbc.org.hk. For media enquiries, please contact:Hong Kong Green Building CouncilMarketing & PR ManagerLucy SOPhone: (852) 3994 8832Email: lucy.so@hkgbc.org.hk Senior Marketing & PR ExecutiveElsa CHANPhone: (852) 3994 8829Email: elsa.chan@hkgbc.org.hk Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

SINGAPORE, July 30, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The Mariners Cricket Club (MCC) Singapore will host The ’83 Legends Tour of Singapore, marking the first time the heroes of India's historic 1983 World Cup-winning squad reunite for an epoch-making tour in South-East Asia since their triumph. Running from 7th - 9th August 2026, the three-day event offers a platform for sports enthusiasts, corporate leaders, and industry executives to engage with iconic sporting figures while promoting leadership, resilience, and teamwork.As a premier sports and professional networking club in Singapore, MCC brings together executives from the global maritime sector through a shared passion for cricket. The ’83 Legends Tour will feature a gracious lineup of cricket royalty, including inspirational captain Kapil Dev, batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar, and crucial all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath. The event is structured to blend high-value corporate networking with sports nostalgia, driving strong regional visibility and serving as a game-changer to popularize cricket across the region.The tour opens with the Grand Gala Dinner on Friday, 7th August, welcoming over 600 premium guests from sectors involved in promoting the sport. The evening features an interactive live talk session hosted by a celebrity sports anchor, allowing attendees to gather firsthand reflections from the players who transformed cricket across the Indian subcontinent. Alongside the gala, the tour introduces corporate leadership sessions on 7th & 8th August. These specialized 90-minute interactive techno-commercial workshops are designed to translate insights from the elite sports fraternity into actionable business strategies for goal-setting, handling challenges, and team motivation—fabricating a structured model to build cricket as a sustainable commodity in this part of the globe.The sporting centerpiece takes place on Saturday, 8 August, with the highly anticipated Legends vs Mariners Match. This showpiece match will integrate with the annual Mariners Premier League (MPL) cricket tournament, which features 61 participating teams competing across corporate, open, women’s, and junior divisions. Highlighting Singapore's digital connectivity and pivotal role as a global maritime capital, the match will be live-streamed directly to more than 2,000 commercial ships at sea, instantly instilling a stream of cricket euphoria across the global hemisphere."The 1983 World Cup victory remains a definitive masterclass in overcoming impossible odds through collective unity and visionary leadership," said Avijit Dutta, President of Mariners’ Cricket Club Singapore. "This landmark tour brings that historic legacy directly into Singapore's vibrant corporate and sports ecosystem. By combining elite sports psychology with premium networking, we aim to inspire our local business community and the next generation of athletes. Furthermore, broadcasting our showcase match live to thousands of mariners working out at sea reinforces Singapore’s unmatched global connectivity, celebrates the deep camaraderie that defines our maritime industry, and allows us to serve as a tireless torch-bearer to promote cricket in South-East Asia."About The ’83 Legends Tour: The ’83 Legends Tour of Singapore is organized by the Mariners Cricket Club Singapore. The tour serves as a premier international platform bringing together legendary sporting figures, corporate executives, and fans for insightful discussions on leadership, legacy, team building, and premium networking opportunities.About Mariners Cricket Club (MCC) SingaporeEstablished in 2005, the Mariners Cricket Club (MCC) is a premier cricket organization in Singapore that brings together professionals from the maritime and related corporate industries. Guided by the motto "Bringing the Maritime Industry Together Through Sport, Camaraderie & Community," MCC is committed to fostering long-term professional relationships, teamwork, and sportsmanship both on and off the field.Media contact:Maithili Dabadgaonkarmaithili@bloomingdalepr.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 29, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mainland enterprises are increasingly expanding into ASEAN, as they pursue new growth opportunities overseas, with Malaysia emerging as one of the region's key destinations for business development and investment. Preliminary findings from a new Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) survey show that ASEAN has become a major focus of Mainland companies' internationalisation strategies, while demand for Hong Kong's professional services continue to grow.Results showed that 91% of surveyed Mainland enterprises plan to develop business in ASEAN, reflecting the region's growing importance, as companies seek new markets, diversify supply chains and capture opportunities in emerging industries.Commenting on the findings, Bruce Pang, Director of HKTDC Research, said: "ASEAN has become a priority destination for Mainland enterprises pursuing international growth. Companies are not only looking to expand their sales networks, but also establishing regional supply chains, investing in higher value-added activities and exploring opportunities in emerging sectors, such as AI, semiconductors and new energy.""At the same time, businesses recognise the growing complexities of operating across different markets. This explains the strong demand for Hong Kong’s professional services, and reinforces our city's role as a superconnector and super value-adder facilitating opportunities for enterprises across ASEAN and beyond."Hong Kong remains preferred business services platformAs enterprises expand overseas, professional support has become increasingly important. The survey found that Mainland companies entering ASEAN markets require assistance in areas including legal and accounting compliance, marketing, e-commerce, supply chain management, financing and risk management. Among enterprises planning to expand into ASEAN, 83% of surveyed respondents indicated an interest in using Hong Kong's professional services to support their regional development.Malaysia gains prominence in ASEAN expansion plansAmong ASEAN markets, Malaysia is attracting significant interest from Mainland enterprises. The survey shows that the country ranks among the leading destinations for both manufacturing and services companies looking to establish or expand regional operations. Malaysia is particularly attractive for businesses involved in semiconductors, industrial materials, AI and other innovation-driven industries.Malaysia's appeal is underpinned by its mature industrial ecosystem, skilled workforce, competitive business environment and commitment to industrial upgrading. Initiatives, such as the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, the National Semiconductor Strategy and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are helping to strengthen the country's position as an advanced manufacturing, technology and services hub in ASEAN.Economic ties between Hong Kong and Malaysia have also continued to deepen. In 2025, Malaysia was Hong Kong’s 3rd largest trading partner among ASEAN member states.Regarding bilateral investment, at the end of 2025, Hong Kong was Malaysia’s 2nd largest investor after Singapore, with a cumulative FDI of US$34.8 billion, while Hong Kong was Malaysia’s 2nd largest source of FDI after Singapore in terms of net FDI flow.Think Business, Think Hong KongAmid Malaysia's growing strategic importance and increasing interest among businesses in the market, the HKTDC will bring its flagship overseas promotional event, Think Business, Think Hong Kong (TBTHK), to Kuala Lumpur on 11 August.The full-day symposium, set to take place at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, will bring together business leaders, investors, innovators, professional service providers and policymakers from Malaysia and Hong Kong to exchange insights, explore investment and business opportunities and forge new cross-border partnerships.With Malaysia's evolving economic priorities as a backdrop, TBTHK will feature discussions on RMB internationalisation, sustainability and green innovations, Hong Kong's role as an international financial and business centre, and healthcare solutions and innovations. Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and YB Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transport Malaysia, will be the guests of honour at the opening ceremony.In addition to the symposium, some 30 Hong Kong service providers and start-ups will feature their flagship products and solutions in the exhibition’s Business Support Zone and InnoVenture Salon to create opportunities for collaboration with Malaysian participants. One-on-one business consultations and on-site business matching will facilitate deals and cooperation between Malaysian and Hong Kong companies.A group of around 100 government officials, business leaders, innovators, start-ups and professional service providers from various sectors – including finance, business, innovation and technology, environmental services, media and advertising – will travel to Malaysia to explore business opportunities through discussions, networking events and business matching meetings. For more information or to register for the symposium:https://thinkbusinessthinkhk.com/2026-kuala-lumpur/symposium/en/index.htmlPhoto download:https://bit.ly/4fs9gKhDirector of HKTDC Research Bruce Pang (centre), Principal Economist (Asian and Emerging Markets) Wendy Hu (left) and Senior Economist (Greater China Team) Cherry Yeung (right) unveiled the latest survey findings and Malaysia market insights ahead of Think Business, Think Hong Kong in Kuala LumpurHKTDC survey found that 91% of Mainland enterprises plan to expand their business to ASEAN, with Malaysia emerging as a key destination for companies operating in the semiconductors, AI and other innovation-driven or high-value-added sectors. To help Hong Kong businesses tap into Malaysian opportunities, HKTDC will stage its flagship overseas promotional event, Think Business, Think Hong Kong (TBTHK), in Kuala Lumpur on 11 AugustMedia enquiriesHKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:Jane CheungTel: (852) 2584 4137Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.orgSam HoTel: (852) 2584 4569Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.orgHKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.comAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the Mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 29, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - In the capital markets, being recognized as a model case by an official authority is in itself a powerful endorsement and recognition.In July 2026, the Hong Kong Department of Justice published the Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong's Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global - 2nd Series on its official website. Global New Material International's (6616.HK) €665 million acquisition of Merck's Surface Solutions business (SUSONITY) in Germany is officially included as a successful going global case. This signifies that the transaction was not only a business success but also a case officially endowed with benchmark significance.In the author's view, this is by no means merely an honor, but rather a clear signal: Global New Material International's positioning as a global technology platform for surface performance materials has been clearly established, the advantages of synergies began to manifest, and the company's intrinsic value and competitive advantages continue to grow stronger.The acquisition of SUSONITY has been officially recognized and included by the Hong Kong Department of Justice, serving as a model case for cross-border mergers and acquisitionsAs one of the three major departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, case studies and information publicized by the Department of Justice represent the highest level of official recognition of the professionalism, complexity and exemplary effect within the industry of legal services. The Department of Justice's publication, Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong's Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global, compiles real-life examples of Chinese Mainland enterprises successfully expanding overseas. The selection criteria are extremely rigorous, with particular emphasis placed on cases that cover the full business life cycle, demonstrate diversity across service sectors, and possess a global investment footprint.Every enterprise included in this collection is a benchmark case with industrial exemplary significance in dimensions such as cross-border compliance, legal structure and transaction execution.In an exclusive video interview, Mr Allen W.L. Ng, Managing Partner at Baker McKenzie, pointed out that Global New Material International is a new materials enterprise that is “born with a global orientation”, with a highly international client portfolio and partner network, and extremely high standards for quality and compliance. The company's robust corporate governance, transparent disclosure of information and cross-border funding arrangements provided a solid foundation for the smooth completion of this acquisition.SUSONITY is the new name given to Merck's Global Surface Solutions Business following its acquisition by Global New Material International.Over six decades, SUSONITY has established a highly differentiated brand and product portfolio that is deeply embedded within the supply chains and material R&D processes of the world's leading brands, targeting high-value leading customers. It has built up strengths in premium brands and international certifications across diverse product categories such as effect pigments, cosmetic active ingredients and functional special materials, covering various end-market sectors including automotive coatings, new energy materials and personal care. Key brands include Iriodin(R), Xirallic(R) and Timiron(R).Through the acquisition of SUSONITY, Global New Material International has enhanced its global production network and achieved comprehensive synergies in areas such as production, sales and R&D with the Group's brands, Chesir and CQV. This is not merely an expansion of production capacity, but rather an elevation of Global New Material International's status to that of a global new materials technology platform enterprise.Acquisition and integration results have exceeded expectations with synergies from the global platform being realized intensivelyThere is a common principle in the capital markets: the value of M&A is not realized at the time of closing, but rather through the synergies following integration. Global New Material International's latest financial reports and business development are gradually validating this logic.Looking at GNMI's 2025 financial report, on the revenue side, the company's annual revenue reached ¥2.92 billion, representing a substantial year-on-year increase of 76.9%; of this, non-China operations accounted for 43.8%, with the newly consolidated German business contributing 34%; On the profitability side, excluding the impact of one-time factors such as acquisitions and adjustment of asset fair value, adjusted EBITDA for 2025 stood at ¥844 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 37.7%; In terms of regional performance, in 2025, the company's sales surged by 555.0% year-on-year in Europe and by 1,047.5% year-on-year in North America, indicating that the revenue potential of overseas markets is rapidly expanding.When evaluating the success or failure of a cross-border merger and acquisition, the organic growth capacity of overseas subsidiaries is the ultimate criteria. This has already been demonstrated in the case of CQV, a South Korean high-end pearlescent materials company acquired by Global New Material International in 2023. The Group and CQV have now achieved deep synergy in areas such as products, market channels and supply chain management. CQV's profitability improved significantly between 2023 and 2025, with a gross profit margin of 43.04% in 2025, representing an increase of 9.69 percentage points compared with 2023. In the first quarter of 2026, CQV achieved revenue of 15.77 billion South Korean won, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.28%, and a net profit of KWR2.41 billion, up by 18.55% year-on-year. The growth rate of net profit significantly outpaced that of revenue, indicating a continuous improvement in operational quality.Meanwhile, SUSONITY, which was acquired nearly a year ago, has continued to deliver results in R&D, production capacity and marketing, presenting a strong performance. In May 2026, SUSONITY's Innovation and Application Centre in Frankfurt officially commenced operations, and in June, its core production sites across Europe, the Americas and Asia achieved steady and full-capacity operation. In the first quarter of this year, SUSONITY initiated its first round of price adjustments for the year and completed a second round of price adjustments of 5-7% in July 2026 across its full product range, covering automotive, cosmetics and industrial pigments. The brand's pricing power continues to grow stronger, directly boosting profits. At the same time, SUSONITY has accelerated its expansion into emerging markets and established a branch office in India in June this year.As of today, Global New Material International has established six R&D centers, six application centers and six manufacturing centers worldwide, with a sales network covering more than 150 countries and regions. Its three brands, namely Chesir, SUSONITY and CQV, have formed a comprehensive collaboration matrix spanning R&D, production and regional applications. The value of its global platform has now taken shape.Of particular note is the recognition from the capital markets: in March 2026, Global New Material International was formally included in the FTSE Russell Global Equity Index; in June 2026, the company once again secured the Technological Innovation Best Practice Award at the Third Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference. From index compilers to international ESG rating systems, all stakeholders in the capital markets are, in their own ways, re-evaluating the company's value.The surge in emerging application scenarios is driving an upturn in industry prosperity, and management's intensive share purchases demonstrate long-term confidenceIn the capital markets, there is one signal that carries more weight than any research report—namely, when a company's actual controller uses his or her own money to increase the shareholdings.Data from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's system of disclosure of interests shows that Su Ertian, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global New Material International, began a round of intensive stake increase in April 2026. In late June, he once again made another series of substantial stake increase, acquiring 438,000 shares, 519,000 shares and 138,000 shares on 26, 29 and 30 June respectively, and 471,000 shares, 59,000 shares and 652,000 shares on 2, 9 and 10 July respectively, with a total investment of over HK$16 million.Combined with the multiple rounds of share purchases from April to early July, the latest shareholding stands at 456 million shares with proportion rising to 36.49%. All such share purchases have been disclosed in accordance with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's disclosure requirements.To view the story of Global New Material International merely as a series of successful cross-border mergers and acquisitions would be far too narrow a perspective. The deeper investment logic lies at the intersection of national strategy and industrial trends.China's 15th Five-Year Plan has designated new materials as a key emerging pillar industry to be nurtured, whilst synthetic mica has been explicitly included in the “Encouraged” category of the Guidance Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment. According to publicly available information, Global New Material International is the designated undertaking entity for the "Key Basic New Materials - Synthetic Mica Project" under the Industrial Foundation Reinforcement Program of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and holds the largest market share in synthetic mica globally. The company is not an industry leader in the ordinary sense, but rather an industrial fulcrum underpinning national strategic capabilities.From an industry trend perspective, while natural mica resources constrained by both environmental protection red lines and depletion, synthetic mica has become a strategic foundational material for ensuring stable operation of high-end manufacturing. With the official commissioning and trial production of the 100,000-ton-annual-capacity synthetic mica production base in Tonglu, Hangzhou in February 2026, Global New Material International has strengthened its self-sufficiency capability in upstream core raw materials.In terms of technological advantages, Global New Material International has established a full-chain technological innovation platform, mastered core technologies in synthetic mica and pearlescent materials, and participated in the drafting of multiple industry standards. Leveraging a global network, the company has deeply integrated global R&D resources and capabilities. In June this year, the cosmetic-grade synthetic mica powder project passed the scientific and technological achievement evaluation conducted by Zhongke Hechuang, further deepening the company's technological moat. In downstream sectors such as high-end cosmetics and automotive coatings, customers have extremely high requirements on the stability, safety and customization of raw materials, and qualification cycles typically last for 2-3 years. This technological achievement will not only effectively support the company's further expansion into top customers, but will also continuously enhance its overall bargaining power along the industrial chain.Data from a Frost & Sullivan’s report indicates that global pearlescent pigment market is projected to exceed ¥50 billion by 2030, with the market for cosmetic-grade pearlescent pigments projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.43% between 2025 and 2030, maintaining a rapid growth trend; Demand for pearlescent pigments in emerging sectors such as eco-friendly coatings, Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and smart transportation coatings is growing rapidly, with CAGR at 13.53%, 14.64% and 26.98% respectively.More importantly, the scope of application for synthetic mica is rapidly expanding from traditional pearlescent pigments into strategic sectors such as thermal insulation for new energy batteries, insulation for ultra-high-voltage power transmission and transformation, heat dissipation for AI computing servers, and nuclear power safety—each of these sectors represents a gateway to trillion-yuan markets.Conclusion: Standing at the crossroads of new materials and globalization, the platform value of Global New Material International continues to manifestThe story of Global New Material International is far more than just a successful overseas M&A case of a Chinese enterprise recognized the Hong Kong Department of Justice. It epitomizes the ascent of “Made in China” to the higher echelons of the global value chain, and serves as a prime example of the rapid rise of the new materials industry under the guidance of national strategies.Currently, the Group is accelerating its transformation from a regionally leading new materials enterprise into a global platform company specializing in surface performance materials. According to publicly available information, several securities firms have published relevant research reports since the start of this year, raising their target prices and revising their valuation logic for the company. A research report by SDIC Securities noted that, driven by a dual-engine strategy of domestic capacity expansion and cross-border acquisitions, coupled with the favourable global market conditions in the high-end pearlescent pigment sector, the Group possesses ample near-term earnings recovery momentum and a solid mid-to-long-term growth thesis. A "Buy" rating is granted.Changjiang Securities published a research report noting that, through the acquisitions of CQV and SUSONITY, the Group is moving towards the high-end market and is expected to achieve a “1+1+1>3” effect through channel synergies, product integration, cost optimization and technological complementarity. A "Buy" rating is maintained.When a company is listed in the official case collection by the Hong Kong Department of Justice, included in index by FTSE Russell, and continues to advance its global integration, its platform value is increasingly recognized by a wider audience.Global New Material International's globalization narrative has only just begun. It is not merely a growing pearlescent pigment company, but a global new materials platform taking shape. As the company's positioning shifts from regional leadership to a global platform and from scale expansion to value upgrading, its growth potential is consequently unlocked. The continued advancement of the company's fundamentals and global footprint is laying the foundation for its long-term value. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will hold the third Hong Kong Shopping Festival to align with measures outlined in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address and Budget to help Hong Kong small and medium-sized enterprises expand their cross-border e-commerce business. Having focused on the Chinese Mainland market over the past two years, the event will extend to the ASEAN region for the first time, with Singapore and Malaysia as primary markets with plans to gradually expand into other countries in the future.The Hong Kong Shopping Festival (Chinese Mainland) will be held from 1 to 20 August and feature more than 280 brands, while the ASEAN version will take place from 21 to 27 September showcasing around 100 brands. Together, the two editions have attracted a record number of participating brands online.As the flagship event of HKTDC’s E-commerce Express, the Hong Kong Shopping Festival’s theme this year is “Hong Kong Trends, Curated Finds” and features seven major product categories, including health supplements, food and beverages, personal care and cosmetics, home and living, apparel and accessories, products for the silver economy, and a newly added designer toys category. Consumers will enjoy a wide range of exclusive discounts alongside live-streaming sales events, providing a one-stop platform to discover quality products from Hong Kong businesses.The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Paul Chan, has once again filmed a promotional video for the event. He said: "Empowered by technology, the landscape of trade and retail is undergoing profound change, and e-commerce has become a vital channel for both local and cross-boundary sales. The HKSAR Government is committed to supporting local enterprises in their digital transformation and in expanding their cross-boundary e-commerce operations. This year, while continuing to strengthen its presence on Mainland e-commerce platforms, the Hong Kong Shopping Festival is entering the ASEAN e-commerce market for the first time, helping Hong Kong’s brands and products reach more consumers across geographies and seize the new opportunities created by the region's thriving e-commerce sector. The Government will continue to pursue a multi-pronged approach, supporting the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and relevant organisations in providing more comprehensive support to local enterprises—from funding, market intelligence and industry networks to talent training—to help them open up new markets, tell the good stories of Hong Kong, and deepen the world's appreciation of the brand value of Hong Kong products."Jacky Chung, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC, said: “Hong Kong businesses have long been recognised for their quality products and trusted reputation, giving them strong competitive advantages in both the Mainland and ASEAN markets. Cross-border e-commerce is an important channel for companies seeking to expand into different markets. Through the Hong Kong Shopping Festival, HKTDC integrates training, professional consultancy, live-streaming promotion and practical sales opportunities to help enterprises progress from learning e-commerce to excelling in e-commerce. Building on our efforts to deepen engagement into the Mainland market, we are extending the event to Singapore and Malaysia this year with the aim of enhancing Hong Kong companies’ digital marketing capabilities and brand influence, strengthening the foundation for expanding into both the Mainland and ASEAN markets.”According to a Q1 2026 survey conducted by HKTDC Research, 46% of Hong Kong exporters are already engaged in cross-border e-commerce, while another 20% plan to adopt online sales channels over the next 12 months, reflecting the industry’s proactive efforts to seize the opportunities presented by e-commerce.Bruce Pang, Director of Research of HKTDC, said: “As the world’s largest e-commerce market, the Chinese Mainland is enjoying a sustained consumption upgrade, with robust online demand for premium, distinctive and stylish products. Meanwhile, the ASEAN e-commerce market is developing rapidly. Malaysia and Singapore are the stand-outs thanks to their relatively high purchasing power, with both ranking as regional leaders in terms of e-commerce penetration and growth momentum, while also presenting tremendous business opportunities for Hong Kong companies. In the increasingly competitive market landscape, Hong Kong businesses should make good use of their established reputation for quality, credibility and international appeal. At the same time, they should leverage their expertise in logistics, supply chain management, marketing and cross-border e-commerce services to introduce high-quality, innovative overseas products to the Mainland market, while also actively expanding their ASEAN customer base. By embracing e-commerce and evolving from traditional trading models towards a more diversified market strategy, businesses can unlock new sources of growth while diversifying their operational and market risks.”Building on the success of previous editions, the third Hong Kong Shopping Festival will introduce a host of new initiatives. The Mainland edition will kick off in August in collaboration with major Mainland e-commerce and social media platforms, featuring 600 unique products in a dedicated promotional campaign for Hong Kong’s brands and products. A series of traffic-driving promotions and advertising campaigns will be rolled out across Taobao, JD.com and Douyin, with dedicated campaign landing pages established on all three platforms. The newly upgraded official Hong Kong Shopping Festival website will serve as a one-stop information hub, bringing together participating brand profiles, product offers, live-streaming schedules and other event highlights, making it easier for consumers to browse and purchase products.Live-stream e-commerce will remain a key promotional pillar of the Festival. This year, HKTDC will invite renowned Mainland livestreamers and their teams, including those from Austin Li Live, Allen Lin Live and TVB Select (Hong Kong Premium Collection) Live, to host a total of 30 live-streaming sessions. A new “Behind-the-Brand” livestream series will also debut this year. Mainland livestreaming teams will travel to Hong Kong and take consumers on immersive tours of participating brands’ factories and retail stores, offering deeper insights into their production processes, brand stories and product features. The initiative aims to further enhance brand exposure while strengthening consumer confidence.To maximise publicity, HKTDC will launch an extensive online and offline promotional campaign. This includes inviting popular influencers from Xiaohongshu, Douyin and WeChat to visit Hong Kong and participate in a seeding campaign, introducing participating Hong Kong brands and products to Mainland consumers.The Hong Kong Shopping Festival will make its debut in Singapore and Malaysia this September. Through multi-channel promotional campaigns, the event will raise the profile of Hong Kong brands and products while providing participating companies with first-hand exposure to the operation of local e-commerce markets, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the regional e-commerce ecosystem and strengthening the foundation for future expansion across ASEAN.An official website will be launched for the ASEAN version, while cooperating with Shopee and Lazada, the two leading e-commerce platforms in Singapore and Malaysia, to open a special page for the event, showcasing around 300 featured products together with exclusive promotional offers. To further support Hong Kong businesses that have yet to establish a presence on e-commerce platforms in Singapore and Malaysia, the event will introduce a limited-time online store, providing a convenient channel for merchants to list and promote their products. The initiative will enable companies to test market response, gain practical experience and seize new business opportunities in the ASEAN market.At today’s press conference, representatives from brands participating in the Hong Kong Shopping Festival shared their e-commerce experiences and expectations. Vivian Tang, Executive Director of Wai Yuen Tong Medicine Company Limited, a returning participant, spoke about the brand’s experience in e-commerce marketing and promotional strategies developed through previous editions of the Festival. Meanwhile, Edmond Yung, Managing Director of ProFone (Hong Kong) Limited, which is participating for the first time this year, shared the company’s views on the prospects for e-commerce development, as well as its ambitions to expand into the Mainland and ASEAN markets.To help Hong Kong businesses strengthen their capabilities in operating across the Chinese Mainland and ASEAN e-commerce markets, HKTDC has introduced a comprehensive range of support measures. These include one-on-one professional consultancy services, through which industry experts tailor e-commerce strategies and market expansion plans according to each company’s products and brand positioning, helping businesses formulate market development strategies that best suit their needs in both the Mainland and ASEAN markets. For the first time, the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (HKECIC) has joined the programme to introduce export credit insurance and financing solutions specifically designed for cross-border e-commerce with the Mainland.Since December 2025, HKTDC has also organised a series of Chinese Mainland E-commerce Training Programmes, inviting experienced e-commerce experts and successful business representatives to share practical insights and real-life case studies. Recognising the diversity of market structures and e-commerce ecosystems across ASEAN, HKTDC will also roll out a series of value-added services focusing on the region. These include specialised seminars on ASEAN e-commerce, where industry experts will provide in-depth analysis of market developments, platform operations and practical digital marketing strategies, helping Hong Kong businesses gain a stronger understanding of regional market dynamics and compete more effectively in ASEAN.Hong Kong Shopping Festival (Chinese Mainland): https://hkshoppingfestival.hktdc.com/Hong Kong Shopping Festival (ASEAN): http://hkshoppingfestival-asean.hktdc.comRelated links:Hong Kong Adopts Cross-border E-commerce (Hong Kong Exporter Survey 1Q26): https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MjI4MDMyMTczNAPresentation: https://bit.ly/3TVhIcwPress conference photos and promotional video from HKSAR Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan: https://bit.ly/4hzNkhDJacky Chung, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC(second from left); Bruce Pang, Director of Research of HKTDC (second from right); Vivian Tang, Executive Director of Wai Yuen Tong Medicine Company Limited (first from left); and Edmond Yung, Managing Director of ProFone (Hong Kong) Limited (first from right) attended today’s press conference for the third Hong Kong Shopping FestivalThe HKSAR Government provides full support to the Hong Kong Shopping Festival. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, filmed a promotional videoJacky Chung, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC, said that through the Hong Kong Shopping Festival, HKTDC integrates training, professional consultancy, live-streaming promotion and a practical sales platform to help businesses progress from learning e-commerce to excelling in e-commerceBruce Pang, Director of Research of HKTDC, said that as the world’s largest e-commerce market, Chinese Mainland continues to benefit from the ongoing upward consumption trend, with online consumers showing strong demand for premium, distinctive and trendy products. Meanwhile, ASEAN’s e-commerce market is developing rapidly. Malaysia and Singapore, in particular, enjoy relatively high purchasing power and rank among the region's leaders in e-commerce usage and growth momentum, presenting tremendous business opportunities for Hong Kong companiesThe Hong Kong Shopping Festival has focused on the Chinese Mainland market over the past two years and is expanding into the ASEAN market for the first time this year, helping Hong Kong businesses develop new sales channels and enhance their brand awareness across the regionMedia EnquiriesYuan Tung Financial Relations:Louise Song Tel: (852) 3428 5691 Email: lsong@yuantung.com.hkTiffany Leung Tel: (852) 3428 2361 Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hkHKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentKaty Wong Tel: (852) 2584 4524 Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.orgSerena Cheung Tel: (852) 2584 4572 Email: serena.hm.cheung@hktdc.orgHKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enAbout HKTDC The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

Eight-tonne pilot produces approximately 850 kg of high-grade graphite concentrate for customer testing, advanced product development and potential strategic partnerships and offtakeHighlightsPremium Mechanical Concentrate: Eight tonnes of Lac Knife ore were processed into approximately 850 kg of concentrate grading up to 98.7% carbon using conventional mechanical concentration methods alone, without chemical or thermal purification.High-Grade Pilot Feed: The pilot feed had an average head grade of 18.9% total carbon, demonstrating the naturally high-grade character Lac Knife material.Flowsheet Confirmed: The pilot program confirmed the previously developed Lac Knife process flowsheet, with optimization focused on increasing concentrate grade within the finer fractions while preserving the integrity and value of the larger flake fractions.Qualification Platform Activated: Qualification-scale material has been produced and is now being allocated to purification, battery-material and specialty graphite programs intended to support customer evaluation, product validation and potential partnership and offtake pathways across unmanned systems, defence, energy storage and industrial markets.Ottawa, Ontario--(ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com - July 28, 2026) - Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) ("Focus" or the "Company"), a Canadian developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and advanced graphite materials for battery, defence and industrial applications, is pleased to announce the completion of its eight-tonne Pilot Processing Program (the "Program") using ore from its 100%-owned Lac Knife Graphite Project ("Lac Knife" or the "Project"), located near Fermont, Quebec. The Program was completed by SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS") and was previously announced by the Company (see March 3, 2026 Press Release). To further support downstream product development and customer evaluation demand, the Company expanded the Program from the originally planned six tonnes to approximately eight tonnes of Lac Knife ore.The pilot feed had an average head grade of 18.9% total carbon (C), as determined by LECO analysis. Preliminary results from the Program produced approximately 850 kilograms of premium graphite concentrate grading between 95.0% and 98.7% C by Loss on Ignition ("LOI") across the concentrate size fractions. These results were achieved using mechanical concentration methods alone, without chemical or thermal purification.The preliminary results are consistent with, and further validate, the conventional process flowsheet developed through the Company's earlier SGS pilot program, which formed the basis of the 2023 Feasibility Study Update. That work demonstrated an average graphite concentrate grade of 97.8% carbon at 90.7% total graphite recovery, providing the technical foundation for the Lac Knife Project's planned commercial operation.The Program also produced a qualification-scale inventory of representative graphite concentrate for downstream product development and customer evaluation while confirming the previously developed Lac Knife process flowsheet. Mechanical optimization remains ongoing to further improve concentrate grades within the finer fractions while preserving the integrity and value of the larger flake fractions.High Grade Changes the Processing EquationProducing concentrate grading up to 98.7% C through mechanical concentration alone provides Focus with a premium starting material before purification. The Company believes these results reflect the inherent grade, mineralogy and quality of Lac Knife ore.A higher-grade starting material has the potential to reduce downstream processing requirements while expanding the range of high-value graphite products that can be economically pursued.The results reinforce Lac Knife as the upstream foundation of Focus's broader mine-to-market graphite platform.Material in Hand Unlocks QualificationThe approximately 850 kilograms of concentrate produced through the Program is now being prepared and shipped for value-added testing, product development and customer evaluation.Representative material is the foundation of commercialization. Customers cannot qualify products, optimize processes or evaluate performance without sufficient material for testing. Completion of the Program removes that constraint by providing representative, qualification-scale material for customer evaluation across multiple downstream workstreams.Lac Knife concentrate is now being allocated to:High-Purity Graphite: Thermal purification targeting 99.99% C by LOI and chemical purification targeting greater than 99.95% C by LOI.Battery Anode Materials: Purified micronized graphite powders, spheroidized purified graphite ("SPG") and coated spheroidized purified graphite ("cSPG"), targeting greater than 99.95% C by LOI.Industrial & Specialty Graphite: Expandable and expanded graphite targeting greater than 97% C by LOI.These programs are intended to generate specification-driven graphite materials for customer evaluation, product validation and commercial development.A systematic battery materials qualification program is also underway to evaluate Lac Knife-derived materials for conventional battery systems and higher-value lithium-ion applications, including unmanned systems across air, land and maritime domains, electric vehicles and stationary energy storage. The qualification-scale material produced through the Program will support ongoing development initiatives with U.S.-based technology partners, including Charge CCCV LLC ("C4V") and Forge Nano Inc. ("Forge Nano"), as Focus advances battery anode materials and other high-value graphite products.Successful downstream testing may support future strategic partnerships, product sales and potential offtake opportunities. There can be no assurance that current testing or evaluation programs will result in commercial agreements."The exceptional result is not simply that we achieved a concentrate grading up to 98.7% carbon-it is that we achieved it through a conventional mechanical flowsheet, before chemical or thermal purification even begins," said Dean Hanisch, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Graphite. "Producing a concentrate of this quality through normal processing is unusual and demonstrates the inherent grade, liberation characteristics and mineral quality of Lac Knife. It gives us a premium starting material that may materially improve the downstream processing equation.""Commercially, our biggest barrier has never been demand-it was material," said Jason Latkowcer, Vice President of Corporate Development. "Customers can't qualify products they can't test. This Program changes that. We now have approximately 850 kilograms of representative Lac Knife concentrate moving through purification, battery-material development and customer evaluation programs. That's how resources become products, products become qualified, and qualification creates the opportunity for strategic partnerships and potential offtake. Over the coming months, representative Lac Knife material will be shipped to customers, laboratories and technology partners across multiple international markets, marking an important step in our commercialization strategy."As previously announced on December 8, 2025, the Company formalized a funding agreement for up to $14.1 million in non-repayable contributions under Natural Resources Canada's ("NRCan") Global Partnerships Initiative ("GPI"). The funding supports Focus's electrothermal purification demonstration system, which is intended to produce ultra-high-purity graphite and advanced graphite materials in Canada. Representative Lac Knife concentrate produced through the Program will provide feedstock for this government-supported initiative while also supporting the Company's broader downstream product development and customer evaluation programs.It should be noted that while results are consistent with expectations, they may not fully represent the variability of the entire deposit. Focus intends to conduct larger scale testing in the future.The Company will provide further updates as sample shipments, downstream testing and product development activities progress.Qualified PersonThe technical content disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Richard Pearce, PE, President of Brasil Insight Capital LLC., a consultant to the Company, and a qualified person as defined under National Instrument NI 43-101.About Focus Graphite Advanced Materials Inc. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is redefining the future of critical minerals with two 100% owned world-class graphite projects and cutting-edge battery technology. Our flagship Lac Knife project stands as one of the most advanced high-purity graphite deposits in North America, with a fully completed feasibility study. Lac Knife is set to become a key supplier for the battery, defense, and advanced materials industries.Our Lac Tetepisca project further strengthens our portfolio, with the potential to be one of the largest and highest-purity and grade graphite deposits in North America. At Focus, we go beyond mining - we are pioneering environmentally sustainable processing solutions and innovative battery technologies, including our patent-pending silicon-enhanced spheroidized graphite, designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency.Our commitment to innovation ensures an eco-friendly supply chain from mine to market. Collaboration is at the core of our vision. We actively partner with industry leaders, research institutions, and government agencies to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation graphite materials. As a North American company, we are dedicated to securing a resilient, locally sourced supply of critical minerals - reducing dependence on foreign-controlled markets and driving the transition to a sustainable future.For more information on Focus Graphite Inc. please visit http://www.focusgraphite.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-graphite/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusgraphiteX: https://x.com/focusgraphiteInvestors Contact: Dean HanischCEO, Focus Graphite Inc.dhanisch@focusgraphite.com+1 (613) 612-6060Jason LatkowcerVP Corporate Developmentjlatkowcer@focusgraphite.comCautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated," and similar expressions, as well as statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events.In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information regarding, among other things: the interpretation of the preliminary results of the Company's Pilot Processing Program; the continued optimization of the Lac Knife process flowsheet; the anticipated performance and characteristics of graphite concentrate produced from the Lac Knife Graphite Project; the production of high-purity graphite and value-added graphite materials; the allocation and use of representative graphite concentrate for purification, battery-material development, specialty graphite applications, customer evaluation and product validation programs; the anticipated shipment of representative material to customers, laboratories and technology partners; the advancement of downstream product development initiatives, including collaborations with Charge CCCV LLC ("C4V"), Forge Nano Inc. and other technology partners; the potential development of strategic partnerships, commercial agreements and offtake arrangements; the anticipated benefits of the Company's electrothermal purification demonstration system supported under Natural Resources Canada's Global Partnerships Initiative; the future development, construction and operation of the Lac Knife Graphite Project; the Company's mine-to-market strategy; and the Company's ability to advance the commercialization of graphite materials and secure the funding, regulatory approvals, permits and commercial arrangements necessary to support its business objectives.Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to market conditions, regulatory approvals, changes in economic conditions, the ability to raise sufficient funds on acceptable terms or at all, operational risks associated with mineral exploration and development, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents available under its profile on SEDAR+.The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/306887 Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

BRISBANE, AUS, July 27, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Blackwoods will distribute GMG Products in Australia. Blackwoods will distribute GMG's liquid graphene products: G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR®.Blackwoods is Australia's leading supplier of industrial and safety solutions, supporting businesses of all sizes across mining, manufacturing, construction, transport, government, utilities and other critical industries. Established in 1878 and part of the Wesfarmers Group (ASX: WES), Blackwoods provides an extensive range of over 300,000 products spanning safety, personal protective equipment, tools, workwear, maintenance, repair and operations supplies, and specialised industrial solutions.Blackwoods operates a national network of branches, distribution centres and online platforms, supported by more than 2,000 team members and a dedicated field sales force.John Veitch, Blackwoods Category Manager for Australia, commented "Blackwoods is pleased to add GMG's innovative graphene-enhanced products to our industrial product offering across Australia. Our customers are continually looking for practical solutions that support equipment reliability, operational efficiency and improved asset performance. We see G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR® as strong additions to our range and look forward to supporting their availability through our branch, sales and distribution network."Craig Nicol, CEO & Managing Director of the Company, commented "We are very pleased to have Blackwoods distribute G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR® in Australia. Blackwoods has an excellent reputation, extensive customer reach and a strong industrial distribution network, making them an ideal channel partner for GMG as we continue to commercialise our graphene-enhanced products. Blackwoods' focus on industrial customers, safety, quality and reliable supply aligns strongly with GMG's approach to bringing practical graphene solutions to market. We believe this relationship can help increase customer access to G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR® across a wide range of industrial and commercial applications."Jack Perkowski, Non-Executive Chairman and Director of the Company, commented: "This is an important commercial development for GMG. Partnering with a leading industrial distributor such as Blackwoods provides GMG with an established route to market in Australia and supports our strategy of scaling sales through high-quality distribution partners. Blackwoods' extensive branch network, sales capability and customer relationships provide a strong platform for GMG's products. The Board is pleased to see continued progress in building the commercial foundations for GMG's graphene products."About GMG:GMG is an Australian based clean-technology company which develops, makes and sells graphene enhanced products manufactured where the graphene is made via in house production process. GMG uses its own proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its natural elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications.The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications. In the energy savings segment, GMG has initially focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving coating) which is now being marketed into other applications including electronic heat sinks, industrial process plants and data centres. Another product GMG has developed is the graphene lubricant additive focused on saving liquid fuels initially for diesel engines.In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries"). GMG has also developed a graphene additive slurry that is aimed at improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries.GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processesBuild Revenue from Energy Savings ProductsDevelop Next-Generation BatteryDevelop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution CapabilityFor further information please contact:Craig Nicol, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the Company at craig.nicol@graphenemg.com, +61 415 445 223Leo Karabelas at Focus Communications Investor Relations, leo@fcir.ca, +1 647 689 6041Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "believes" "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding: the anticipated distribution of G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR® by Blackwoods, the potential for Blackwoods to distribute additional GMG products, alignment between Blackwoods and GMG and its impact on bringing GMG's graphene solutions to market, Blackwoods' role in increasing customer access to G® LUBRICANT and THERMAL-XR® across a wide range of industrial and commercial applications, Blackwoods providing GMG with an established route to market in Australia and supporting GMG's scaling strategy, Blackwoods providing a strong platform for GMG products, GMG's intentions to develop commercial scale-up capabilities, GMG's focus in the energy savings segment, GMG's intentions for the use of graphene lubricant additive on saving liquid fuels, expectations for R&D and commercialisation of G+AI Batteries, GMG's ability to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries and the Company's four critical business objectives.Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management. Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation that GMG does not receive or receive on a timely basis the fully signed consent notice from the and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated November 4, 2025 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/306628 Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

HONG KONG, July 27, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Hong Kong’s merchandise exports rose by 53.4% year on year to HK$641.1 billion in June 2026, according to data released today by the Census and Statistics Department. For the first six months of 2026, total exports of goods reached HK$3,416.0 billion, representing robust growth of 39.1% compared with the same period last year.“Hong Kong’s exports sustained robust growth in the first half of 2026, underpinned by strong demand for electronics amid the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) worldwide. Meanwhile, in June 2026, the year-on-year growth rates of total exports to Asia, as well as to the Chinese Mainland and the USA, all accelerated compared with May 2026,” said Bruce Pang, Director of Research at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.Effective 24 July 2026, the United States imposed new tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners, including the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, which are subject to a 12.5% tariff. The new tariffs replace the previous temporary 10% universal tariffs that expired on the same date. While the tariff increase will affect Hong Kong's exports to the United States, it is worth noting that various exemptions remain in place, including for certain electronic products, which account for the majority of Hong Kong's exports to the nation. As such, the impact of the new tariffs on Hong Kong's export performance is likely to be limited. Meanwhile, the anticipated meeting between the Chinese and US leaders in September, together with continued bilateral dialogue, may help foster a more accommodative China-US trade environment.Looking ahead, global business prospects will continue to hinge on developments in the Middle East. Recent renewed conflicts have pushed oil prices higher, while concerns over rising inflationary pressures have prompted a number of central banks to tighten monetary policy. The global economy, along with end-market demand, will slow down if tensions in the Middle East persist and more central banks pivot toward tighter monetary policy to combat inflation. “On the whole, Hong Kong’s merchandise exports could see moderating growth momentum in the coming months, amid a likely gradual steadying of the technology upcycle, an easing global economy, as well as the high-base effect from last year. We continue to uphold our forecast that Hong Kong’s full year exports in 2026 will register growth of over 20%,” Mr Pang added.HKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enMedia enquiriesPlease contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:Jane CheungTel: (852) 2584 4137Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com