Technology

China-France friend”ship” Sailing since the Amphitrite

Published

3 years ago

January 26, 2024

BEIJING, Jan. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on China–France relations:

In 1698, a large barque took off from La Rochelle, a port city in France, and sailed all the way to Guangzhou, China.

The barque, the Amphitrite, navigated to China’s shores fully loaded with western goods like glass and woolen fabrics; when it returned to France, it shipped Chinese specialties like porcelain and lacquerware. On the Amphitrite came several western scientists, including Joachim Bouvet, Dominique Parrenin and Jean Regis, who not only introduced China’s Confusion classics and history to France and even Europe as a whole, but also stayed in China for years, facilitating exchanges in culture and science between the two countries.

This vessel, quoting French Sinologist Paul Pelliot, is the “origin” of the relationship between China and France. Several centuries later, a kite again connected the two countries.

In the 1950s, a “monkey-king” kite along with a letter from a Chinese child, fell from the skies and onto a tree in Paris. Two French children found the kite and embarked on a journey to find its owner. After some magical experiences, the French children finally “met” the Chinese child at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Hand in hand, they flew the “monkey-king” sky-high…

This children’s movie, “Cerf-Volant Du Bout Du Monde,” “The Magic of the Kite” in English, was co-produced by China and France, making it the very first film that China made with other countries since 1949. Kites, in Chinese cultural contexts, denote exploring the wider world and connecting with the unknown; the film, with the whole story centered around a kite, in a sense signifies the communication between the then newly founded People’s Republic of China and western countries: Back in the 1950s, China and France hadn’t established formal diplomatic ties, but co-producing a film has no doubt facilitated people-to-people exchanges. “The Magic of the Kite” was once played in French schools for over three decades, serving as the first window for generations of French to know China.

On January 27th, 1964, the People’s Republic of China and the French Republic officially established diplomatic ties, and France became the first major western country to set up diplomatic relations with China. In the following six decades, the two countries forged a comprehensive partnership, launched the Strategic Dialogues, set up cultural centers in each other’s territories, and held the Year of China in France and the Year of France in China. The two countries also opened China’s first flight route with a western country, and initiated the first instance of civil nuclear energy cooperation. Pragmatic collaboration and friendly exchanges of such kind between China and France were all unprecedented ventures for China’s relations with western countries. The fruits of their cooperation also brought concrete benefits to the people of both countries.

Moreover, China and France have joined hands on the restoration of the Notre Dame, and carried out technical training and communications on the protection of the Terracotta Warriors at Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum. The efforts are not made for the two countries only, but for preserving the treasures of humanity for all of human civilization. China and France also worked in the same spirit to facilitate the realization of the Paris Agreement, and later they collaborated to transform the China-France Carbon Neutrality Center from a concept to reality. Via such practices, they are using their bi-lateral cooperation to seek a greater good in tackling the challenges facing all humanity.

The friendship between China and France dates back to the Amphitrite centuries ago. Since the two countries officially established diplomatic ties, the ship of China-French relations has sailed for 60 years. There were ups and downs along the way, but friendly cooperation has always been the sailing route, which is exciting among the uncertainties in the current world. Facing the future, the two countries are bound to continue such relations, share challenges and development through cooperation, and inject further impetus for Europe and even the world.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

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SOURCE China.org.cn

Technology

Zum Celebrates Its Drivers Nationwide As Back-to-School Season Gets Underway

Published

27 minutes ago

September 3, 2026

Drivers in Fresno, Rockford and other cities share why they’re excited about the 2026–27 school year

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zūm, a leader in student mobility, is kicking off the 2026–27 school year by spotlighting its drivers across the country dedicated to delivering reliable, transparent and efficient service for students, families and schools.

“As students return to school, we are proud of our amazing teams of drivers who are helping provide access to education for children and peace of mind for families each day,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “Drivers are the heart of our operation and often the first smiling face a child sees. They understand the importance of their work and we believe ours have a positive influence on the students they serve.”

Zum supports more than 6,500 schools across 19 states. This year, Zum welcomed several new school district partners, including Fresno Unified School District (CA), School District of Philadelphia (PA), Shawnee Mission School District (KS) and Rockford Public Schools (IL).

A few Zum drivers share why they enjoy working with students and families:

“I drive special needs students: elementary, middle and high school. The parents are great; they need a lot of help, and we provide it with door-to-door service. The training was excellent, and I work with a monitor who has been doing this for about 10 years, so I’ve learned a lot from him. Everything’s been inspiring—and at the end of the day, you feel good about yourself, because you’re helping all these kids.”
— Zum driver Chester Herbert (Rockford, IL)

“I like the atmosphere of the job: the co-workers, the staff, the children, the overall experience of delivering the kids every day to school safely. I also like the responsibility of it. I’ve definitely gotten to know some of the kids and have been building little bonds with them. I like driving and being a good part of the community.”
— Zum driver Antoine Robinson (Oakland, CA)

“I raised five kids and have 14 grandkids, so I’m always surrounded by children. I like greeting the kids in the morning and talking to them: ‘What did you do last night?’ ‘What did you have for dinner?’ They’ll tell me about Grandma and Grandpa, or Mom and Dad … At Zum, there’s a bunch of drivers, and we’re all a team, helping each other. Everybody’s dedicated to doing their job the best they can.”
— Zum driver Grace Maher (Fresno, CA)

“My job is so fulfilling. My first ‘Oh, wow!’ was the technology; my tablet tells me exactly where to go. Also, the buses are very important: We have brand new buses, EV buses, buses that have AC. I am a people person, and to make (the students) feel good, I try to know every single kid by name. You make them feel valuable, like you care. Then we start having conversations, and they are at peace when they see me.”
— Zum driver Pascale Dalle (Oakland and Redwood City, CA)

“This is my first year driving a school bus. I have six kids at home, so now I’m home early enough to spend more time with them. In this job, you’re working with kids. You have to be patient. Even my wife was like, ‘Oh, that would be perfect for you.’ I love going to work and the people I work around, and I love being able to be home on the weekends with my family.”
— Zum driver Juan Santillan (Fresno, CA)

At Zum, drivers benefit from modern facilities, digital tools, real-time communication, and technology that simplifies daily operations, allowing them to focus on what matters most: serving students safely and reliably.

“Zum has a driver-first approach to student mobility, and our drivers understand the essential role they play in families’ lives,” said Liz Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Student Mobility at Zum. “In the weeks and months leading up to the start of the school year, our drivers have been busy training and preparing so they’ll be ready for the first day.”

Zum is helping school districts improve reliability, strengthen communication with families and modernize one of the nation’s largest public mobility systems through its AI-powered Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™) platform. To learn more about how Zum is redefining student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Zum

Zum is redefining mass mobility with Zum CMX, which connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the student mobility market, Zum is addressing a daily source of anxiety and disruption by providing a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Learn more at www.ridezum.com. Today, more than 6,500 schools in 19 states have relied on the Zum CMX system.

Media Contact

Jenny Mayfield
VP, Communications, Zum
press@ridezum.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zum-celebrates-its-drivers-nationwide-as-back-to-school-season-gets-underway-302868268.html

SOURCE Zūm

Technology

UNISORB Welcomes BILZ-USA to Expand Engineering and Product Solutions

Published

1 hour ago

September 2, 2026

UNISORB Named Sole North American Distributor for BILZ

MICHIGAN CENTER, Mich., Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — UNISORB Installation Solutions, a global provider of machine mounting, vibration isolation, and precision leveling solutions headquartered in Michigan Center, Mich., today announced it has acquired BILZ-USA, effective August 30, 2026, making UNISORB the exclusive distributor of BILZ products across North America. The transition expands UNISORB’s engineering support and on-site project management capabilities for industrial customers seeking precision vibration isolation and leveling solutions. Full product and service details are available at www.UNISORB.com.

UNISORB is now the exclusive North American distributor of BILZ products.

“BILZ’s leveling and isolation technology closes a gap in our product line at the high-precision end of the market,” said John Hornberger, Chief Executive Officer of UNISORB. “Combining our installation and project management teams with BILZ’s engineering staff means customers get one point of contact for a project that used to require two vendors.”

What This Means for Customers

Decades of combined expertise. BILZ’s engineering staff join UNISORB’s engineering and project management teams, giving customers a single technical team backed by decades of hands-on experience in vibration isolation, leveling, and precision installation.A broader, unified product line. UNISORB’s lineup now spans BILZ’s full catalog, from basic leveling mounts to active isolation systems, alongside UNISORB’s existing machine mounting and installation solutions, giving customers access to a significantly wider range of solutions from a single source.More capability for BILZ customers. Longtime BILZ customers now gain direct access to UNISORB’s full engineering, manufacturing, and on-site project management resources; capabilities not previously available through BILZ alone.A unified approach to installation. Customers receive continuous support from initial site survey through final leveling and installation, managed by one team rather than coordinated separately across two vendors.Centralized North American distribution. Distribution from Michigan Center will consolidate logistics for customers ordering across North America as the transition is completed.One point of contact. BILZ orders will transition to being placed directly through UNISORB in the coming weeks, moving away from what was previously a two-vendor process for combined leveling and isolation projects.

About UNISORB

UNISORB Installation Solutions, headquartered in Michigan Center, Michigan, is a global provider of machine mounting, vibration isolation, and precision equipment leveling solutions for manufacturers across a range of industrial sectors. More information is available at www.UNISORB.com.

Media Contact

John Hornberger

Chief Executive Officer, UNISORB

jhornberger@unisorb.com

Tim Spahr
Vice President – Sales & Marketing
tspahr@unisorb.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unisorb-welcomes-bilz-usa-to-expand-engineering-and-product-solutions-302868227.html

SOURCE UNISORB Installation Solutions

Technology

Eliminate costly enclosures: ABB debuts IP66/Type 4X Drives for Australia’s harshest industrial environments

Published

1 hour ago

September 2, 2026

New ACS580, ACH580 and ACQ580 IP66/Type 4X drives support food and beverage, HVACR, manufacturing, and water and wastewater applications exposed to harsh environmental conditions.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ABB has introduced ACS580, ACH580 and ACQ580 drives with IP66/Type 4X protection, extending the range of motor control solutions available for applications operating in demanding environmental conditions. The new drives are designed for installations where motor control equipment may be exposed to dust, water, humidity, outdoor weather and other harsh conditions, providing greater flexibility when considering drive selection, installation design and equipment location.

Tailored for different industry requirements

The three drive families are designed to address the specific requirements of different industries and applications:

ACS580 IP66/Type 4X drives are designed for demanding food and beverage environments, supporting motor-driven applications including pumps, fans, compressors, mixers and conveyors operating across wet, washdown, indoor and outdoor production environments.ACH580 IP66/Type 4X drives are designed specifically for HVACR applications, supporting equipment operating in exposed and outdoor locations, including rooftop air handling units, cooling towers, exterior exhaust fans, outdoor pump skids and outdoor chiller units.ACQ580 IP66/Type 4X drives are designed for water and wastewater environments, supporting a broad range of applications including clarifiers, surface aerators, screens, flocculators, dosing systems, activated sludge pumps, lift stations and booster stations.

Many Australian facilities operate in environments that present challenging conditions for installed electrical equipment. The IP66/Type 4X design provides greater flexibility to locate drives closer to the application, where appropriate for the installation.

By reducing the need for additional protective enclosures or dedicated electrical rooms and enabling shorter motor cable runs, this approach can reduce site installation costs and complexity. It can also support faster installation and commissioning and a smaller overall system footprint.

The drives incorporate a range of built-in features designed to support installation, operation and integration, including coated circuit boards, integrated EMC C2 filtering, a built-in DC choke for harmonic mitigation, and Safe Torque Off (STO). The design also provides option slots for additional I/O and fieldbus communications, enabling the drives to be configured for different application requirements.

Optional Bluetooth-enabled control panels further support commissioning and interaction with the drives. When used with ABB’s Drivetune mobile application, Bluetooth connectivity provides a convenient way to access and work with drive settings. ABB’s drive software and connectivity tools can also support commissioning and diagnostic activities.

ABB is also highlighting the importance of distinguishing ingress protection ratings from other environmental performance characteristics when selecting equipment for demanding applications.

In Australia, an IP66 rating relates specifically to the enclosure’s protection against the ingress of dust and water, in accordance with AS/NZS 60529 and IEC 60529. The first digit, 6, denotes a dust-tight enclosure, while the second 6 denotes protection against powerful water jets.

Environmental characteristics such as UV, corrosion and chemical resistance should therefore be considered separately from the IP66 classification and assessed against the specifications and testing applicable to the individual product. This distinction is particularly relevant for equipment installed in outdoor, coastal, washdown or chemically exposed environments. ABB, for example, separately identifies corrosion, UV and chemical-resistance characteristics for its ACS580 IP66/Type 4X drive rather than treating these as properties conferred by the IP66 rating itself.

The ACS580, ACH580 and ACQ580 IP66/Type 4X drive range is available in power ratings from 5.5 kW to 22 kW, providing a solution for applications where protection against dust ingress and water exposure is an important consideration in the selection, installation and operation of variable speed drives.

Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nCWb7g-MGI

About ABB
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.

ABB Drives is a global technology leader serving industries, infrastructure and machine builders with world-class variable speed drives, drive systems and packages. We help our customers, partners and equipment manufacturers to improve energy efficiency, asset reliability, productivity, safety and performance.

Media Contact:
Natalie Landrito
Marketing and Communications Manager
contact.centre@au.abb.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/eliminate-costly-enclosures-abb-debuts-ip66type-4x-drives-for-australias-harshest-industrial-environments-302868246.html

SOURCE ABB