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Ballast Nedam takes centre stage in Europe’s construction industry with a focus on building sustainable living environments

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Ballast Nedam drives local and international transitions spanning: energy, urban development, water resilience, infrastructure and industrial renewals

ISTANBUL, Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ballast Nedam, a Dutch construction and development company and a Rönesans Holding subsidiary, is increasing its international presence by levelling up activities across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. Today, Ballast Nedam’s core expertise includes building bridges, tunnels, utility buildings, ports, houses and highways, with a goal to continuously contribute to sustainable and iconic landmarks that benefit society, hence building a sustainable living environment.

Most recently, the company has taken a significant step in upgrading the Netherlands’ core infrastructure. Commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat and together with consortium partners DEME and Macquarie, Ballast Nedam is building the new A24 Blankenburgverbinding. The contract includes the design, construction, finance and 20 years of maintenance of two junctions, a land tunnel and a tunnel beneath the river Scheur. This project will reflect Ballast Nedam’s goals of improving accessibility and mobility through sustainable infrastructure in the Rotterdam region.  

Ballast Nedam reached a crucial milestone in 2023 for this project with the successful immersion of the tunnel sections of the Maasdeltatunnel. This is a first in the Netherlands, as tunnel sections of this size have never been built and immersed underwater before. Immersing the tunnel sections of the Maasdeltatunnel was a precise, controlled and challenging operation that required technical expertise and innovative thinking, as well as the temporary closure of one of the world’s busiest waterways.

Ballast Nedam project director Patrick van Os said, “The design and construction of the Maasdeltatunnel was a significant technical challenge that few could successfully achieve. I am therefore incredibly proud of the team with which we completed this groundbreaking work. Hundreds of people made this possible, including employees of BAAK and Rijkswaterstaat, external consultants, numerous subcontractors and stakeholders, such as the Port of Rotterdam Authority. As for Ballast Nedam, we are looking forward to completing the project and seeing our work in use at the end of 2024. We look forward to improving the accessibility of the Rotterdam region and contributing to the growth of the economy.” 

Over the course of 2024, Ballast Nedam plans to continue to grow by committing to core transitions in energy, water, housing, mobility and industries, which in turn represent societal and ecological challenges surrounding sustainable living globally. These transitions include:

Energy transition: Addressing the need for a better energy system, based on clean and renewable sources, by moving away from fossil fuels and emissions in order to improve climate resilience.Urban development and construction: Making better use of available space while reducing the carbon footprint of both building and living in new environments. Sustainable construction and development are flagship values for Ballast Nedam, besides achieving 100% CO2-neutral construction sites by 2030 and its ambition for 2040 energy-neutral construction.Water resilience: Protecting the environment from flooding, preserving safety, and ensuring access to safe drinking water, sanitation, climate-resilient infrastructure, and water management.Infrastructure: Optimizing infrastructure for improved accessibility and mobility, reduced travel time and cut emissions, paving the way for a greener, interconnected future.Industrial renewals: Shifting from polluting practices to sustainable alternatives and incorporating sustainability into industrial solutions to mitigate environmental impact and foster efficiency and resilience.

From a renewable perspective, Ballast Nedam continues to expand its portfolio both nationally and internationally. By committing to projects in sustainable energy and joining forces with other parties in the market, Ballast Nedam is taking further steps to meet its sustainability targets.

One such project, Cartesius is inspired upon the science of the Blue Zones, areas around the world where people live longer happier and healthier lives. The concept combines

wellbeing, sustainability and new ways of mobility in a highly dense urban landscape. The houses in this area are all low energy consumption, made of materials that can be reused to have less impact on the environment. Hot water and heating are generated through a collective soil energy source and solar panels, whilst the buildings feature a climate-adaptive white roof, which reduces the need for cooling in summer.

İpek Ilıcak Kayaalp, Chair of the Board of Directors of Rönesans Holding, said: “Our goal is to build smart, self-sufficient, and green buildings for the people, combining wellbeing and sustainability. We are proud of Ballast Nedam’s profound progress and their pioneering work in infrastructure, construction, and development globally in a sustainable way.”

Ballast Nedam also built a multifunctional hydrogen station, which utilised sustainable materials from the cable ducts to the foundations to the canopy. The Mexicostraat Hydrogen Station was the first 700 bar hydrogen filling station in the Netherlands and produces hydrogen on site via electrolysis, allowing cars, buses, trucks, and boats to refuel with hydrogen rather than traditional fossil fuels.

Together with its parent company Rönesans Holding, Ballast Nedam has also been shortlisted for the Edie Awards this year and won the SEAL Sustainable Product of the Year award with the Jonas Project. Jonas, a new iconic building situated in Amsterdam’s IJburg, is designed with healthy living, sustainable materials, and energy efficiency at its core, using wood and sustainable concrete as the structure’s two leading materials. The project achieved a remarkable 97% waste separation rate and the highest BREEAM certification.

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Caladium Systems Launches Happiffie, India’s First AI-powered Celebration Platform

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CHENNAI, India, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Caladium Systems today announced the launch of Happiffie, India’s first AI-powered Celebration Growth Platform, introducing a smarter way for customers to discover, compare, book, and manage celebrations while helping businesses connect with high-intent customers through intelligent technology.

Designed for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, social celebrations, parties, festivals, and more, Happiffie brings together over 400 celebration occasions and 1,000+ celebration experiences on a single AI-powered platform.

India’s celebrations industry continues to rely heavily on referrals, manual coordination, inconsistent pricing, and fragmented vendor discovery. Happiffie addresses these challenges by combining AI-powered recommendations, transparent price discovery, secure bookings, payments, and event management into one seamless platform.

A key innovation is Happiffie’s Reverse Auction, where customers simply submit their celebration requirements and verified vendors compete by offering customised proposals. Instead of spending hours searching and negotiating, customers can compare multiple qualified offers and choose the vendor that best matches their preferences and budget.

“Customers can now book the experience of their choice with the vendor of their choice, in the budget of their choice. At the same time, vendors receive qualified business opportunities matched to their category, location and capabilities, creating value for both sides of the marketplace,” said Pradhyumna T Venkat, Founder & CEO, Happiffie.

“Every major industry eventually reaches a point where technology fundamentally changes how it operates. Travel did. Hospitality did. Mobility did. We believe celebrations are next,” added Pradhyumna.

The platform is powered by Experience Intelligence™, a proprietary framework that combines over 15 years of celebration industry expertise with Artificial Intelligence to deliver smarter recommendations based on customer intent, preferences, and celebration needs.

Whether planning a wedding, birthday, corporate event, baby shower, anniversary, or festival celebration, customers can manage the entire journey—from vendor discovery and quotations to payments and execution—through a single platform.

Alongside its launch, Happiffie has opened registrations for vendor partners across Chennai and Tamil Nadu, with a phased expansion planned across India. The platform aims to build one of the country’s largest AI-powered celebration ecosystems, helping businesses generate qualified leads and grow more efficiently.

“Our vision is not simply to build another marketplace but to create the technology infrastructure that powers celebrations. Reverse Auction is the first step towards building a smarter, more transparent, and AI-driven celebration economy that benefits both customers and businesses alike,” added Pradhyumna.

Built on the experience of planning and executing over 5,000 weddings and celebrations, Happiffie combines deep industry expertise with AI to simplify celebration planning and transform how India celebrates.

For more information, visit www.happiffie.com. Vendor registrations are now open at www.happiffie.com/vendor-registration.

About Happiffie

Happiffie is India’s first AI-powered Celebration Platform, connecting customers, venues, event professionals, and celebration businesses through one intelligent ecosystem. Built on over 15 years of industry expertise, the platform combines Artificial Intelligence with Experience Intelligence™ to deliver smarter celebration planning across more than 1,000 celebration experiences spanning weddings, corporate events, birthdays, social celebrations, parties, and festivals.

Contact

Pradhyumna T Venkat
Founder & CEO
pradhyumna@happiffie.com
+91-7299002990

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3007635/Happiffie_Logo.jpg

 

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Beko Publishes 2025 Integrated Report, Charting Years of Progress Toward Net Zero

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As Beko releases its 2025 Integrated Report, the company’s third consecutive inclusion on TIME’s global sustainability ranking — retaining the #1 position in its industry — underscores the progress documented within it.

ISTANBUL, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Beko published its 2025 Integrated Report, offering a comprehensive account of the company’s financial, environmental and social performance over the past year. In parallel, Beko has been named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies for the third year running, retaining the #1 position in its industry. The recognition, awarded in partnership with Statista, independently corroborates years of deliberate, measurable progress.

The report documents concrete results across Beko’s global manufacturing footprint. In 2025:

Energy efficiency projects across production sites saved 69,562 GJ of energy, avoiding 5,297 tonnes of CO₂e emissions.Waste recycling across all manufacturing facilities reached 98.6%, against a target of 99%.Renewable energy installed capacity reached 96 MWp, up from 90.2 MWp the prior year. Beko also reached 63.5% green electricity on the path to 100% across all manufacturing by 2030.Water efficiency and rainwater harvesting projects across locations delivered total water savings of 219,114 m3.

Behind these figures is a broader manufacturing transformation. Three of Beko’s manufacturing facilities have been recognised within the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, with the Ulmi plant earning the additional, and rarer, designation of Sustainability Lighthouse. The principles behind Ulmi’s approach are being extended across Beko’s broader manufacturing ecosystem, as the company scales low-impact production. Beko currently operates 13 smart factories globally — equipped with artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics capabilities — with a target of 17 by the end of 2026.

On the circular economy side, Beko’s refurbishment centres across multiple locations reintroduced more than 148,000 appliances into the market in 2025 alone. The company recycled 1.98 million WEEE units through its own recycling facilities since 2014, and used 31,665 tonnes of recycled plastics in its products in 2025.

Across its product portfolio, 72.6% of Beko’s turnover in 2025 came from low-carbon products — a figure that reflects both the scale of the company’s energy-efficient product range and growing consumer demand for appliances that address environmental concerns.

“Being recognised by TIME three years in a row matters because it reflects that sustainability is a foundational part of Beko’s business,” said Can Dinçer, CEO of Beko. “Our factories undergo a twin transformation where we encounter both decarbonization and digitalization. That progress is deliberate and measurable, and our Integrated Report sets out exactly how. As the world prepares for COP31, the most credible thing a company can do is demonstrate its work rather than declare it. That is what we are doing.”

TIME’s annual list evaluates more than 5,000 companies worldwide across environmental and social performance, transparency and ESG reporting. Beko’s continued inclusion under increasingly rigorous standards points to a business model where sustainability is structurally embedded across operations, supply chains and product portfolios.

In addition to its Integrated Report, the Company has also published its second TSRS-compliant sustainability report, prepared in accordance with the Türkiye Sustainability Reporting Standards (TSRS), Türkiye’s adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The report is publicly available and provides detailed disclosures on the company’s climate-related risks, opportunities, governance, strategy and performance.

About Beko

Beko is an international home appliance company with a strong global presence, operating through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries with a workforce of around 45,000 employees and production facilities spanning multiple regions—including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Beko has 22 brands owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). Beko is the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of 10.7 billion Euros in 2025. Beko’s 28 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,000 R&D employees and hold more than 4,500 international registered patent applications to date. The company has achieved the highest score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in the DHP Household Durables industry for the seventh consecutive year (based on the results dated 16 October 2025).** The company has been recognized as the 89th most sustainable company on TIME Magazine and Statista’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies and has been the sector leader for three consecutive years. Beko’s vision is ‘Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.’ 

www.bekocorporate.com

*Licensee limited to certain jurisdictions.
**The data presented belongs to Arçelik A.Ş., a parent company of Beko.

 

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SOURCE Beko

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JustMarkets Releases Market Analysis on How Foreign Exchange Markets React to CPI Surprises

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JustMarkets today released a new market analysis examining how foreign exchange markets react to Consumer Price Index (CPI) surprises and outlining key considerations for traders preparing for inflation data releases. The analysis explains why the gap between actual CPI data and market expectations, rather than the headline inflation figure itself, is often the primary driver of currency market movements.

What people often miss on CPI day is that the number itself isn’t what moves the market. The common reaction is to check whether the headline number is high or low, but it’s all priced in advance. According to JustMarkets, the real driver of EUR/USD is the gap between the actual number and what the market was positioned for.

Even an unchanged reading can cause dollar weakness if traders expect higher inflation, while weaker numbers that beat consensus expectations may drive dollar strength. Citing Federal Reserve research, the price driver is a surprise component rather than the headline.

Why the Expectation Gap Is More Important Than the Level

Forex is driven by expectations for interest rate decisions, with inflation impacting central bank policy. Key factors influencing this reaction include:

Main factors:

Monthly CPI and core CPICore services inflationRevisions to the previous period dataCentral banks policy pricing

Year-over-year data is less important in terms of price impact than monthly and core data.

How to Calculate Surprise

Start with the simplest metric: Surprise = Actual CPI − Consensus CPI. 

Consensus comes from the economic calendar’s forecast and reflects the market positioning. And then you need to check the market reaction through rates. The sequence typically runs: CPI surprise → change in front-end yields → USD movement → the sentiment adjustment.

Traders frequently employ this methodology in combination with the JustMarkets Economic Calendar to track high-impact releases in real time.

What the Intraday Move Actually Looks Like

CPI reactions usually happen in three stages. The first one is a headline shock with the potential algorithm’s reaction within a few seconds. Then comes the interpretation stage, with a time frame of 15-60 minutes and analysis of core numbers and yield confirmation. And then either continuation or reversal happens.

Approaches to Trading CPI Day

There are two common approaches to CPI.

The momentum approach requires the consistency of headlines and core surprises with yields’ confirmation. Most traders wait until the first minute’s candle is closed to avoid false signals.The fade approach requires dislocations like the absence of yield confirmation to FX movement or dislocations between headlines and core numbers. In this case, traders wait 10−20 minutes for exhaustion of the initial move and reversal setup search.

Risk management is crucial. Most traders limit their position size to 0.25%-0.50% of their equity because of widening spreads and slippage. Sometimes the decision to trade off is more optimal during extreme volatility than forced entry.

One Way to Prepare for the Next CPI Day Release

A simple way to get ready is to monitor EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY pairs and an economic calendar with events’ importance. The workflow is simple: Economic calendar → release → Trading platform.

The final step brings traders to the execution platform. Many turn to JustMarkets, which offers CFDs on these currency pairs, with execution stability and fast market access that make it well suited for high-volatility macro events.

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. Trading financial instruments involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Ensure you understand the risks involved and trade responsibly.

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SOURCE Just Global Markets Ltd

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