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XCOTTON Joins the Conversation at IFA 2026: Why the Future of Commerce Goes Beyond Checkout

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LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK and LAS VEGAS, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the global consumer technology industry gathers in Berlin for IFA 2026, thousands of brands are showcasing what comes next: smarter devices, connected experiences, artificial intelligence, robotics, and technologies designed to change how people live and shop. But behind every new product is another part of the consumer journey that deserves just as much attention: What happens after the customer buys?

The Xcotton team is in Berlin during the event to connect with consumer brands, retailers, technology companies, and potential business partners. The conversations are focused on a broader question for modern commerce: how can brands create a better experience after checkout while reducing the risks that come with delivering products to customers around the world?

The Customer Journey Doesn’t End at Checkout

For years, e-commerce innovation has focused heavily on the path to purchase. Brands optimize advertising to attract shoppers, product pages to increase conversion, checkout flows to reduce abandonment, and promotions to encourage customers to buy.

But the transaction is only one moment in the customer relationship. After payment, the order still needs to be fulfilled, shipped, delivered, and supported. A package can be delayed, lost, stolen, or damaged. A customer may need a replacement or refund. A support team may suddenly have to spend time resolving a problem that had nothing to do with the product itself.

For global e-commerce brands, these challenges become even more important as order volumes increase and businesses expand into new markets. A single delivery problem may affect more than the cost of replacing a product. It can also create customer-service workload, additional shipping costs, refunds, negative reviews, and lost opportunities for repeat purchases.

For the customer, however, the distinction does not always matter. The customer bought from the brand. The delivery experience becomes part of the brand experience. That is why post-purchase experience is becoming an increasingly important part of modern commerce. The opportunity is to think beyond the transaction and manage the entire customer journey:

Purchase → Delivery → Protection → Support → Resolution → Retention

When brands approach these stages as part of one connected experience, post-purchase operations become more than a back-office function. They can become a competitive advantage. A great product can win the first purchase. How a brand handles an unexpected problem can influence whether it earns the next one.

XCOTTON: Turning Post-Purchase Protection Into Business Value

This is where Xcotton comes in. Xcotton helps modern e-commerce brands protect every order after checkout. As a U.S.-based post-purchase protection platform, Xcotton enables merchants to offer shipping protection, product protection, and insurance-backed coverage solutions designed to reduce delivery risk, improve customer experience, and create new revenue opportunities.

Xcotton’s reach extends beyond the U.S. Through its licensed insurance intermediary in France, Xcotton is authorized to provide compliant insurance solutions to merchants and consumers across the European Union. This international capability supports brands as they expand into new markets while helping them offer protection solutions aligned with local regulatory requirements.

The company’s approach is built around a straightforward idea: post-purchase protection should not be viewed only as a way to manage losses. It can also be part of the customer experience. When something goes wrong with an order, customers want to know three things: What happened? What can I do? And how quickly can it be resolved?

A clear protection experience can help answer those questions while giving merchants a structured way to manage unexpected delivery issues. For Xcotton, the goal is simple: Help brands turn post-purchase protection into a better customer experience and a smarter business advantage.

Why Protection Matters for Global E-Commerce

For brands selling across borders, post-purchase protection becomes particularly important as order values, shipping distances, and fulfillment complexity increase.

International shipments can move through multiple carriers, fulfillment centers, customs processes, and last-mile networks before reaching the customer. For higher-value or larger products, a delivery issue can create significant costs for both merchants and shoppers.

Xcotton helps brands address these risks with protection solutions designed around different stages of the customer journey—from shipping protection to product protection and extended warranty coverage.

This gives merchants a more structured way to protect purchases while giving customers greater confidence in the products they are investing in.

Modern Brands Are Selling More Than Products

The same trend can be seen across categories far beyond consumer electronics. Brands increasingly build their businesses around distinctive products, direct relationships, personalization, and customer experience.

LINTICO is a women’s natural-fabric clothing brand known for its linen womenswear. With linen at the heart of its collections, LINTICO focuses on thoughtfully chosen fibers and versatile pieces designed for everyday life, work, travel, and special occasions. Its philosophy, “Linen That Loves You Back,” reflects a focus on comfort, natural materials, and lasting appeal.

Lordhair is a men’s hair system brand serving customers in more than 120 countries. The company designs and manufactures its hair systems in-house, from ready-to-wear pieces to fully customized bases. Localized websites, native-language support, and one-to-one consultations help customers navigate fitting and aftercare while creating a more personalized buying experience.

MICAS represents the growing market for elevated modern womenswear, where product design, brand identity, digital commerce, and customer experience are increasingly interconnected.

Popilush is a global shapewear fashion brand combining fashion and functionality through its signature built-in shapewear designs. Founded by Eve DeMartine, the company creates one-piece dresses and confidence-enhancing apparel for women worldwide, with a strong focus on functional design, inclusive fashion, and body confidence.

These brands illustrate a common reality of modern commerce: Customers are not simply buying a product. They are buying confidence in the brand behind it. That confidence can be influenced by what happens before the purchase—and just as importantly, what happens afterward.

From Cost Center to Business Opportunity

Post-purchase protection has traditionally been associated with risk management.

A shipment is lost. A merchant replaces it.

A package arrives damaged. A refund is issued.

A customer reports a problem. The support team resolves it.

But this reactive model can overlook the larger opportunity. What if protection could be designed as part of the customer journey from the beginning? What if customers knew before they completed their purchase that there was a clear solution if something went wrong?

And what if merchants could use protection not only to reduce the financial impact of delivery problems, but also to improve customer confidence and create additional business value?

This represents a broader shift in how brands can think about post-purchase protection. It is not simply about covering a loss. It is about creating confidence around the purchase. For e-commerce brands competing for repeat customers, that confidence can matter.

XCOTTON Connects With Brands at IFA 2026

IFA 2026 provides an ideal environment for these conversations. The event brings together companies across consumer technology, retail, home appliances, smart home, AI, robotics, and emerging categories. For businesses developing the next generation of consumer products, reaching the customer is only one part of the challenge. Delivering that product successfully—and creating a positive experience afterward—is equally important.

In Berlin, Xcotton connects with:

E-commerce and direct-to-consumer brandsConsumer technology companiesRetailers and distributorsSmart home and connected-device businessesFashion and lifestyle brandsTechnology and logistics partnersCompanies expanding into international markets

The goal is to understand the challenges these businesses face after checkout and explore opportunities to build stronger post-purchase experiences together. The complete journey: Discover. Purchase. Deliver. Protect. Support. Retain.

The Future of Commerce Goes Beyond Checkout

IFA 2026 is showcasing technologies designed to make consumer lives smarter, more connected, and more convenient.

For commerce brands, however, the next evolution may not be limited to smarter products. It may also be about creating smarter experiences around those products. The customer journey does not end when the payment is processed. It continues through fulfillment, delivery, support, returns, protection, and resolution. And when something goes wrong, the response can become one of the most important moments in the relationship between a customer and a brand.

Post-purchase protection is not simply about protecting a package. It is about protecting customer trust. During IFA 2026 in Berlin, Xcotton connects with brands that are looking to explore how better post-purchase experiences can help modern e-commerce businesses reduce delivery risk, strengthen customer relationships, and create lasting value. The future of commerce doesn’t end at checkout. It begins there.

Contact: merchantsupport@xcotton.ai

 

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Advanced Process Solutions Elevates Clint Johnson to Vice President of Services and Operations

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Veteran Semiconductor Leader Brings More Than 20 Years of Operational Excellence, Strategic Growth, and Industry Leadership

DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Advanced Process Solutions (APS), an industry leader in high precision and high purity manufacturing and process technology solutions, serving the semiconductor, aerospace, electronics, and industrial markets, today announced the promotion of Clint Johnson to Vice President of Services and Operations. As APS continues to expand its presence and capabilities within the semiconductor industry, Johnson’s leadership will play a critical role in advancing the company’s mission, strengthening customer partnerships, and delivering best-in-class service solutions.

“Clint has been an invaluable asset to APS since joining us as Director of Field Services earlier this year,” said Suhas Uppalapati, Chairman of APS. “He has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a relentless focus on operational performance. His dedication to customer success, workforce development, and continuous improvement quickly established him as a key contributor, and we are excited to see him continue to push APS forward in this expanded role.”

Johnson oversees APS’s service and operational functions, ensuring the organization maintains the highest standards of safety, regulatory compliance, quality, and customer satisfaction. His leadership approach is rooted in accountability, collaboration, and operational discipline, creating an environment where teams are empowered to excel while supporting the company’s broader strategic objectives.

“I am honored to step into the role of Vice President of Services and Operations and to work alongside such a talented team,” said Johnson. “The semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors are moving at an unprecedented pace. Together, we will continue focusing on safety, quality, and operational execution to ensure APS is uniquely positioned to help our global customers scale, optimize workflows, and meet today’s complex production demands.”

Prior to APS, Johnson spent more than 20 years in operational management at Air Liquide, a world leader in chemical manufacturing. He earned a degree in organizational leadership from East Texas A&M University.

About Advanced Process Solutions (APS)

Advanced Process Solutions (APS) is a leading provider of precision manufacturing, engineered process systems, and ultra-high-purity solutions serving the semiconductor, aerospace, electronics, and advanced industrial markets. With over 25 years of industry experience, APS specializes in chemical delivery and dispensing systems, specialty gas distribution, filtration and purification, precision fabrication, automation and controls, and turnkey process system integration.

Strategically located in the Dallas Metroplex, APS supports the rapidly expanding U.S. semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, including Texas’s emerging “Silicon Prairie.” To support its continued growth and innovation, APS is expanding into a purpose-built, 100,000-square-foot, high-tech manufacturing facility in Van Alstyne, Texas, featuring a Center of Excellence, state-of-the-art research and development capabilities, and advanced cleanroom facilities. This investment will significantly enhance APS’s manufacturing capacity, engineering capabilities, and ability to deliver next-generation process solutions.

Combining engineering expertise, manufacturing excellence, and an unwavering commitment to quality and safety, APS partners with leading global manufacturers to deliver innovative, reliable, and scalable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support mission-critical production environments.

For more information, visit www.APSNextGen.com.

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From Grid Constraint to AI Growth: Hitachi Vantara and Duraflow Transform Data Center Energy Management for Greater AI and Compute Capacity

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Hitachi Vantara pilots one of the world’s largest Phase Change Material installations in its Netherlands data center, demonstrating how organizations can use up to 90% less electricity for thermal managementImplementation requires zero water for cooling, reducing the resources needed to support data center operationsThis generates more computing capacity from existing power infrastructure, rather than diverting power to cooling

ZALTBOMMEL, The Netherlands and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates demand for computing power, data centers face a growing challenge: how to increase AI and compute capacity when access to additional electricity is increasingly constrained.

Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. (TSE: 6501), is demonstrating a new approach to address this challenge by showing how data centers can effectively use their power for AI and compute capacity rather than power and cooling. At its data center in the Netherlands, Hitachi Vantara has deployed one of the world’s largest operational Phase Change Material (PCM) installations, using technology developed by Dutch thermal energy company Duraflow.

For more information about Hitachi Vantara’s approach to AI, please visit: https://www.hitachivantara.com/solutions/ai-analytics

Depending on the application, PCM technology can help reduce electricity consumption related to thermal management by up to 90%, while requiring no water for cooling. By reducing the energy needed to manage power and cooling, a greater share of available electrical capacity can be used for computing – an increasingly important consideration as organizations deploy more energy-intensive AI workloads.

Tackling the energy challenge behind AI
Every watt consumed by AI ultimately becomes heat and managing that heat requires as much as 40% of a data center’s total energy needs. At the same time, as AI workloads continue to grow, the ability to convert available electricity into useful computing capacity will increasingly determine how quickly digital infrastructure can expand. This creates a growing challenge for data center operators seeking to increase computing capacity within constrained power infrastructure. In regions where grid congestion or limited access to additional electricity can constrain data center expansion, improving infrastructure efficiency can help organizations make more computing capacity available within their existing power connection.

Hitachi Vantara faced this challenge as demand for high-density computing and AI infrastructure increased. Rather than assuming that more computing required a greater amount of power, the company explored ways to make its existing electrical capacity work harder. The resulting deployment of Duraflow’s PCM technology provides a real-world proof point for this approach at an operational scale.

Real-world performance: 240 kW of cooling with low electrical consumption
The installed system provides a total cooling capacity of 240 kW across two 120 kW PCM units. According to operational monitoring data, the two units collectively consume just 5–8 kW of electricity, depending on operating conditions. For comparison, a conventional DX cooling system delivering the same 240 kW cooling capacity would require an estimated 60–80 kW of compressor power. These operational figures illustrate how PCM-based thermal management can significantly reduce the electricity required for cooling, freeing up more of the data center’s available power capacity for computing.

“This project started with a very practical challenge: how do we grow our computing capacity when access to additional electricity is limited,” said Simon Ninan, Senior Vice President of Business Strategy, Hitachi Vantara. “We realized that if we could dramatically reduce the amount of power required for thermal management, we could make more of our existing electrical capacity available for computing. By partnering with Duraflow, we are demonstrating how smarter energy management can become an important enabler of AI growth.”

The approach also supports Hitachi Vantara’s broader commitment to operating more efficiently and sustainably, including its goal of becoming carbon neutral in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by FY2030.

Building efficiency across the infrastructure stack
The deployment is part of Hitachi Vantara’s broader focus on helping organizations get more value from their infrastructure while managing the growing energy demands of digital workloads.

That approach extends across the infrastructure stack. Hitachi Vantara’s Virtual Storage Platform One (VSP One) Block includes a 4:1 Data Reduction Guarantee and features Dynamic Carbon Reduction technology, which reduces energy consumption by switching CPUs into eco-mode during periods of low activity. Its always-on compression capability allows the system to switch from inline data reduction to post processing, which further reduces energy consumption and helps reduce a CO2 footprint by as much as 40%.

“Addressing the energy demands of AI isn’t about optimizing one part of the business in isolation,” said Courtney Hadden, Sustainability Director, Hitachi Digital. “It’s about working in concert across the organization and with innovative ecosystem partners to find efficiencies at every stage – from the products we build, how we bring them to market, and everything in between. The answer cannot simply be to consume more power. We need to become smarter about how we use the power we already have.”

Dutch innovation, demonstrated at operational scale
Developed in the Netherlands, Duraflow’s PCM technology absorbs thermal energy during periods of peak demand before releasing it in a controlled manner when demand decreases. Unlike conventional cooling approaches that rely continuously on electrically driven refrigeration to remove heat, PCM technology provides a way to manage and store thermal energy more efficiently. The system requires no water for cooling, helping data centers reduce their reliance on water resources while significantly lowering the electricity needed for thermal management.

“Developing technology is one thing; proving that it can operate at this scale in a live, mission-critical environment is another,” said Simon Loerakker, CEO, Duraflow. “Our collaboration with Hitachi Vantara has allowed us to demonstrate the potential of innovation at an unprecedented scale. Together, we are showing that sustainable innovation and the growth of AI infrastructure can go hand in hand.”

For more information on Hitachi Vantara’s AI-enabled infrastructure, please visit: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/products/storage-platforms.

Additional Resources:

Blog: Raising the Stakes for Sustainable, AI-ready InfrastructureBlog: Five Habits That Cut IT Energy Waste, Without Spending MorePress Release: Hitachi Vantara Releases FY2025 Sustainability Report, Highlighting Leadership in Energy-Efficient Infrastructure for AI-Driven WorkloadsWebinar: Green Data: Sustainable Innovations in Data CentersPress Release: Hitachi Vantara Unveils New Virtual Storage Platform One Capabilities to Enable Stronger Cyber Resilience, Performance and Sustainability

About Duraflow
Duraflow develops advanced thermal energy management technology based on Phase Change Materials (PCM). Its independently developed technology enables organizations to significantly reduce energy consumption for thermal management, maximize the use of existing electrical infrastructure and support the sustainable growth of mission-critical digital environments.

About Hitachi Vantara
Hitachi Vantara is transforming the way data fuels innovation. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the data foundation the world’s leading innovators rely on. Through data storage, infrastructure systems, cloud management, and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainable business growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd. 
Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi aims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital, contributing to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates worldwide across four sectors – Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries – as well as a Strategic SIB Business Unit focused on new growth areas. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi creates value by combining data, technology, and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2025 (ended March 31, 2026) totaled 10,586.7 billion yen, with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.

HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners.

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Parks Associates: HDR Is Shaping the Future of Premium Video Entertainment

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New Parks Associates white paper, developed in partnership with InterDigital, examines how HDR is advancing viewing experiences across streaming, live sports, gaming, and mobile devices

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New research from Parks Associates shows high dynamic range (HDR) is becoming a foundational component of premium video entertainment, creating opportunities for television manufacturers, streaming services, and content creators to differentiate through picture quality. The research, High Dynamic Range and the Future of Video, developed in partnership with InterDigital, examines HDR’s expanding role across the entertainment ecosystem.

HDR enhances brightness and contrast and produces richer colors and more lifelike images for the video-viewing experience. The white paper explores how broader device support, growing content availability, and advances in production and distribution are moving HDR from a premium feature toward an expected part of high-quality viewing.

“HDR gives the entertainment industry a powerful way to make improvements in picture quality,” said Michael Goodman, Director, Entertainment Research, Parks Associates. “For manufacturers, it helps demonstrate the value of advanced displays. For streaming services and content owners, it provides an opportunity to deliver a more compelling experience and preserve the creative intent of their programming.”

“Consumers may not always know HDR by name, but they recognize the experience it enables: richer color, deeper contrast and a more lifelike picture,” said Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs, InterDigital. “As HDR expands across streaming, live sports, gaming and mobile, the opportunity is to make that premium experience consistent and efficient on every screen. Innovation in HDR, video compression and delivery will be fundamental to making that possible.”

The white paper identifies several developments shaping HDR’s next phase:

Smart TVs are the foundation. Smart TVs are the primary streaming video device in 62% of US internet households with a connected TV device.

Live sports and gaming expand HDR’s relevance. These experiences showcase HDR’s ability to reproduce bright highlights, detailed shadows, and realistic imagery, while pushing improvements in production and real-time processing.

Mobile viewing extends HDR beyond the television. Mobile phones account for 24% of weekly video consumption, with tablets contributing another 11%.

Technology advances improve delivery economics. AI-assisted image processing, cloud-based production, and next-generation codecs such as Versatile Video Coding (VVC) will simplify workflows and deliver HDR more efficiently.

The research also identifies challenges that require continued collaboration to ensure the successful expansion of HDR. Differences in HDR formats, device capabilities, and service implementations can produce inconsistent viewing experiences. Content providers must manage the cost and complexity of supporting multiple formats as audiences move from standard to HDR in their video viewing.

Parks Associates and InterDigital will highlight this research at Future of Video: Business of Streaming, an executive conference for the streaming and video industries on November 17-18 in Marina del Rey, California. Register here. 

For more information, contact Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy, and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. With more than 40 years of experience, the firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, small business, and commercial technology ecosystems. Parks Associates supports clients in navigating evolving markets including AI, security, smart home, broadband, entertainment, energy, multifamily, smart buildings, and connected health.

The firm also fosters industry growth and collaboration by convening thousands of leaders each year through its flagship executive conferences, including CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. Learn more at https://www.parksassociates.com.

Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein
Parks Associates
972.490.1113
425707@email4pr.com 

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