TSUKUBA, Japan, May 2, 2025 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - In a collaboration between Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), researchers have built a comprehensive new database of dielectric material properties curated from thousands of scientific papers. The study, published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods, also offers insights that could accelerate the development of next-generation electronic materials and energy storage technologies. Large-scale dielectric materials database built with the open database project "Starrydata" and generation of a materials map using machine learning-based data visualization.AI-driven materials discovery has great potential to accelerate innovation, but it relies on large and diverse datasets. The lack of such data remains a major bottleneck in the field.　To address this challenge, researchers used the Starrydata2 web system to collect experimental data on over 20,000 material samples from more than 5,000 publications. The NIMS team has developed a standardized approach to extract data from graphs, including temperature-dependent properties, which are often omitted in other databases. "What makes our work unique is the meticulous process of manually tracing graphs and correcting inconsistencies in original research papers to create a clean, high-quality dataset," the researchers said.The database focuses on a specific class of materials necessary for electronics and is the largest ever reported, significantly surpassing previous collections. With this wealth of information, the team used machine learning (ML) to predict the properties of materials and how they would behave electronically.Although the ML models were effective, they initially worked as "black boxes" — the researchers couldn’t see why the models made their predictions. To understand the context for predictions, the team created visual maps of the data, making complex information easier to interpret. They used clustering algorithms to automatically group similar materials. This analysis helped them spot patterns in how a material's composition affects its properties. The team was also able to categorize the materials into distinct groups, including seven important ferroelectric families, providing a global landscape of the entire compositional space. The team took a closer look at ABO3 Perovskites, a family of materials which are essential components in everyday electronic devices and energy storage technologies, such as smartphones, computers, and solar cells. Their visualizations showed a simple link between the basic structure of the material and its dielectric permittivity, which coincides with previous academic knowledge.This work advances our understanding of dielectric materials and moves research beyond traditional trial-and-error approaches. "By curating the largest dataset as ever and combining various machine-learning methods, we succeeded in visualizing the landscape of the entire compositional space in unprecedented detail," the team explained.The NIMS team plans to make the dataset publicly available next year, allowing scientists worldwide to leverage it for new discoveries. Future work may involve expanding data collection to include manufacturing methods and processing conditions, allowing for more comprehensive predictions that would link production processes to material properties. "We hope that this foundational work will inspire similar data collection initiatives and new approaches to materials discovery, ultimately leading to smarter materials development pathways that benefit society through improved electronic technologies," the researchers concluded. Further informationTomoki MurataMurata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Email: tomoki.murata258@murata.comYukari KatsuraNational Institute for Materials ScienceEmail: KATSURA.Yukari@nims.go.jpPaper: https://doi.org/10.1080/27660400.2025.2485018About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM-M)STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-MDr Kazuya SaitoSTAM Methods Publishing DirectorEmail: SAITO.Kazuya@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2025 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

HONG KONG, May 2, 2025 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – FWD Group Holdings Limited (“FWD Group” or “FWD”) today announced exceptionally strong first quarter new business highlights for the three months ended 31 March 2025.- New business contractual service margin (“New business CSM”) growth of 55 percent year-on-year, to US$465 million. This adds to the company’s overall CSM balance, which is released over time to its income statement under IFRS 17.- New business sales (“APE”) growth of 46 percent, compared to the same corresponding period last year, to US$679 million.- Extended FWD Group’s partnership with JA Worldwide in April for a further three years to help primary school students in Asia develop financial literacy, through the award-winning programme, JA SparktheDream.Huynh Thanh Phong, Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of FWD Group, said, “FWD Group had a very strong start to the year, with our customer-led strategy driving some incredible new business results. We continued to respond to rapidly evolving customer needs for protection, health, and savings, with 10 new products introduced in the quarter, including FWD Private’s first high-net-worth indexed universal life proposition.”“FWD Group had a terrific quarter and maintained a strong balance sheet, however, we’re keeping a close watch on the volatility in global financial markets and the uncertain global macro-economic outlook. Risk management is always a top priority and FWD Group is taking a prudent approach in preparing for a range of possible scenarios and outcomes,” added Huynh Thanh Phong.The growth in new business indicators was driven by most of the 10 markets FWD operates in.In Hong Kong SAR & Macau SAR, the particularly strong trajectory of growth in new business sales and new business CSM continued, reflecting demand from both local and Mainland Chinese visitor customers.In the Thailand & Cambodia reporting segment, new business indicators were impacted by weaker economic conditions as well as lower interest rates.Double digit growth in new business sales in the company’s Emerging Markets segment was broad-based, while Japan posted steady new business indicators. Quarter ended 31 March^ US$ millions, except for percentages 20242025Growth(year on year CER basis) New business growth indicatorsNew business sales (APE)46067946% New business CSM29746555% Value of new business (VNB)21528732% About FWD GroupFWD Group is a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 30 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. FWD’s customer-led and digitally enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. For more information, please visit www.fwd.comFor media inquiries, please contact: groupcommunications@fwd.comSource: FWD Group Holdings Limited^The unaudited results are for the three months ended 31 March 2025 and are compared to the same period in 2024. Growth rates are represented on a constant exchange rate (CER) basis. New business sales are calculated on an annual premium equivalent (APE) basis, based on 100 percent annual premiums and 10 percent single premiums. New business CSM excludes the impact of one-off reinsurance contracts on in-force business. Copyright 2025 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

- The seven lifestyle and licensing events organised by the HKTDC concluded successfully today, with buyer numbers increasing across all exhibitions and some 100,000 buyers from 131 countries and regions attending in total- Non-local buyers came primarily from Mainland China, Taiwan and Malaysia, underscoring Hong Kong’s influence as an international trade platform- On-site surveys conducted at the events indicated that nearly half of respondents (49.2%) expected overall sales to rise in the next one to two yearsHONG KONG, Apr 30, 2025 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – The seven large-scale trade events organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), covering lifestyle products and licensing opportunities, concluded successfully today, with buyer numbers increasing across all exhibitions and some 100,000 buyers from 131 countries and regions attending for on-site purchasing and business negotiations. Among the lifestyle fairs, the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair recorded some 36,000 buyers, Home InStyle attracted over 20,000 buyers, Fashion InStyle drew over 11,000 buyers, while the Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair and DeLuxe PrintPack Hong Kong saw over 11,000 buyers attend the concurrent events. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) attracted over 20,000 buyers, and the Asian Licensing Conference (ALC) featured nearly 20 international licensing industry leaders as speakers. Non-local buyers at the six fairs came primarily from Mainland China, Taiwan and Malaysia, highlighting Hong Kong’s influence as an international trade platform.Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: “The seven major events held by the HKTDC in late April brought together some 6,000 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions. Despite the current challenges in the global economic and trade environment, we actively attracted buyers to our fairs to enhance trade resilience and assist exhibitors in gaining a foothold in new markets such as the Middle East and ASEAN regions. The HKTDC remains committed to promoting cross-sector and international trade cooperation among exhibitors, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as an international trade hub and showcasing its unique advantage in building connections regionally and globally.”Nearly half of respondents forecast sales growthTo gain deeper insights into current trends in the lifestyle products industry, the HKTDC conducted a survey of 1,583 exhibitors and buyers at the Gifts & Premium Fair, Home InStyle, and Fashion InStyle. Key market overview and product trends include:- Nearly half of respondents (49.2%) expected their overall sales would rise in the next one to two years, while 44.5% foresaw that sales will remain stable. The greatest challenges identified were growing protectionist measures (45.7%), fluctuations in the global economy (43.3%) and the impact of inflation (32.0%).- Respondents believed sales prospects are promising or very promising over the next two years in Mainland China (77.3%), India (74.2%), Taiwan (67.6%), Republic of Korea (66.4%) and ASEAN countries (65.8%).- The following are the markets that the respondents are actively exploring: Europe (30.5%), ASEAN countries (17.2%), Japan (13.1%), North America (12.3%) and Republic of Korea (9.5%).- In the gifts and premium market, respondents believed cultural gifts (17.6%), tech gifts (17.0%) and fashion accessories (16.9%) had the most growth potential.- In the furniture and houseware market, smart home technology (21.0%), designer furniture and houseware products (17.0%) and kitchenware and tableware (15.7%) were considered to have the most growth potential.- Respondents identified womenswear (40.3%), urban clothing (39.1%), and fashion accessories (32.0%) as having the most growth potential in the fashion market.Concurrent mega events create synergies and promote new market opportunitiesThe seven concurrent events this year, spanning gifts, houseware, fashion, printing and packaging and IP licensing, helped to foster cross-industry collaboration for exhibitors and buyers. Jimmy Lo, Business Strategy Manager of Homelover Products Limited, a Hong Kong exhibitor at Home InStyle, said: “The number of new buyers visiting our booth has doubled over last year, coming mainly from Asia, the Middle East and South America. The fair attracted fashion buyers and also drew a children’s product exhibitor’s interest in partnering with us to develop eco-friendly tableware. It is expected that this fair will bring us approximately US$100,000 in sales.” A German buyer at the Gifts & Premium Fair, Michael Baumann, a partner in Know How International GmbH & Co KG, said: “I sourced products from India, Vietnam and Bangladesh as souvenirs and giveaways for the European football league. Additionally, I identified a sports bag supplier and a recycled paper box supplier from Mainland China, as well as a metal souvenir supplier from Hong Kong, with a potential total order value of approximately US$2.3 million to US$2.8 million. I am also highly interested in the licensed animated characters from a mainland exhibitor, with a potential order value of up to US$600,000.”In response to global trade challenges, exhibitors are prioritising market diversification and actively pursuing new customer acquisition. Hong Kong exhibitor Moral Team Holdings Ltd has participated in the Gifts & Premium Fair for 17 years, focusing on the development of eco-friendly bag products. The company’s Marketing & Ecommerce Manager, Charlotte Chui, said: “The new US tariff policies have impacted 10% of our export share, prompting us to focus more on the Asian market at this stage. The Gifts & Premium Fair has provided us with a platform to connect with buyers from Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. Our mid- to long-term plan is expanding into the Australian and European markets. The concurrent fairs have attracted interest from fashion and houseware buyers. On the first day alone, we secured several orders from the Asian market and anticipate achieving total sales of over US$500,000 at the fair.”Fairs drive the development of high-value cultural and creative industriesCultural and creative products that combine design and functionality are attracting significant attention from buyers. Stanley Kwok, Director of KnitWarm Ltd, a Hong Kong exhibitor at Home InStyle, said “We showcased our patented heat-conductive smart textile technology products in the Cultural and Creative Avenue and Gerontech Living Pavilion. Buyers from Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the US, as well as social workers in Hong Kong, have expressed interest in our four-in-one warmer blanket cushions and warmer band series. We are confident that the fair will generate at least US$200,000 in sales for our company.” Taiwan buyer William Wu, owner of Royal Best Group Corp, said: “I was impressed by the home trends highlighted in the collaboration between the Cultural and Creative Avenue and Pantone. I connected with exhibitors from the Czech Republic, Taiwan, Hong Kong and more, and plan to make purchases of houseware products totalling US$50,000 to US$100,000 this year. I’m particularly interested in the Czech incense stick holder and look forward to future collaboration opportunities.” Global new materials at Fashion InStyle drive cross-sector interestThis year saw the launch of NEXT@Fashion InStyle at Fashion InStyle a new highlighted zone organised by the HKTDC and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the HKSAR Government. Han Chong, founder and creative director of Self-Portrait, joined as the zone’s ambassador. NEXT@Fashion InStyle was dedicated to establishing a collaborative platform for sustainable and new materials for buyers and exhibitors, as well as designer brands, successfully connecting a buyer from Malaysia, Richard Tsen, founder of CollbStore, with Indonesian exhibitor PT Miko Bahtera Nusantara (MYCL). Mr Tsen said: “I am very interested in the company’s mushroom leather material and was amazed by its solidness and coating after the baking process. This inspired me to apply it to my designer label. I also referred them to the Malaysian Furniture Design Institute to let them explore the creation of mushroom leather furniture. I believe it has the potential to make a significant impact and resonate within the Malaysian and wider Asian market.”Mary Ma, owner-principal of Textile Library, a mainland exhibitor at Fashion InStyle, expressed keen interest in leveraging the exhibition to explore establishing a base in Hong Kong. She said: “Hong Kong is a vibrant crossroads where eastern and western cultures meet. It connects factories across Southeast Asia and attracts European and American buyers.” Chinamind Next Interculture Group, the parent company of renowned fashion industry publication WWD China, also recognised the strategic advantages of Hong Kong as a gateway connecting the mainland with the world, signing a memorandum of understanding with the HKTDC during the fair.Diverse creativity unlocks new licensing opportunitiesChengdu Chenghau Butterflies Huatian Culture Development Co Ltd, one of the exhibitors at the HKILS, signed a cooperation agreement with Sureka.Z Limited worth RMB2 million during the show. The former granted Sureka.Z Limited the performance rights for 10 shows of Panda the Musical in Hong Kong and Macao. At the ALC, meanwhile, leaders from the industry shared their insights on the trends and opportunities in the creative industry. Gabriel Kwong, Panda IP Creator, Ocean Park Hong Kong and Co-Founder of Air World Limited said: “Our edge is being able to see the world from a panda's perspective, and as a park that raises pandas we can immediately gather real-life materials and transform them into IP content. The interplay between reality and virtual elements makes our IP increasingly entertaining."The Printing & Packaging Fair and DeLuxe PrintPack Hong Kong also created business opportunities for the industry. Zahoor A Qurashi, CEO of Regal Pack, a buyer from the UK, shared: “The fair featured a wide range of sustainable products, including luxury options such as skincare and perfume packaging, as well as ribbons, alongside practical everyday solutions like food and beverage packaging. I placed an order worth US$80,000 with one supplier and am optimistic about future collaborations. Additionally, I made an initial order of US$40,000 with another supplier for heat-expandable cups, which has the potential to grow significantly, possibly reaching US$1 million.” Seamless online-offline integration drives business engagementThe seven events adopted the EXHIBITION+ online-offline integrated model, enabling buyers to continue discussions with exhibitors online during and after the fairs, extending business interactions beyond the physical event. Photo download: https://bit.ly/44bMnphThe seven HKTDC lifestyle and licensing events concluded successfully today, attracting some 100,000 buyers from 131 countries and regions for on-site procurement.The Joint Networking Reception for the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair and Home InStyle 2025 was held on Sunday, celebrating the 40th edition of the Gifts Fair. Joining the event were Legislative Council President Andrew Leung (front row, third from left), HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (front row, third from right), HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Sophia Chong (front row, far left), HKTDC Home InStyle and Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair Organising Committee Chairman Jeffrey Lam (front row, second from left), The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association Chairman Eric Sun (front row, second from right), and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited Deputy Managing Director Diane Chen (front row, far right).The Hall of Fine Designs at the Gifts & Premium Fair featured renowned brands, including Hong Kong exhibitor China Pearl (HK) Company Limited which showcased Thomson Pottery’s exquisite porcelain tableware.Home InStyle collaborated with the European Product Design Award to present the “Best of Show Award”, recognising innovative houseware designs, with seven winning entries standing out this year.Funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission, Home InStyle introduced the Gerontech Living Pavilion in 2025, showcasing innovative products and solutions for the elderly from more than 10 local companies.At Fashion InStyle, some exhibitors expressed an interest in establishing a presence in Hong Kong, using the fair as a platform to explore opportunities. They included first-time exhibitor Textile Library from Hangzhou, which successfully attracted buyers from Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia.Fashion InStyle launched the new NEXT@Fashion InStyle highlighted zone this year, holding a fashion parade to showcase garments designed by five Hong Kong designers using advanced fashion materials.WWD China co-organised a seminar titled "Upstream Circularity: Designing and Constructing a Closed-Loop System for the Fashion Industry" with the HKTDC. It brought together experts, scholars, material suppliers and brand representatives to share innovative ideas and practical strategies with industry representatives.DeLuxe PrintPack Hong Kong showcased a wide range of premium packaging products for jewellery, fine wines, watches and cosmetics.Raistlin Lau (back row, seventh from left), Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, joined HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Patrick Lau (back row, sixth from left) and other guests to visit the “Hong Kong Licensing Force” showcase on the first day of the Hong Kong International Licensing Show.WebsitesHKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enHong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkgiftspremiumfair/enHome InStyle: https://www.hktdc.com/event/homeinstyle/enFashion InStyle: https://www.hktdc.com/event/fashioninstyle/enHong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkprintpackfair/enDeLuxe PrintPack Hong Kong: https://www.hktdc.com/event/deluxeprintpackhk/enHong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hklicensingshow/enMedia enquiriesPlease contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:Home InStyleFraser LiTel: (852) 2584 4369Email: fraser.li@hktdc.orgFashion InStyleSerena CheungTel: (852) 2584 4272Email: serena.hm.cheung@hktdc.orgHK Gifts & Premium Fair, HK International Printing & Packaging Fair and DeLuxe PrintPack Hong KongWinnie KanTel: (852) 2584 4055Email: winnie.wy.kan@hktdc.orgHK International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing ConferenceKaty WongTel: (852) 2584 4524Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (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 Mainland China, 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 2025 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.