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Shell Nederland staat achter NAM en Groningen
Shell Nederland is geschrokken van de berichtgeving over de intrekking van de zogenoemde 403-verklaring. Wij snappen dat dit tot zorgen heeft geleid bij de mensen in Groningen. Het is altijd onze intentie geweest dat alle schade als gevolg van aardbevingen wordt vergoed.
Tot vorig jaar publiceerde NAM geen jaarrekening. Hierdoor konden leveranciers en andere contractanten niet zien of NAM in staat was om aan haar contractuele verplichtingen te voldoen. Om leveranciers en andere contractanten zekerheid te bieden, gaf Shell Nederland een 403-verklaring af. Als gevolg van de invoering van nieuwe Europese regelgeving heeft NAM haar betalingen aan de Nederlandse overheid over 2016 gepubliceerd. Deze nieuwe regels gelden voor alle ondernemingen in de mijnbouwsector. NAM gaat een stap verder en heeft tevens een jaarrekening openbaar gemaakt. Als gevolg daarvan is er geen 403-verklaring meer noodzakelijk.
Shell Nederland en ExxonMobil zijn al ruim een jaar constructief in overleg met het ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat over een breed pakket aan maatregelen voor Groningen. Deze gesprekken hebben zoals bekend vertraging opgelopen, onder meer door de lange kabinetsformatie. Wij hopen deze gesprekken binnenkort af te ronden. Vooruitlopend op de uitkomsten van deze gesprekken, zal NAM zo snel mogelijk bekend maken dat zij voorlopig geen dividend uitkeert aan haar aandeelhouders. NAM is financieel gezond en dat willen wij als aandeelhouder graag zo houden.
NAM loopt niet weg voor haar financiële verantwoordelijkheden die samenhangen met de aardbevingen in Groningen, inclusief kosten die voortvloeien uit het nieuwe schadeprotocol. Shell Nederland zal als aandeelhouder alles wat in haar vermogen ligt blijven doen om NAM te steunen bij het nakomen van haar verplichtingen en is uiteraard bereid daarvoor garanties af te geven. De tekst en de vorm van deze garanties bespreken wij met de minister van Economische Zaken en Klimaat.
Shell Nederland blijft zich inzetten om samen met NAM, de Minister en andere belanghebbenden oplossingen te vinden voor de problemen door aardbevingen in Groningen. Wij hopen hiermee elke twijfel weg te nemen over de steun van Shell aan NAM en over onze vastbeslotenheid om met onze partners bij te dragen aan oplossingen voor de aardbevingsproblematiek.
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Electrolux investing $500 million in U.S. product innovation and manufacturing, also consolidating production
The Electrolux Group said today it is planning total investments of approximately USD 500 million in its U.S. manufacturing operations, stepping up a strategic initiative to drive profitable growth in North America with new lines of innovative Frigidaire kitchen products. The company also said it will consolidate freezer production into its Anderson, South Carolina refrigeration facility.
Today’s announcement entails modernizing and expanding the manufacturing operation in Springfield, Tennessee for approximately USD 250 million, including a new line of freestanding cooking products. This adds to a previously decided investment of approximately USD 250 million in a new range of products and manufacturing processes at the Anderson facility. The two investments, in combination with others, will provide a new range of innovative kitchen products tailored for the Frigidaire consumer, delivering consistent, great tasting results.
As a result of the consolidation into Anderson, the company will cease production at its St. Cloud, Minnesota facility. Production is expected to continue through 2019. The company will take a restructuring charge of approximately USD 75 million (approximately SEK 600 million) in the first quarter of 2018.
“We are committed to the Frigidaire brand, our U.S. manufacturing base and are investing approximately $500 million in our business’ growth areas while also simplifying our operations,” said Alan Shaw, Head of Electrolux Major Appliances North America. “This is a difficult announcement for our Minnesota teammates. We are committed to supporting them and are announcing this two years in advance to provide transition time.”
Construction in Springfield will begin late 2018 and continue into 2020. The company will modernize the plant and create the opportunity to expand production by adding 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2) for manufacturing capacity. Construction in Anderson was started during 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2019.
Electrolux is increasing its level of capital expenditure investments to drive targeted growth over the coming three to four years, particularly in North America and Latin America. Investments will be focused on product development, automation and innovation. As previously announced, total capital expenditure for the company will increase to approximately SEK 6 billion in 2018. The investments in Springfield and Anderson are a part of this plan.
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SEC Halts Alleged Initial Coin Offering Scam
The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a court order halting an allegedly fraudulent initial coin offering (ICO) that targeted retail investors to fund what it claimed to be the world’s first “decentralized bank.”
According to the SEC’s complaint, filed in federal district court in Dallas on Jan. 25 and unsealed late yesterday, Dallas-based AriseBank used social media, a celebrity endorsement, and other wide dissemination tactics to raise what it claims to be $600 million of its $1 billion goal in just two months.
AriseBank and its co-founders Jared Rice Sr. and Stanley Ford allegedly offered and sold unregistered investments in their purported “AriseCoin” cryptocurrency by depicting AriseBank as a first-of-its-kind decentralized bank offering a variety of consumer-facing banking products and services using more than 700 different virtual currencies. AriseBank’s sales pitch claimed that it developed an algorithmic trading application that automatically trades in various cryptocurrencies.
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A very strong year 2017 for Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Sales up by 12% at 205,000 commercial vehicles
MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus majorly up their game
Considerable increase in sales in key markets outside Europe
Again market leader trucks in Europe and Brazil
Andreas Renschler: “Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group recorded extremely positive sales figures in the second consecutive fiscal year since the Company was founded. MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus have all played a part in this increase in sales.”
The Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group sold around 205,000 vehicles of its MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus brands in fiscal 2017, up 12% on the (solid) prior-year level. All three brands have been able to increase their sales and make a positive contribution to the success of the Group.
MAN Truck & Bus sales were up 8% year-on-year, coming in at 89,990 vehicles. Scania’s sales rose to 90,780 trucks and buses, up by 12%. Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus sold 25,880 units, a considerable increase of 27%. This impressive growth in sales was fueled by exports and the positive development seen in Brazil.
Andreas Renschler, Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen Truck & Bus and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG with functional responsibility for Commercial Vehicles, said: “Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group recorded extremely positive sales figures in the second consecutive fiscal year since the Company was founded.
MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus have all played a part in this increase in sales. The portfolio of MAN, Scania, and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus is a very attractive one for those in the market for a commercial vehicle. This is why we have been able to reap the benefits of the demand for commercial vehicles in the regions.”
The Group’s truck business also performed well in 2017. The brands of Volkswagen Truck & Bus sold 183,480 trucks, which is equivalent to an increase of 11% year-on-year. The development of the markets varied somewhat from region to region.
The Group sold 106,580 vehicles in the EU28+2 region (EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland), a figure virtually on par with the previous year. Sales in South America climbed to 29,590 vehicles; a significant increase of 30% that highlights the Group’s position as market leader in Brazil. Like Brazil, Argentina also reported growth in sales volumes as a result of government reforms and impetus provided by the agricultural sector. Russia’s falling inflation rates, demand for replacement vehicles, and the signs of recovery shown by the country’s economy resulted in a significant increase in sales. Positive development in China had a particular part to play in the considerable rise in sales volume in the Asia-Pacific region.
2017 was also a successful year for the bus business of the three brands of Volkswagen Truck & Bus. A total of 19,220 buses were sold, approximately 8% more than in the previous year. This was primarily helped by the higher sales in Brazil.
Andreas Renschler elaborates: “2017 was a very successful year for Volkswagen Truck & Bus. We made progress in implementing our Global Champion strategy and have continued to grow closer together as a Group. Our sales figures show that despite all that, we have not lost sight of our customers and the market – instead, we have been able to expand our strong position thanks to our attractive products.”
MAN positions itself as full-range manufacturer with new addition TGE, strengthens market leadership in gas busses in Europe. Platooning commitment obtained and Lyon’s City Bus presented
MAN presented new additions to its van and truck ranges for 2018 at the Full Range Days in Barcelona, positioning as a full-range manufacturer for the first time. By introducing the MAN TGE van, the Munich-based commercial vehicle manufacturer has expanded its portfolio to include a lower weight category, which means it now offers commercial vehicles weighing between 3 and 44 tons. The TGE is a light commercial vehicle for customers in the logistics, courier service, and craft trades sector. Demand for vans will also continue to rise in the future as a result of online sales. In the medium-duty range, the new D08 generation of engines with SCR exhaust gas after-treatment systems and simplified installation, will be used in the future, lowering vehicles’ consumption considerably by up to 5.5%.
MAN was able to defend its position as leading provider of gas buses in Europe in 2017 with a major order from Copenhagen, where in the future 41 MAN Lion’s City GL CNG buses will be in service. The new buses with a capacity of up to 150 passengers each will be deployed on the city line, which is one of the busiest routes in Denmark, carrying 20 million passengers a year. Another success for MAN was the major order from a South Korean bus operator, who will in future have 30 MAN CNG buses in operation. As one of Europe's leading bus manufacturers, MAN has great expectations for its new MAN Lion’s City bus, which was presented in July. With its modern assistance systems the Lion’s City helps to improve safety in traffic and operating costs.
MAN also received funding approval from the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur) for its ground-breaking platooning project with transportation company DB Schenker. For the first time in Germany truck platoons will be tested in everyday operation on the digital test section of the A9 motorway.
Scania: Market launch for a new generation of trucks for urban conditions and cooperation with HAVI. Launch of Scania One and Scania Growth Capital
Having launched in December the L-series, purpose-designed for urban conditions, Scania is embarking on the third stage of introducing its new generation of trucks. The spotlight here is on the vehicles’ use in delivery operations and regional logistics, as well as their potential as waste collection and rescue vehicles. Scania is setting store by a new range of 7-liter engines compatible with alternative fuels like gas. Scania wants to set the benchmark for cost efficiency here, just as it did with the XT range launched September 2017. The debut of an innovative Euro 6 gas engine marks Scania’s wish to expand its leading position in the field of alternative drives. The OC13 13-liter gas engine has a range that makes it suitable for both long-haul transport and for construction sites and makes it possible to lower CO2 emissions significantly by up to 90%.
Scania announced the planned cooperation with logistics group HAVI. The goal is to improve the carbon footprint in transportation to and from McDonald's restaurants in numerous European countries in the first six months of the year. In doing this, HAVI intends to use more gas-driven commercial vehicles and hybrid models from Scania.
Scania also presented its new digital marketplace, Scania One, which is aimed at fleet operators and drivers and offers them a number of services. With Scania One, drivers of more than 300,000 digitally connected Scania trucks will be able to access the Scania services and also use services of third-party providers in the future. The aim is to enable users to run their fleets more efficiently and profitably. With the founding of Scania Growth Capital, Scania intends to invest in innovative, fast-growing start-ups in order to utilize their business models and technologies.
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus offers the best-selling trucks in Brazil with its Delivery and Constellation models and presents the e-Delivery
With its Delivery and Constellation models, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus has now been offering the best-selling truck series in Brazil for eleven years. The newly developed Delivery was presented in October to further strengthen its strong market position. Launched at the Fenatran fair, this light- and medium-duty truck series for fleet operators and small shippers has been already contributed to the unit sales of Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus with 1,000 units. An addition to the Delivery series is the electric version e-Delivery which will go into serial production in 2020. Ambev, the largest brewery in Latin America, will be the first customer to trial the vehicle. Bulk orders such as the 154 busses ordered by the international brewery Heineken are further boosting Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus’s exports.
Digital RIO platform goes live in December 2017
Around 350,000 MAN and Scania trucks are already connected. RIO, a digital brand of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, has been available to its customers since December in the form of RIO Essentials, a compilation of free services. The range of functions includes a fleet monitor showing the real-time position of the vehicle along with further information, for instance kilometer reading, tank level, and driver identification. RIO Essentials also offers performance analytics that use vehicle data that has been evaluated to give recommendations for action. The fact that RIO is now live underlines Volkswagen Truck Bus’s mission to actively shape digital transformation within the industry. On January 15, 2018, the RIO marketplace went live where customers can find RIO Services, OEM services, and partner services. In 2018, both MAN and Scania will migrate OEM services to RIO.
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Shell, ExxonMobil en NAM bij hoorzitting over gaswinningsschade
De commissie voor Economische Zaken en Klimaat houdt op donderdag 1 februari 2018 van 17.15 tot 19.30 uur een hoorzitting over de betaalcapaciteit van de Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM).
Hiervoor zijn onder andere vertegenwoordigers van Shell, ExxonMobil en de NAM uitgenodigd. Centraal staat de financiële vergoeding van de aardbevingsschade door de gaswinning in Groningen.
Gaswinning in Groningen ter hoogte van Meedhuizen
AANSPRAKELIJKHEID
Dagblad Trouw schreef afgelopen weekend dat olie- en gasconcern Shell, het moederbedrijf van de NAM, zich zou onttrekken aan juridische aansprakelijkheid voor de schade door aardbevingen in en rond het gaswinningsgebied in de provincie Groningen. Op initiatief van de fractie van GroenLinks houdt de Kamer een hoorzitting om meer duidelijkheid te krijgen over de situatie.
PROGRAMMA
Het programma voor de hoorzitting ziet er als volgt uit:
17.15 tot 18.00 uur: juridisch deskundigen
18.00 tot 18.30 uur: Shell, mevrouw Marjan van Loon (CEO)
18.30 tot 19.00 uur: ExxonMobil Benelux, de heer Rolf de Jong
19.00 tot 19.30 uur: NAM, de heer Gerald Schotman (CEO)
SCHADEPROTOCOL
Er is nog geen duidelijkheid over de vergoeding van schade die is ontstaan door aardbevingen vanwege de gaswinning in de provincie Groningen. De Kamer debatteerde hierover op dinsdag 16 januari met minister Wiebes van Economische Zaken en Klimaat, een week nadat de provincie Groningen werd opgeschrikt door een nieuwe aardbeving bij Zeerijp. Inmiddels heeft minister Wiebes gezegd dat het nieuwe schadeprotocol voor Groningen waarschijnlijk in de week van 1 februari klaar is.
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ExxonMobil to Triple Permian Production by 2025, Expand Transportation Infrastructure
Company plans to invest more than $2 billion in terminal and transportation expansion
Investments supported by changes to U.S. corporate tax rate
Downstream and Chemical expansions progressing due to increased low-cost supply
IRVING, Texas--ExxonMobil today announced that it plans to triple total daily production to more than 600,000 oil-equivalent barrels by 2025 from its operations in the Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico. Tight oil production from the Delaware and Midland basins will increase five-fold in the same period.
Recent changes in the U.S. corporate tax rate create an environment for increased future capital investments, including ExxonMobil’s plan to spend more than $2 billion on transportation infrastructure to support its Permian operations.
Through capital efficient production growth, the increased volumes will be driven by reduced drilling costs, technology improvements and expanded acreage. ExxonMobil has amassed a large, highly contiguous acreage position, located in the prolific, multi-layered oil zones of the Delaware and Midland basins. Combined with operating experience gained through drilling more than 5,000 horizontal unconventional wells, and a leading-edge technology organization, ExxonMobil has the ability to efficiently and profitably develop this attractive resource.
ExxonMobil is one of the most active operators in the Permian Basin. To help achieve this growth, the horizontal rig count in the Permian is expected to increase a further 65 percent over the next several years. ExxonMobil has doubled its footage drilled per day on horizontal wells in the Permian since early 2014 and reduced per-foot drilling costs by about 70 percent.
“Our geographic and competitive advantages in the Permian position the company for strong growth and long-term value creation,” said Sara Ortwein, president of ExxonMobil’s XTO Energy subsidiary. “We can deliver profitable production at a range of prices, and we have logistics and technology advantages over our competitors.”
Through its $6 billion Bass companies acquisition in 2017, ExxonMobil added an estimated resource of 3.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with upside potential in multiple additional prospective horizons. A large majority of the development drill wells from the purchase are projected to have attractive returns at oil prices below current levels.
“With this production growth, we are well positioned to maximize value as increased supply moves from the Permian to our Gulf Coast refineries and chemical facilities where higher-demand, higher-value products will be manufactured,” Ortwein said.
The increased production will provide low-cost supply and feedstocks to ExxonMobil downstream and chemical operations in Baytown, Beaumont and Mt. Belvieu, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. These facilities manufacture high-value products, including polyethylene to meet growing demand for high-performance plastics and advanced synthetic lubricant base stock products.
As part of its Permian-focused infrastructure, ExxonMobil recently acquired a crude oil terminal in Wink, Texas that is strategically positioned to handle Permian crude oil and condensate from Delaware basin sources near the Texas-New Mexico border for transport to Gulf Coast refineries and marine export terminals.
The company plans to expand the Wink terminal and add key infrastructure upgrades that will efficiently move ExxonMobil and third-party production from the Delaware, Central and Midland basins in the Permian to ExxonMobil’s operations and other market destinations in the Gulf Coast region. Those investments, expected to exceed $2 billion, will support short-term construction jobs and long-term positions.
ExxonMobil previously announced plans to build and expand manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Gulf region as part of its Growing the Gulf initiative.
Growing the Gulf projects include a new ethane steam cracker at the company’s integrated Baytown facility that will provide ethylene feedstock for two new high performance polyethylene units at the nearby Mont Belvieu facility. A new production unit at the company’s polyethylene plant in Beaumont will increase the plant’s capacity by 65 percent, and expansions at Baytown and Beaumont refineries will add more than 300,000 barrels per day of light crude processing capacity.
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