Latest news with #localisation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How Western sanctions reshaped Russia's dairy packaging
The Russian dairy industry has faced profound challenges in recent years, particularly in the packaging sector. The imposition of western sanctions since 2022 disrupted supply chains and restricted access to essential materials and machinery. However, the country's response has been swift and adaptive, with the packaging sector undergoing a remarkable transformation. From initial shortages to near-complete localisation, Russia's experience offers insight into how industries can navigate geopolitical pressures while maintaining production. This article explores the journey of dairy packaging in Russia, focusing on the impact of sanctions, the strategies employed to overcome shortages, and the current state of the industry as it balances resilience with ongoing challenges. The impact of western sanctions on Russian dairy packaging Western sanctions, implemented in response to geopolitical tensions, have had a significant effect on Russia's supply chains, especially in industries reliant on imported raw materials and equipment. The dairy packaging sector was particularly vulnerable due to its dependence on specialised components such as laminated cartonboard, polymer films, inks, adhesives, and aseptic packaging technology—much of which was sourced from Europe and other western countries. Before the sanctions, approximately half of Russia's dairy packaging materials, including aseptic cartons commonly used for milk and juice, were imported. These materials are critical for preserving shelf life, maintaining product safety, and meeting consumer expectations. The sudden restriction on imports led to acute shortages, forcing dairy producers to confront the risk of interrupted production and distribution. Moreover, the packaging machinery itself, such as filling lines and sealing equipment, often required maintenance parts and technical support from western manufacturers. The sanctions complicated access to spare parts and technical expertise, increasing downtime and reducing efficiency. Consequently, many smaller converters and packaging suppliers faced financial strain, while larger companies were compelled to seek alternatives quickly. Strategies for overcoming packaging shortages and localisation efforts Faced with these constraints, the Russian dairy packaging sector embarked on a rapid import substitution and localisation drive. Government agencies, industry associations, and private enterprises collaborated to stabilise supply and support domestic production. This multi-pronged approach included several key strategies: Development of domestic materials: Russian manufacturers accelerated the production of laminated cartonboard and polymer films that could meet food safety and durability standards. Investments were made to enhance coating technologies, printing inks, and adhesives compatible with dairy products. Sourcing from alternative markets: Companies expanded procurement beyond traditional western suppliers to include countries less affected by sanctions, such as China, Turkey, India, and the United Arab Emirates. This diversification helped alleviate immediate shortages while domestic production capacity was scaled up. Stockpiling and inventory management: Dairy producers and packaging suppliers increased inventory levels of critical materials to buffer against supply disruptions. This shift improved operational continuity despite unpredictable import timelines. Upgrading local machinery and equipment: Efforts were made to modernise packaging machinery domestically, with some companies developing repair and manufacturing capabilities to reduce reliance on foreign spare parts. By early 2024, these strategies had yielded significant results. According to industry reports, mass-market dairy packaging types had become largely localised, mitigating the worst effects of the sanctions. Many major dairy companies reported a return to stable packaging supplies, although certain specialised formats—such as high-tech aseptic cartons—remained challenging to produce domestically at scale. The current landscape and ongoing challenges in Russian dairy packaging As of mid-2025, the Russian dairy packaging industry stands on a much more secure footing than it did three years prior. The widespread localisation of packaging materials has helped restore supply chains, ensuring that milk, yoghurts, and other dairy products continue to reach consumers reliably. The government continues to prioritise the dairy sector as a vital part of food security, encouraging innovation and investment in packaging technologies. Industry bodies have also promoted standardisation efforts and quality improvements to meet both domestic and export market requirements. Nevertheless, some challenges persist. The production of niche, high-tech packaging remains limited, particularly for aseptic cartons with advanced barrier properties and specialised designs. These formats are critical for extending shelf life and maintaining premium product quality. Importing such materials is still subject to regulatory hurdles and elevated costs. In addition, the price of packaging materials has increased due to inflationary pressures and higher production costs associated with localisation and alternative sourcing. This rise has, in turn, affected the overall cost structure of dairy products. The sector is also adapting to growing consumer demand for sustainability. While efforts are underway to develop recyclable and biodegradable packaging options within Russia, progress is gradual given the current economic and technological constraints. Looking ahead Russia's dairy packaging sector illustrates a compelling case of resilience and adaptation under duress. The sanctions imposed since 2022 exposed vulnerabilities in supply chains, yet the industry's rapid localisation, diversified sourcing, and strategic stockpiling have largely stabilised packaging availability by 2025. While some gaps remain in specialised packaging formats and cost pressures persist, the sector is moving toward greater self-sufficiency and sustainability. This journey underscores the importance of flexible supply chains and domestic capability in a globalised market marked by geopolitical uncertainty. As Russia continues to invest in its packaging technologies and materials, its dairy industry may serve as a valuable example for other sectors facing similar challenges worldwide. "How Western sanctions reshaped Russia's dairy packaging" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
National Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
XTM Names Wilfred Mathanaraj Chief Technology Officer to Further Accelerate AI Innovation
Article content LONDON — XTM International, the leading provider of enterprise-grade translation management technology, today announced the appointment of Wilfred Mathanaraj as Chief Technology Officer. Wilfred will spearhead XTM's ambitious technology vision, accelerating the development of innovative AI-powered solutions that help global enterprises unlock international growth through localisation. Article content With extensive experience in building high-performing, scalable technology platforms and embedding AI into engineering processes, Wilfred will play a key role in further accelerating XTM's transformative product roadmap. His leadership will enable XTM to bring new innovations to market faster, helping customers drive international expansion by localising with greater speed, quality, and efficiency. Article content 'Wilfred's appointment marks an inflection point in our journey, enabling us to continue accelerating the delivery of our market-defining product roadmap and provide even more value to our existing and future customers,' said Ian Evans, CEO of XTM International. 'With his deep technical expertise and proven track record in scaling engineering teams, Wilfred will ensure we not only maintain our leadership in AI innovation but extend our lead, helping our customers grow faster and operate more efficiently worldwide.' Article content XTM recently unveiled its Agentic AI Suite, a groundbreaking set of agentic AI capabilities that transform how enterprises manage localisation at scale. With Wilfred's leadership, XTM will continue to empower its customers to harness AI to simplify complexity, drive efficiency, and accelerate international growth. Article content 'XTM is uniquely positioned to transform how global enterprises localise content through AI,' said Wilfred Mathanaraj. 'I am excited to join this talented team, build on the strong progress already made, and help our customers unlock international growth.' Article content This strategic appointment further strengthens XTM's leadership team as it continues to cement its position as the globalisation technology partner of choice for enterprises seeking efficiency, speed, and quality to enable their international expansion. Article content XTM International helps enterprises reach global markets faster by streamlining and automating localisation processes. Trusted by the world's leading enterprises, XTM's AI-powered translation management system enables customers to deliver high-quality multilingual products and content efficiently and at scale. Article content Article content
Times of Oman
02-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Al Mudhaibi Industrial City signs two investment agreements worth OMR5.75 million
Al Mudhaibi,: Al Mudhaibi Industrial City, an affiliate of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), signed two investment agreements to localise six factories with a total investment of OMR5.75 million, covering an area of more than 21,000 sqm. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Mahmoud Yahya Al Dhuhli, Governor of North Al Sharqiyah and Eng. Dawood Salim Al Hadabi, CEO of Madayn, alongside several officials from the public and private sectors. The first agreement, signed with Global Prime Matter SPC, incorporates establishment of four factories specialising in electrical materials, electronics, home furniture, and cold storage supplies, with an investment of OMR5 million on a 14,538 sqm area. The second agreement, with Middle East Livestock Company, involves setting up an automated poultry slaughterhouse and a disinfectants factory, with an investment exceeding OMR750,000 over an area of more than 7,000 sqm. Eng. Said Khalfan Al Shabibi, Acting Director General of Al Mudhaibi Industrial City, stated that a total of five industrial projects were successfully localised in the last quarter of 2024, with a total investment of OMR5.8 million. This follows the official announcement in October last year inviting investment applications in Al Mudhaibi Industrial City, bringing the total investment in the city to date to approximately OMR11.6 million on an area of 75,000 sqm. He further noted that the tender for implementing Phase 1 of Al Mudhaibi Industrial city is expected to be awarded early next quarter. The scope includes the construction of internal roads, utility networks (electricity, water, internet, and sewage), fencing and main gates, a facility building, offices, and Madayn's Entrepreneurial and Agricultural Complexes. Al Mudhaibi Industrial City is one of the latest cities being developed by Madayn, extending over 9 million sqm, with Phase 1 covering about 1.5 million sqm. The city enjoys a strategic location near the main highway connecting the Special Economic Zone at Duqm with the Sultanate of Oman's key ports and border crossings. The city is a key component of the national strategic projects in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate and aligns with Madayn Vision 2040 in establishing world-class business cities in partnership with the private sector and in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
National Post
01-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
XTM Names Rob Finney Chief Marketing Officer to Scale Adoption of Its Market-Leading AI Globalisation Platform
Article content LONDON — XTM International, the leading provider of enterprise-grade translation management technology, today announced the appointment of Rob Finney as Chief Marketing Officer. Rob joins XTM at a pivotal time as the company continues to redefine the future of localisation through groundbreaking innovations in artificial intelligence. Article content Rob brings almost 20 years of experience in SaaS, with a proven track record of driving rapid customer adoption and scaling global growth. At XTM, he will lead the global marketing strategy, with a focus on accelerating growth and ensuring more organisations around the world discover the measurable business value XTM delivers by helping them bring products to market faster, reduce localisation costs, and increase global revenue potential. Article content 'XTM is innovating at a pace the industry has never seen,' said Ian Evans, CEO of XTM International. 'With the launch of our Agentic AI suite, we are fundamentally transforming how organisations manage and scale localisation. Rob's expertise will help our current and future customers understand and adopt these innovations, enabling them to remove bottlenecks, drive efficiency, and create real commercial impact.' Article content Localisation is often a bottleneck that slows companies down, delays global launches, and increases costs, ultimately impacting revenue. XTM's recent release of its Agentic AI suite represents a major leap forward in solving this challenge. Combining context-aware automation, intelligent assistance, and workflow orchestration, Agentic AI delivers productivity and quality at scale helping organizations get to market faster, at lower cost, and with greater consistency. Article content 'With Rob's appointment, XTM reinforces its commitment to helping customers unlock growth by transforming localisation from a blocker into a strategic enabler,' Evans added. Article content 'XTM has always led the industry through customer-first innovation,' said Rob Finney, CMO of XTM International. 'I'm excited to join a company that is not only shaping the future of localisation but also delivering real, measurable value to organisations. Our technology doesn't just help teams work smarter, it helps businesses move faster, reduce overhead, and reach global customers more effectively. That's the kind of impact every organization needs right now.' Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I had one good idea and turned it into a £3m voiceover and talent success'
When Marylou Thistleton-Smith started her audio production company in Manchester from the basement of her house more than 20 years ago, the former TV associate producer was the only employee for the first 18 months. She was a tea girl, engineer and even an accountant named Rebecca Temple, who would send assertive emails to clients that hadn't paid their bills. Thistleton-Smith says she founded her business 'on a wing and a prayer and recommendation', an admission which has held her in good stead since setting up The Voiceover Gallery (TVG) in 2004. Her company has since evolved to a second office in London, working on major video games, series, ads and creative projects, mainly in the corporate sector. Employing nearly 20 staff, it specialises in voiceover, localisation, dubbing and sound services. Thistleton-Smith is anticipating turnover in 2025 of around £3 million. Read More: The Briton who invented Alexa is now helping to make AI trustworthy 'From the very outset, it was a personality-driven business,' she admits. 'Reading all our Google reviews, it's clear that even now that's why we're popular. Good quality audio is easy to come by but enjoying the people you're working with and feeling like you're in a safe pair of hands with people that actually genuinely care, that's not very common. 'My ethos was, even if it's a wrong number, I want the person who's contacted us to feel like they enjoyed the conversation. That's always been how I've trained everybody.' Having moved to Manchester 'for romantic reasons' and then finding television work at BBC and ITV, she soon recognised that a long career wouldn't take shape. 'All the other women in the TV industry were older than me. Higher up the rank, we were all single and I just didn't want to end up like that.' She sold her London flat and was left with £100,000 profit, which enabled her to invest into her startup and conceive a business plan for a commission-based voiceover agency with studios to facilitate recordings. Thistleton-Smith recalls having a long chat with late TV presenter Keith Chegwin about microphones and then purchased equipment on his recommendations. She damp-proofed her basement and, by luck, found out her neighbour was a sound engineer who could help set up her makeshift studio. 'I didn't know what I was doing and hadn't researched the market,' she says. The nascent business was given a lift after partnering with a London-based foreign language agency she later bought out. The tie-up also meant a new offering for the northern client base. Read More: Meet Britain's 'king of billboards' who sold his business for £1bn TVG moved into London premises offering low rents after COVID and employed a head of audio, Joe Lewis. Thistleton-Smith says Lewis has been instrumental in developing the business and making the firm a viable audio production company. It has allowed her to focus on other aspects of the business such as the AI conundrum, which Thistleton-Smith says has, for now, dissipated after a panic-filled two years. 'Everybody that's used it through us has realised it's not good enough and so suddenly the conversation has just stopped,' she says. 'It's going to have to pack a much bigger punch next time for it to be valid. 'In terms of wider conversations, the production of series and films is way down to an all-time low. That does affect part of our business, but we've always been protected by a massive range of clients that come from a range of industries. 'We've weathered two recessions and COVID because all of our clients need us to facilitate their clients. So they're fighting to get the contracts and they need us to fulfil those.' In 2022, Thistleton-Smith cast a nine-year-old male autistic actor in a Thomas & Friends show. This heralded the launch of TVG Kids, spotlighting young talent aged five to 16 with an inclusive approach. After spending time with the actor's mother, she realised her own son was autistic. 'It was a massive eye-opener for me,' she says. Read More: The boss who has found 'nature's answer to plastic' The children's arm allows the business to protect itself from AI. 'How do we fight it? By using voices that AI simply cannot mimic,' she says. Her hands-on approach has also seen her return to the creative side of the voiceover industry. 'You start a business because you're passionate about what the business does, and then you end up just doing all the stuff that you were never trained to do,' she adds. 'I was a TV director producer and now I'm essentially head of HR, head of finance and business. 'But I sometimes look back and can't believe I've been on this journey and where it's ended up. I literally had one good idea.' Not sitting still We're 10% growth year-on-year, which is extraordinary given how many people in our space are going to struggle. Leadership team meetings ask if we can just react and not always be worrying. I say their job is to celebrate good news. My job is to make sure that we don't stop and where we need to keep pushing and evolving. You can't afford to stand still. Being a founder There are so many things I could tell a small business owner now that are very easy to implement early on and what I would have benefited from. Like understanding profit margins and how important the percentage of gross profit is. No exclusivity We don't have exclusive representation because it's from the dark ages. The voices can come and go and do what they like. They can work for other people. We just have a database of talent. Read more: 'Our £30m success is due to mums making sure our children's food looked great' Meet the company that finds 'must-haves' to make everyday life easier Impossibrew CEO says Dragons' Den failure sparked alcohol-free brand's riseSign in to access your portfolio
