Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Garden machinery

Machinery has of course transformed gardens. In 1900, without garden machinery, it was necessary to employ several men to care for an intensively managed acre. By 2000, garden machinery had made it perfectly possible to do-it-yourself. The transformation compares to that effected by agricultural machinery: a 1,000 acre farm needed 50 men in 1900 but by 2000 it could be done by the farmer and a couple of men with powerful tractors and harvesters.
Another result of garden machinery is the rise of the owner-designer-manager. The noble families which made the great gardens of the past were only involved in maintenance work to a trivial degree. Arts and Crafts theorists argued that designers should also be craftsmen. Garden machines made this possible. The range of mechanical equipment, power tools and equipment now available is extensive
Needless to say, it also becomes necessary to have a workshop, a garage and a friendly mechanic.

Monday, August 28, 2017

When Solar Panels Became Job Killers



WUHAN, China — Russell Abney raised two children on solar power. The 49-year-old Georgia Tech graduate worked for the last decade in Perrysburg, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo, pulling a good salary as an equipment engineer for the largest American solar-panel maker.

On the other side of the world, Gao Song boasted his own solar success story. A former organic fruit retailer who lives in the dusty Chinese city of Wuhan, he installed solar panels on his roof four years ago and found it so lucrative that he went into business installing them for others. By last summer, he and a team of 50 employees were installing solar-panel systems on nearly 100 roofs a month.

Then China shook the global solar business — and transformed both their lives.

“A small vibration back in China,” said Frank Haugwitz, a longtime solar industry consultant in Beijing, “can cause an avalanche in prices around the world.”

Late last summer, Chinese officials began publicly toying with slashing the subsidies they offer domestic solar-panel buyers. Mr. Gao’s business dried up, and he laid off half his workers. “I have been working hard and was just off to a good start,” he said. “Now I have to start over.”

China’s solar-panel makers cut their prices by more than a quarter to compensate, sending global prices plummeting. Western companies found themselves unable to compete, and cut jobs from Germany to Michigan to Texas and points beyond.Continue reading the main story

Those points included Perrysburg — where Mr. Abney and about 450 other employees suddenly found themselves out of work. “Within just a few months, it all came crashing down,” Mr. Abney said. “It’s like a death in the family. People feel awkward talking about it.”

President Trump, who pressed President Xi Jinping of China on trade and other issues this week when they met at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., has vowed to end what he calls China’s unfair business practices. Much of his oratory has involved old-fashioned smokestack industries like steel — industries in which the jobs were already disappearing even before the rise of China.

But economists and business groups warn that China’s industrial ambitions have entered a new, far-reaching phase. With its deep government pockets, growing technical sophistication and a comprehensive plan to free itself from dependence on foreign companies, China aims to become dominant in industries of the future like renewable energy, big data and self-driving cars.Photo


With solar, it has already happened. China is now home to two-thirds of the world’s solar-production capacity. The efficiency with which its products convert sunlight into electricity is increasingly close to that of panels made by American, German and South Korean companies. Because China also buys half of the world’s new solar panels, it now effectively controls the market.

For much of the past century, the ups and downs of the American economy could spell the difference between employment or poverty for people like Chilean copper miners and Malaysian rubber farmers. Now China’s policy shifts and business decisions can have the same kind of global impact once wielded by power brokers in Washington, New York and Detroit.

The story of China’s rise in solar panels (for example: GOAL ZERO GUIDE 10 PLUS SOLAR KIT ) illustrates the profound difficulties the country presents to Mr. Trump, or to any American president. Its size and fast-moving economy give it the ability to redefine industries almost on a dime. Its government-led pursuit of dominance in crucial industries presents a direct challenge to countries where leaders generally leave business decisions to the businesses themselves.

Already, China is the world’s largest maker and buyer of steel, cars and smartphones. While it does not necessarily dominate those industries, its government ministries are moving to replicate that success with robots, chips and software — just as in solar.

Chinese panel makers “have the capital, they have the technology, they have the scale,” said Ocean Yuan, the chief executive of Grape Solar, a distributor of solar panels based in Eugene, Ore. Of American rivals, he said, “they will crush them.”
Rooted in Fish

Before he became one of the solar industry’s most powerful players, Liu Hanyuan raised fish.

The son of peasants from China’s hardscrabble southwest, Mr. Liu sold some of the family’s pigs in 1983 for what was then around $100 to buy some fish. Soon he went into the even more lucrative business of selling fish feed, and he eventually moved into pig feed and duck feed. The brand name, Keli, is a combination of the first and last Chinese characters from a famous paraphrasing of Karl Marx by Deng Xiaoping, the father of modern China: Science and technology are primary productive forces.

According to Mr. Liu’s authorized biography, he faced local criticism at first for his early embrace of capitalism, and responded by saying that his fish feed was an improved product that followed Deng’s dictum. “When my business grows bigger,” he said at the time, “I will build another floor for labs.”

Plans to shift into computer chips did not pan out, so by 2006, he shifted to solar technology, after taking control of a company that made chemicals for the production of polysilicon, the crystalline raw material for solar panels. That move proved fortunate: China was just then embarking on a concerted effort to become a solar-industry powerhouse.

Over the next six years, Beijing pushed state-owned banks to provide at least $18 billion in loans at low-interest rates to solar-panel manufacturers, and encouraged local governments to subsidize them with cheap land. China had more on its mind than just dominating solar exports: Its severe pollution problems and concerns that rising sea levels from climate change could devastate its teeming coastal cities lent urgency to efforts to develop green technology. At the same time, China also became a major player in wind power through similar policies.

With ample assistance, China’s solar-power production capacity expanded more than tenfold from 2007 to 2012. Now six of the top 10 solar-panel makers are Chinese, including the top two, compared with none a decade ago. The solar division of Mr. Liu’s company, the Tongwei Group, which discloses few financial details, is one of the fastest-expanding players in the industry.

That growth forced many American and European solar-panel manufacturers into a headlong retreat. Two dozen of them filed for bankruptcy or cut back operations during President Barack Obama’s first term, damaging the heady optimism then about clean energy.

In 2012 and 2013, the United States and the European Union concluded that Chinese solar-panel makers were collecting government subsidies and dumping panels, or selling them for less than the cost of producing and shipping them. Both imposed import limits. Chinese manufacturers and officials denied improper subsidies and dumping, and still do.

Several large Chinese manufacturers that had previously overexpanded and had been selling at heavy losses for years then closed their doors. But Western solar companies say Chinese banks still lent heavily to the survivors despite low loan-recovery rates from the defaults of big Chinese solar companies like Suntech, Chaori and LDK Solar.

“The main subsidy is massive, below-market loans by Chinese state-owned commercial banks to finance new capacity and also the massive ongoing losses of Chinese companies,” said Jürgen Stein, the president of American operations for SolarWorld, a big German panel maker.

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Li Junfeng, a top architect of China’s renewable-energy policies until he retired from that responsibility in early January, said that the West had exaggerated the role of the state in helping to finance Chinese solar-panel manufacturers. “The market can decide for itself,” he said. “The good companies can get money, the bad companies cannot.”
High-Tech Hopes

Like the Chinese solar industry as a whole, Tongwei is thinking bigger.

Mr. Liu’s company bought an enormous solar-panel manufacturing complex in central China in 2013 from LDK Solar, which had run into severe financial difficulties. Now it plans to build factories of five gigawatts apiece in the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Hefei. By comparison, the entire global market is only about 77 gigawatts each year, while world capacity is 139 gigawatts.

At the same time, Mr. Liu is dismissive of companies in the West that pioneered many solar technologies but have lost their market shares to China. “They are very jealous,” he said, “and cannot catch up with China’s pace.”

From an environmental standpoint, China’s solar push has been good for the world. Solar-panel prices have fallen close to 90 percent over the past decade. Many of the solar panels in America’s backyards and solar power plants are made by Chinese companies.

But for the solar industry, Chinese expansion could mean an extended period of low prices and cutbacks for everybody else.

“The solar industry is facing again, I would say, a new winter,” said Patrick Pouyanné, the chairman and chief executive of Total, the French oil and gas giant, which owns a controlling stake in SunPower, an American solar-panel maker.

China now hopes to replicate its solar industry’s growth in other areas.

Under a plan called Made in China 2025, China hopes to become largely self-sufficient within seven years in a long list of industries, including aircraft, high-speed trains, computer chips and robots. The plan echoes the solar-panel and wind-turbine buildup a decade ago, but with a larger checkbook. Made in China 2025 calls for roughly $300 billion in financial backing: inexpensive loans from state-owned banks, investment funds to acquire foreign technologies, and extensive research subsidies.

If successful, Made in China 2025 would represent a fundamental shift in how China deals with the world. Initially, most of the industries that moved to China, such as shoe and clothing production, were already leaving the United States anyway. Heavy industries such as steel followed. While the shift was profound — some economists estimate that up to 2.4 million American jobs were lost to China from 1999 to 2011, though others dispute that analysis — China has struggled in some areas like autos to create viable global competitors.

American and European business groups have warned that the China 2025 plan means that a much wider range of Western businesses will face the same kind of government-backed competition that has already transformed the solar industry.

“The policies started in solar and are now starting to infect the higher reaches of the economy with Made in China 2025,” said Jeremie Waterman, the president of the China Center at the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington.


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Five Useful Tips For SEO

ONE: Paid Hyperlinks Consistently come from Unethical Websites

In the event of bulk solutions, it's correct that a whole lot of these paid links will come in unethical sources, such as bots or best affordable SEO company. But lots of respectable websites sell links also, in the shape of promotion as well as preferential treatment. In those situations, you might have very valid links on high authority websites, and people can help your website rank better on search engines.
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TWO: Google will not find poor or spammy links

A few of the men and women who buy bulk hyperlinks or who use automated approaches to spam blog articles believe that Google best local SEO company won't discover them and they'll profit in their unethical practices. Oftentimes, that may really be true, because Google and other search engines aren't a part of their secret police. However, while individual bad hyperlinks might not be found, the larger risk is that the websites where your hyperlinks are placed will be discovered and removed from the index, or that the real algorithm is going to be modified to create those backlinks not significantly. When that occurs you could discover a radical change in your position.

THREE: You shouldn't put a lot of outbound links

Some people today feel they need to only link to some few of outbound websites. There's just 1 situation where linking to other websites can harm you, and that's if you become a part of a referral system for the sole aim of increasing your rank. If that's the scenario, when one site is found, all of these might be struck. However, in any other instance, Google and other search engines don't care at all how much outbound connections which you have, and there's absolutely not any limit to how frequently it is possible to link to other websites.

FOUR: Using great SEO New York company You Don't need PPC advertising

Some websites will shell out a whole lot of time doing affordable SEO company and receive great organic effects, but then PPC campaigns may be helpful. Surveys have to that it frequently isn't the exact men and women who click on ads versus individuals who click links that are organic, therefore it can be rewarding to perform both if you've got the cash for it. Additionally, PPC hyperlinks are sure to cost you just when someone clicks, nor suffer from fluctuations in calculations like the Panda upgrade.

FIVE: You are able to manipulate search rankings

That is a myth many advertising sites try to market, the simple fact that they can somehow manipulate search positions in a means that's beyond traditional SEO company NY. The entire purpose of SEO New York NY is to attempt to rank your website better. When there was another strategy that really functioned, then by definition it'd be a part of best local SEO. The reality is there's not any magic way to manipulate search rankings, and generally when someone states they could, what they mean is they'll use unethical approaches to accelerate your ranking. But using junk and other techniques that are spammy mean your website is put in danger. You might have a hike now but cover it in the future.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Top Things to Know about a Functional Automatic Gate Opener





Have you selected the perfect gate for your property by considering the material, size, design and color? Now it is the time to decide how to utilize your new automatic gate or consider the mode of operation. Will you want your automatic gate to operate in a sliding or swinging way? In order to ensure the opening ways of your automatic gate, you need to pick the right type of gate opener.

Let us discuss about the durable gate openers:

What are the different types of automatic gate opener?

1. Swing Automatic Gate Opener:

You need to understand that a swing system will require a lot of additional space. For which the swing gate operation is found mostly in residential properties. The swing gate opener device can be electro-mechanical or electro-hydraulic. The electro-mechanical devices are designed for the domestic user and have a duty circle that suits residential properties or driveway gates (that are not hectic throughout the day). Whereas the electro-hydraulic devices are normally designed for a greater duty cycle and are found to be ideal for busy entryways and status gates. For heavy gates you will need dual swing gate openers like - Mighty Mule 502



2. Sliding Automatic Gate Openers:

Sliding gates do not need much space to function, which makes good driveway room for parking cars. The sliding automatic gates offers a greater security and functionality. The sliding gates can operate on an upward sloping driveway where a pair of swing gates will fail to open inward.

How a gate opener work?

The gate openers are made to work with different swing and sliding gates. Each gate has the power score to compensate for the range of sizes and weight. For instance, the swing automatic gate openers are available in two styles like linear and articulated. The articulated style works much better for heavier gates.

An electric gate opener is known as the mechanized arm, which helps your automatic gate to ensure smooth operation (opening and closing). A signal sent from an access control (remote control or keypad) will tell the motor to open or close the gate.



These days, automatic gates are quite popular among the residential and business property owners in the US. To enhance the security and enjoy the convenience of functionality, people are opting for automatic gates. This offers you a peace of mind and improve your property’s curb appeal.

You need to determine keep in mind the requirement for its operating system, when choosing the gate opener. From a reliable source, you can get gate openers that come with several add-ons like remote control unit, an intercom and more.

ABC Garage Doors is an experienced garage door and automatic gate openercompany that serves Columbus, Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. We will help you to choose the right type of gate opener that suits your requirement and delivers great functionality. With us, you will get a cost-effective repair and installation service that will keep your automatic gate in top condition.

We are fully licensed, bonded and insured, contact us today at 866–762–9693 to get an exceptional service!

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Residential Roofing Market Analysis by Growth Rate, Applications, Competition by Manufacturers &# Region: Hexa Reports



The report studies Residential Roofing in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer. Global Residential Roofing Market is segmented By Geographical Region into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW). Geographically Asia Pacific dominates global residential roofing market, followed by North America. Asia Pacific is projected to have the fastest growth, owing to rapidly increasing construction industry, rise in industrial sector, inflexible government regulations to advance the energy competence of homes, mounting toughness, ease in mechanism, and growing urbanization in developing nations such as China, and India in this region.
Residential roofing consists of sidings, installing roofs, and drainage systems for roofs. Worldwide development of efficient and advanced technology in roofing materials, rising commercial real estate of investments, growing popularity of eco-friendly roofing technologies, increasing popularity of rubber roofing, increasing building renovations & remodeling are the prime growth drivers of global inhabited roofing market.
Browse Detail Market Report @ http://www.hexareports.com/report/global-residential-roofing-2021

In addition, increase in adoption of residential roofing for application in newer industrial vertical, and emerging economies such as China, India and others, will create new opportunities for global residential roofing market. However, volatile prices and availability of raw materials, lack of accessibility, and higher cost of residential roofing are the key restraints for global residential roofing market size.
Global Residential Roofing Market size is segmented By Product into Bituminous Metal, Tile, Others (Including Fiber Cement, Plastic, Etc). Global Residential Roofing Market size is segmented By Type into Asphalt Shingles Roofing Metal Roofing, Elastomeric Roofing, Built-up Roofing, Modified Bitumen Roofing, and others. Global Residential Roofing Market size is segmented by Residential Construction into Commercial, and Non-residential Construction.

The market is expected to increase toward investments in non-residential infrastructure, such as transportation services, power plants, warehouse, manufacturing facilities and production units, among others, which, in turn, is expected to fuethe growth of the materials types segment of the global roofing market. In addition to this the requirement of roofing materials from residential and profitable sectors is also boosting the growth of the materials type segment of the global roofing market during the upcoming years.
Request A Sample copy of This Report @ http://www.hexareports.com/report/global-residential-roofing-2021/request-sample

The non-residential application segment led the global roofing market size in 2015. Augmented command for roofing materials, owing to need for enhanced transportation facilities, transformation of power infrastructure, implementation of enhanced policy system and reforms, and development of rural areas has led to the growth of the non-residential application segment of the global roofing market. Nonetheless, the residential application segment of the global roofing market is predictable to grow at the maximum CAGR during the forecast period.

Amongst all the applications, new construction roofing has the maximum market share in global inhabited roofing market due to encourage in construction industry. Metal Roofing is the market leader among all types of residential roofing, unsettled to its better presentation, durability, and ease of installation. The Key Players include Royal Group Inc, Atlas Roofing Corp, Knauf Insulation Inc, GAF Materials Corp, and Sika Sarnafil Inc.

Explore More Chemicals & Materials Market Related Reports @

• Europe Silica Fume Materials Market Report 2017-
http://www.hexareports.com/report/europe-silica-fume-materials-market-report-2017

• Europe Silica Aerogel Market Report 2017
http://www.hexareports.com/report/europe-silica-aerogel-market-report-2017

Source

Friday, March 10, 2017

Online Marketing News: State of Digital Marketing, New Geostickers & Top B2B Channels


Online Marketing News: State of Digital Marketing, New Geostickers & Top B2B Channels

SEJ Annual Report: State of Digital Marketing 2017

Search Engine Journal conducted their annual study and found some fascinating statistics. For example, 42% of respondents allocate almost all of their digital budget to PPC and display advertising, and 62% of marketers surveyed listed Facebook as their preferred social platform. Search Engine Journal

New Geostickers in Instagram Stories for New York City and Jakarta

If you are using Instagram in New York or Jakarta, you may have noticed a new feature – Geostickers. When you take a photo, you can click on the sticker icon and the Geostickers will appear. This is coming from a long line of changes Instagram is making that look — probably non-coincidentally — a lot like Snapchat. Instagram

The Top Digital Channels for Generating B2B Leads

New research from DemandWave showed that 95% of B2B marketers are using social media, 93% are using email and 91% are using organic. Interestingly, 73% said email was their top driver of leads, followed by 70% who said organic and 55% that said social media. MarketingProfs

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

5 Digital Marketing Brain Training Exercises to Keep You Sharp


5 Digital Marketing Brain Training Exercises to Keep You Sharp

Over the years, we’ve all developed some bad habits as marketers. Some may be a result of our environment, while others have been self inflicted. As more and more bad habits enter our digital marketing routine, there is less room for healthy exercises to keep us strong.

The most recent CMO Survey uncovered that CMOs consistently rate the level of their staff’s marketing knowledge as average. So while marketing spend and production are increasing, the level of marketing knowledge isn’t following suit.

Avoid a marketing rut by beginning a digital marketing training routine to build strength and endurance over time. To give you a kickstart, we’ve provided the 5 brain training exercises below that will help you down the path to building your marketing muscles.

#1 – Make the Time to Learn


To start, it’s important to get into a routine that allows you to absorb new information each day. You can look both within and outside your organization for helpful resources to further your marketing knowledge.