Free over-the-air firmware upgrade for G7c cloud-connected wearables includes proactive Bluetooth-based close contact detection with improved industrial contact tracing

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#connectedsafety--Blackline Safety Corp. (TSX.V: BLN), a global leader of gas detection and connected safety solutions, has expanded the availability of its new G7 close contact detection firmware to North American and international markets. Previously launched in October across Europe, this new firmware makes Blackline’s G7c the industry’s first and only cloud-connected gas monitor to integrate close contact detection, a feature that provides users with a real-time notification when they enter into close proximity with other G7c users.

As industrial businesses continue to face stringent safety regulations and social distancing guidelines due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the new close contact detection feature helps G7c users be mindful of their proximity with colleagues to support social distancing regulations. Using Bluetooth technology to determine the distance between personnel, G7c wearables notify users of close proximity after 10 seconds of continued close contact using flashing yellow lights, vibration and a simple on-screen message.

“With increased emphasis on preventing the spread of the virus and containing exposures, businesses are reviewing their policies and the need to maintain physical separation from others,” said Sean Stinson, CRO at Blackline Safety. “Through the latest in wearable cloud-connected technology, G7c offers the tools that teams need to mitigate COVID-19 risks among their workforce while keeping the business moving forward sustainably. Combined with our cloud-hosted Close Contact Report, close contact detection and notification supports proactive social distancing programs. Plus, should a worker test positive or become symptomatic, businesses have the ability to trace potential points of close contact among team members.”

Proactive social distancing notification to G7c users

New G7c close contact detection firmware provides users with a short-duration notification when working within proximity of one or more co-workers. With a press of a button, users can continue working without further notification or distraction. Should another employee come into close contact, a new proactive notification will announce the close contact to the group of users. Designed with a short detection delay, close contact notifications and unnecessary distractions are avoided when employees pass by each other as they move throughout a facility.

Businesses can request that G7c close contact detection to be turned on for all G7c users in their Blackline Live account or for specific groups of users, based on policy, risk levels and the likelihood of potential close interaction with co-workers.

Industrial contact tracing

In addition to notifying G7 users of close social contact, this new device firmware also streams Bluetooth-based close contact data to the Blackline Cloud, powering an improved Blackline Analytics Close Contact Report. Combined an interactive device History View Report, these enhanced tools help businesses retrace a G7 user’s steps should they present with symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. Should this occur, businesses can identify locations where employees came into close proximity and with whom an individual may have interacted with, over a configurable period of time.

Blackline’s portfolio of contact tracing and close contact notification tools comply with rigorous privacy regulations and will be available to all Blackline clients at no additional cost. Firmware installation occurs automatically and wirelessly, over-the-air. Blackline customers who are interested in enabling close contact detection for their employees are welcomed to contact Blackline’s Client Success team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To learn more about the new close contact detection function and Blackline’s existing contact tracing solutions, visit www.blacklinesafety.com/contact-tracing.

About Blackline Safety: Blackline Safety is a global connected safety leader that helps to ensure every worker gets their job done and returns home safe each day. Blackline provides wearable safety technology, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and increase productivity of organizations in more than 100 countries. Blackline Safety wearables provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of men and women, having reported over 100 billion data-points and initiated over five million emergency responses. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, we ensure that help is never too far away. For more information, visit www.BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

INVESTOR/ANALYST:
Cody Slater, CEO
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Telephone: +1 403 451 0327

MEDIA:
Heather Houston
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Telephone: +1 904 398 5222
Cell phone: +1 386 216 9472

WESTLAKE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TravelCenters of America Inc. (Nasdaq: TA) (“TA”) today announced the closing of a new $200 million senior secured term loan facility (“Term Loan”). Terms of the new loan include interest payable at LIBOR, with a floor of 100 basis points, plus 600 basis points and a seven-year maturity. The loan will amortize in equal quarterly installments in aggregate annual amounts equal to 1.00% of the original principal amount, with the balance payable on the final maturity date. The loan is prepayable after two years at par and is secured by a pledge of all the equity interests of substantially all of TA’s wholly owned subsidiaries and a pledge of substantially all of TA’s other assets and the assets of such wholly-owned subsidiaries. TA expects to use the net proceeds from the Term Loan for general business purposes, including funding of deferred capital expenditures, updates to key IT infrastructure, and growth initiatives consistent with its Transformation Plan.

“As we look ahead to 2021, we have the people, the plan, the processes and now the liquidity to advance our transformation playbook to help this great company begin to achieve its potential. This term loan provides for these opportunities, which we will carry out with caution and care while we continue to manage through an uncertain pace of recovery from the pandemic that lies ahead,” said Jonathan M. Pertchik, TA’s Chief Executive Officer. "By closing this new loan, we have further strengthened our balance sheet and given ourselves increased flexibility in a dynamic capital environment. TA is well-positioned to address remedial site-level maintenance and much-needed IT upgrades, as well as fund our growth initiatives."

Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., PNC Capital Markets, LLC, U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC served as Joint Lead Arrangers for the Term Loan.

About TravelCenters of America Inc.
TravelCenters of America Inc. (Nasdaq: TA) is the nation's largest publicly traded full-service travel center network. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, its nearly 20,000 employees serve customers in over 270 locations in 44 states and Canada, principally under the TA®, Petro Stopping Centers® and TA Express® brands. Offerings include diesel and gasoline fuel, truck maintenance and repair, convenience stores, full-service and quick-service restaurants, car and truck parking and other services and amenities dedicated to providing great experiences for professional drivers and the general motoring public. TravelCenters of America operates nearly 650 full-service and quick-service restaurants and 10 proprietary brands, including Quaker Steak and Lube®, Iron Skillet® and Country Pride®. For more information, visit www.ta-petro.com.

Warning Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of the private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and other securities laws. These forward looking statements are based upon TA's present beliefs and expectations, but these statements are not guaranteed. For example:

• This press release states that TA intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general business purposes, including funding deferred capital expenditures and updates to key IT infrastructure. However, the proceeds may be used for other purposes.
• Statements about transformational initiatives and implementation of transitional plans may imply that these changes and developments will result in improvements to TA's business, operations and financial results. However, these changes may not be successful or sustainable. Further, even if they are successful and sustainable, other factors and risks may result in TA not achieving the benefits that it expects.
• Statements about TA’s balance sheet and liquidity may imply that TA has sufficient financial resources to fund operations for the foreseeable future, make new capital expenditures and invest in other growth initiatives. However, TA’s business is subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside TA’s control. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly negatively impacted the U.S. economy; if the current economic conditions continue for a sustained period or worsen, TA’s business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely impacted. These and other risks and uncertainties may result in TA not having sufficient financial resources to fund operations, make capital expenditures or invest in growth initiatives for the foreseeable future.

For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward looking statements. Except as required by law, TA does not intend to update or change any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Kristin Brown
TravelCenters of America
617-796-8251
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GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AmentumWin--Amentum has been awarded an $88 million contract to conduct Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E), and other research and development-related analytical services supporting the Electro-Optic Technology Division (JXQ) at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. Amentum, a leading contractor to U.S. federal and allied governments, was awarded this contract under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle. These DoD IAC MAC task orders (TOs) are awarded by the U.S. Air Force's 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository and the R&D and S&T community.

“Amentum has a long legacy of support for our Navy customers at Crane and we’re looking forward to helping JXQ develop and field state-of-the-art EO/IR technologies,” said Jill Bruning, president of Amentum’ s Intelligence, Systems Engineering, Security, Services and Solutions (IS4) strategic business unit. “Amentum will provide a world-class team of subject matter experts to address technology gaps and develop capability enhancements for leading-edge Maritime EO/IR technology while simultaneously improving system supportability.”

Under the five-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, Amentum will support JXQ by developing solutions to support Maritime Electro-Optic Infrared (EO/IR) Scientific and Technical projects; provide RDT&E of the next generation of Maritime EO/IR solutions for systems, such as lasers, visual augmentation systems, multi-sensor EO/IR targeting systems, weapon sights, beacons, sensors, displays, and peripherals for various shipboard gun weapon systems, and situational awareness platforms; insert state-of-the-art technology and capabilities; and extend component lifecycle. Amentum will leverage its new Model-Based Systems Engineering laboratory and collaboration center, located in the Westgate Technology Park in Crane, Ind., as well as its integration facility located in Linton, Indiana. Work will support the full spectrum of lifecycle services for Maritime EO/IR and related technologies to the Department of Defense and other government agencies.

ABOUT THE DOD IAC PROGRAM

The DoD IAC, sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center, provides technical data management and research support for DoD and federal government users. Established in 1946, the IAC program serves the DoD science & technology (S&T) and acquisition communities to drive innovation and technological developments by enhancing collaboration through integrated scientific and technical information development and dissemination for the DoD and broader S&T community.

ABOUT AMENTUM

Amentum is a premier global technical and engineering services partner supporting critical programs of national significance across defense, security, intelligence, energy, and environment. We draw from a century-old heritage of operational excellence, mission focus, and successful execution underpinned by a strong culture of safety and ethics. Headquartered in Germantown, Md., we employ more than 34,000 people in all 50 states and perform work in 105 foreign countries and territories. Visit us at amentum.com to explore how we deliver excellence for our customers’ most vital missions.

For Amentum:
Christine Fuentes
+1 (540) 935-9597
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Follow @Amentum_corp on Twitter

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: EAF) (“GrafTech” or the “Company”) today announced that affiliates of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and Brookfield Business Partners LP, members of the Brookfield consortium that has a majority ownership interest in GrafTech, intend, subject to market conditions, to offer 7,000,000 shares of GrafTech common stock in an underwritten secondary offering. The selling stockholders will receive all of the net proceeds from the offering. GrafTech is not offering any shares of common stock in the offering.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as the sole underwriter for the offering.

The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement (including a prospectus) (File No. 333-232190) and a preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering to be filed by GrafTech with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus included in that registration statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement and the other documents GrafTech has filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference into that registration statement for more complete information about GrafTech, its common stock and the offering. You may obtain a copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement, the prospectus included in the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein, when available, for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement for this offering may also be obtained, when available, by contacting Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2^nd Floor, New York, NY 10014.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. The offering of the common stock will be made only by means of the prospectus and related prospectus supplement.

About GrafTech

GrafTech International Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrode products essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Special note regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and related discussions may contain forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as “will,” “may,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “foresee”, “intend,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “target,” “goal,” “continue to,” “positioned to,” “are confident” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon our historical performance and on our current plans, estimates and expectations considering information currently available to us. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us that the future plans, estimates, or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. Our expectations and targets are not predictions of actual performance and historically our performance has deviated, often significantly, from our expectations and targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, financial results, financial condition, business, prospects, growth strategy and liquidity. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to: the ultimate impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows; the cyclical nature of our business and the selling prices of our products may lead to periods of reduced profitability and net losses in the future; the possibility that we may be unable to implement our business strategies, including our ability to secure and maintain longer-term customer contracts, in an effective manner; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, and like disputes, including the recently filed stockholder litigation and disputes related to contractual commitments; the possibility that global graphite electrode overcapacity may adversely affect graphite electrode prices; pricing for graphite electrodes has historically been cyclical and the price of graphite electrodes may continue to decline in the future; the sensitivity of our business and operating results to economic conditions and the possibility others may not be able to fulfill their obligations to us in a timely fashion or at all; our dependence on the global steel industry generally and the electric arc furnace steel industry in particular; the competitiveness of the graphite electrode industry; our dependence on the supply of petroleum needle coke; our dependence on supplies of raw materials (in addition to petroleum needle coke) and energy; the possibility that our manufacturing operations are subject to hazards; changes in, or more stringent enforcement of, health, safety and environmental regulations applicable to our manufacturing operations and facilities; the legal, compliance, economic, social and political risks associated with our substantial operations in multiple countries; the possibility that fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates could materially harm our financial results; the possibility that our results of operations could deteriorate if our manufacturing operations were substantially disrupted for an extended period, including as a result of equipment failure, climate change, regulatory issues, natural disasters, public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, political crises or other catastrophic events; our dependence on third parties for certain construction, maintenance, engineering, transportation, warehousing and logistics services; the possibility that we are unable to recruit or retain key management and plant operating personnel or successfully negotiate with the representatives of our employees, including labor unions; the possibility that we may divest or acquire businesses, which could require significant management attention or disrupt our business; the sensitivity of goodwill on our balance sheet to changes in the market; the possibility that we are subject to information technology systems failures, cybersecurity attacks, network disruptions and breaches of data security; our dependence on protecting our intellectual property; the possibility that third parties may claim that our products or processes infringe their intellectual property rights; the possibility that significant changes in our jurisdictional earnings mix or in the tax laws of those jurisdictions could adversely affect our business; the possibility that our indebtedness could limit our financial and operating activities or that our cash flows may not be sufficient to service our indebtedness; the possibility that restrictive covenants in our financing agreements could restrict or limit our operations; the fact that borrowings under certain of our existing financing agreements subjects us to interest rate risk; the possibility of a lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our debt; the possibility that disruptions in the capital and credit markets could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, or those of our customers and suppliers; the possibility that highly concentrated ownership of our common stock may prevent minority stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions; the possibility that we may not pay cash dividends on our common stock in the future; the fact that certain of our stockholders have the right to engage or invest in the same or similar businesses as us; the possibility that the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected by sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public markets, including by Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and its affiliates; the fact that certain provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and our Amended and Restated By-Laws could hinder, delay or prevent a change of control; the fact that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders; and our status as a "controlled company" within the meaning of the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance standards, which allows us to qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements, including the Risk Factors sections included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, and other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, except as required by law, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Wendy Watson
216-676-2000

Customers invited to join online webinar event to hear and ask questions on wildfire prevention plans and Public Safety Power Shutoff improvements in 2020 and beyond

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is continuing its important work to further reduce wildfire risks and improve the safety of its electric system. To help ensure that customers are part of safety efforts, PG&E will be hosting an interactive safety virtual town hall where the company will provide an overview of its work to further prevent wildfires in 2020 and PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff events this year.

The virtual town hall will feature a brief presentation and an opportunity for participants to ask questions and provide feedback.

The event will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The event can be accessed through the link or dial-in below or through PG&E’s website, www.pge.com/firesafetywebinars.

Click this link to join: https://bit.ly/2JWoDP3
Toll-Free Attendee Dial-in: (844) 738-1853
Conference ID: 9968387

During the town hall, members of PG&E’s safety and leadership team will discuss:

• PG&E’s wildfire prevention plans
• Overview PG&E’s improvements that made 2020 Public Safety Power Shutoffs shorter in length, smaller in size and smarter for customers
• Steps everyone can consider for staying safe this winter

While the webinar event will focus on customers impacted by a PSPS event in 2020, any of PG&E’s customers are welcome to join. Closed captioning will be available in English, Spanish and Chinese and there are dial-in numbers for those who aren’t able to join online.

More information about PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program, can be found at www.pge.com/wildfiresafety.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

MEDIA RELATIONS:
415-973-5930

Per Share Dividend to Increase from $2.18 to $2.30 on an Annual Basis

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 5.5% increase in the planned quarterly dividend rate for 2021, from $0.545 to $0.575 per share. On an annual basis, the per share dividend rate increases from $2.18 to $2.30. The Company also received authorization from its Board of Directors to repurchase up to $1.35 billion of the Company’s common stock, superseding the authority remaining under the $1.5 billion authorization announced in 2018.

“For eighteen consecutive years we have been able to increase our dividends due to the strength of our business and the growth in our free cash flow generation. We have a resilient business model and expect to continue to perform well in the coming years, positioning us to confidently increase our 2021 dividend rate,” said Jim Fish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Waste Management, Inc. “We are pleased to be able to return this cash to our shareholders, as dividends remain a top priority in utilizing our free cash flow.^(a)

“Now that we have closed the acquisition of Advanced Disposal, our remaining capital allocation plan, after paying our dividend, will initially focus on strengthening our balance sheet to quickly return to our targeted leverage ratio of 2.5 times to 3 times. We anticipate achieving that level in 2021. Our capital allocation framework has not changed, we remain focused on maximizing long-term value through growth and optimization investments and returning excess cash to shareholders,” concluded Fish.^(b)

Waste Management’s Board of Directors must declare each future quarterly dividend prior to payment. The Board of Directors intends to declare the first quarter 2021 dividend in February, at which time the Company will announce the record and payment dates for this dividend. It is expected that the first increased dividend will be paid in March of 2021.

The Company, from time to time, provides estimates of financial and other data, comments on expectations relating to future periods and makes statements of opinion, view or belief about current and future events. This press release contains such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the amount, declaration, timing and payment of dividends in 2021, future share repurchases, future capital allocation, future debt reduction, debt levels or leverage ratio, future balance sheet strength and future business performance and free cash flow. You should view these statements with caution. They are based on the facts and circumstances known to the Company as of the date the statements are made. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from those set forth in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, increased competition; pricing actions; failure to implement our optimization, growth, and cost savings initiatives and overall business strategy; failure to identify acquisition targets and negotiate attractive terms; failure to consummate or integrate acquisitions; failure to obtain the results anticipated from acquisitions; failure to successfully integrate the acquisition of Advanced Disposal, realize anticipated synergies or obtain the results anticipated from such acquisition; environmental and other regulations, including developments related to emerging contaminants and renewable fuel; commodity price fluctuations; international trade restrictions; weakness in general economic conditions and capital markets; public health risk and other impacts of COVID-19 or similar pandemic conditions, including increased costs, social and commercial disruption, service reductions and other adverse effects on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows; failure to obtain and maintain necessary permits; disposal alternatives and waste diversion; declining waste volumes; failure to develop and protect new technology; failure of technology to perform as expected, including implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system; failure to prevent, detect and address cybersecurity incidents or comply with privacy regulations; significant environmental or other incidents resulting in liabilities and brand damage; significant storms and destructive events influenced by climate change; labor disruptions; impairment charges; and negative outcomes of litigation or governmental proceedings. Please also see the Company’s filings with the SEC, including Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, for additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties applicable to its business. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, including financial estimates and forecasts, whether as a result of future events, circumstances or developments or otherwise.

ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management environmental services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides collection, transfer, disposal services, and recycling and resource recovery. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The Company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit www.wm.com.

Waste Management

Web site
www.wm.com

Analysts
Ed Egl
713.265.1656
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Media
Janette Micelli
602.579.6152
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BOUNTIFUL, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#cloud--Eclipse Tech, a provider of GPU workstations in the cloud, today announced a new partnership with LucidLink, an innovator in cloud file services that enables on-demand access to data from anywhere for fast, high-performance workloads and cloud workflows.

Eclipse Tech has streamlined the virtual workstation creation and management process, with an easy to use platform that can be set up in a matter of minutes. The integration of that platform and LucidLink Filespaces connects users directly to S3 compatible object stores for immediate access to data in the cloud, as if it were on a local drive. Users will no longer have to transfer files with a 3rd party utility, deal with slow VPNs, or deal with downloading and synchronizing data. In addition, users in various geographic locations will be able to simultaneously collaborate on projects with others directly from the cloud.

“We are excited to be working with Eclipse Tech to enable remote workers fast, secure access to data from anywhere,” said Scott Miller, Business Development Director, LucidLink. “With remote work being the norm, working directly from the cloud has become even more important. LucidLink and Eclipse Tech now enable users to collaborate no matter where they are. Users can access data from the cloud like it was on their local drive, streamlining workflows, and improving productivity.”

With the shift to remote work gaining momentum across the globe, working in the cloud is playing a crucial role in the way companies and individuals are restructuring how they do business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our focus is to simplify the cloud workstation process and provide an easy to use product that gives users anytime, anywhere access to all of the high powered tools they need in one central location,” said Tom Mabey, CEO and Founder of Eclipse Tech. “We are very excited to partner with LucidLink as this will allow our users to work with their data directly in S3, and open up new ways to work with data that they couldn’t do before.”

For more information visit the Eclipse Tech website at: www.eclipsetech.co or for a free demo contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Eclipse Tech

Eclipse Tech provides a next-generation cloud computing platform for remote work or learning - anywhere in the world. With its powerful, ready-to-use virtual desktop, Eclipse Tech’s simple process eliminates the need for expensive hardware usually needed for graphics-heavy workflows, without requiring a technical expert to set it up. Perfect for workflows and collaboration in media & entertainment, construction & engineering, manufacturing, scientific & medical research, gaming, and education. Eclipse Tech provides fully customizable configurations and tailored solutions, including shared storage, with a pay-as-you-go model. Follow and connect with Eclipse Tech on Twitter, Linkedin and our blog.

About LucidLink

LucidLink offers an innovative Cloud NAS solution designed specifically for extensive data access over distance. LucidLink Filespaces provides best-in-class security and high-performance scalability to run file-based workloads on object storage for maximum efficiency and productivity. The service is compatible with any object storage provider that utilizes cloud, on-prem, or hybrid storage, and it supports all major operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS. Investors currently include Baseline Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, S28 Capital, Fathom Capital, and Bright Cap Ventures. LucidLink is privately held and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with offices in Bulgaria, Europe, and Australia. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and visit us at www.lucidlink.com.

Kurt Walker
VP of Growth
801-362-4761
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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Engine No. 1, an investment firm which seeks to enhance long-term value through active ownership and which recently announced its intention to nominate four highly qualified, independent director candidates to the Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) (“ExxonMobil” or the “Company”) Board of Directors, today issued the following statement regarding ExxonMobil’s announcement of emission reduction targets for 2021-25 (to follow the Company’s prior targets expiring in 2020).

“Today’s announcement reinforces the urgent need for ExxonMobil to develop a strategy for long-term value creation and for new directors with successful track records in energy industry transformations to help it do so. While reducing emissions intensity is important, nothing in ExxonMobil’s stated plans better positions it for long-term success in a world seeking to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, as the Company itself acknowledges, nothing in its enhanced Scope 3 disclosure will lead to the reduction of such emissions.

“ExxonMobil remains committed to aggressive oil and gas capital expenditure plans requiring high oil and gas prices to break-even and continues to eschew material business diversification opportunities. This strategy inherently restricts ExxonMobil’s ability to pursue aggregate emission reduction targets and prevents it from better positioning itself to create long-term shareholder value in an evolving industry.

“We have called for ExxonMobil to improve capital allocation discipline and explore opportunities to profitably diversify its business with the help of new directors who have the skills and experience to help do so. Along with improving ExxonMobil’s financial picture and helping to protect its dividend, we believe these changes can help the Company establish Scope 1, 2 and 3 emission reduction targets as part of a sustainable, transparent, and profitable long-term plan. This is why we believe it is time for the Company’s shareholders to weigh in. We look forward to a constructive dialogue on this topic with the Company and its shareholders.”

Additional information regarding Engine No. 1’s plan may be found at www.ReenergizeXOM.com.

About Engine No. 1

Engine No. 1 is an investment firm purpose-built to create long-term value by driving positive impact through active ownership. For more information, please visit: www.Engine1.com

Important Information

Engine No. 1 LLC, Engine No. 1 LP, Christopher James, Charles Penner (collectively, “Engine”), Gregory J. Goff, Kaisa Hietala, Alexander Karsner, and Anders Runevad (collectively and together with Engine, the “Participants”) intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a definitive proxy statement and accompanying form of WHITE proxy to be used in connection with the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Exxon Mobil Corporation (the “Company”). All shareholders of the Company are advised to read the definitive proxy statement and other documents related to the solicitation of proxies by the Participants when they become available, as they will contain important information, including additional information related to the Participants. The definitive proxy statement and an accompanying WHITE proxy card will be furnished to some or all of the Company’s shareholders and will be, along with other relevant documents, available at no charge on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/.

Information about the Participants and a description of their direct or indirect interests by security holdings is contained in a Schedule 14A filed by the Participants with the SEC on December 11, 2020. This document is available free of charge from the source indicated above.

Disclaimer

This material does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in any state to any person. In addition, the discussions and opinions in this press release and the material contained herein are for general information only, and are not intended to provide investment advice. All statements contained in this press release that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are “forward-looking statements,” which are not guarantees of future performance or results, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “potential,” “could,” “opportunity,” “estimate,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. The projected results and statements contained in this press release and the material contained herein that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, speak only as of the date of this press release and involve risks that may cause the actual results to be materially different. Certain information included in this material is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable. No representation is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of such data, and any analyses provided to assist the recipient of this material in evaluating the matters described herein may be based on subjective assessments and assumptions and may use one among alternative methodologies that produce different results. Accordingly, any analyses should also not be viewed as factual and also should not be relied upon as an accurate prediction of future results. All figures are unaudited estimates and subject to revision without notice. Engine disclaims any obligation to update the information herein and reserves the right to change any of its opinions expressed herein at any time as it deems appropriate. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Engine has neither sought nor obtained the consent from any third party to use any statements or information contained herein that have been obtained or derived from statements made or published by such third parties. Except as otherwise expressly stated herein, any such statements or information should not be viewed as indicating the support of such third parties for the views expressed herein.

Media Contacts
Gasthalter & Co.
Jonathan Gasthalter/Amanda Klein
212-257-4170
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investor Contacts:
Innisfree M&A Incorporated
Scott Winter/Gabrielle Wolf
212-750-5833

METAIRIE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Biloxi Marsh Lands Corporation (PINK SHEETS: BLMC) today announces its unaudited results for the third quarter of 2020 and first nine months of 2020. The Company’s revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2020 from oil and gas production for its fee lands was $1,557 compared to revenue of $7,165 for the third quarter of 2019. Dividend and interest income for the third quarter of 2020 was $11,233 compared to $22,596 for 2019. The Company realized a cumulative gain from the sale of investment securities of $31,519 compared to a cumulative gain of $64,736 for the same period of 2019. The flow-through losses from the Company’s membership interests in limited liability companies was $73,188 for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $488,652 for 2019. During the third quarter of 2020, the Company recognized a settlement gain in the amount of $1,607,716. Expenses for the third quarter were $102,321 compared to $178,577 for the same period of 2019. The Company had net income of $1,546,908 or $0.62 per share for the third quarter of 2020 compared to a net loss of $483,946 or $0.19 per share in 2019. For the first nine months of 2020, there was net income of $521,134 or $0.21 per share compared to a net loss of $1,836,698 or $0.73 per share for the same period of 2019.

Due to office closures caused by COVID-19 and various tropical weather events, the timeliness of the Company’s office administration has been hindered slightly, but its field operations continue with impact only from the tropical weather events.

The Company’s claim (Biloxi Marsh Lands Corp., et al. v. United States; Case No. 12-382L) in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking monetary damages for property damage and losses caused by the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet is in the process of moving forward. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion for summary judgment on the issue of statute of limitations concerning the portion for the Company’s claim related to a taking of real property. The parties continue to await the Court’s decision. The Company cannot predict the timing of resolution or the outcome of this litigation process, but it is anticipated that this litigation process will take time.

During the third quarter, the Company received a settlement payment for its wetlands real property claim under the Halliburton Energy Service, Inc. / Transocean Settlements arising out of the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico beginning on April 20, 2010. These settlements are separate from the BP Deepwater Horizon Economic and Property Damages Settlement Program. The Company has been advised by our legal counsel that no additional recovery under the settlements is expected related to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

B&L Exploration, LLC (“BLX”), of which the Company owns a 75% membership interest, is contractually entitled to a 1.5% of 8/8ths overriding royalty interest (ORRI) in the mineral leases comprising the 9,000 acre - EOC-TUSC BL UDS SUA production unit from which the Highlander well is producing. This production unit is located in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana. A series of public hearings have taken place with respect to the production unit. The public meeting to consider the application by one of mineral owners requesting that the size of the unit be reduced was held and an order by the Louisiana’s Department of Natural Resources (“LDNR”), Office of Conservation has yet to be posted on LDNR’s website. Information reported by the Highlander well’s operator to LDNR is available on LDNR’s Strategic Online Natural Resources Information System (SONRIS – www.sonris.com).

BLX continues its operations in South Texas. As previously reported, B&L Resources, LLC (“BLR”), of which the Company owns a 50% membership interest, continues its development efforts in South Texas and is focused on its recent acquisition of Heyser Field from Frostwood Energy, LLC.

Biloxi Marsh Lands Corporation is a Delaware corporation whose principal assets are surface and mineral rights to approximately 90,000 acres of marsh land in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, which from time to time generates revenues from mineral activities including lease bonuses, delay rentals, royalties on oil and natural gas production, and fee land income unrelated to oil and gas activities. Through investment in limited liability companies the Company also has separate interests in various oil and gas properties in Louisiana and Texas outside of its fee lands.

We encourage you to visit our website to obtain general information about the Company, its efforts in the coastal restoration arena, as well as historical annual reports and press releases. We strongly recommend that all interested parties become familiar with the information available on the Company’s website: www.biloximarshlandscorp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding all of the Company’s business activities including without limitation oil and gas discoveries, oil and gas exploration, and development and production activities and reserves. Accuracy of the forward-looking statements depends on assumptions about events that change over time and is thus susceptible to periodic change based on actual experience and new developments. The Company cautions readers that it assumes no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to the forward-looking statements in this report. Important factors that might cause future results to differ from these forward-looking statements include: variations in the market prices of oil and natural gas; drilling results; unanticipated fluctuations in flow rates of producing wells; oil and natural gas reserves expectations; the ability to satisfy future cash obligations and environmental costs; and general exploration and development risks and hazards. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Each such statement speaks only as of the day it was made. The factors described above cannot be controlled by the Company. When used in this report, the words “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “expects”, “could”, “should”, “outlook”, and “anticipates” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

The following “Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity” and “Statements of Revenues and Expenses” have been derived from interim unaudited financial statements which do not include the information and footnotes that are an integral part of a complete financial statement.

Inquiries should be made through the Contact Mailbox on the Company’s website: http://www.biloximarshlandscorp.com/contact/.

Biloxi Marsh Lands Corporation
Belle Bellard: 504-837-4337

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR) today announced that Roger W. Jenkins, President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the MKM Partners Virtual Conference on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time (ET).

The live audio webcast presentation will be available on the company’s website at http://ir.murphyoilcorp.com.

ABOUT MURPHY OIL CORPORATION

As an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, Murphy Oil Corporation believes in providing energy that empowers people by doing right always, staying with it and thinking beyond possible. It challenges the norm, taps into its strong legacy and uses its foresight and financial discipline to deliver inspired energy solutions. Murphy sees a future where it is an industry leader who is positively impacting lives for the next 100 years and beyond. Additional information can be found on the company’s website at www.murphyoilcorp.com.

Investor Contacts:
Kelly Whitley, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 281-675-9107
Megan Larson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 281-675-9470

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AI--Energy Systems Network (ESN) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), organizers of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), will hold a press conference on January 11, 2021, on Media Day at CES 2021, to unveil the official racecar that will be autonomously driven by scores of university teams in the world’s first high-speed head-to-head autonomous race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The IAC race is scheduled for October 23, 2021, with a qualifying simulation race to be held during the Indy 500 week next May. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Racing Capital of the World, has also been a catalyst and proving ground for motorsport and transportation innovation since its inception in 1909.

What: Press Conference to Unveil the Official Racecar of the Indy Autonomous Challenge

When: January 11, 2021 at 2:00pm EST, followed by Q&A, as part of CES 2021 Media Day

Participants:

• Paul Mitchell, president & CEO, Energy Systems Network
• Mark Miles, president & CEO, Penske Entertainment Corp.
• Doug Boles, president, Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Stefano dePonti, CEO and general manager, Dallara USA
• Sebastian Thrun, CEO, Kitty Hawk and chairman and founder, Udacity, winner of the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge,

The IAC will also host two 30-minute live Spotlight Sessions on January 12 and 13, 2021. The first: Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles, presented by Energy Systems Network. The second: Technology in Motorsports, presented by Bridgestone.

The IAC builds on the successful impact of the DARPA Grand Challenge, which led to expanded R&D in the field of autonomous vehicles. Twenty-eight teams, comprising more than 500 undergraduate and graduate students, PhDs and mentors who excel in AI software, are registered to compete, representing 11 countries on four continents.

About the Indy Autonomous Challenge

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), organized by Energy Systems Network (ESN) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), is a $1.5 million prize competition among universities to program modified Dallara IL-15 racecars and compete in the world’s first autonomous head-to-head race around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 23, 2021. IAC sponsors include: ADLINK, Ansys, Aptiv, AutonomouStuff, Bridgestone, CU-ICAR, Dallara, Indiana Economic Development Corp., Microsoft, New Eagle, PWR, RTI, Schaeffler, Valvoline.

About CES® - The Global Stage for Innovation

CES® is the most influential tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage.

Press Kits and BROLL will be distributed on January 11, 2021, posted on the IAC/CES microsite and IAC website. To learn more, visit: IndyAutonomousChallenge.com and follow us on Twitter (#IAC2021) and LinkedIn

Journalists attending the press conference must register by January 8, 2021 as media with CES 2021: https://ces2021.eventcore.com/

Diane Murphy, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; +1.310.658.8756
Alex Damron This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; +1.317.501.4218

Largest U.S. Manufacturer of Above-Ground Storage Tanks and Processing Equipment Well-Positioned for Market Recovery

ODESSA, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Permian Tank & Manufacturing (“Permian Tank” or the “Company”), today announced it has been acquired by New Permian Holdco, LLC, resulting in a successful exit of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings for the Company’s operations. The sale was supported by Permian Tank’s current lender, who provided incremental financing to strengthen the Company during the transition and has committed to provide additional growth capital.

The buyer, New Permian Holdco, LLC (“New Permian”) will continue to provide its industry leading tanks and vessels throughout the Permian, Eagle Ford, Bakken and other major U.S. plays. Additionally, New Permian has made a strategic investment in the Company’s modular unit and skidded systems production capabilities. The Company believes its ability to offer a one-stop, turn-key solution provides an immediate growth catalyst as the oil field services sector continues a broad push toward margin improvement coming out of 2020.

Michael Haynes, Company President, said, “Permian Tank continues to focus on engineering and manufacturing best-in-class products for its customers. Our newly engineered, high-specification integrated solution offerings provide our customers with a simplified supply chain through a single point of contact that delivers a lower cost and higher efficiency end-product. We remain committed to our employees and customers and have emerged from this process stronger than ever as we continue to position Permian Tank for long-term success.”

About Permian Tank

Permian Tank is the largest United States’ manufacturer of above-ground storage tanks and processing equipment for the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry. Permian Tank has more than 40 years of operating experience, with manufacturing plants located throughout Texas and South Dakota, serving shale plays throughout the United States.

Permian manufactures a variety of wellsite related processing equipment, including storage tanks, production vessels, and skid mounted modular system packages.

Media:
Permian Tank
(432) 580-1050

Haass speaks with IHS Markit Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin for the latest CERAWeek Conversations – available at www.ceraweek.com/conversations

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the latest edition of CERAWeek Conversations, Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the major themes of his new book The World: A Brief Introduction and applies them to the challenges facing the world at it heads into 2021. He urges society to adopt a mindset that connects the impact of individual and domestic actions on international issues.

In a conversation with Daniel Yergin, vice chairman, IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO), Haass frames the uniqueness of today’s global challenges in a historical context, explores the pushback against globalization, examines U.S.-China relations, the growing divide with Russia, and regional risks posed by Iran, and presents new models for international collaboration on climate change and trade.

The complete video is available at: www.ceraweek.com/conversations

Selected excerpts:
Interview Recorded Tuesday, December 8, 2020

(Edited slightly for brevity only)

• On the major foreign policy challenges for the Biden Administration:
  
  “It’s one hell of an inbox. It begins with a lot of the domestic pressures stemming from COVID-19. We’re not going to have the bandwidth to deal with a lot of the world if we can’t get on top of this virus at home. We may not think of a pandemic as a national security challenge, but it really is.
  
  “You have various manifestations of great power challenge, fundamentally different ones, from Russia and China. Then you’ve got the problem countries – places like North Korea, Iran, Venezuela. And then you’ve got global issues like climate. It’s an extraordinary inbox facing the new administration.”

• On how America’s traditional allies view the United States:
  
  “Many of them, particularly in Europe, to some extent in Asia, are dismayed. Quite honestly, they get up in the morning and they see things and they shake their heads because this is not the United States they knew or thought they knew. Even the election result, which most of our traditional allies welcomed, they are worried not simply over the president’s pushing back, but rather the sense that 70 million Americans voted for someone so outside the general mainstream of American foreign policy of the last 75 years.
  
  “They’re worried what this might portend for the future. A lot of our allies don’t know what’s the norm and what’s the aberration. And is the next four years, which kind of looks like a return to the past, is that something that can be taken for granted going forward? Or just the opposite – is the Biden Administration likely to be a one-term phenomenon and then we return to some version of Trumpism with or without the man? It has injected a great degree of uncertainty. I think you’re going to see a degree of hedging behavior on the part of allies in Europe and Asia.”

• On U.S.-China relations:
  
  “This history of the Cold War doesn’t help us so much with China. It’s a very different kind of challenge than was the Soviet Union because China is so economically powerful and economically integrated. The challenge for American foreign policy is, how do you push back against China where we need to over what they’re doing in the South China Sea or what they might do with Taiwan? How do we push back where it’s warranted, but how do we do so in a way that, one, does not lead to a conflict and, two, doesn’t preclude the possibility of cooperation on climate or North Korea or something like global health where it’s obviously in our interest that the two of us do cooperate. That’s a real challenge for foreign policy.
  
  “It’s so much easier when you have a one-dimensional relationship, but to have a relationship with multiple dimensions is a much more difficult foreign policy and statecraft challenge.”

• On the challenges of Iran and Russia:
  
  “I would describe Iran as an imperial power. They want to have a role; they want to have a sway that transcends the borders of Iran. They want to be first among equals and they want a degree of deference towards them. Iran is a real challenge because they are not a status quo country and they have a lot of tools at their discretion. They are constrained to some extent by internal political divisions and they’re clearly constrained by American sanctions, but Iran is a real force to be reckoned with in the region.
  
  “Mr. Putin gets up in the morning and in his worldview, what we represent – our kind of liberalism in the traditional sense of the word – he sees as a threat to Russia and to his rule over Russia. With the new administration in the United States, which is going to put more of an emphasis on political issues and democracy promotion, on human rights, the friction between the U.S. and Russia will heat up. But I also think the new administration will be businesslike. You’ll hopefully have an extension of the New START nuclear agreement. I think there’ll be regular diplomacy, not necessarily the kind of personal diplomacy that we saw with Trump and Putin, but more the kind of stuff that has been the norm for decades.”

• On new international approaches to dealing with climate change:
  
  “If you look at Paris, the whole structure is each country sets its own ambitions. And then you add it all up and see what you’ve got. The problem is, you look at the ambitions and you add it up and it’s inadequate. One approach for the future is essentially 'Paris 2.0' where countries would agree to lay out more ambitious timetables and goals for themselves when it comes to reducing emissions. That’s possible, but I just don’t see that will ever get us to where we need to go.
  
  “The most interesting area for creative thinking is going to be in the realm of trade and whether in the future certain trade agreements…we would enter such a group and then over time such a group would adopt climate criteria: if you want to export into us you have to meet certain climate related standards. If you can’t, you’ll be subject to a tariff. We need a whole different mindset. Rather than thinking about a top-down, universal, concentrated approach to climate, we’re going to have to think about a much more multifaceted approach, more ground-up, some national, some various kind of multilateral. But the approach to climate is going to have to be very different if it’s going to succeed.”

• On global responses to COVID-19:
  
  “If you look at how countries have fared, it doesn’t break down along the nature of the system. There’s been successful democracies, and there have been democracies that have failed. You have successful authoritarian systems, then you have [Iran and Russia]. It’s all about the leadership, not about the nature of the system.
  
  “The World Health Organization clearly failed early on. It’s another example of how the institutional machinery of the world is inadequate to the task. China did not meet its obligations early on under the international health regulations. It shows how there’s still a real tension in the world between sovereign rights and sovereign obligations and we haven’t sorted that out. We’re going to have an interesting test coming up with the question of vaccine production, dissemination and funding. An interesting question will be, Can the world come up with an approach to dealing with vaccines and therapeutics and sharing tests where there really is a genuine sharing? At the moment I’d simply say we’re not there.”

• On potential new pushback to international trade:
  
  “I think there may be a new push against trade because of supply chain issues. Coming out of COVID and other experiences, more and more governments may say: 'We can’t afford to be so vulnerable to this or that supply chain potential disruption, therefore what we’re going to have to do is have more domestic mandated production.' The problem, is, if every country on its own decides to go down the path of domestic mandated production it’s called import substitution; it’s called protectionism. If we do go down that path at all I would argue it’s essential it be coordinated within the World Trade Organization. It can’t just be done unilaterally.”

• On the unique global challenges of today in a historical context:
  
  “This is an era in which power has been distributed widely – power in all of its manifestations – and it’s in more hands. Not all those hands are the hands of nation states. [They] could be corporations, could be foundations, elements of civil society. Second, this is an era of history that is increasingly defined by global challenges. We’re living with one now – infectious disease that became a pandemic – but also climate change, proliferation, terrorism, cyber space and the digital domain, a global monetary order.
  
  “All of these are manifestations of globalization; all of these present all sorts of challenges. What makes this era of history so interesting, challenging, difficult and different, is that in addition to the normal stuff of history, we have widely distributed capacity in a wide set of hands at a time we are also facing these global challenges and in every one of these cases there is a large gap between the scale of the challenge and the degree of international resolve and consensus to meet it.”

• On the motivation behind his writing “The World: A Brief Introduction:”
  
  “The reason I thought it was necessary to do was, simply, I thought so few people in my country, but also around the world, have a real appreciation for why the world matters, how it affects their lives and, in turn, what they or their company or their government does and how that affects the world at the same time. If you don’t understand why the world matters, you’re much more prone to not paying attention to it, to support policies like isolationism, essentially to discount the importance of international things even though we live in a moment where they’re arguably more important than ever.
  
  “Even if you studied these things years ago, what you studied is in many ways irrelevant. The world is dynamic. If you watch the news at night in the U.S. and many counties, you don’t get an awful lot of coverage of the world. On the internet there’s tons of information – the problem is there’s tons of stuff that is inaccurate. Jefferson said a democracy requires an informed citizenry. You need the people – the citizens of a society – to hold their elected and appointed representatives to account, to ask the tough questions. How can you ask the tough questions if you’re not informed? I wrote this for people of any and every age because we are all so affected by what’s going on beyond our borders.”

• On the fatigue among Americans of U.S. engagement in the world:
  
  “For the last 75 years of history the principal agent of promoting order in the world has been the U.S., beginning with WWII, the creative aftermath to WWII, the Cold War and the rest. What worries me now is a lot of Americans are tired of this role. They don’t see the connections, they don’t understand how the world affects them, about how American foreign policy has affected the world. The cost-benefit ratio of our involvement in the world has been remarkable. But you wouldn’t know that if you don’t study history.
  
  “Also, recent experiences of the U.S. in the world, things like Iraq and Afghanistan where clearly the costs outweighed the benefits, we did make mistakes. Then you’ve got all these domestic demands, immediately now dealing with COVID. But even apart from COVID, we have the opioid problem, violence issues, infrastructure, public schools, race. There’s a natural inclination to discount the world, to turn inward. For a lot of people what matters not only begins at home but also stays close to home. As a result, there’s a real discounting of the significance of the world on their fate.”

• On the splintering of support for globalization:
  
  “Globalization has brought many good things. If you look at the last 70-75 years you can see the increase in wealth around the world, the absence of great power conflict, access to information through the internet, the ability to travel, many more countries are independent, many more people have degrees of freedom. This has been a remarkable era of history.
  
  “It really has been something of a golden age, yet there’s enormous pushback against globalization and in part some of it is understandable. There are aspects of globalization, including infectious diseases, which are anything but benign. There are many manifestations of globalization that are problematic. The problem is there’s lots of good things including trade, business, the free flow of ideas. The challenge is how do you push back against the bad part of globalization without throwing the baby out with the proverbial bath water?”

Watch the complete video at: www.ceraweek.com/conversations

About CERAWeek Conversations:

CERAWeek Conversations features original interviews and discussion with energy industry leaders, government officials and policymakers, leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities—and energy technology innovators.

The series is produced by the team responsible for the world’s preeminent energy conference, CERAWeek by IHS Markit.

New installments will be added weekly at www.ceraweek.com/conversations.

Recent segments also include:

• Fostering Cultures of Diversity & Inclusion – Joni Davis, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Duke Energy, and Lee Jourdan, chief diversity officer, Chevron interviewed by IHS Markit Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin
• Leadership Dialogue: Ignacio S. Galán – Iberdrola Chairman and CEO interviewed by IHS Markit Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin
• Leadership Dialogue: Vicki Hollub – Occidental President and CEO interviewed by IHS Markit Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin
• Post-Election Outlook: Energy, Climate & Geopolitics – Meghan L. O'Sullivan, Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor International Affairs, Harvard University; Atul Arya, chief energy strategist, IHS Markit; Nariman Behravesh, chief economist, IHS Markit. Moderated by IHS Markit Senior Vice President Carlos Pascual
• Growing Share of Gas in India's Energy Mix: What is realistic? – Meg Gentle, president and CEO, Tellurian Inc.; Manoj Jain, chairman and managing director, GAIL India Ltd.; Ernie Thrasher, CEO and chief marketing officer, Xcoal Energy & Resources. Moderated by Michael Stoppard, chief strategist, global gas, IHS Markit

A complete video library is available at www.ceraweek.com/conversations.

About IHS Markit (www.ihsmarkit.com)

IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 business and government customers, including 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world’s leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, IHS Markit is committed to sustainable, profitable growth.

IHS Markit is a registered trademark of IHS Markit Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners © 2020 IHS Markit Ltd. All rights reserved.

News Media:
Jeff Marn
IHS Markit
+1 202 463 8213
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Press Team
+1 303 858 6417
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Doosan GridTech, a global EPC leader in energy storage, will deploy a battery storage solution that provides grid stability for Australia's third-largest economy.

BRISBANE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vena Energy-Australia has named Doosan GridTech as its engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner to build Queensland's largest energy storage system. This battery energy storage system (BESS) will play a major role in improving grid stability and supporting the state's shift to renewable energy. Located near Wandoan in the state's southwest region, the BESS will have a discharge capacity of 100MW and deliver 150MWh—enough to provide power for 57,000 homes.

"As our first grid-scale energy storage project, the Wandoan South BESS in South West Queensland required an EPC partner that carries Doosan's expertise depth and market credibility," said Anil Nangia, Head of Vena Energy-Australia. "We view Doosan as a long-term partner who shares our desires to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in the Asia-Pacific region and to enrich local economies and communities."

Doosan's design of one of the largest battery systems in Australia features:

• a customized battery building that will efficiently manage the safety, protection, and ambient temperature control for more than 20,000 lithium-ion batteries;

• Doosan's cutting-edge control and monitoring software to operate the plant's energy management system and allow the BESS' participation in the ancillary service market;

• the ability to convert to battery/solar hybrid control for future system evolution.

"We are honored that Vena Energy has chosen Doosan to deliver Queensland's largest battery energy storage system as the country enters a new dawn of renewable energy solutions," said Adrian Marziano, General Manager, Doosan GridTech- Australia. "The Wandoan South BESS represents a big step in building our momentum to provide high megawatt grid-scale battery storage systems. Again, we are demonstrating that competitively priced turnkey systems deployed alongside advanced and flexible control platforms are winning propositions for global renewable developers. Turnkey delivery provides simplicity of purchase and a higher degree of short-term risk management. Advanced and upgradable software ensures long-term risk management in the form of flexibility for technology options and adaptation to meet future grid needs."

Doosan's Intelligent Controller (DG-IC®) will be the operating software platform of the Wandoan South BESS. It is one of the first storage control systems built on open standard interfaces and is custom-designed to meet the Australian transmission system's rigorous requirements. The DG-IC is the advanced intelligence of a BESS system designed to provide speedy response against complex schedules and operating modes while ensuring that power quality is maintained.

Vena Energy-Australia is a subsidiary of Vena Energy, a leading Independent Power Producer (IPP) of renewable energy in the Asia-Pacific region with over 11 gigawatts in operation, construction, and development. In Australia, Vena Energy is progressing over 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy projects across the country. Headquartered in Singapore, Vena Energy manages the development, design, procurement, construction, and maintenance of its solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems in Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. Vena Energy is committed to engaging local communities through its portfolio projects' investment lifecycles and incorporating the management of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards into its strategy and business practices. For more information, please visit www.venaenergy.com.

Doosan GridTech® is a multi-disciplined team of power system engineers, software developers, and turnkey energy storage specialists. We help electric utilities and other megawatt-scale power producers evaluate, procure, integrate and optimize energy storage, solar power, and other distributed energy resources. Our battery storage experts in Seattle, Melbourne, and Seoul have designed, built, and controlled over 30 energy storage installations in the Americas and Asian-Pacific regions – representing 310MW of capacity. Ranked as one of the top energy storage solution providers by Navigant Research and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, we are the proud recipients of two Grid Innovation Awards from GreenTech Media. Our parent company, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd., is a multibillion-dollar global conglomerate that serves power and industrial markets. www.doosangridtech.com

Media Contacts:

For Doosan GridTech:
Adrian Marziano
General Manager, Doosan GridTech-Australia
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61 406 579 116

For Vena Energy:
Gareth Quinn
Director, Republic PR
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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BizVibe is continuing to expand the number of companies which can be discovered and tracked within their oil and gas extraction category offering. Users can browse unlimited company profiles, allowing them to discover 3,000+ oil and gas extraction companies, spanning across 50+ countries, which are categorized into 10+ product and services. Discover Companies for Free

Company profiles listed under oil and gas extraction are defined as being primarily engaged in the exploration, development, and/or the production of petroleum or natural gas using drilling and extraction techniques. BizVibe’s detailed company profile insights help users to discover, track, evaluate, and connect with oil and gas extraction companies from all over the world.

More Details: https://mining.bizvibe.com/oil-and-gas-extraction/

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Oil and Gas Extraction: Related Product and Service Categories

BizVibe’s oil and gas extraction industry group is categorized into 10+ related products and services. Discover companies for all 10+ offerings which include:

• Gas Production
• Natural Gas Reserves
• Mining Extraction
• Toxic Gas Neutralizers
• Crude Oil Production

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Discover Companies in the Mining Industry Group

BizVibe lists oil and gas extraction as a part of their mining industry. This industry contains five total industry groups which all contain thousands of company profiles that can be viewed for free. There are 5,000+ mining company profiles on BizVibe which are segmented into the following categories (in addition to oil and gas extraction):

• Coal Mining
• Metal Ore Mining
• Support Activities for Mining
• Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

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BizVibe for Buyers and Sellers

BizVibe is the modern B2B platform dedicated to connecting global buyers and sellers. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe provides outstanding product features for both category managers and sales professionals.

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This all-in-one platform was designed to equip users with all necessary tools needed to complete the entire buying/sales cycle in a single workspace.

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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#Converter--Technavio estimates the global HVDC converter stations market to grow by USD 3.36 billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 14% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

The market is driven by the increase in global power demand. However, the ongoing slowdown in the Chinese economy might challenge growth.

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HVDC Converter Stations Market: Technology Landscape

Based on technology, the market saw maximum growth in the LCC segment in 2019. The segment is driven by the increased use of LCC HVDC converter stations from underground and submarine connection applications. The market growth in the segment will be significant over the forecast period.

HVDC Converter Stations Market: Geography Landscape

74% of the market’s growth originated from APAC in 2019. The increasing emphasis on renewable energy is one of the key factors fueling the growth of the HVDC converter stations market in APAC.

China and India are the key markets for HVDC converter stations in APAC.

Develop Smart Strategies for Your Business: Get a Free Sample Report Now!

Major Three HVDC converter stations Market Vendors:

ABB Ltd.

ABB Ltd. operates its business through segments such as Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, Robotics & Discrete Automation, and Corporate and Other. The company builds HVDC converter stations such as 800 kV HVDC.

Alstom Holdings SA

Alstom Holdings SA operates its business through segments such as Rolling Stock, Signalling solutions, Integrated systems, and Services. The company builds HVDC converter stations such as 800 kV and 600kV HVDC.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. operates its business through segments such as Power and Industry. The company builds HVDC converter stations such as 500 kV HVDC.

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Related Reports on Industrials Include:

Global Power Transmission Lines and Towers Market – Global power transmission lines and towers market is segmented by type (HVAC and HVDC) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America). Get a free sample report to know more

Global Power Tool Accessories Market – Global power tool accessories market is segmented by end-user (professional and consumer) and geographic landscape (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America). Get a free sample report to know more

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio’s in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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• Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
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• Covers market data for 2019, 2020, until 2024
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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio’s report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio’s comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Advanced Grid Planning Tool Lays Out a Roadmap for How to Most Cost Effectively Transition to a Clean Grid by 2050

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The full technical report of the recent advanced grid study “Why Local Solar for All Costs Less: A New Roadmap for the Lowest Cost Grid” fills in the details of how and why distributed solar and storage assists lower-cost pathways to a clean electricity grid. It shows that when including co-optimization of the distribution interface, the local solar and storage supports the development of cleaner electricity on the utility grid and lower costs for all customers.

The savings for a clean electricity grid are in excess of $473 billion (not including any indirect benefits). The “augmented” version (with distribution co-optimization) for clean electricity is over $88 billion lower cost than business as usual (without distribution co-optimization). In the augmented clean electricity scenario, the model developed 247 GW of distributed solar, 160 GW of distributed storage, and 20 GW of demand-side management, while deploying 800GW of utility-scale wind, 800 GW of utility-scale solar, and 192 GW of utility-scale electric storage. The buildout of utility-scale wind and solar is increased by co-optimizing the distribution infrastructure.

The half-a-trillion dollars in savings emerges from the distribution demand (observed from the utility grid) becoming more flexible. The flexibility unlocks the distribution demand enabling it to shift to varying supply rather than being fixed and almost entirely relying on supply conforming to demand. This new found flexibility reduces spending in the distribution grid for peak consumption from the utility grid, facilitates more variable renewables (VRE) on the utility grid (reducing redundant excess utility-grid capacity), and eases the morning and evening transitions where VRE output and demand are at their more disparate.

The study relied on a state-of-the art grid planning tool developed by Vibrant Clean Energy. The tool - called WIS:dom^®-P and developed by Dr. Christopher T M Clack – analyzes trillions of data points including every potential energy resource and the direct costs and benefits associated with bringing the most cost-effective resource mix to the electric grid. The model was recently updated to take into account, and enhance the delivery of, local solar and storage generation located closer to customers on the distribution side of the grid.

The main takeaways from the advanced modeling show:

• A clean electric grid that leverages expanded local solar and storage is $88 billion less expensive than a grid that does nothing different than we’re doing today (no clean electricity mandates and not leveraging expanded local solar and storage). This proves that moving to clean electricity targets can save the country money versus the status quo.

• Under a national 95% clean electricity target, leveraging expanded local solar and storage can save the U.S. $473 billion by 2050 compared to a clean electricity grid that doesn’t expand local solar and storage.

• More local solar and storage unlocks the potential of utility-scale solar and wind. The lowest cost grid requires a lot more utility-scale solar. In fact, retiring fossil-fueled power plants that run infrequently and deploying local storage more efficiently will help integrate 798 GW of utility-scale solar and 802 GW of utility-scale wind by 2050.

• Scaling local solar and storage results in over 2 million local jobs by 2050. The cost analysis accounted for direct costs and benefits only, but local solar and storage brings additional societal benefits to communities such as jobs, increased economic development, increased resilience, and more equitable access to the benefits of renewables.

“This study indicates that the current practice of ignoring (or assuming) distributed-scale resources in utility plans will result in higher costs for customers, higher GHG emissions, and lower job prospects for the industry compared with coordinated planning,” said Dr. Christopher T M Clack, founder and CEO of Vibrant Clean Energy. “Furthermore, the modeling tools required to provide insight for all stakeholders should include computations that resolve the distribution resources at some granularity to perform analysis on the co-benefits."

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About Vibrant Clean Energy: A nationally recognized energy grid modeling firm based in Boulder, Colorado. VCE^® creates computer optimization software to study pathways for energy systems futures. It also performs studies using WIS:dom^® to provide expertise in new arenas of electrification, decarbonization and variable resources. The mission of VCE is to help facilitate universal, sustainable, and cheap energy for everyone. www.VibrantCleanEnergy.com

This executive summary of the report can be downloaded:
https://www.vibrantcleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WhyDERs_ES_Final.pdf

The full technical study report can be downloaded:
https://www.vibrantcleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WhyDERs_TR_Final.pdf

The accompanying result summary slide show can be downloaded:
https://www.vibrantcleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LocalSolarRoadmap_FINAL.pdf

The WIS:dom^®-P model output national capacities spreadsheet can be downloaded:
https://www.vibrantcleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Summary-Capacities_Nov2020.xlsx.zip

Sarah McKee (DOO Vibrant Clean Energy LLC), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spark Connected, (www.sparkconnected.com) a global leader in developing advanced and innovative wireless power technology and system level solutions, announces a partnership with gapcharge, innovators of integrated smart wireless charging solutions.

The 100W Ogre solution is part of Spark Connected’s portfolio of high-power industrial wireless charging solutions, which includes the recently announced 300W Yeti solution. This turnkey B2B system is designed for a broad range of Industry 4.0 applications such as factory autonomous mobile robots, logistic fleet management, electric mobility, and automatic guided vehicles (AGVs). The technology ensures a safe and simple user charging experience ideally suited for gapcharge’s electro mobile logistics, light vehicle, and scooter performance systems.

According to Ruwanga Dassanayake, Chief Operating Officer at Spark Connected, “Spark Connected, together with gapcharge, is spearheading and building the autonomous future of power. Automated factories along with smart fleet management and e-mobility can now easily adopt Spark Connected’s safe, efficient, and proven industrial grade wireless power solutions.”

“Industrial applications will transition to wireless power in the coming years and we are excited and looking forward to the partnership,” said Gregor Schmid, CEO at gapcharge. “Spark Connected has great domain expertise and technology in wireless power, which we want to transfer and be a pioneer in the field of logistics. Spark Connected and gapcharge have the same goal: a wireless future.”

Highlights of Spark Connected’s solution include:

• 100W charging without exotic thermal management
• Industry’s highest efficiency at 95%
• System includes both receiver and transmitter
• Built-in safety features, ensuring a safe and simple user charging experience
• Supports future products and standards with a software upgrade
• Products can be hermetically sealed and still allow charging / power delivery
• Infineon XMC™ wireless power Microcontroller

About Spark:

Spark Connected | powering the world, wirelessly

Spark connected is a global leader specializing in multiple advanced and safe wireless power technologies that benefits a wide variety of applications in the Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, Medical, Robotics, Security, Factory Automation, IOT, Smart Home, and Consumer markets.

Spark is transforming wireless power delivery and intelligent battery charging with innovative platforms, disruptive technology and breakthrough products enabling an enhanced user experience for all. The company specializes in Product Development and Engineering Solutions with a team of passionate innovators with decades combined deep domain expertise.

Spark Connected is a Full Member of the Wireless Power Consortium.

For more information visit: www.sparkconnected.com

About gapcharge:

gapcharge was founded in 2020 as a spin-off of the University Duisburg-Essen in Germany. The idea of the young company is to combine wireless charging with a smart fleet management system for logistic fleets like e-scooters or e-pallet trucks.

The system of gapcharge makes logistics more efficient and can save costs during the whole life cycle. The high level of data transparency extends the lifetime of batteries and optimizes charging cycles regarding the usage profile and operating times.

The start-up won many awards including the prestigious Digital Logistics Award 2020. For more information about gapcharge visit: www.gapcharge.com.

Spark:
Please forward inquiries to:
Marina Wolf
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gapcharge:
Please forward inquiries to:
Gregor Schmid
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Semi-annual Payments are 5.5 percent Higher Than One Year Ago

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second half of 2020, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) paid property taxes of over $268 million to the 50 counties where it owns properties that support gas and electric service to 16 million Californians.

“Property tax payments are one of the important ways PG&E helps drive local economies and supports essential public services like education and public safety. This year’s payments reflect the substantial local investments we continue to make in our gas and electric infrastructure to create a safer and more reliable system and to better mitigate against wildfires,” said David Thomason, Vice President, Controller and Chief Financial Officer for PG&E.

PG&E’s payments of more than $268 million covers the period from July 1 to December 31, 2020. Total payments for the tax year of July 1, 2020, to, June 30, 2021, are more than $537 million — an increase of nearly $28 million, or 5.5 percent, compared with the prior tax year.

The increase in property tax payments reflect PG&E’s continuing investments to enhance and upgrade its gas and electrical infrastructure for safety, reliability and wildfire mitigation across Northern and Central California.

PG&E supports the communities it serves in a variety of ways. Last year, PG&E provided $17.5 million in community grants and investments to enhance local educational opportunities, preserve the environment, and support economic vitality and emergency preparedness. PG&E employees provide volunteer service in their local communities. The company also offers a broad spectrum of economic development services to help local businesses grow.

PG&E’s First Installment of Property Taxes Paid on December 10, 2020

• Alameda — $32,404,709
• Alpine — $80,538
• Amador — $1,108,032
• Butte — $ 5,667,359
• Calaveras — $ 1,191,644
• Colusa — $ 4,137,638
• Contra Costa — $ 21,497,366
• El Dorado — $ 1,740,390
• Fresno — $ 18,276,652
• Glenn — $ 1,002,342
• Humboldt — $ 4,106,763
• Kern — $ 9,771,985
• Kings — $ 1,706,582
• Lake — $ 961,632
• Lassen — $ 51,276
• Madera — $ 2,510,612
• Marin — $ 4,750,923
• Mariposa — $ 318,727
• Mendocino — $ 1,824,242
• Merced — $ 3,967,492
• Modoc — $ 214,875
• Monterey — $ 4,022,424
• Napa — $ 3,369,198
• Nevada — $ 1,357,769
• Placer — $ 6,606,295
• Plumas — $ 2,565,430
• Sacramento — $ 7,024,199
• San Benito — $ 877,418
• San Bernardino — $ 1,450,867
• San Diego — $ 6,446
• San Francisco — $ 14,835,825
• San Joaquin — $ 13,167,723
• San Luis Obispo — $ 10,392,451
• San Mateo — $ 15,317,959
• Santa Barbara — $ 1,180,653
• Santa Clara — $ 33,320,405
• Santa Cruz — $ 2,016,295
• Shasta — $ 6,227,812
• Sierra — $ 124,531
• Siskiyou — $ 100,917
• Solano — $ 6,654,033
• Sonoma — $ 8,764,068
• Stanislaus — $ 2,904,283
• Sutter — $ 1,415,569
• Tehama — $ 1,551,202
• Trinity — $ 181,612
• Tulare — $ 610,699
• Tuolumne — $ 910,615
• Yolo — $ 2,917,664
• Yuba — $ 1,474,638

Total payments -- $268,640,779

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

MEDIA RELATIONS:
415-973-5930

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Algoma Central Corporation (“Algoma” or “the Company”) (TSX: ALC), a leading provider of marine transportation services, today announced that the Company’s Board of Directors authorized payment of a Special Dividend to shareholders of $2.65 per common share.

The dividend is payable on January 12, 2021 to shareholders of record on December 28, 2020.

“Algoma has invested approximately $750 million over the past ten years and our shareholders have been extremely supportive of our fleet renewal and fleet expansion ambitions,” said Gregg Ruhl, President and Chief Executive Officer of Algoma. “The very attractive refinancing that we completed last week now affords us the ability to reward our shareholders for this support. Algoma’s business and balance sheet are strong and we are well positioned to meet our objective of being the Marine Carrier of Choice™ for our customers, suppliers, partners, employees and shareholders,” Mr. Ruhl continued.

About Algoma Central

Algoma owns and operates the largest fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Waterway, including self-unloading dry-bulk carriers, gearless dry-bulk carriers, cement carriers and product tankers. Algoma also owns ocean self-unloading dry-bulk vessels operating in international markets and a 50% interest in NovaAlgoma, which owns and operates a diversified portfolio of dry-bulk fleets serving customers internationally.

Gregg A. Ruhl
President & CEO
905-687-7890

Peter D. Winkley CPA, CA
Chief Financial Officer
905-687-7897