I/ONX Shatters the Host Tax: New Symphony SixtyFour Architecture Delivers 50% TCO Savings Across AI Inference and Fine-Tuning Lifecycle

 Eliminating infrastructure overhead of legacy designs, I/ONX debuts a scaled AI inference and fine-tuning stack that cuts power by up to 30kW per rack and reduces cost of rack-scale deployments by up to 70%

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--I/ONX High Performance Compute (HPC), a leading provider of heterogeneous AI systems, today announced the global launch of the Symphony SixtyFour, a high-density platform designed to collapse the physical and economic footprint of AI inference and fine-tuning infrastructure. By supporting up to 64 accelerators on a single node, I/ONX eliminates the redundant Host Tax—the massive overhead in power, hardware, and licensing that negatively impacts ROI in enterprise AI.

While inference now accounts for 90% of enterprise AI workloads, enterprises are entirely limited to deploying inference on training hardware platforms. Symphony SixtyFour provides significant advantages for reduced CapEx and OpEx for inference and fine-tuning workloads. In training comparisons, the I/ONX system recovers the 30kW Host Tax typically wasted on redundant CPUs, memory, and support hardware in multi-node clusters and simplifies ongoing support tasks. For production-scale inference on alternative accelerators, the platform is even more transformative, drawing one-fourth the power of a traditional 64-device cluster—completely eliminating liquid cooling needs for inference only.

“Enterprise AI infrastructure is entering a new phase of maturity,” said I/ONX CEO Justyn Hornor. “The training-centric designs of the past served us well during the experimental phase, but they weren't optimized for the power-constrained, production-heavy world we live in today. With Symphony SixtyFour, we’ve reimagined the stack to be more fluid and fit for purpose, allowing organizations to master massive-scale inference while finally eliminating the unnecessary infrastructure waste that has hindered ROI.”

The Symphony SixtyFour Advantage: Fit for purpose Silicon. The platform is engineered to maximize every watt and dollar for Enterprise AI.

Eliminating the Training Host Tax: For large-scale inference and fine-tuning, Symphony SixtyFour collapses the infrastructure stack from eight nodes into one. This consolidation removes up to 30kW of wasted support power, allowing for higher compute density within existing power envelopes.

Zero-Hop, near-Deterministic Performance: By housing 64 accelerators within a single OS instance, Symphony SixtyFour eliminates the East-West network latency.

Heterogeneous Flexibility: Symphony SixtyFour is fully vendor-neutral and built for mixed-mode operations. Enterprises can seamlessly pair high-end GPUs (including AMD/NVIDIA) with more purpose built, low power co-processors and layer in specialized inference silicon (Axelera/FuriosaAI/Tenstorrent) future-proofing infrastructure against shifting market dynamics.

Collapsing OpEx by simplifying the Host Tax: Beyond hardware and power, Symphony SixtyFour provides massive operational relief. By presenting a 64-device fleet through a single management environment, I/ONX collapses the Software Tax, saving enterprises up to $500,000 annually in Enterprise Operating Systems and orchestration licensing per cluster.

I/ONX accelerates the enterprise shift toward systems designed specifically for inference and fine-tuning at scale. Symphony SixtyFour is available now, enabling organizations to reclaim critical power capacity and reduce costs. I/ONX is committed to delivering high-density infrastructure required to unlock the maximum economic and operational potential of production AI.

About I/ONX

I/ONX High Performance Compute (HPC) is the pioneer of heterogeneous AI infrastructure, and is redefining the AI lifecycle by eliminating the Host Tax of legacy architectures. The I/ONX flagship Symphony SixtyFour consolidates up to 64 accelerators into a single node, reducing rack-scale TCO by 50% or more. By dramatically lowering power consumption and maximizing hardware utilization, I/ONX enables enterprises to achieve production-scale AI with unprecedented efficiency and faster ROI.

 

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Contacts

I/ONX High Performance Compute

media@i-onx.com

 

SBC Medical Announces Closing of Previously Announced Secondary Public Offering of 3.1 million shares of Common Stock

 IRVINE, Calif. - 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated (Nasdaq: SBC) (“the Company”), a Management Service Organization operating a wide range of franchise businesses across diverse medical fields, today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten secondary public offering of 3,100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock by Dr. Yoshiyuki Aikawa (the “Selling Stockholder”) at the public offering price of $3.25 per share. The proceeds from the offering to the Selling Stockholder were approximately $10.1 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions.

The Company did not sell any shares of its common stock in the offering. The Selling Stockholder received all of the proceeds from the offering.

Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole book-running manager and Roth Capital Partners acted as the co-manager for the offering.

The offering was made pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The offering was made only by means of a prospectus supplement filed with the SEC and the accompanying prospectus. A final prospectus supplement describing the terms of the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, and the final prospectus supplement may be obtained by contacting: Maxim Group LLC, 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Syndicate Department, or by telephone at (212) 895-3745 or by email at syndicate@maximgrp.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, 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 any such state or jurisdiction.

About SBC Medical

SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated is a Management Services Organization operating a wide range of franchise businesses across diverse medical fields, including advanced aesthetic healthcare, dermatology, orthopedics, fertility treatment, gynecology, dentistry, alopecia treatment (AGA), and ophthalmology. The Company manages a diverse portfolio of clinic brands and is actively expanding its global presence, particularly in the United States and Asia, through both direct operations and medical tourism initiatives. In September 2024, the Company was listed on Nasdaq, and in June 2025, it was selected for inclusion in the Russell 3000® Index, a broad benchmark of the U.S. equity market. Guided by its Group Purpose “Contributing to the well-being of people around the world through medical innovation,” SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated continues to provide safe, trusted, and high-quality medical services while further strengthening its international reputation for quality and trust in medical care.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts or statements of current conditions, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events and performance, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” “targets,” “hopes,” “intends” or the negative of these or similar terms. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them; such factors include, among other things, changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, and those listed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated

Hikaru Fukui / Head of IR Department; E-mail: ir@sbc-holdings.com

 

Bureau Veritas: A Steady Organic Revenue Growth in the First Quarter 2026

 An evolving macro-environment and a transitioning portfolio mix;

Updated 2026 outlook

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bureau Veritas (BOURSE:BVI):

Q1 2026 Key figures1

› Revenue of EUR 1,547.0 million, up 4.5% organically, and down 0.8% year-on-year
› Strong organic growth from Marine & Offshore at +11.2% and Buildings & Infrastructure at +7.3% with moderate growth for Consumer Products Services at +4.3%, Certification at +2.3%, Agri-Food & Commodities at +2.1%, and Industry at +0.7%,
› Stable scope effect of (0.1)%, from bolt-on acquisitions (+1.8% contribution), net of disposals (-1.9%),
› Negative currency impact of 5.2%, resulting from the euro’s appreciation against most currencies.

Q1 2026 Highlights

› Maintained steady performance across most regions, in an environment marked by disruptions related to the conflict in the Middle East; growth in the Industry business impacted by the delays of Opex-related services mainly in the Middle East,
› Continued progress in execution of the Group’s LEAP | 28 strategy, pivoting its portfolio towards higher‑growth and higher‑margin activities. Four acquisitions signed or completed so far this year, contributing approximately EUR 136 million in annualized revenue, with the acquisition of LotusWorks considerably enhancing the Group’s position in Mission Critical assets,
› Moody’s rating maintained at A3,
› EUR 200 million share buyback program announced at the end of February 2026, in line with the commitment to continue to improve shareholder returns.

Updated 2026 Outlook

Complex geopolitics and an uncertain macro environment are shaping 2026 in addition to the launch of an in-depth review of the terms of an exit from the Group’s “Government Services” subsegment, following the decision to terminate certain contracts in the Middle East & Africa region.

The Group is therefore updating its guidance for full-year 2026, as follows:

› Mid-single-digit organic revenue growth (vs. mid-to-high single-digit organic revenue growth previously),
› Improvement in adjusted operating margin at constant exchange rates (unchanged),
› Strong cash flow generation (unchanged).

The Group is fully committed to its LEAP | 28 financial guidance, benefiting from favorable market trends and from the sustained execution of the strategy’s portfolio and performance programs.

Hinda Gharbi, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“Bureau Veritas recorded organic growth of 4.5% in the first quarter of 2026 in an evolving macro environment and while navigating a fluid situation in the Middle East. I thank our teams in the Middle East for their resilience and commitment, and all our employees around the world for their outstanding work.

We are committed to our mission of trust as we serve our customers and we are working in partnership with various stakeholders in a spirit of transparency and accountability.

We are progressing steadily in the execution of our LEAP | 28 portfolio programs, recently acquiring LotusWorks. In combination with our existing activities, this sector specialist forms a unique platform representing c. EUR 300 million in revenue, servicing Mission Critical assets such as datacenters and semiconductors fabs.

We are updating our full-year 2026 growth outlook to account for the current macroeconomic environment and the termination of certain contracts within the “Government Services” subsegment. Furthermore, the Group is fully committed to delivering on the financial ambitions of the LEAP | 28 plan, benefitting from favorable market trends and the sustained execution of the strategy’s programs.”

Q1 2026 KEY FIGURES
			GROWTH
IN EUR MILLION	Q1 2026	Q1 2025(a)	CHANGE	ORGANIC	SCOPE	CURRENCY
Marine & Offshore	143.9	136.2	+5.7%	+11.2%	+0.0%	(5.5)%
Agri-Food & Commodities	278.3	297.1	(6.4)%	+2.1%	(4.7)%	(3.8)%
Industry	323.2	335.8	(3.7)%	+0.7%	+2.3%	(6.7)%
Buildings & Infrastructure	496.2	476.2	+4.2%	+7.3%	+0.9%	(4.0)%
Certification	133.9	134.1	(0.1)%	+2.3%	+0.7%	(3.1)%
Consumer Products Services	171.5	179.3	(4.3)%	+4.3%	(0.8)%	(7.8)%
Total Group revenue	1,547.0	1,558.7	(0.8)%	+4.5%	(0.1)%	(5.2)%
(a) Q1 2025 figures by business have been restated following a reclassification of activities impacting the Agri-Food & Commodities and Buildings & Infrastructure businesses (c. EUR 0.3 million)

› Steady organic revenue growth in the first quarter

Revenue in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to EUR 1,547.0 million, an 0.8% decrease compared to the first quarter of 2025. The Group delivered an organic growth of 4.5%.

By business, and on an organic basis, the growth was led by Marine & Offshore, up 11.2%, and Buildings & Infrastructure, up 7.3%. Consumer Products Services grew 4.3% while moderate growth was achieved for Certification, up 2.3%, Agri-Food & Commodities up 2.1% and Industry, up 0.7% compared to the first quarter of 2025.

By geography, the Americas (24% of revenue, up 1.7% organically) was led by a 6.8% organic increase in North and Central America, particularly in the United States. Europe (38% of revenue) achieved 3.4% organic growth, supported by solid momentum in Buildings & Infrastructure and in Industry across the region. Asia‑Pacific (27% of revenue) recorded strong organic growth of 7.9%, benefiting from robust activity in Eastern Asia, including China, and in Australia. Finally, Africa and the Middle East (11% of revenue) delivered a resilient 5.5% organic growth, supported by the execution of the backlog of energy‑related projects and continued strong Buildings & Infrastructure activity in the region despite the first impact of the conflict at the end of the quarter.

The scope effect was broadly neutral at (0.1)%, reflecting bolt-on acquisitions (contributing to +1.8%) finalized in the past few quarters and offset by the impact of divestments completed over the last twelve months (contributing to -1.9%).

Currency fluctuations had a negative impact of 5.2%, due to the strength of the euro against most currencies and against unfavorable comparables.

› Solid financial position

At the end of March 2026, the Group's adjusted net financial debt was materially unchanged compared with the levels as of December 31, 2025. The Group has in place EUR 600 million of undrawn committed lines of credit. Bureau Veritas has a solid financial structure with most of its debt maturities in 2027 and beyond (save per the EUR 200 million maturing in September 2026) and at fixed interest rates.

On April 10, 2026, Moody’s reaffirmed Bureau Veritas’ A3 rating, highlighting its leading market position, diversified and resilient business model, conservative financial policy, and solid cash flow generation.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMITMENTS

› Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) key indicators

	UNITED NATIONS’ SDGS	Q1 2025	Q1 2026	2028 TARGET
ENVIRONMENT / NATURAL CAPITAL
CO2 emissions (Scopes 1 & 2, 1,000 tons)2	#13	133	124	107
SOCIAL & HUMAN CAPITAL
Total Accident Rate (TAR)3	#3	0.24	0.24	0.23
Gender balance in senior leadership (EC-II)4	#5	27.8%	29.1%	36.0%
Number of learning hours per employee (per year)5	#8	40.3	40.4	40.0
GOVERNANCE
Proportion of employees trained to the Code of Ethics	#16	99.5%	99.4%	99.0%

2026 SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAM

In line with the commitment to continue to improve shareholder returns, on February 25, 2026, the Group announced a new EUR 200 million share buyback program, to be completed within the next twelve months. The program is subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting of May 19, 2026 if any or all is to be executed after that date.

In accordance with the terms of the share buyback program approved by the Annual General Meeting, the purchased shares will be used for any purpose authorized by the Company’s shareholders at the Annual General Meeting of June 19, 2025, for any or all of the program to be executed before the Annual General Meeting of May 19, 2026.

For any or all of the program to be executed after the Annual General Meeting of May 19, 2026, the purchased shares will be used for any purpose authorized by the Company’s shareholders at that date.

LEAP I 28 FOCUSED PORTFOLIO UPDATE

Since the beginning of the year 2026, the Group has signed agreements or completed the acquisition of four companies, representing annualized cumulated revenue of c. EUR 136 million in 2025. These acquisitions — one in the Mission Critical assets segment and three others in the Sustainability and public sectors — support LEAP I 28’s strategic goal to expand the Group's existing leadership position and advance the Buildings & Infrastructure (Capex & Opex) portfolio development strategy.

› Expand the Group’s existing leadership positions:

• Mission Critical assets: in April 2026, Bureau Veritas announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire LotusWorks. This Ireland-based company is a leading provider of commissioning, quality assurance and quality control, calibration, maintenance, and construction management services for Mission Critical facilities serving semiconductor manufacturers and data center owners. The Company operates in the United States and Europe, and employs 750 people including highly skilled experts. In 2025, LotusWorks generated EUR 131 million in revenue. This acquisition will enhance Bureau Veritas’ organic growth, will be accretive to the Group’s Adjusted Operating Margin, and will be slightly accretive to earnings in 2026. This strategic move will uniquely position the Buildings & Infrastructure Product Line to benefit from AI-driven construction investments.
• Sustainable Construction Services (SCS) and Verte (UK) in January and February 2026, two providers of sustainability consulting services in the real estate sector, specializing in certification of green buildings, energy efficiency assessments, net zero carbon and energy modelling. Combined, these two companies employ 42 employees and generated annualized cumulated revenue of c. EUR 4 million in 2025.
• ADS COM (France) in January 2026, in the public sector, delivering examination and review services for building permit application files for local authorities (public service delegation). The company employs 13 people and recorded c. EUR 1 million in revenue in 2025.

For more information, the press releases are available by clicking here.

1	Alternative performance indicators are presented, defined and reconciled with IFRS in appendix 3 of this press release.
2	Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions are calculated over a 12-month rolling period. The most recent quarter is estimated based on the corresponding quarter from the previous year.
3	TAR: Total Accident Rate (number of accidents with and without lost time x 200,000/number of hours worked).
4	Proportion of women from the Executive Committee to Band II (internal grade corresponding to a management or executive management position) in the Group (number of women on a full-time equivalent basis in a leadership position/total number of full-time equivalents in leadership positions).
5	Indicator calculated over a 12-month rolling period.

DECISIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ACTIVITIES

Pursuant to internal alerts, the Company has conducted investigations that uncovered deviations in the Middle East & Africa region, primarily in the “Government Services” subsegment.

The Chief Executive Officer has proposed several remedial measures needed in the short and medium term to the Board of Directors. At its meeting on April 21, 2026, the Board of Directors supported and approved all of these actions:

› The Company took the decision to immediately and voluntarily disclose the situation to the French authorities, in a spirit of transparency and cooperation. The Company will provide an update on the financial consequences of these deviations and disclosure as soon as it can do so.
› Furthermore, the Company will terminate the contracts in question and will continue the in-depth review of its activities within the “Government Services” subsegment (which represented c. EUR 185 million in revenue in 2025) to determine the appropriate terms of its exit from this subsegment. As a result, the Group is updating its full-year 2026 growth outlook.
› Bureau Veritas’ existing compliance framework will be reinforced to ensure that all activities fully adhere to the Group’s ethics and compliance standards. The Company has implemented disciplinary measures and based on the findings of its internal investigation, does not rule out further action. Bureau Veritas is committed to implementing all necessary measures to prevent the re-occurrence of these practices.

UPDATED 2026 OUTLOOK

Complex geopolitics and an uncertain macro environment are shaping 2026 in addition to the launch of an in-depth review of the terms of an exit from the Group’s “Government Services” subsegment, following the decision to terminate certain contracts in the Middle East & Africa region. The Group is therefore updating its guidance for full-year 2026, as follows:

› Mid-single-digit organic revenue growth (vs. mid-to-high single-digit organic revenue growth previously),
› Improvement in adjusted operating margin at constant exchange rates (unchanged),
› Strong cash flow generation (unchanged).

The Group is fully committed to its LEAP | 28 financial guidance, benefiting from favorable market trends and from the sustained execution of the strategy’s portfolio and performance programs.

‘Concrete in Life 2025/26’ Winners Announced – Spectacular Photographs From Around the World

 LONDON - Wednesday, 22. April 2026 AETOSWire 

Concrete in Life Photo of the Year from the Philippines wins $10,000 top prize

Over 20,000 international entries from professional photographers and smartphone amateurs

Concrete is the world’s most used substance after water

 

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Powerful and striking images from around the world have been chosen as the winners of the Concrete in Life 2025/26 global photography competition, showcasing the essential role concrete plays in daily life, infrastructure, cities, and design.

Run by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the annual competition received more than 20,000 entries from professional and amateur photographers, as well as smartphone users, spanning every continent. The competition highlights how concrete supports modern life while also offering moments of beauty, creativity and human connection.

Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA, said: “The spectacular images submitted this year show concrete’s positive impact on people’s lives all over the world - sometimes practical, sometimes almost hidden, and sometimes very beautiful.”

The Concrete in Life Photo of the Year 2025/26, receiving the top prize of USD$10,000, was awarded to Celbert Palaganas for “Pillars Across the Sea”, taken in Cebu City, Philippines. The image captures green coastal plants in the foreground while the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway, the longest bridge in the Philippines, stretches across the horizon, creating a striking contrast between nature and engineering.

Celbert Palaganas said: “I am deeply honored and truly grateful to be the winner of this year’s competition. What inspired me was the contrast I witnessed in a single moment – the strength and permanence of concrete rising above, and the quiet strength of nature growing below. In that frame, I saw not conflict, but coexistence, where engineering and nature share the same space.”

Commenting on the winning picture, competition Judge, Chris George, Content Director at Digital Camera World said: “What a brilliant image with great colour, using the huge depth of field available with a smartphone to ensure the plants in the foreground are as sharp as the bridge’s structure.”

As well as the overall winner, four other category winners were also announced, each receiving a prize of USD$2,500. Ralph Emerson De Peralta was named category winner in Urban Concrete, for his photo called “Dubai Rising.” A photo of the MRT Rail Tunnel in Jakarta called “Hidden Connection” by Rafly Rinaldy won the Concrete Infrastructure category. Naitao Li (李迺涛) won the Concrete in Daily Life category for “Time and Space Travellers” in Harbin, China. The Beauty and Design category was won by Marcel Van Balken for his photo “Triangles” set in Antwerp, Belgium.

The People’s Vote prize, chosen by the public with a USD$5,000 prize, was won by Aung Chan Thar for “Rhythm on Concrete” set in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Mr Guillot added: “Concrete delivers our vital infrastructure such as bridges, railways and roads that connect us, as well as the homes, offices and schools we rely on every day. This competition gives people the opportunity to show just how important concrete is to them.”

All the winners and their picture details and quotes, as well as the wider 100 shortlisted pictures and online gallery can be viewed at Concrete in Life 2025/26 - Global Photography Competition : GCCA.

Notes to editors:

Winning images can be found in the media link here.

The full shortlist is available to download from our website.

You can view our winners video here.

 

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Stephanie Mackrell

Stephanie.Mackrell@gccassociation.org

ExaGrid Named a Finalist for the Storage Awards 2026

 ExaGrid Product Line, Partner Program, and Team Nominated in 16 Categories for “The Storries XXIII”

(BUSINESS WIRE)--ExaGrid®, the world’s largest independent backup storage vendor providing Tiered Backup Storage with the most Comprehensive Security and AI-Powered Retention Time-Lock for Ransomware Recovery, today announced that it has been nominated in 16 categories for the 23rd annual Storage Awards.

ExaGrid has become a finalist in the following categories:

Storage Innovator of the Year

Immutable Storage Company of the Year

Storage Industry Champion – Commercial

Storage Industry Champion – Marketing

Channel Excellence Award

AI Data Storage Innovator of the Year

Cyber Resilient Storage Company of the Year

Ransomware Product of the Year

Data Protection Company of the Year

Enterprise Backup Hardware Vendor of the Year

Object Storage Vendor of the Year

Storage Optimisation Company of the Year

Capacity Storage Vendor of the Year

Channel Partner Programme of the Year

Storage Product of the Year

Storage Company of the Year

Voting to determine the winner in each category is underway now and closes on June 4, 2026. Winners of this year’s awards will be announced at “The Storries XXIII” awards ceremony held in London on June 18, 2026.

“We are honored to be nominated in so many categories that highlight our unique position as the industry’s largest independent backup storage vendor, with a product that ‘just works,’ and a team that values channel partnerships,” said Bill Andrews, President and CEO of ExaGrid. “We hope that our partners and customers will take a moment to vote on the 23rd annual Storage Awards, and we look forward to the awards ceremony in June.”

About ExaGrid

ExaGrid provides Tiered Backup Storage with a unique disk-cache Landing Zone, long-term retention repository, scale-out architecture, and comprehensive security features, including AI-Powered Retention Time-Lock to recover from a ransomware attack. ExaGrid’s Landing Zone provides for the fastest backups, restores, and instant VM recoveries. The Repository Tier offers the lowest cost for long-term retention. ExaGrid’s scale-out architecture includes full appliances and ensures a fixed-length backup window as data grows, eliminating expensive forklift upgrades and forced product obsolescence. ExaGrid offers the only two-tiered backup storage approach with a non-network-facing tier (tiered air gap), delayed deletes, and immutable objects to recover from ransomware attacks.

ExaGrid has physical sales and pre-sales systems engineers in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Benelux, Brazil, Canada, Chile, CIS, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and other regions.

Visit us at exagrid.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. See what our customers have to say about their own ExaGrid experiences and learn why they now spend significantly less time on backup storage in our customer success stories. ExaGrid is proud of our +81 NPS score!

ExaGrid is a registered trademark of ExaGrid Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 

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Media Contact:

Mary Domenichelli

ExaGrid

mdomenichelli@exagrid.com

 

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Compagnie Commune de Réassurance des Etats Membres de la CIMA

 (BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” (Good) of Compagnie Commune de Réassurance des Etats Membres de la CIMA (CICA-RE) (Togo). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect CICA-RE’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and marginal enterprise risk management.

CICA-RE’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which is expected to remain comfortably at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), with organic capital generation likely to be sufficient to support the company’s strategic growth plans. CICA-RE’s balance sheet strength assessment also factors in its good financial flexibility, demonstrated through successful capital raises from existing and new shareholders in recent years, which have grown paid-up capital to XOF 60 billion (USD 95 million) at year-end 2025. CICA-RE holds a well-diversified investment portfolio by asset type and country; however, assets are concentrated in the Conférence Interafricaine des Marchés d’Assurances (CIMA) region, which exposes the company’s balance sheet to elevated economic, political and financial risks.

CICA-RE has a track record of adequate operating performance, demonstrated by a five-year (2020-2024) weighted average return-on-equity of 9.4%. Over this period, the company has reported a profitable technical performance, evidenced by a five-year (2020-2024) weighted average combined ratio of 95.1% (as calculated by AM Best) for its non-life business. CICA Re’s earnings are supported by solid investment income, highlighted by a five-year weighted average net investment return (including unrealised gains/losses) of 5.7%. AM Best expects the company to have remained profitable in 2025, despite recent claims pressures on its underwriting performance.

CICA-RE’s neutral business profile assessment reflects its good market position in the CIMA region, where the reinsurer benefits from compulsory cessions on reinsurance and direct insurance businesses, as well as established direct relationships with local cedants. CICA-RE’s gross written premiums (GWP) have grown strongly in recent years, with a five-year compound average growth rate of 16%. This was supported by revisions to the legal cessions’ structure in the CIMA region in 2020, and the company’s focus on regional and international expansions. The assessment considers CICA-RE’s good diversification by lines of business and product type, as well as its small size by global standards, with GWP of XOF 137 billion (USD 217 million) in 2024.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

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Horse Powertrain Reveals Lightweight Hybrid V6 System at Beijing Auto Show 2026

 BEIJING - Wednesday, 22. April 2026 AETOSWire Print 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Horse Powertrain, a global leader in innovative and low-emission powertrain systems, has revealed the HORSE W30 – the company’s first production-ready V6 engine – ahead of the Beijing Auto Show 2026.

The HORSE W30 marks a first for Horse Powertrain, in transferring its expertise in developing optimized three- and four-cylinder engines into the V6 category. By deploying its expertise in this way, Horse Powertrain has developed the lightest V6 on the market and created a hybrid-first V6 with outstanding fuel economy and efficiency.

The HORSE W30 is a 3-liter engine that can be fitted in a transverse or longitudinal configuration, allowing it to be packaged in a wide variety of vehicles. The two rows of cylinders are offset at an angle of 90° to lower the engine’s center of gravity, improving ease of installation and optimizing catalyst layout.

The engine can output between 350-400kW of power and 600-700Nm of torque, with a maximum speed of 8,000rpm. To maximize efficiency and fuel economy, the HORSE W30 features integrated exhaust manifolds with turbochargers mounted directly on the cylinder heads. The engine weighs just 160kg, approximately 10kg less than the next-lightest V6 engine on the market today.

The HORSE W30 is intended to be deployed in mild- and full-hybrid vehicles, with the first models featuring the engine reaching the roads in 2028. To show the hybrid-first mindset of the HORSE W30, the engine will be presented at Beijing alongside the new HORSE 4LDHT four-speed hybrid transmission.

The HORSE 4LDHT weighs just 199kg and is designed to be mounted in a P1 + P3 configuration. The P1 motor used to support the engine crankshaft and charge the vehicle’s battery can output between 250-300kW, with the P3 motor used to support driving capable of outputting between 350-450kW in a P3 configuration.

Matias Giannini, Chief Executive Officer of Horse Powertrain, said: “At Horse Powertrain, we believe we can offer automakers unprecedented economies of scale and innovation by consolidating the powertrain production and development pipeline that traditionally would have been replicated by many individual OEMs, allowing everyone in the industry to benefit from best-in-class technologies. The HORSE W30 is clear proof of this concept – bringing our mindset and expertise to a new category, we’ve developed the lightest V6 that was designed from the outset to support hybrid vehicles.”

Fortune Zhao, Chief Technology Officer of Horse Powertrain, said: “The HORSE W30 showcases Horse Powertrain’s technological versatility, and represents our first venture into the V6 engine category. Leveraging expertise from our wide portfolio of hybrid-first engines, the HORSE W30 is lighter and more compact than any other V6 currently on the market, all while delivering superior performance. As well as embodying our engineering sophistication, it also highlights our flexibility in providing world-class hybrid solutions to every market.”

The HORSE W30 and HORSE 4LDHT will be available in 2028.

About Horse Powertrain

Horse Powertrain is a global leader in innovative, low-emission hybrid and combustion powertrain solutions, supporting automotive OEMs with a range of systems including engines, transmissions, power electronics, range extenders, and integrated hybrid platforms. Horse Powertrain has operations in Europe, China, and South America, and employs over 19,000 people across 18 plants and five R&D centers. Its 25 customers include Renault Group, Geely Auto, Volvo Cars, Proton, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Horse Powertrain is headquartered in London, UK.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260421176701/en/

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Contacts

For more information, please contact:

Kate Saxton: kate.saxton@horse-powertrain.com, +34 679 07 20 87

Performance Communications: horse@performancecomms.com