March 2017 Issue No 013 by GineersNow

WORLD’S FIRST ENGINEERING NEWS FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS

MARCH 2017

ISSUE NO. 013

JACK MA:

Re-Engineering the Online Distribution and E-Commerce SPOTLIGHT ON MANAGEMENT: • 6 Skills Young Engineers Must Have • Which Engineering Jobs Have The Highest Salaries • 10 Qualities Top Engineering Companies Look For In An Engineer • 7 Mistakes Engineering Leaders Do When Leading A Team

SPECIAL FEATURE ARTICLES BY: MCDERMOTT / PETROCHEM DAIKIN / VEOLIA / KÄRCHER ITRON

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

SPONSORED CONTENT

Jack Link's

Creating environmentaly sustainable waste/ wastewater treatment system methane-rich biogas, while UF membranes create a high-quality eﬄuent that is discharged into the municipal sewer system.

THE CHALLENGE Jack Link's, a leading protein snack producer, was in need of a water treatment solution at its facility in Alpena, South Dakota. Jack Link’s previous wastewater treatment system consisted of a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system for FOG (Fats, Oils, & Grease) and TSS reduction. Eﬄuent from the system was discharged directly to the sewer system, and the city municipal treatment plant was becoming overloaded as a result of the facility’s production increases and high BOD loads.

Biogas from the Memthane system is then treated by Veolia’s Sulfothane system. This treatment step removes sulfur compounds from the biogas, which are highly corrosive and can damage downstream equipment. The scrubbed biogas is then sent to a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Generator, creating onsite electricity and oﬀsetting energy costs. THE RESULT The Memthane and Sulfothane systems have exceeded performance and client expectations. Final permeate discharge from the Memthane system averaged less than 100 ppm BOD for greater than 98% BOD removal rates. Membrane operation during the first 24 months of operation was stable, with flux rates ranging from 9 to 18 lmh.

THE SOLUTION

The Sulfothane system was able to reduce the biogas’s H2S levels from 6,000-8,500 ppm to less than 10 ppm, which is well below the generator’s manufacturer specifications.

Veolia Water Technologies partnered with Jack Link’s to develop a process that would solve the facility’s high BOD discharge issue, while simultaneously creating biogas as a byproduct to reduce the plant’s energy costs.

Due to sustained process stability and consistent high quality eﬄuent, the city treatment plant operation has improved greatly.

Veolia’s treatment process utilizes Memthane® Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) technology combined with a Sulfothane™ Biogas Desulfurization System. Memthane pairs anaerobic biological treatment with ultrafiltration (UF) membranes to create an industry-leading anaerobic membrane bioreactor system. The bioreactor converts the plant’s waste into a

ENERGY POSITIVE WASTE/ WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT The system is not just energy eﬃcient, it is also energy positive when operating at full flow. The biogas byproduct currently produced in the anaerobic reactor generates more electricity than the system consumes. The result is a fast return on investment for the capital purchase. ●

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

WAVE

WETEX 2016 SPECIAL EDITION

ÂŠ Veolia Photo Library

Innovative Water Solutions

WATER TECHNOLOGIES

Through its innovative solutions, Veolia Water Technologies enables industry, local authorities and citizens to optimize their use of resources for more efficient, environmentally-friendly and socially responsible outcomes. We understand the importance of increasing the value of water and we do so by supplying high quality water, treating and reusing wastewater, producing and/or recovering energy, extracting raw materials and capitalizing on valuable byproducts. www.veoliawatertechnologies.com Contact us: sales.vwsgulf@veolia.com

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

Being an engineer is already hard enough. Taking on a leadership role makes it harder. The further we progress in our careers, the more responsibilities are handed down to us. As leaders, we initiate action, motivate the people we work with and find the most efficient way to get things done. The work load makes it too overwhelming especially for those who never had an experience in leading a group of people anywhere. Sometimes, we are excited for the challenge while for others, there is no choice but to take on the job. In this month’s issue, we’ve prepared the best leadership articles to prepare you as you take on the lead and guide your team at work. It’s no easy task but we’re here to help you out! From pointing out mistakes engineering leaders do at work to listing down the important skills one must have to excel at work, there’s an article waiting for you here.

Editor's Note

On the cover of this month’s issue is Chinese business magnate, Jack Ma. Known as the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group with a net worth of $22 billion, we explore how his methods have re-engineered the online distribution and e-commerce industry. His story about accepting rejection and finding success in his career has inspired thousands of people. Now, here’s a chance to get to know the first mainland Chinese entrepreneur magazine, Forbes. who appeared on the cover of one of the most prestigious maga-zine, Apart from Jack Ma, leadership stories and professional news, get to know companies featured this month. These companies more about different com-panies are leading in their respective fields, so take a look at what each company has done to take one step further in achieving a new milestone in different industries. So sit back and relax. Get your monthly dose of engineering and technology with GineersNow!

Engr. Alice Hernandez

Senior Editor-at-Large

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

GINEERSNOW TEAM Ems Bagatsing

Sales & Marketing Director Ems@LincolnMartin.com

Robert Bagatsing

Editor-In-Chief editor@GineersNow.com

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large

John Vauden

Charity Bagatsing

Hina Sapra

Engr. Dion Greg Reyes

Senior Editor Asia-Pacific Senior Editor South Asia

Therese Matheren Senior Editor North America

Senior Editor North America Junior Editor

Engr. Cielo Panda Junior Editor

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Marketing and IT Manager

Carl Duffrey Bartolome Video Editor Creative & Layout

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E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

CONTENTS

20 continues to lead Invention and 10 Daikin Innovation in HVAC since 1924 ITRON:On A Mission To Create A More 16 Technology Resourceful World Through Talent and Ma: Re-Engineering The Online 20 Jack Distribution and E-Commerce 24 6MustSkillsHaveYoung Engineers Engineering Jobs Have The 26 Which Highest Salaries? A Healthy Life? Engineers, Don’t 28 Want Work Over 39 Hours A Week The Facebook Employees 29 Here’s Salary Survey Top Engineering Companies 30 10LookQualities For in an Engineer Do You Help An Unmotivated 32 How Enginner At Work Out The Engineering Genius In You 33 Bring With These Simple Exercises Engineers: Guide on How to 34 Future Survive the Year 2035 Jobs and Skills Need More Female Engineers... 35 We And That’s The Truth Mistakes Engineering Leaders Do 36 7When Leading A Team

Attitudes That Engineers Need To 37 5Develop In The Workplace Difficult Engineering Interview 38 Most Questions From Companies The Stress Out Of Engineering 39 Take Work By Following These Tips Things Effective Engineering 40 15Leaders Do Google Engineers Learn 41 How Management Engineers Are Changing The 42 Millenial Global Work Practice 43 Why Kärcher Is The Expert in Cleaning Kärcher Became The Superbrand 44 How That It Is Today Obtains A Construction 45 McDermott Vessel Amazon and A Deepwater Pipelay Releases Its Financial and 46 McDermott Operational Results For The Year 2016 Achieves 50M Man-Hours 48 McDermott Performed With No Lost Time Incident How Petrochem Middle East Built A 49 Distributor Strong Reputation As A Global Chemical

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Tuna Gulenc

General Manager, Daikin Middle East and Africa Tuna Gulenc is in charge of Marketing in Daikin Middle East & Africa since October 2016. Prior to joining to Daikin Middle East & Africa, in the last 10 years, he served in several regions and responsibilities in the EMEA region for Daikin. He was Deputy General Manager and Board Member of Daikin Turkey between 2011 and 2016, Sales Planning & Marketing Manager in Daikin Middle East & Africa in 2009 and 2011, Business Analyst in Daikin Europe EMEA Office in Brussels between 2008 and 2009. He started his Daikin career in 2006 in charge of establishment of the Turkey Office in Istanbul.

“The HVAC Leader” 10

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Daikin continues to lead Invention and Innovation in HVAC since 1924 DAIKIN AS GLOBAL LEADER IN AIR CONDITIONING Daikin Industries is the World’s HVAC Leader with more than 60,000 employees worldwide. Daikin is engaged primarily in the development, manufacturing, sales and aftermarket support of air conditioning, heating, ventilation, refrigeration equipment, refrigerants and other chemicals, as well as oil hydraulic products. Daikin Industries is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, with more than 80 Global production bases & presence in more than 145 countries. Daikin sells a full range of products, covering all Residential, Commercial & Industrial applications. A Total Solution Provider having full range of Split systems, Air Purifications, Ventilations, Rooftops, VRV systems, Air & Water Cooled Chillers, Air Handling Units, Fan Coil Units & Modular Chiller Plants. CHANGING THE GAME IN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA Daikin Middle East & Africa promotes and provides aftermarket support for a full range of air conditioning equipment and systems sold in UAE, GCC, Middle East and Africa region. More than 15 new products were introduced to this region lately, specially developed to meet the High Ambient conditions of the GCC Region, exceeding the minimum energy efficiency requirements set by regional regulators such as ESMA, Estidama, AD-QCC, SASO, MEW, QSSASO, Bahrain SASO, GSO and others. In Africa & other Middle East countries, more products were introduced to the market, using Inverter Technology. Daikin has recently acquired Zanotti and together will be offering more commercial refrigeration products in this region. Daikin will continue to lead the market with new technologies & High efficient products across the full product range, and strengthen our Aftermarket & Service capabilities. Visit: www.daikinmea.com

SHAPING THE NEW HVAC ERA Continuous growth in the HVAC innovative technologies and the consumer lifestyles in line with market growth of the construction activities had become a growing trend in the HVAC industry. Compliant, Efficient & Innovative are the key drivers currently. There is an increasing demand for smart home control and total control solutions for commercial systems. This includes integrating, centralizing, energy monitoring, predictive maintenance, smart apps and remote controlling of HVAC equipment along with all other the mechanical and electrical equipment. GCC governments are already lifting utility subsidies. Energy Efficient models can help reduce at least 30% of the conventional AC Energy Consumption rates without scarifying on the expected comfort levels. Our aim is to continue the development of highly efficient models. We have launched a new green refrigerant R-32 for residential products that will set a new milestone in Air Conditioning Sustainability for its low Global Warming Potential and Zero Ozone Depletion. In the pipe line of Daikin’s innovations, this refrigerant has been implemented in an inverter wall split which is considered the most efficient & greenest Air Conditioner in the market that can help to reduce up to 50% energy consumption, compared to conventional A/C. More and more regions are mature markets, opening the door for replacement business. Market & regulators are also pushing for the development of more Green & high efficient products & some industry bodies started to recognize and promote such products. EGBC (Emirates Green Building Council) had awarded Daikin VRV IV series, the Green Building award of Year 2016 last May. Earlier, our chiller product range had won Best Manufacturer of the year Award twice in a row in 2014 & 2015 in one of the HVAC Industry award events.

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ADOPTING AIR CONDITIONING AS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Problems such as climate change and changing demographics are presenting our advancing global society with many challenges. The Daikin Group aims to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through business activities with new values. Through our business activities, we provide healthy and comfortable daily lives while at the same time contributing to energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Air conditioners consume large amounts of electricity, and the fluorocarbons they use as refrigerants deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Particularly in the rapidly developing economies of emerging countries, growing demand for air conditioners is expected to have an increasingly severe effect on climate change. The Daikin Group is focusing on alleviating the effect that products have on climate change through refrigerants with low global warming impact and energy-efficient technologies. In addition, we strive to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases during production and transportation, and we recover and destroy fluorocarbons during all stages from production to final product disposal. Find more about Daikin Sustainability and CSR: http://www.daikin.com/csr/summary.html NEW VALUE CREATION AS A CORE BASE FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT Daikin Industries, Ltd. announced the completion of the Technology and Innovation Center (hereinafter referred to as “TIC”) at its Yodogawa Plant located in Settsu City, Japan.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

The new facility will function as the core base for technology development of the globally expanding Daikin Group. Daikin is building the world’s No. 1 technology center with core technologies that includes inverters, heat pumps, and fluorochemicals through the collaborative creation of innovation inside and outside the company and will leverage new and advanced technologies to expand business with differentiated products and create new value and business opportunities. The TIC facility is located in a six -floor building covering 49,000 m2 floor spaces with an investment of approximately 38 Billion Yen employing 700 people. TIC will help Daikin accelerate implementation of “collaborative creation” on a global level through alliances and collaborations with various companies, universities, and research organizations. Daikin already promotes comprehensive alliances with Kyoto University, Osaka University, and Nara Institute of Science and Technology and joint research and development with home builders, manufacturers of electrical appliances and materials, and architectural firms. To achieve this, a variety of design innovations were incorporated in the TIC office and laboratory areas to promote collaborative creation for engineers to overcome barriers. The building uses Daikin Technologies to achieve zero energy building aiming at 70% energy reduction with laboratories supporting core technologies. To know more use this link: http://www. daikinmea.com/about-daikin/news-pressreleases/news-technology-and-innovationcenter-in-japan.jsp \

GOING GREEN! GOING SMART! R-32 is currently being used in more than 15 million air conditioning units (estimated May 2016), distributed in more than 40 countries worldwide, including Japan, India, Australia, Thailand and several other Asian, Middle East and European countries, including UAE, Oman & Saudi Arabia. Supporting sustainable development, Daikin encourages manufacturers globally to adopt the use of R-32 on air conditioners to contribute lowering the environmental impact. In that view, Daikin is sharing its knowledge and technology by offering worldwide free access to 93 patents, to encourage companies to develop and commercialize air conditioning equipment using this single component refrigerant. It is estimated that if all air conditioners in developed countries using the conventional R-410A were converted to R-32, the global warming impact from HFCs in 2030 can be reduced by 19%, or 800 million tons CO2equivalent. Similar study has been conducted in India and estimates that 15% energy can be saved in residential segment by switching to R-32 over business-as-usual with R-410A. The studies here are only taking into account the shift of refrigerant and not the upgrade of technology.

If you consider combination of R-32 with advanced technology like inverter against noninverter or windows, the environmental impact on our region can be even more significant! Next-generation refrigerant is a real key element in the effort of lowering environmental impact but in combination with the right technology like inverter, this will lead to real sustainable development for our region. To know more about R-32: http://www. daikinmea.com/about-daikin/daikin-technologies/ r-32-refrigerant/ Daikin Middle East had launched the first high ambient split AC developed using the Next Generation R-32 refrigerant and Inverter technology. The Inverter Technology constantly adjusts the compressor speed to precisely maintain the desired temperature, and contributes on reducing the energy consumption all year round, for a lower electricity bill. Whereas the repeated ON/OFF operation of traditional systems leads to wasted energy consumption. Find more about inverter technology: http://www. daikinmea.com/about-daikin/daikin-technologies/ inverter-technology/index.jsp

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As a result of this, the unit produces cooling as what it is required and when it is required, lowering the energy consumption, providing powerful cooling, quieter operation and Long life time. VRV IV is a system that utilizes multiple indoor units with one outdoor. Daikinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VRV IV has become even smarter; not only is it especially equipped to handle the sizzling heat of the Middle East, but with its unique VRT technology, it constantly monitors ambient temperature and continuously adjusts not only the refrigerant flow like typical VRF systems, but also the refrigerant temperature to achieve maximum efficiency and minimum power consumption. Know more about VRV IV: http://www.daikinmea. com/commercial/vrv/index.jsp Designing HVAC units for the GCC region is very challenging and if not done correctly will result in equipment failure and a number of other issues.

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Factors like total annual run hours, temperature extremes, corrosive environment, dust and humidity levels; all need to be taken into consideration. Daikin GCC products are all designed and custom tailored specifically for GCC region. The market should be aware of non-high ambient products that are not suited for use in this region.The HVAC market in GCC and Middle East has also been witnessing the increasing use of energy-efficient HVAC systems. Standards on MEPS requirement (Minimum Energy Efficiency Performance Standard) are changing frequently and each country has slightly different requirements. Daikin is looking forward to enhance its full product range including Commercial and industrial applications for high efficiency product lines using Inverter Technology & New R-32 refrigerant.

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ITRON: On A Mission To Create A More Resourceful World Through Talent and Technology Over the years, demands for water and energy have been increasing due to flourishing communities and technological advancement. To keep up with this fastpaced, ever-changing lifestyle, Itron wants to help several communities make their world more resourceful. By taking advantage of what each community has, the company manages to lay a foundation where communities can be provided with a safe and reliable source of water, gas and electricity.

How many years have you been working in your industry? 11 years.

Focusing on the availability of water resources, Itron has come up with solutions that allow several communities control, preserve and share among different people. In this exclusive interview with Itron, Imad Dahleh, the company’s regional manager for its Water & Thermal Energy division in Dubai, discusses how they manage the resources needed to improve a community’s way of life while conserving them and minimize their impact on the environment.

How big is your company? Itron is a global company with more than 8,000 employees. We have offices and manufacturing facilities all over the world with more than 75 key locations in 35 countries present in 8,000+ utilities in over 130 countries.

Take a closer look at what really goes on in Itron and how they are making the world more resourceful using their own talent and technology. THE PERSON Introduce yourself. My name is Imad Dahleh and I work as a regional manager in Itron’s Water & Thermal Energy division based in Dubai. I’ve pretty much lived my entire life in Kuwait, Jordan, the US and the UAE. My hobbies are running, weight training, cross training, swimming and playing the drums. I performed with very big bands in the region such as Black Sabbath, Avenged Sevenfold, Epica and Nightwish.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

THE COMPANY Describe your company. Itron is a technology company that focuses on solutions that help utilities measure, manage and analyze energy and water, headquartered in Liberty Lake, Washington State, USA and listed on the public stock exchange.

Describe your mission, vision and values. Our mission, vision and values are around creating a more resourceful world. Itron empowers utilities to responsibly and efficiently manage energy and water resources. In today’s resource-hungry world — where infrastructure modernization, new CO2neutral energy generation and clean water for everyone are essential — resource management is more critical than ever before. We all need to be more mindful of resource utilization and conservation. Itron is dedicated to developing solutions that address these challenges through more efficient measurement, management and analysis of energy and water resources.

The values we bring are: - Manage and conserve resources - Balance supply and demand - Lower costs - Address energy-water nexus - Deliver grid awareness and connectivity - Integrate renewable energy sources - Enable energy efficiency - Provide foundation for smart cities - Increase reliability of service delivery - Enhance customer service - Connect smart grid applications - Engage consumers

Where is this company headed? To help build a sustainable future with the latest innovations, a commitment to quality and a shared passion for responsible resource management. THE ORGANIZATION How many engineers do you have in your company? I don’t have the answer to this question, but we are an engineering company in principle.

How do you motivate your employees? Recognition of their dedication and hard work. THE PRODUCTS What are the most successful products that you have launched and why were they a success? We provide accurate and reliable state-ofthe-art electricity, water, thermal energy and gas meters, communication modules, meter data collection & management systems and data analytics software globally.

Can you give us a trivia about your company or product that no one really knows? Smart metering is at the heart of water resource management and helps reduce leakages. Since I speak for water, the most successful product we supplied in the Middle East is the Itron’s Intelis / ECHODIS+ ultrasonic type smart water meter due to its advanced functionalities, eco-friendly design and long lifetime specifically designed to be adapted to our markets and installations conditions.

TRENDS IN ECONOMIC, PRODUCT & COMPANY What are the latest trends in your industry? Water is a key challenge in every country in the world as water scarcity is growing everywhere and population & urbanization grow exponentially.

What products that you are working on right now?

Water solutions industry is using more and more innovative and advanced technologies to create, measure, all key data from the field. Then the collected data have to be stored, managed and analyzed. This is where the trends are... in the computing world, using the benefits of cloud storage and big data analytics software.

a. What technologies do you use in your latest equipment/machineries? Ultrasound. b. What kind of support do you offer to your clients? Quick and prompt aftersales support technically and commercially. c. Where are they made/manufactured? In France

What do you think will the future of your industry look like this year and by year 2020? What kind of service experience do you see by 2020? The main evolution will be in how data are easily collected and actions taken in the field. Having the right features in our tools so that utilities can immediately transform information into action. SOCIAL IMPACT & CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Does your company have a CSR history? What is the philosophy of the company? We do not have today a global CSR organization and action. The latest “local” action we developed was to create a complete set of e-learning modules about water and energy nexus to be distributed in high school in USA in STEM programs.

We designed this in collaboration with Dr Michael Webber from Austin (Texas) University. We strongly believe that education is key in creating a more resourceful future. In addition, our technologies and solutions help communities to better manage their precious water resources. By measuring, you can control, preserve and better share among the population. Managing properly a water network and using metering data to precisely measure consumption and detect leakages allow to offer water to the largest number of persons, safely and regularly. Our solutions are by themselves a support to the community. ADVICE TO THE YOUNG ENGINEERS Energy and water management are at the heart of all governments and international organizations. This is a growing issue but also one that drives many innovations and create tons of opportunities.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Your Partner in Creating a More Resourceful World THE CHALLENGES WE FACE

30%

50%

61%

74%

8bn

water lost or unaccounted for globally1

increase in global natural gas demand between 2005 and 20302

of energy is wasted in the US economy each year.3

of utility executives view the changing business model as an urgent or growing concern.4

estimated world population in 20255

IBNET Water Supply and Sanitation Blue Book 2014 U.S. Energy Information Administration 3 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, July 2013 4 2016 Itron Resourcefulness Index 5 United Nations 1 2

TECHNOLOGY TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW In today’s resource-hungry world — where infrastructure modernization, new CO2-neutral energy generation and clean water for everyone are essential — resource management is more critical than ever before. We all need to be more mindful of resource utilization and conservation. Itron is dedicated to developing solutions that address these challenges through more efficient measurement, management and analysis of energy and water resources. Utilities trust Itron’s technology and people to help build a sustainable future with the latest innovations, a commitment to quality and a shared passion for responsible resource management.

The Value We Bring Manage and conserve resources

Enable energy efficiency

Lower costs

Improve system integrity

Manage distribution assets

Increase system reliability

Deliver grid awareness and connectivity

Enhance utility customer service

Modernize the grid

Connect smart grid applications

Enable distributed intelligence

Deliver business outcomes

ITRON | A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY 18

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Delivering on the Promise No other company offers the same breadth and depth of products and solutions as Itron. We are leading the world in solving utilities’ specific business challenges.

ELECTRICITY SOLUTIONS » Smart grid and IoT solution with distributed intelligence and adaptive communications

“The Kalgoorlie smart water metering trial, which uses Itron technology, has been an

» Standards-based smart grid network with true interoperability

outstanding success because

» Smart grid analytics for demand response, distributed generation, outage detection, transformer load management, revenue assurance and theft detection

over the two years of the trial we’ve

» Advanced metering automation via radio, cellular and wired technologies

managed to reduce the water

» Smart payment for electricity

supply to Kalgoorlie by over 800,000

» Electricity measurement technologies

kilolitres (more than 210 million

» Streamlined operations and business outcomes with managed services

GAS SOLUTIONS » Smart gas IoT solution » Gas monitoring technologies to improve safety, system integrity and asset management » Gas analytics for enhanced customer service, district metering, revenue protection and cathodic protection

gallons), which is a savings of around 10 percent.” Garry Peach, Service Customers Strategy and Support Manager Water Corporation

» Advanced metering automation via radio or cellular communications » Smart payment for gas » Gas measurement and regulator technologies

“Itron is collaborating with

» Streamlined operations and business outcomes with managed services

CenterPoint Energy to apply

WATER SOLUTIONS

technology to deliver reliable service

» Smart water IoT solution

to our customers and reduce our

» Water efficiency solutions to manage water scarcity, droughts and non-revenue water regulations

environmental footprint.”

» Water analytics for enhanced customer service, revenue protection, conservation management, district metering, flow analysis, and trending and forecasting

Kenny Mercado, Division SVP,

» Advanced metering automation via radio or cellular communications

CenterPoint Energy

Grid & Market Operations

» Water and heat measurement technologies » Heat cost allocation solution » Streamlined operations and business outcomes with managed services

“Itron’s gas prepayment system has

SMART CITIES SOLUTIONS

helped the State Oil Company of

» Unified, secure, multi-service network IoT and smart city solution

the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR)

» Interoperability of sensing technologies and dynamic applications at the device level » Energy and water management expertise » Smart city application and communications network management using managed services

improve revenue collection, recover old debt and improve customer service.” Akbar Hajiyev, Managing Director SOCAR

ITRON | A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Source: South China Morning Post

Jack Ma: Re-Engineering THE

Online Distribution and E-Commerce

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

t’s rare to see Asians dominate the tech industry, where competition is very tough and has been dominated by white men already. But things are slowly starting to change with the start of Jack Ma entering and dominating the Billionaire’s club. If you’re not familiar with Jack Ma, it’s time you should be. As the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, the 52-year-old Chinese billionaire from Hangzhou, China is currently Forbes’ 8th richest man in the tech industry and the 33rd richest billionaire in the world. Ma was also the first person from mainland China to be featured on the cover of Forbes. His company, the Alibaba Group Holding Limited, is an e-commerce company that provides transactions between consumers and businesses. Aside from that, the company also provides data-centric cloud computing services, a shopping search engine and electronic payment services. As of last year, it is considered one of the largest internet companies and has already surpassed Walmart as the world’s largest retailer in the world. Before Jack Ma started dominating the e-commerce industry in mainland China and became a multi-billionaire, his journey started out with full of struggles and challenges. His career started with full of rejections which included an application to work for the police, Harvard and KFC. In an interview with Charlie Rose, he shared, “I even went to KFC when it came to my city. Twenty-four people went for the job. Twentythree were accepted. I was the only guy…” While it may have been rough for Ma, he persevered and on 1995, his introduction to the internet eventually led him to an idea that would change how businesses will be operated around the world. During his trip to the US as a translator in early 1995, he was curious as to why no information comes out about China from the internet.

For a country so big and so rich with history, it is a wonder as to why there are no information available, but that was in the 90s and the internet we all depend on now is relatively new for the public back then. It was in that encounter that led Ma and his friend to create a website that was related to China. On the day the website was launched, he received emails from his countrymen to find out more about him. Ma realized that the internet really had a good potential and later on, started his first company “Chinapage” with his wife and his friend with USD$20,000 as capital. It wasn’t easy for Ma when he started his company. Before he did it, most of his friends suggested he should drop the idea because the internet was unfamiliar to everybody. He shared, “When I first started Alibaba, I was immediately met with strong opposition from family and friends. Looking back, I realised that the biggest driving force for me then was not my confidence in the Internet and the potential it held, but more of this: “No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself.” You have got to keep trying, and if it doesn’t work, you always can revert back to what you were doing before.“

“No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself”

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So despite the challenges and doubts he met in starting the company, Ma started his first company and created websites for different Chinese companies. Unfortunately, majority of the management’s control of Chinapage was by the government when Ma decided to partner with them. Ma was left frustrated and decided to leave the company and work for a short period at the ministry of foreign trade and economic cooperation. In this job, he was able to meet prominent people, including Jerry Yang, the founding member of Yahoo! After leaving his job, he founded Alibaba with the goal of joining international trade for small and medium ventures located in China.

Despite being denied for funding by several companies in Silicon Valley, Ma eventually got USD 5 Million from Goldman Sachs and USD 20 Million from Softbank. Other companies thought that Ma’s business model was too risky and unprofitable. The company started achieving profitability by 2001 and started expanding their services in 2003 with Taobao, a consumer e-commerce platform. Ma was the chief executive officer of his company for its first 10 years but stepped down on the position to become the company’s executive chairman.

For over two decades, the Alibaba Group Holding Limited has expanded its business to create several subsidiaries: alibaba.com The largest online businessto-business trading platform for small business Ant Financial Operates Alipay payments AutoNavi Chinese map supplier

Yahoo! China Formed a strategic partnership with Yahoo! back in 2005.

Taobao China’s largest consumer-toconsumer online shopping platform

Aliwangwang An instant messaging software service for online selling

Tmall.com An online retail platform

Laiwang A messaging application and service

Juhuasuan A group shopping website in China eTao Online shoppers use this to search results from most Chinese online shopping platforms Alipay A third-party online payment platform that requires no transaction fees Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) A cloud computing service platform Source:Getty Images

AliExpress An online retail service where small Chinese business sell products to international online buyers

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Alibaba Pictures Renamed as the Alibaba Pictures Group, it’s a media company that checks the potential opportunities in online entertainment Youku Tudou A company that broadcasts popular television programs and other videos over the internet Alibaba Group R&D Institute Focused on research and development and has filed several patent and utility model applications

Xiami An online music service provider 365fanyi.com A domestic crowdsourcing translation platform that small and medium enterprises can use to participate in several transactions South China Morning Post Provides media coverage on China Ali Health Alibaba’s flagship health care unit that provides buyers a selection of health and pharmaceutical products available in China UCWeb A mobile internet software technology and services company that aims to give better mobile internet connections to its users. Lazada An e-commerce company that operates its sites on the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. The company sells different products ranging from household items to consumer electronics.

Source: Vulcan Post

Source: Rediff

Having started a small business that transformed into one of the world’s biggest business empires, there’s no wonder that Ma would receive several acknowledgements. Back in 2004, he was chosen as one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year” by China Central Television. He was awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He was also awarded by Forbes Asia as one of Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy. He has been recognized as one of the best businessmen in the world by several international establishments already. Last year, Forbes made him the 28th most powerful person in the world. Fun fact about Jack Ma: He wants to be remembered as a Tai Chi master as well. He has been studying the Chen style of Tai Chi Chuan, a Chinese martial arts since 2009.

Together with several tournament-winning Tai Chi players, they teach regular classes at Alibaba, where employees are required to attend. Despite having no experience in coding or using computers, his faith in the internet’s potential made him one of the world’s richest billionaires. His story has inspired thousands (or even millions) that rejection and failure shouldn’t stop a person from pursuing things they believe in. For Ma, it all started with his first encounter with the internet on 1995. More than two decades later, the Alibaba Group has made a record of $463 billion of business transactions in 2016. With the aim to create 100 million jobs and around 10 million profitable businesses in the next 20 years, there is no doubt Ma and his company will soon rise and dominate the tech world.

Source: ZeroHedge

Source: TNooz

Source: Vulcan Post

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6 Skills Young Engineers Must Have You should probably consider this if you want to stand out and be the kickass young engineer you want to be.

Nowadays, taking engineering seems to be a norm that many young people consider in order to keep up with the society’s demands of rapid changes, innovations and advancements in technology. Many specialized engineering courses are also introduced and the population of people taking career paths in engineering fields gradually grows. Competition is getting tougher, especially to young engineers who are newly grads. Several countries produce millions of engineers where most end up in nonengineering fields or obliged to settle in entry levels they don’t deserve. Even if you’re an engineering graduate, you may not be competent enough. But don’t lose hope just yet. Here is a checklist for you to stand out and become a kickass engineer you want to be.

1AUTOCAD SKILLS

We are in the age that engineering design is not confined on 2D blueprints or sketches alone. Designs of components, structures and architectural plans now heavily depends on 3D CAD designs especially for intricate objects in manufacturing. The ability to design with Auto CAD is really a must for engineering and architecture people in these fields. Having proficient CAD skills certainly gives you an advantage over other candidates.

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If your institution does not offer learning to use CAD software, there are crash courses offered in other technical schools for a certain number of sessions. There are CAD software programs and tutorials online so you can study it yourself too.

2BASIC PROGRAMMING / IT SKILLS

At this point, hard sciences are now converging with the digital world to be more efficient and productive. There are now industries that depends on heavy database management and automated components in industrial plants (Computerintegrated manufacturing). Learning how to use programming languages and algorithms is also a plus. Even if you’re a computer engineering major, not all programming languages are taught in school. There are also crash courses for this such as learning SQL, Mathlab, COBOL, C#, .NET, Python, Java or Ruby. Online tutorials and downloadable software programs are also available if you plan to self-study.

3COMMUNICATION SKILLS

As an engineer, our science and mathematical knowledge or technical skills are given. But presenting and relaying it effectively is another aspect. Being a persuasive presenter gives us opportunities to be an exceptional engineer.

We must learn how to stride the right balance between technical and communication skills as they are the keys to a successful professional career. There are programs and workshops that can help us enhance speech communication and presentation skills.

4PROJECT MANAGEMENT

In our profession, we always coordinate with others or work as a team in a department. Engineers also become project managers and learning how to manage a project and a team gives you a successful career. Having project management skills enables you to lead project or program teams and will eventually master the dynamics of a project. From there, you can handle more complex projects and be appointed in leadership positions. You can also draw other professionals and open opportunities for business and personal growth. There are institutions offering Project Management as an elective and also a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

5PROFESSIONAL LICENS

As they say, licensure is the mark of a professional. It means you are at the top of your game and your profession. It is a standard recognized by the government, the clients and

companies assuring skills and quality. It has now become a requirement in a number of engineering firms and corporations. Having a professional license gives the public approval to perform engineering work. It is also seen as a commitment to your profession and gives more opportunities in your career.

DEGREES 6GRADUATE (MSc / MA / MBA / Engg D / PhD)

Today, a number of professional engineering societies are considering to make graduate degree the mandatory credential for would-be engineers. They require master’s degree in finance, business administration or industrial engineering in order to advance in managerial positions. Millennial engineers opt to take master’s degree units and certifications while working in order to raise their credentials and value of being a professional engineer. Some high positions need a certain of depth of knowledge and expertise in that engineering field so that’s where these graduate courses come in as an advantage. Engineers must not be limited to their majors but must continue to learn and diverse into different fields.

Source: MinnPost

Source: University of Toronto, College of Engineering

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Source: Giphy

WHICH ENGINEERING JOBS HAVE THE HIGHEST SALARIES? Mechanical? Chemical? Electrical? Check which ones enjoy lucrative pays!

Everyone knows for a fact that engineers are among the highest paid professionals in the world. Each one of us knows at least one engineer, and for that it’s a common observation that he or she lives with relatively lesser financial struggles. Due to the difficulty and the global demand of the job, engineering remains to be at the top when it comes to median salaries. This is one of the many reasons why many are motivated to pursue this career – because of the lucrative pay. But among the long list of engineering courses offered in universities worldwide, there are fields that offer way higher pay than the others. Here are six of those as evaluated from reports and statistics of reputable sources including the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

As the global demand for energy increases, the need for petroleum engineers goes with it. That’s because these engineers are responsible for the production of oil and gas. The median salary for new petroleum engineers is estimated at $74,240, the highest across all engineering fields. Later, this increases to $132,320 during mid-career, and even $186,520 when there is ample work experience. Because the petroleum engineering industry is slated to have employees that will retire in the next decade, this is a recommended career choice to fill available positions.

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ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

The descendants of Nikola Tesla, the electrical engineers, get one of the highest engineering median salaries. Their job mostly revolves around the design, testing, and supervision of electrical equipment, but could work in related industries. Starting electrical engineers could earn a median salary of $57,330. With enough experience for a mid-career engineer, they get a median salary of $89,180. Take note that this sector’s job growth is expected to be around 6%, which is a rate lower than average. This will go on until 2020.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Computer engineering is divided into two main areas: hardware and software. The former deals with physical computer systems and components while the latter involves application of engineering discipline to the creation of software. But the two have a relatively similar median salary, with software seen to become more in demand in the future. For starting computer engineers – either hardware or software – the pay is estimated at $63,970. This goes up in mid-career at about $150,130.

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Planning to take a degree in aerospace engineering? The time is now. This field which studies the development of aircraft and spacecraft has one of the highest paying jobs. Fresh aerospace engineers can expect a starting salary of $65,450, which will become $103,720 over

time upon reaching the middle of the career. Due to the cutbacks in space exploration, it is most likely that the job growth for aerospace engineers is only at 5% over the next few years, which is lower than the average job market.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Usually employed in the areas of manufacturing and research tasked to produce, transform, transport and properly use chemicals, materials, and energy, chemical engineers enjoy high-paying jobs. The median starting salary for chemical engineers is approximately $94,000, while the mid-career salary is estimated at $154,840. However, a caution: the market for chemical engineers is expected to be reasonably flat over the next few years. What is set to pull this trend up is the related industries like biomedical engineering, which is expected to have a much faster average job growth.

MATERIALS ENGINEERING

As the name suggests, materials engineering deals with the development and testing of materials mostly used in the production of industrial and consumer products. Engineers in this field are responsible for opening doors to new technologies across the industry. The median starting salary of materials engineers is $52,900. As time goes by, it increases to $85,150 during mid-career. Job growth in this sector is seen to be at around 9% until 2020.

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Source: Huffington Post

Want a Healthy Life? Engineers, Don’t Work Over 39 Hours a Week P

utting extra time at work may yield you good impressions at work, but be wary that this may harm your health in the long term. This is what a new research by the Australian National University has found, saying that people who work more than 39 hours a week are putting their health at risk. A study like this hits close to engineers as we are usually overworked and yet underpaid. Contrary to the international limit set about 80 years ago which is 48 hours per week, this research drastically reduces the number of work hours. That is if you are after going a healthy life. The research involved 8,000 Australian adults, conducted as part of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Two in three Australians in full-time employment worked more than 40 hours a week, with long hours a bigger problem for women who do more unpaid work at home, according to Dr Huong

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Dinh, lead researcher from the ANU Research School of Population Health. “Long work hours erode a person’s mental and physical health, because it leaves less time to eat well and look after themselves properly,” he says. If considering other commitments of women, Dr Dinh tells that the previously set limit for healthy work is at 34 hours per week. For men, it was 47 hours a week because of the lesser involvement on care or domestic work compared to women. Dr Dinh adds, “Despite the fact that women on average are as skilled as men, women on average have lower paid jobs and less autonomy than men, and they spend much more time on care and domestic work.”no matter what it is. He goes on to say that given the extra demands placed on women, it’s impossible for women to work long hours often expected by employers unless they compromise their health.

Here’s the

Source: Glassdoor

Employees Salary Survey Just How Much do Facebook Employees Earn?

ver dreamed of working at Facebook? Here’s the Facebook Employees Salary Survey. Most engineers who want to work in the computer or software engineering field would want to work at Facebook, after all it seems like an awesome place to work at. Here’s an idea of how much you can expect to earn if you work for them.

PRODUCTION ENGINEER SALARY: $134,775

ENGINEERING MANAGER SALARY: $166,561

Product designers need to have experience in app building and front-end programming. However, they say the most important designs still come from Zuckerberg himself.

The engineering managers are the team leaders who manage a specific group of people who are working on a specific product. To be able to get this position you should not only know how to code, but have good leadership skills as well.

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER SALARY: $160,638

When you have proven yourself to Facebook, and they know you’re good at what you do, you could climb up the career ladder and become a senior software engineer.

PRODUCT MANAGER SALARY: $147,469

These people collect outputs from different teams and incorporate all the products together.

DATABASE ENGINEER SALARY: $141,635

These engineers focus on dealing with massively large amount of data, and constantly keep track of their highly complex databases.

Product engineers ensure that their products are working properly, and whether they can be updated or improved.

PRODUCT DESIGNER SALARY: $133,810

SOFTWARE ENGINEER SALARY: $125,515

These engineers are one of the most vital employees of the company. They make sure everything runs smoothly and new developments are implemented immediately.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INTERN SALARY: $77,544

Are you graduating soon and are looking for placements? Facebook is a good option, especially if you see the salary rates.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE SALARY: $62,617

Account Executives run the advertising of Facebook and all other business-related events.

RESEARCH SCIENTIST SALARY: $137,134

The research scientists are Facebook’s analytics, they use data analysis to tell what’s working and what’s not.

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Qualities Top Engineering Companies Look For in an Engineer If you want to land your dream job and easily climb your way up the corporate ladder, these qualities will help you succeed.

here are several attributes that top engineering companies are looking for in a candidate during the recruitment phase. There are 10 specific qualities that engineers should mold and develop during the course of their engineering careers. No one is perfect – that is a universal fact. We can never recruit that one person who fits all of the qualities an employer looks for without a flaw or two. However, it still helps that we know what kind of qualities we need to land the job of our dreams and boost our careers. So if you want to land the job of your dreams and start paving your way to a successful career life, here are the top qualities your future employer may need from you: YOU KNOW YOUR ENGINEERING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Employers usually ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are. So our advice is to be honest and tell them what you’re really good at. Then, you can explain what your weaknesses are in a way that you can use it to your advantage. It’s pretty tricky but give this a lot of thought before you head to the interview. YOU KNOW YOUR ENGINEERING SUCCESS STORIES They would ask you for a success story. Usually, employers would want to know what problems you’ve faced in the past and how you were able to overcome it. That’s how they’ll judge you on your ability to handle stress. Don’t give a dramatic effect to it. Keep it professional and don’t shed a tear.

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No, you don’t have to pretend to have these. You don’t have to fake anything because employers know how to detect someone who really has the qualities they are looking for from someone who just likes to pretend in a desperate attempt to get the job.

YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF PATH YOU WANT TO TAKE IN YOUR ENGINEERING CAREER If you want to work for big engineering companies, recruiters would ask you what kind of path you want to take once you get the job. Would you like to eventually be promoted to a managerial position? They would surely ask you that. They’d want to know if you’re the type who wants to stay in the company for a long time. Companies want loyalty from the people they hire. YOU CAN WORK UNDER LIGHT SUPERVISION No one needs a burden so they need to hire someone who can easily understand the job description and knows how to do it. Your supervisors would hate it if you keep bugging them if you’re doing the job right or not. So as much as possible, avoid annoying them.

YOU LIKE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS When they ask you about a challenging situation where your problem-solving skills are tested, they’d want to see how you handle those tasks and if you can fix the problem. We all know that our jobs require us to solve problems all the time, so expect that you’ll be asked these kinds of questions all the time. Hey, engineering school trained us very well for this so this shouldn’t be a problem anymore. YOU ARE ACTIVE IN YOUR WORK As soon as you get the task done for the day, your employers would appreciate it if you offer to help with other tasks. If you end up as the perky employee who’s always game to get a lot of job done, you’d be one of the most favorite people in the company. Don’t be too perky though. Some employers might think you’re a goody two shoes. YOU CAN WORK WELL WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES When they check your resume, they would ask you what kind of organizations you worked with during college. They’d assess how well you perform in group activities. That would play a crucial part on how your boss would assess you. So if you’re the type who can easily work well with other people, this is no problem for you.

Your future boss would appreciate you even more if you show enthusiasm in learning new things. Share to these people that you like to read a lot of things to widen your knowledge on a certain topic. You can also tell them you’re very willing to learn something new for the job. YOU’RE A RESPONSIBLE ENGINEER Anybody wants to hang out with the responsible ones inside the company so if you’re that type, there’s a higher chance that your employers would hire you for the job. So if you’ve had experiences when you’ve proven yourself responsible, go ahead and tell everyone about it. But don’t sound arrogant though. YOU HAVE AN AMBITION Employers look for someone who has the drive and determination to succeed with their job. In short, they want someone with ambition. So go ahead, show them that you are that engineer.

YOU ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO LEARN NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR ENGINEERING METHODS If you’re the type who hates change, then that would be a disadvantage for you. Being part of a company really requires you to learn new things to improve your skills.

Source: Giphy

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HOW DO YOU HELP AN UNMOTIVATED ENGINEER AT WORK?

Source: Digital Trends

There are different reasons why the engineers at your workplace don’t show up to work with a goal to accomplish great things for the day.

here are days when you observe the people you work with are not motivated enough to do their tasks at hand. You see them feeling uninspired to achieve good results at work. Then, you find yourself asking if the problem comes from the people they work with, the specific work assigned to them or that the company is failing. There are different reasons why the engineers at your workplace don’t show up to work with a goal to accomplish great things for the day. As a leader in your team, you must properly identify what the problems are and find the best possible solution to fix these problems. Here are some ways to help unmotivated engineers have better work performances at work: YOUR ENGINEERS DON’T SEE THE VALUE IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING. In most cases, unmotivated engineers often feel that way because they don’t see the point in what they are doing. This is why you have to explain your vision for your company. It is important that they know what and why they are doing these things. Let them know the value of their jobs and how they can help achieve the goals of your company. Give them something to believe in and involve them in things that will get everyone excited about when achieving certain tasks for your company’s vision. GIVE YOUR ENGINEERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER. Most often than not, engineers do not like jobs that are boring. They hate taking jobs that doesn’t allow them the opportunities to improve and grow as a professional.

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As a company, provide time for each of your engineers to explore new things and give them new tasks every now and then. For a profession that taught them to practice critical thinking in the field, it is best if you give them challenged that will help them apply what they learned in engineering school and actually have the chance to discover more about their work. MAKE THEM FEEL THEY’RE PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY. This is probably the hardest thing to do. One success of the company doesn’t necessarily mean everyone can be happy about it, especially for those who are not personally involved in the project. You have to find a way to let the people at work know that each one contributes to the success of the company. It is better to even give them validation every now and then. Help them understand what kind of impact they can have on the company. While it is always challenging to keep your engineers motivated at work, as the leader, you have to come up with ways to keep them inspired. If you don’t want to have internal problems at work, it is best to keep them motivated and feel valued at work. As Sir Richard Branson once said, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” Keep them motivated. Keep them inspired.

Bring Out The Engineering Genius In You With These Simple Exercises Geniuses aren’t always one in a million. by Cielo Santos People often believe that geniuses are a rare breed and that they are born, not made. They appear so rarely that you can make a safe guess that only one or two appear in a million people. But did you know that there are actually exercises which help you build up the genius in you?

THINK FROM ALL THE ANGLES There isn’t only one way to get to an answer. People created knives to slice and cut, but never for the purpose of spreading butter on bread. Always think of all the angles to help yourself formulate a solution.

Roberta B. Ness, MD, MPH, dean at the School of Public Health, and vice president of innovation at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, talked about her findings in her book, Genius Unmasked. Ness talked about systematic tools that Marie Curie and even Einstein used to make their scientific discoveries.

THINK OUT OF THE BOX Engineers have this talent naturally, so it’s good to hone it more. As the saying goes, to get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. So, sometimes thinking crazy gets results, after all, most inventions in our world today came from crazy ideas.

To start of, geniuses always ask the right questions. They base off their hypothesis on past theories while observing their environment. For example, American engineer Paul Baran related a “web of computers” to “neurological pathways”. They also try to work on different points of view, as per Ness, stating that Darwin once imagined himself as a plant while Einstein was visualizing traveling at the speed of light.

Take Niel Bohr’s response of the nuclear physics community to Wolfgang Pauli’s 1958 presentation: “We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct.”

If you’re looking for exercises to help you think like a genius, here’s a few things you can do to think like one: CONTOUR DRAWING Think of doing still life drawing without looking at your own paper. It’s going to help you be more observant of what you’re doing and forces you to be careful before each stroke. CREATE “OUT OF THIS WORLD” IDEAS Geniuses suggest that creating ideas off of a problem and making each more absurd than the other enable people to think outside the box. Think of a problem, create ideas for a crazy solution, then make crazier ideas. Then think of what makes that idea work and use it to formulate a more practical solution.

According to Ness, Goodman and Dickerson in Creativity in the Sciences, they suggest these: #1 Create a list of crazy ideas about a problem, then making the next idea more absurd than the one before. #2 Choose one of these crazy ideas. #3 Then take the basic premise of the idea – what makes this idea stand out #4 Next, list down the component parts or features of that particular idea. #5 Then take one of the component parts of that idea and use it to create a practical idea.” Geniuses make use of different cognitive tools to make their incredible discoveries. Thankfully, we can harness these tools for our own creations as well.

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Future Engineers: Guide on How to Survive the Year 2035 Jobs and Skills

A guide for the future engineers out there. An Australian report predicted that in the next 20 years, a huge chunk of employees will act as remote controls to unmanned vehicles, some will be personalized preventive health helpers, and others as online chaperones due to cyber security. This report, authored by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, indicates that new skills will be required for the workforce to learn as we move along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Unmanned vehicles have started their era and by 2035, all we need are pilots, ship captains and drivers working on their vehicles even a thousand miles apart. Personalized preventive health

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helpers will emerge as well, who need to have great people skills, and the ability to interpret and understand health and well-being data. As people around the world age, this kind of jobs will be significant. Online chaperones will be a job title as well in the next 20 years because of the risks imposed by cyber-crime. They will provide protection and support for online activity. Transitions within the workplace due to innovation also mean transition with skills. By 2020, World Economic Forum listed top 10 skills needed in the future workplace, in the following order as listed in their Future of Jobs report: complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordinating with others, emotional intelligence, judgment and decision making, service orientation, negotiation, and cognitive flexibility.

Source: University of Washington

… s r e e n i g n E e l a m e F e r o M We Need hat’s the Truth and T The statistics of women in engineering is quite alarming.

M Source: UCL Engineering

Source: Newcastle University

ore Female Engineers Please. According to the US Department of Commerce, women hold only around 24 percent of the STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics jobs in the USA. When compared to the other jobs that women hold, it accounts to around 48 percent of all jobs in the country. It has also been noted that only 20 percent of women in the country have bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, and computer science. This is also one of the reasons for backlog in the field of new technology innovation. Throughout the country, the experts are commenting that the women are the minorities in the field of STEM. This is what is hampering the country’s ability to develop new arenas of addressing technological and scientific challenges. Gradually, there are universities, colleges, and educational institutions that are encouraging female students to take part in studies and career related to STEM disciplines.

Are you planning to get into engineering? You’d be making a positive change in the scenario of female versus male engineers. Even though the total number of female engineers in the United States has increased, there is still a big difference in the ratio of men vs women engineers, and serious efforts are being made to bridge that gap. There is also a serious dearth of female role models in engineering. Having role models in the field of engineering will encourage more girls to accept the field of study and to be engineers. If engineering ideas need to reach the common mass, it is very important to promote female role models in the field. This will in turn curb the fears of women to enter the field of engineering. According to the experts, there is a sufficient number of women in the fields of medical and law. So, why are women lagging behind in engineering? If they try, they definitely can compete with men in this field as well.

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7 Mistakes

Engineering Leaders Do When Leading A Team And here’s how to correct them.

f you are currently leading a team of genius employees or a bunch of technical wiz guys, you must read this. These are common mistakes engineering leaders do and how to avoid them.

You do not follow the rules you want your colleagues to follow.

Never make promises that you know you cannot keep. A habit a lot of leaders make, doing this will only end up with you disappointing everyone in your team. So be careful with the promises you tell to them.

If you don’t want your colleagues to lose respect for you and if you want them to follow the company rules, you should be the first one in the team to follow rules. If you end up breaking them, your team will only do the same things. You are the leader and the team just follows what a leader does.

You think you’re the most important person in your team.

You say you’ll do something, but you end up not doing it at all.

You cannot handle criticism.

Learn to keep your word so that your teammates will learn to trust you as a leader. Don’t disappoint them with words you know you couldn’t keep. Talk the talk. Walk the walk.

You do not admit you’re wrong.

Don’t believe that saying about being weak whenever you admit you are wrong. If you find yourself in situations where you really are at fault, don’t be afraid to admit it. Not only will that help correct a mistake, but it also helps improve your relationship with the rest of the team.

You cannot keep promises.

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Don’t steal the spotlight on anyone. Remember, your job is to lead and guide everyone in your team. You’re not supposed to be the most important person in your team. As a leader of your team, you are obliged to give constructive criticisms to each of its members. However, you have to be reminded that you are growing as a leader as well. Keep yourself open to criticisms and don’t take any of them as insults. Learn how to handle criticisms like a good leader.

You only believe yours is the right way.

In order for you to help improve every member of your team, you should know that the right way isn’t limited to only one approach. More importantly, the right way doesn’t exactly mean your way. So brainstorm different approaches to the challenges your team faces, then choose which is the best solution that could work for everyone in the team

ATTITUDES that Engineers Need to Develop in the Workplace

Stuck in a rut? Turn it around by doing these.

5 important leadership attitudes for engineers to harness. There will a point in your engineering career that feels like you’ve been stuck in a rut. You’ve been doing the same tasks everyday and going to your workplace in your usual self. But each day, you notice that you are slowing down and less motivated. Before you slip further to that downward spiral, there is still one thing you can do about it: change attitude so that you will get the career boost you deserve. You can only get ahead if you are willing to step out of your regular attitudes. Try cementing these in your mind:

ENTHUSIASM

There should never be a dull moment at work. Always face every task or project with energy, by sparing yourself from all of the excuses that drags your feet. An engineer’s work is worthwhile is he or she enjoys what is being done. Prove to yourself that you still love what you do. Start by being enthusiastic with everything!

EFFICIENCY

In engineering, you are expected to yield results with the least wasted time and effort. This is what is exactly meant by efficiency. You need to strive for faster yet productive results.

EXCELLENCE

Beside the efficiency is excellence. It will give yourself some pressure, but that’s okay. That’s part of it. Never settle for less – that’s what excellence means in engineering work. Do not be contented with good and always go for great. You are leaving a lifelong service and settling for mediocrity should never be an engineer’s attitude. Always, always try to exceed expectations.

BEING EARLY

The early bird catches the worm. This proverb says it all. If you do something early at work, which of course requires you to report in early, you will do more and hence be more successful with what you do. This is the practice of productive people who maximizes time at work.

MAKING IT EASY

This does not mean compromising everything mentioned above, but make the effort to become the easiest to work with at your workplace. After all, it’s never that the engineer does his work alone, but always a collaboration. Try not to complain and nag, because those are infectious attitudes that don’t help with work at all.

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Can you answer these difficult engineering interview questions?

Most Difficult

Do you have what it takes to be a kickass engineer? Top companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft and SpaceX, of course, only hire the top engineers and employees. Aside from undergoing credentials checking, they also do tough screening interviews to get the cream of the crop. Sometimes, according to former interviewees and employees, the CEOs themselves even conduct the interviews personally. Let’s see if you have it.

Engineering Interview Questions From Top Companies You’re really a kickass engineer if you can answer these mind bending questions.

Try these actual tough interview questions from these top companies.

Dropbox Engineering Job Interview Question . You work on the 60th floor of 100 story building. You walk into your office and find a bomb sitting on your desk. It reads 90 seconds and is counting down. What do you do?

By Farrel Pinto

Microsoft Engineering Job Interview Question . You are on a game show. There are three doors, behind one of which is a prize and the other two is a chunk of coal, and the host knows which door holds the prize. You choose door #1. Before it is opened, the host opens door #3 and reveals a lump of coal. You have the choice to stick with the door you chose originally or switch to door #2. What do you do?

Google Engineering Job Interview Question . Pretend 1% of the population has a disease. You have a test that determines if you have that disease, but it’s only 80% accurate and 20% of the time you get a false positive. Your test comes back positive. How likely is it you have the disease?

SpaceX Engineering Job Interview Question . If you walk 1 mile south, 1 mile west and 1 mile north, you are exactly back where you started. Where are you? – (CEO Elon Musk’s Favorite Question)

Intel Engineering Job Interview Question . Can you design a spice rack for the blind? How will it look like?

Apple Engineering Job Interview Question . If you are in a boat in the middle of the pond and drop an anchor, how does the water level vary with respect to shore?

Wanna know the answers? Click here!

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Take the Stress Out of Engineering Work by Following These Tips This is a short stress management course for engineers.

Is your engineering work stressful? Engineers are already so immune to stress that it has become part of our everyday life. There are so many stressors at work and at home that may already be detrimental to the engineer’s emotional and physical aspects. While that is happening with or without our consciousness, there are sure ways to reverse the damage. A research by Yale University found out that stress reduces the volume of grey matter in the areas of the brain responsible for self-control. This means that future situations that put us in stress will be dealt with a lesser control of the situation if we cannot control our present stress. The solution? Control our present stress, of course. Here are strategies: SAY NO The ability to say no is almost always difficult for engineers. The tendency of engineers is to hoard a lot of responsibilities, which means more work to do. And this gives us a lot of stress. So learn to say no sometimes. DISCONNECT Some engineers resort to a lot of smartphone usage as a way to release stress. But this isn’t always the case, as work now is already integrated with social media, including interacting with workmates on Facebook or reading headache-inducing emails at home. It’s better to relax the mind by being disconnected and just read a book or two. DON’T LET TOXIC PEOPLE GET IN YOUR HEAD There will always be engineers or staff at work that are the ultimate cause of stress, for reasons that vary. Do not let them get into your system.

They are the kinds of people that keeps you drained at work, and you can shrug them off by approaching the situation rationally. DON’T HOLD GRUDGES If someone at work makes you hate him or her so much, stop that. A study by Emory University said that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease, and that includes holding grudges. Negative emotions also induce a stress response. Take note now that some people are not just worth the stress. BE MINDFUL People who see to it that they are mindful in work situations are the ones who are focused in accomplishments rather than focused in being busy. It is also a form meditation to gain control of unruly thoughts and behaviors. PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE Some say that it’s just a matter of how we look at things. A certain perspective sometimes yields a stressor, when there are other views that might not do the same. For example, you should be thinking of the positive side of things instead of the negative – it should “everything will go just right” instead of “what if this will fall apart?”. It’s all about keeping your cool. SEEK HELP FROM YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM Engineers also have friends, right? Keep them handy when you feel stressed. Sometimes all it takes is just a talk over a couple of beers to set things back in their un-stressful state.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Things Effective Engineering Leaders Do

Here are things you can do to be the effective engineering leader that you can be. By Ninez Hernandez

So what engineering leaders do everyday to make them successful? Being a leader in engineering company is never easy especially when you have to lead hundreds (and thousands) of people at work. Every decision you make will affect the people you work with. It will even affect your relationship with your customers. So, in order for you to be successful at work, you have to be an effective engineering leader. 1. Know they don’t have the answers to everything While they are assigned as the leaders at work, they know that they don’t have the solutions to everything. They keep themselves open to suggestions from everyone at work. 2. They think before they react As soon as problems arise, they think of the best possible solutions immediately. They avoid letting their emotions rule them. 3. Show people how it’s done, not tell. Talk is cheap. Actions say more about a person’s leadership and can be more productive for the company. 4. Find solutions, not blame While some leaders like to play the blame game, effective engineering leaders focus on solutions. They know blaming someone or something will not help fix the problem.

9. Know when to give and when to take They know that success means one must give and take. It’s not all about “taking”. 10. Work well with others They don’t command. They work side by side with their colleagues. 11. Trust colleagues They don’t micro manage. They trust their colleagues they know how to get things done on their own. 12. Don’t make excuses Instead of finding excuses on why they can’t achieve certain task for the day, they focus on what can be done instead.

5. Plan and prepare Instead of getting things done without having a look at their strategy, engineering leaders are more effective when they plan things over and prepare their strategy.

13. Praise for the right reasons They don’t praise the people they work with just to make them feel better about themselves, they praise when their colleagues achieve success.

6. Don’t want instant success They know that instant success isn’t going to help the company in its long-term goals.

14. Give constructive criticisms They want their colleagues to improve so they give constructive criticisms. They make sure though that they don’t embarrass them in public

7. Focus on the details While it’s good that people focus on the big picture, effective engineering leaders know that in order to achieve that, they have to focus on the details as well.

8. Focus on strengths Instead of not assigning someone because of their weaknesses in certain areas at work, these engineering leaders assign certain tasks to employees based on their strengths.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

15. Never distracted easily They know what they want and they will not stop just so they could achieve them.

HOW GOOGLE ENGINEERS LEARN MANAGEMENT Google helps its engineers become capable managers, which make a huge difference to their success.

Everybody knows that Google is one of the biggest names in the tech sector. That raises some pretty big questions like how the heck did they manage to become so great and what is it about their engineers that make the company achieve success after success. In order to understand these things, we need to take a closer look at their hiring as well as management policies.

When Google was still in its infancy, its founders tried using a flat approach by eliminating all managerial posts. Of course, that experiment existed only for a few months. After all, managers do have an important role to play in an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s setup by improving efficiency.

For starters, Google does not look for your average manager. What they require in a manager is different from what other companies tend to look into. The second thing, which is rather interesting by the way, is that Google does not really care much about formal education.

Now Google is known for hiring the best. However, instead of choosing guys based on their marks, they go for cognitive abilities and skills. Google gives a lot of freedom and leeway inside its organizations. It ensures that managers and engineers are able to respect the skill set of the other side. Nonetheless, the question remains as to how to get these guys to value management so as to ensure efficiency.

The fact is that engineers and managers tend to have a pretty brought relationship. The majority of engineers find managers to be a bother. They would rather concentrate on their work such as coding instead of coordinating with managers and bosses.

This caused Google to try out Project Oxygen where a special group analyzed and tested people to find out their managerial capabilities. In other words, Google used data to find out which of their great engineers could become exceptional managers.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

Millennial Engineers Are Changing The Global Work Practice Here are some of the benefits for the evolving workforce. By Cielo Santos

Source: Coventry Telegraph

TELECOMMUTING

Soon, employees may have the convenience of working away from an office environment. Since everyone is on the internet nowadays, they can connect to an employerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office network.

FLEXTIME

Employees could work at different hours, rather than the traditional 8-5 office time. It could comprise of compressed workweeks.

JOB SHARING

This is when flextime workers share the responsibilities that are usually given to a full-time employee.

GLIDING

Employees will still have the traditional eight-hour work day for five days a week, but they have the flexibility to choose what time they work.

PHASE-OUT OR PHASE-BACK HOURS

Source: Warwick University

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

This is a temporary alternative work schedule that lets an employee transition in or out of their usual working schedule. Phase-out privileges are usually used by parents who are preparing for a new born child, or for retiring workers. Phase-back privileges, on the other hand, are used by parents with young children who are ready to come back to work.

Why Kärcher Is The Expert in Cleaning Being the leader in innovative cleaning technology, the company makes sure that all of its services, machines and products can really do the job!

When people think of cleaning, most of them end up thinking they’ll hire others to do it. Who could blame them? Cleaning requires a lot of hard work and given the busy lives we live, it feels like wasting time to spend hours getting elbow grease from doing the chore. This is exactly what Kärcher put in mind when developing cleaning products for its customers. Being the leader in innovative cleaning technology, the company makes sure that all of its services, machines and products can really do the job! When it comes to modeling its products and machines, it follows the Sinner’s Cycle in the cleaning technology, which comprises of four factors: time, temperature, chemical action and mechanical action. Mechanical action refers to the type of machine used for the cleaning process. It is important to take note which machine is used to remove stubborn dirt on the surface. The chemical action puts importance on the type of detergent used to clean the surface. Chemicals may be acidic, alkaline or neutral – with each type having specific instructions users should take note of. The wrong choice of chemical may lead to scarring of the surface. Temperature affects how the materials and methods used for cleaning react on the surface. Heat may or may not be good when cleaning surfaces. Lastly, the time is important to observe since some chemicals take more time to be more effective in cleaning than others.

Kärcher knows that most consumers would make an error in using the type of machine and detergent for cleaning. To remedy such errors, the surface for cleaning should be considered. Knowing what type of surface is involved will make cleaning quicker and more effective. It is important to identify if the surface is soft or hard. Soft surfaces include carpeted or other fabric surfaces. Hard surfaces include artificial and natural stones. Once identified, know whether it needs a fast reacting chemical detergent or a medium strength detergent. Over the years, Kärcher has devoted its time, budget and effort in focusing on research and development to come up with the best machines, products and services. Following the Sinner’s Cycle, machines developed put emphasis on each of the four factors to be taken in for different uses. One of its recent developments, a product range the company is very proud of, is its machines with eco!efficiency mode. In a society that is conscious of how products and services can affect the environment, Kärcher designed products with environmental sustainability. Using these products allow consumers to save water and electricity by up to 20 to 40% compared to regular machines. While the company is already at the top of its game, its people have no plans in stopping anytime soon. Innovation will always be a priority and expect more products that efficiently solve cleaning problems will be developed in the coming years. Karcher may have gone a long way already but it still has more plans to be better than what it is now!

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

How Kärcher Became The Superbrand That It Is Today When it comes to cleaning technology, there’s only one brand that embodies innovation and high quality performance: Kärcher. When it comes to cleaning technology, there’s only one brand that embodies innovation and high quality performance: Kärcher. It is known to be the global market leader in the cleaning industry and has served the professional and consumer world over the years. With more than 100 products under the brand, people trust Kärcher and rely on its innovative solutions to several cleaning problems. The company was founded back in 1935 by Alfred Kärcher with hopes that he could produce reliable products in the heating technology industry. He built the “Kärcher salt bath surface” that could be used for tempering steel and light metals, which he patented later on. The company eventually produced more products such as heating devices for cabin heating systems and aircraft engines. When the Second World War was over, Kärcher shifted its attention to products for everyday use: handcarts, small cookers, round stoves and trailers for tractors. Alfred Kärcher made it in the cleaning technology scene when he developed the first European hot water highpressure cleaner, which eventually became the basis for all burners today. Over the years, the company has been passed on to one generation after another – leading it to the successful endeavors it has accomplished for decades. A family-owned business, Kärcher was built based on its founder’s focus on innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. As the business grew, the company has put in more effort in its research. It aims to provide innovative solutions for its costumers. Around 900 personnel were employed for its research and development. Proving its innovative prowess, the company has over 1,300 patents and gained recognition and awards from different institutions.

Each product developed were designed for sustainability, user-friendliness and ecofriendliness. Kärcher has made a conscious effort to reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 20% this 2020. Just in case you didn’t know, Kärcher has dedicated itself in preserving of historical monuments and buildings for more than two decades already. Some of their projects involved cleaning of Mount Rushmore in the US, the Burj Al Arab in the UAE and the Luxor in Egypt. Following strict quality controls, the company complies with ISO9001 and ISO14001 certifications. In its observance in helping the environment, Kärcher uses recycled materials and products carry a badge that has eco!logic or eco!efficiency on them. These products have specific cleaning functions that help save water and power consumption, which helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions. What makes the company successful in its industry is how it focuses on its customers. Providing the most efficient and effective solutions, customers can rely on its products to achieve the best cleaning results. Kärcher has also provided a very reliable technical support system. Each employee is trained to give the best service and consultation support to every costumer. Kärcher also provides an emergency hotline availability. To satisfy the costumers, it invests in each employee in the company. With 11,230 employees, the company strives to take care of their needs as well. The company’s management adopts innovative methodologies and effective practices for everyone. By taking care of its employees, Kärcher gives better services to its customers and yields better results year after year.

Source: Kärcher 44

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Source: McDermott

McDermott Obtains A Construction Vessel Amazon and A Deepwater Pipelay

Vessel part of McDermott’s overall fleet strategy to extend technical capabilities of global fleet and grow subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) market position The Company plans to upgrade the vessel to a state-of-the-art J-lay vessel to expand its ultradeepwater capabilities McDermott schedules vessel for work on existing construction and pipelay projects

Dubai, UAE, March 01 2017: McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) announced today it has acquired the newly built pipelay and construction vessel Amazon to better position the Company for ultradeepwater and SURF projects. “This is a great opportunity for the Company to expand the technical capabilities of our global fleet and grow in the Deepwater and SURF markets and greatly increase our ultradeepwater project coverage,” said David Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer of McDermott. “Due to current market conditions and the opportunistic nature of the transaction, we were able to acquire what is essentially a new, enabling asset at a fraction of the original build cost.”

McDermott plans to upgrade the vessel to address the ultradeepwater market with a state-of-theart J-lay system outfitted with the latest vessel technology. In the near term, the Company plans to make minor capital expenditure investments to bring the vessel up to Company standards. As McDermott finalizes its upgrade plans, the Company plans to use the vessel on existing construction and pipelay projects. Funding for the vessel acquisition has been secured through a sale and leaseback arrangement under which McDermott has control of the vessel in exchange for a daily charter-hire rate. The planned upgrade to the state-of-the-art J-lay system and related financing are expected to be considered in line with market conditions. Completed in 2014, the Amazon is equipped with 49,514 square feet (4,600 square meters) of deck space complete with two 440-ton (400-tonne) cranes, a service speed of 12 knots and accommodation for up to 200 crew and service staff. For more information about the vessel acquisition, visit McDermott’sInvestor Relations web page.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

McDermott Releases Its Financial and Operational Results For The Year 2016 Fourth Quarter Order Intake Maintains Leading Position in Middle East with 2016 Book-to-Bill of 1.0x $4.3B in Backlog and Schedule Responsiveness and Flexibility Drive Higher Guidance Profitable Full-Year 2016 Result of Strong Execution and Focus on Cost Management Proven Success of One McDermott Way Strategic Investment in Amazon Dubai, UAE – March 01 2017, McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) (“McDermott,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”) today announced financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2016. FULL-YEAR 2016 OPERATING RESULTS Net income attributable to McDermott stockholders, in accordance with GAAP, for the full-year of 2016 was $34.1 million, or $0.12 per fully diluted share, compared to a net loss of $18.0 million, or $0.08 per fully diluted share, for the full-year of 2015. For the full-year 2016, adjusted net income was $89.4 million, or $0.31 per fully diluted share, excluding restructuring charges of $11.3 million, impairment charges of $55.0 million, a gain of $5.0 million on the exit from our joint venture with THHE and a gain of $5.4 million non-cash MTM pension adjustment,

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

compared to adjusted net income of $71.2 million, or $0.25 per adjusted fully diluted share, excluding restructuring charges of $40.8 million, impairment charges of $6.8 million, a legal settlement of $16.7 million and non-cash MTM pension loss of $26.0 million during the full-year of 2015. Our income tax provision for the full-year of 2016 included approximately $13.0 million of tax adjustments recorded during the fourth quarter of 2016 as a result of a change in valuation allowances associated with deferred tax assets recognized due to improving results in Saudi Arabia and Mexico. Additionally, we now operate under a tax holiday in Malaysia which further reduced income taxes in 2016 and will also benefit future years. The Company reported revenues of $2,636.0 million for the full-year of 2016, a decrease of $434.3 million, compared to $3,070.3 million of 2015 revenues. The decrease was primarily due to lower activity on our INPEX Ichthys project and completion of the 2015 campaign of the Brunei Shell Pipeline Replacement project. Revenue for the full-year of 2016 was primarily driven by the INPEX Ichthys, Saudi Aramco LTA II and Marjan power system replacement, and the RasGas Flow Assurance and Looping projects. Our operating income for the full-year of 2016 was $142.3 million, or an operating margin of 5.4%, compared to $112.7 million, or an operating margin of 3.7%, for the comparable 2015 period. Our adjusted operating income for the full-year of

2016 was $203.1 million, or an adjusted operating margin of 7.7%, excluding the restructuring charges, impairment charges and pension MTM gain mentioned above, compared to $203.0 million, or an adjusted operating margin of 6.6%, for the full-year 2015, excluding the restructuring charges, impairment loss, legal settlement and pension MTM loss mentioned above. Operating income for the full-year of 2016 was primarily driven by marine activity on the INPEX Ichthys, Saudi Aramco’s LTA II, Marjan power system replacement, and 12 Jackets projects, as well as a pipeline repair project in the Middle East region. Our operating margin for the full-year of 2016 was higher due to project execution driven improvements, final closeouts, change orders driven by alignment with customer needs and the full impact of our cost restructuring programs. Cash provided by operating activities in the full-year of 2016 was $178.2 million, an increase compared to the $55.3 million of cash provided in 2015. Overdue payments received from Pemex during the first quarter, as well as steady collections in the Middle East, positively impacted cash provided by operating activities for 2016. MEA region In the Middle East (“MEA”) Area, fabrication activity in the fourth quarter was driven by Saudi Aramco projects and the KJO Hout jacket and deck structures. Marine operations continued in both Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Execution of the Saudi

Aramco Lump Sum LTA II project, awarded in 2015, is progressing according to schedule, and is in the fabrication phase, with work being shared between the Jebel Ali and Dammam fabrication facilities. Cooperation and consistency between all facilities is driven by our One McDermott Way and as a result, a Middle East customer approved work share on a specific project for the fabrication of jackets in our Batam yard. The KJO Hout Jacket and topside will be installed and pre-commissioned in the first quarter of 2017; the project is more than 55% complete and is expected to be fully complete in the second quarter of 2017.The Marjan power systems project continued to meet key milestones in line with client requirements, as did the three Saudi Aramco jobs awarded in the second quarter of 2016. The three jobs awarded in the second quarter are in the preliminary stages of fabrication, with activity expected during 2017. Fabrication and installation of the Bul Hanine jackets is complete, with minor closeout work remaining. In Qatar, we focused on offshore work for the RasGas Flow Assurance and Looping project, which remains on schedule. The MEA area also continued to demonstrate McDermott’s Taking the Lead initiative, reaching an impressive 48-million man-hours lost time incident (“LTI”) free. Further information can be accessed at: http:// www.mcdermott-investors.com/phoenix. zhtml?c=96360&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2247616

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McDermott Achieves 50M Man-Hours Performed With No Lost Time Incident “Safety isn’t just a procedure for us, it’s a culture deep-rooted within every function and division of our business. It is our number one priority.”

McDermott International, Inc. is the global leader in offshore engineering and construction industry. Through its services, people are provided with innovative solutions that achieve the highest industry performance when it came to ethics, environmental, quality and safety. Recently, the company celebrated a new achievement when it reached 50 million man-hours performed that had no lost time incident in its Middle East division. According to Linh Austin of McDermott’s Vice President, Middle East and Caspian, “Everyone at McDermott had a part to play in reaching the 50 million man-hour milestone; it was achieved through mutual regard for each other and dedicated teamwork.

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

Safety isn’t just a procedure for us, it’s a culture deep-rooted within every function and division of our business. It is our number one priority.” The new milestone was achieved back in January 27, 2017 as part of the company’s program, Taking the Lead. McDermott’s Operational Values (“MOVs”) were also implemented, which helped achieve excellent safety performance. MOVs helped the company’s employees identify key procedures and processes that were needed for safety success. As for the McDermott company as a whole, it reached one year with no lost time incident. It included two spool bases, 12 McDermottowned offshore vessels and offices located around the world and four global fabrication facilities.

How Petrochem Middle East Built A Strong Reputation As A Global Chemical Distributor With dynamic and qualified professionals working for Petrochem, this global Network company has revenues in excess of USD 1 billion. Petrochem Middle East has made a reputation as the largest Chemical Distributor in the Middle East. Established in 1995, it is currently ranked as the 13th largest chemical distributor in the world. The company offers marketing chemicals and specialties to different companies across the globe that can be used for paints, coatings, personal care, oil and gas and even on Pharma industries. With dynamic and qualified professionals working for Petrochem, this global Network company has revenues in excess of USD 1 billion. With offices located in Dubai, Taiwan, Singapore, Mumbai and Shanghai, the company exports over 800,000 MT of products. The public is assured that the company operates under the highest Operational Excellence standards, following ISO 9001:2000, ISO 140001:2004 . Under the leadership of Yogesh Mehta, Petrochem Middle East has earned a spot in the petrochemical distribution industry, making it the largest distributor in the Middle East and eventually reached new heights. The company has built a strong reputation with its buyers and sellers. Yogesh, who

graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree from National College Bandra in Mumbai, India. After working for his father’s chemical manufacturing factory, he started his own business in chemical trading, then relocated to Dubai in 1990. He established Petrochem Middle East with David Lubbock, his friend and business partner. According to Yogesh, he considers his employees to be his business’s greatest assets. With his passion, mentoring and leading by example has led him and the company to great success. One proof of the company’s growth and excellence in its field, it has built a state-ofthe-art distribution terminal in Jebel Ali. Ever since then, the company kept expanding and has kept increasing its capacity in facilitating PME customers’ growing demands. The company has also set standards to prioritize the health and safety of its employees working for its terminal. With so many things going on for the company, it’s clear that Yogesh and his team have no plans of settling for anything that’s far from being excellent. The question for Petrochem Middle East now would be “What’s their next greatest achievement?”

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management • March 2017

E-Commerce, Online Distribution and Management â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017

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