Latest news with #Scion
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
The business turning kiwifruit into a leather alternative
KiwiLeather Innovations is turning 50,000 tonnes of kiwifruit waste into a leather alternative. Photo: Supplied A new leather alternative aims to find news uses for the over 50,000 tonnes of kiwifruit that is rejected in New Zealand each year. Shelley Houston founded KiwiLeather Innovations four years ago. Then based in Papamoa, her son had been bringing home an abundance of waste or rejected kiwifruit from his work at one of the orchards. She was surprised to learn just how much kiwifruit waste there was - much of this is used by farmers to help feed stock. "I used to be quite a keen baker, but I found there's only so much baking you can do with kiwifruit." She set about trying to develop new alternatives for the waste byproduct. "I'd seen overseas in Europe that they make a lot of biomaterials and things like that out of mangoes and apples and grapes, so I thought I'd give it a go with kiwifruit. The plant- and bio-based leather alternative can be used for many different products. Photo: Supplied Houston said the resulting prototype had worked better than she thought it would. She's worked with Scion research to perfect the formula and create a more viable product. The kiwifruit leather is plant-based and plastic-free. She said many people had remarked the alternative "smells just like leather". It's durability means it can be used as a leather alternative. Houston said they were targetting the automotive sector, with companies like Tesla using cactus leather, and furniture manufacturers. "There's just not enough product out there, enough bio-materials for these companies to be able to create that sort of thing." Houston has partnered with a number of packhouses who provided her with kiwifruit they can't use. She said it was good to give growers more value while repurposing the byproduct. Houston said people could expect to see prototype products released over the next few months. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
3yon News
24-05-2025
- Business
- 3yon News
بدرع الموهوبين الإعلامية هبة عبد الفتاح تكرم الرسام محمد علي
Kate Parker, Scion's team lead for sustainable materials, said the global drive to eliminate single-use plastic packaging had created a need for high-performance, eco-friendly alternatives. 'Moulded fibre packaging is a sustainable, compostable option, but it often falls short in strength and moisture resistance compared to plastic. 'By incorporating agricultural byproducts, we hope to improve the functionality of fibre trays and provide an innovative use for materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.' Mission This project aligns with Scion's mission to drive a circular bioeconomy, repurposing organic waste into valuable products and maximising resource efficiency while minimising environmental impact. 'The horticulture and agriculture industries generate large volumes of organic waste,' Parker said. 'Instead of seeing these byproducts as a problem, we are exploring how they can become part of the solution. 'By integrating waste streams into new materials, we can help New Zealand move away from plastic and support local producers.' Michaela Frost, owner of Mamaku Blue, which is known for its high-quality blueberry products, says this collaboration is a step toward a more sustainable future. 'Repurposing our blueberry byproduct is a fantastic opportunity for our business and the environment. 'We repurpose some of our waste for certain products, but not all can be stored indefinitely or processed in time, leading to some disposal. 'Exploring moulded fibre packaging is an exciting step forward.' Byproducts Matthew Parker, a health sciences student from the University of Otago and BPA Summer Student Internship, contributed to the work during his 12-week placement. He tested two other agricultural byproducts: avocado stones from oil extraction and cabbage wrapper leaves from farms. These byproducts were mechanically refined before being blended with wood fibre and made into trays using Scion's pilot-scale moulded fibre thermoformer – the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Initial results showed blueberry pulp and microfibres altered the trays' appearance, while cabbage microfibres significantly improved water resistance. Future research will explore blending these materials to see if their combined properties offer further benefits.
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Blueberry waste turned into sustainable trays by Scion and Rotorua's Mamaku Blue
Kate Parker, Scion's team lead for sustainable materials, said the global drive to eliminate single-use plastic packaging had created a need for high-performance, eco-friendly alternatives. 'Moulded fibre packaging is a sustainable, compostable option, but it often falls short in strength and moisture resistance compared to plastic. 'By incorporating agricultural byproducts, we hope to improve the functionality of fibre trays and provide an innovative use for materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.' Mission This project aligns with Scion's mission to drive a circular bioeconomy, repurposing organic waste into valuable products and maximising resource efficiency while minimising environmental impact. 'The horticulture and agriculture industries generate large volumes of organic waste,' Parker said. 'Instead of seeing these byproducts as a problem, we are exploring how they can become part of the solution. 'By integrating waste streams into new materials, we can help New Zealand move away from plastic and support local producers.' Michaela Frost, owner of Mamaku Blue, which is known for its high-quality blueberry products, says this collaboration is a step toward a more sustainable future. 'Repurposing our blueberry byproduct is a fantastic opportunity for our business and the environment. 'We repurpose some of our waste for certain products, but not all can be stored indefinitely or processed in time, leading to some disposal. 'Exploring moulded fibre packaging is an exciting step forward.' Byproducts Matthew Parker, a health sciences student from the University of Otago and BPA Summer Student Internship, contributed to the work during his 12-week placement. He tested two other agricultural byproducts: avocado stones from oil extraction and cabbage wrapper leaves from farms. These byproducts were mechanically refined before being blended with wood fibre and made into trays using Scion's pilot-scale moulded fibre thermoformer – the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Initial results showed blueberry pulp and microfibres altered the trays' appearance, while cabbage microfibres significantly improved water resistance. Future research will explore blending these materials to see if their combined properties offer further benefits.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After Nearly Dumping His Entire Portfolio and Buying Puts on Nvidia, Did Famed Investor Michael Burry Just Pull Off Another "Big Short?" It Certainly Looks That Way.
Michael Burry's massively successful bet against the U.S. housing market before it collapsed during the Great Recession made him famous. Burry may have made another successful "big short" bet right before the tariff drama hit. The big question now is whether Burry bought the dip or is still bearish on the market this year. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › If you've seen the movie The Big Short, which is based on the novel by Michael Lewis and features acclaimed actors Steve Carrell, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Jeremy Strong, then you probably know who Michael Burry is. The former Stanford neurology resident rose to prominence while posting stock ideas online during the early days of the internet. His ideas were so good that he eventually left the medical field to launch his own fund. Prior to the Great Recession, Burry correctly bet against the housing market, making hundreds of millions in profits for his fund, Scion Capital. Now, Burry runs another fund called Scion Asset Management, which happened to sell nearly all of its stocks in the first quarter, while also buying put options. Did Burry just pull off another "big short" trade? It certainly looks that way. Burry never runs too large of a portfolio, typically holding about a dozen stocks, plus or minus a few. In the first quarter, he sold nearly all of his holdings. He had been quite bullish on China, owning large Chinese stocks like Alibaba, Baidu, and PDD Holdings. But after selling these stocks, he also purchased put options on these names. Put options are similar to call options but in the opposite direction, essentially betting that a stock price will decline. Burry also purchased put options on Nvidia. Now, keep in mind that the 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission only shows us Scion's positions at the close of trading on March 31. We have no idea at what point during the first quarter Burry sold or at what price. However, it's quite possible that Burry saw rising trade tensions between the U.S. and China and decided to get ahead of a potential marketwide sell-off caused by tariffs. If this was the case, then Burry pulled off another "big short" trade and timed it perfectly because the market absolutely collapsed in early April after President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day," falling nearly 20% from highs made in February. Nvidia, at one point this year, traded 30% lower and was down much more from highs made during the year. Nvidia not only got hit by the trade war but also after the Trump administration placed export restrictions on certain semiconductor chips to China. Nvidia does a substantial amount of business in China, but the stock has recovered a lot since the U.S. and China announced a 90-day pause on higher tariff rates against one another. Interestingly, Burry's lone remaining long position is the multinational cosmetics company Estée Lauder, which is down over 50% in the last year (as of May 16). Scion actually doubled its position in the company in the first quarter. It's not uncommon for Burry to take long positions in deep-value stocks like he did with GameStop right before the meme stock blasted into orbit in what turned into an epic retail trading frenzy. We really won't know the answer to this question until we see Scion's 13F for the current quarter sometime in July. However, it's quite possible that Burry was only short-term bearish and saw the trade war coming. Burry has done this before. In the second quarter of 2022, right after the Federal Reserve began its intense interest rate hiking campaign, Scion also sold all of its stocks except one. By the third quarter, Scion had begun accumulating stocks again. It would, of course, be quite impressive if Burry sold all of his stocks in the first quarter and then bought the dip after the market sold off intensely right before Trump announced a pause on elevated tariff rates. I wouldn't put it past the legendary investor. Burry could also be more long-term bearish, as he studies economic data closely, which indicates a potential slowdown in consumer spending and the overall economy. I think the big takeaway is that we don't quite know how Burry is positioned for the rest of the year just yet in terms of being bearish or bullish. However, it definitely looks like Burry pulled off another "big short" trade. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $351,127!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $40,106!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $642,582!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join Stock Advisor, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. See the 3 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Baidu and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Alibaba Group and The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. After Nearly Dumping His Entire Portfolio and Buying Puts on Nvidia, Did Famed Investor Michael Burry Just Pull Off Another "Big Short?" It Certainly Looks That Way. was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big Short Investor Michael Burry Bets Big on Market Decline
Hedge fund manager Michael Burry, famous for making millions betting against the mortgage market in 2008, is again counting on a market decline, this time with a focus on chips and China. Burry, whose risky investments were chronicled in the 2015 film The Big Short, purchased millions of dollars in puts that will turn profitable if stocks including Nvidia Corp. (NVDA), Baidu Inc. (BIDU) and others fall in value, according to an SEC filing made last week. The 13F filing summarizes first-quarter investments of $199.2 million and doesn't provide dates or details of the purchases. While Burry made more than $800 million for himself and other investors in 2008, according to published reports, recent investments suggest a mixed record of making money. He appears to have sold a Canadian physical gold ETF before gold soared to record prices this year. In 2023, he closed bets he made against the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) that appeared to have not paid off. Still, with President Donald Trump's tariff war raging and Moody's Ratings downgrade of U.S. debt, many experts and investors are cautioning markets remain vulnerable to declines that would make Burry's bets pay off. Besides Nvidia and Baidu, Scion purchases add up to bets against the Chinese internet economy. Burry is short Alibaba Group Holding (BABA), Inc. (JD), PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD) and Group (TCOM). Those stocks appear particularly vulnerable to a downturn amid the tariff war that President Trump is waging against China. The KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), which holds most of those stocks, has gained 14% over the past month. His only long bet is 200,000 shares in Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL). While that stock is down 13% this year, it's jumped 20% over the past month. Scion appears to have last held exchange-traded funds in last year's second quarter, when the firm held Japan-focused ETFs including the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ), along with SPY and QQQ | © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved Sign in to access your portfolio
