Latest news with #SugarRefinery
Times of Oman
02-08-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
More than 90,000MT of raw sugar received for refining
Sohar: In a major step towards food security, the Sultanate's first sugar refinery has received raw sugar weighing more than 90,000 metric tonnes. It is a strategic move aimed at diversification of the national economy. This shipment marks the beginning of a new phase of expansion in food manufacturing operations, which will contribute to providing promising opportunities in training and employment, particularly for new graduates and local technical personnel, in addition to supporting the local supply chain and developing industrial skills. Nasser bin Ali Al Hosni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sugar Refinery, said that the refinery is the first of its kind in the Middle East, covering an area of 180,000 square metres in the Sohar Industrial Port. It is equipped with the latest technology and has a production capacity of up to one million tonnes of high-quality refined white sugar annually. The production will serve local, regional, and export markets. He added that the first shipment from Brazil, with a total weight of more than 90,000 metric tonnes, is currently being unloaded directly into the refinery's warehouses using automated mobile cranes and high-speed weighing and conveying systems. He pointed out that the warehouses' storage capacity amounts to more than 500,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar and 70,000 metric tonnes of refined white sugar in an integrated automated storage facility. He stressed that, after the completion of construction work, the refinery was able to connect its gas supplies from the OQ Group, enabling the start of operations. This achievement represents a pivotal step in the trial operation phase. He explained that sugar smelting operations are scheduled to begin this August, in preparation for the launch of commercial white sugar production next September. The Chairman of the Sugar Refinery's Board of Directors emphasised that the receipt of the first shipment of raw sugar comes within the framework of enhancing self-sufficiency and relying on renewable resources and advanced technologies, thus contributing to supporting food security.
CBC
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
How British Columbians are getting creative with live music venues
Social Sharing Many live music venues are closing. Whether it's nightclubs in downtown Vancouver, a non-profit space in the province's capital or a smaller venue in rural British Columbia, dedicated spaces for artists to perform are becoming few and far between. In general, the high cost of rent for both artists and for business owners running the venues is the main culprit. Communities are being forced to get creative. Traditional theatres and stages may be disappearing, but performance spaces are popping up in unexpected spaces like art galleries and even just random people's living rooms. Podcast host and producer Kristina Rothstein remembers the Sugar Refinery in downtown Vancouver as a place where "interesting things were always happening and people were trying out new things and putting on a play and doing a weird experimental show." "I always felt at home," she said. The venue, located on the Granville strip, shut down in 2003, but music lovers and artists alike still reminisce about the shows they saw there. Rothstein's curiosity around what venues came before and after her favourite spot inspired her podcast, In Search of Lost Venues, where she wanders Vancouver neighbourhoods with local musicians talking about live music events of days gone by. And while remembering the good old days can be cathartic, there still remains a problem: musicians are looking for somewhere — anywhere — to perform, now. Beloved B.C. musician Dan Mangan and his business partner, Laura Simpson, founded Side Door in 2017 after noticing a lack of space for performers. It connects artists with hosts who have a space for them — often their own homes. Both the artist and host are paid automatically through the platform, and thousands of shows have happened since the platform launched. Victoria Levesque has hosted several shows through Side Door since 2019 and has a few coming up. She offers an indoor living room space or, weather permitting, a small garden space in her yard. "When you put the time and effort into hosting artists … it's not for that one day; it's for the future of their career," she said. WATCH | Inside Victoria's DIY live music scene: A look inside Victoria's DIY music scene 8 days ago Duration 3:49 Victoria prides itself on its vibrant art scene. But the last few years have been rough for local live music venues, with beloved spots having to close their doors. Now, local musicians and music lovers are creating their own live music spaces using whatever they have. Rohit Joseph takes us on a tour of Victoria's DIY music scene. In Victoria, a photography studio has become a more broad creative space, hosting live comedy and music. "I was a punk rock kid growing up. I used to go to lots of punk shows and lots of house party shows," said Antonio La Fauci, owner of Cinderbloc Studios. "I kinda like just getting people together and having people build a showcase through creativity." Not far from Cinderbloc, the Little Fernwood Gallery has also offered up space for do-it-yourself live music, where artists rent the gallery space and convert it into a live music venue, bringing the equipment, ticketing the event and everything they need to put on a show. Tarun Nayar, Canadian Live Music Association board chair and a Surrey, B.C., musician, said independent venues — longtime, traditional establishments or DIY spots — are necessary for both local and global musicians. The association recently released the results of a study on the impact live music has on the Canadian economy. It found that in 2023 alone, live music contributed $10.9 billion to the country's GDP and supported more than 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs. "We all know it's important, from the biggest Taylor Swift stadium craziness to the local show at the Biltmore or the Fox," he said.
