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Backlash over Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugias reasoning why 30 trees near Fgura needed to be removed has seen his Facebook page flooded with images from the scene with many questioning whether the action really was justified when you actually look at it.

The story, revealed by Lovin Malta on Friday, saw Climate Campaign Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Suzanne Maas raising the alarm after reporting the scene in Vjal il-Kottoner, a road between abbar and Fgura.

Infrastructure Malta told Lovin Malta the trees were removed as they were either invasive, damaged, or dead trees, all covered by necessary permits, if/when required; Farrugia himself said he had been given advice from a botanical expert for the trees to be removed, noting 90 saplings would be replacing the 30 mature trees.

Taking to social media, Farrugia posted an image of the story emblazoned with a big red FAKE.

Lovin Malta published this story implying we butchered trees for no reason. Typical spin, he said.

However, many among the 233 comments under his post at time of publishing just werent buying it.

All of the trees were dead? asked one man, sharing a before pic of the road.

There may have been one or two, but surely not all. Dead trees arent covered in leaves. Thanks for destroying another road. Whats the value in planting the small ones when you chop down the big ones? We need accountability.

I was born where the invasive trees are and they are older than you (or were, before you butchered them). That tree was born before you, and it isnt true that it was sick, Minister, said another, sharing a photo of the trunk of the freshly chopped mature tree.

You could have at least tried removing it and replanting it nsomma erajt waqajt ga ajt gax kulladd gandu gajnejh fwiu

The comments kept coming in.

Dead and theyre still green Minister? So what colour is alive then red? Prosit ministru.

Those trees have been there since Dom Mintoffs time.

Are you mad, or just living on the moon? Xmejtin l-Alla.

Minister, who is this botanical expert you spoke to?

Minister, you are invasive, not the trees that have been there for 50 years. Youve invaded a nation with amateurism and mediocrity, typical of young ministers who went from the kain tar-raal to a seat of power.

If this is a what a dead tree looks like, what does a live tree look like?

Malta Ranger Units Cami Appelgren also entered the comments section, with advice for Farrugia and asking for the process over why the trees were removed to be made public and more transparent.

Just a suggestion when large trees are scheduled to be removed (which will ALWAYS be followed by public outcry), why isnt the department responsible putting such info up for everyone to see BEFOREHAND? It would save you a lot of headache. And bluntly, I think the public has the right to such info

And even with ERA permit, doesnt always make it right Can the discussion about these trees removal be made public to see what the full reasoning was?

On the ERA permit on Friday, when the story broke, Friends Of The Earths Suzanne Maas told Lovin Malta that the activist group was unable to find a permit when searching for it online.

Who in todays age of climate crisis and air pollution can think it is right to remove mature trees? Furthermore, we cannot find a relevant permit online nor on-site by the authority commissioning the works, Infrastructure Malta.

And when Lovin Malta checked on Friday as well, no permit was found.

However, on Saturday, a permit appeared online, admitting the works targeting protected trees.

Independent politician Arnold Cassola did not mince words across two posts he made on the matter on his Facebook page.

Aaron Farrugia: who is the liar?

Farrugia tells us we are all stupid idiots. It is not true that mature trees have been chopped down between abbar and Fgura. Aaron Farrugia tells us that if we saw this, it is because we are all stupid. Unlike the illuminated ministru/minestru.

Lovin Malta obtained the letter advising Farrugia to remove the trees from Horticultural Consultant Peter Calleja.

And you can take a scroll for yourself through Farrugias comment section below.

Read the original story below.

Do you think Maltas infrastructure planning has hit rock bottom?

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'Gajjejtuna': Residents Flood Aaron Farrugia's Page With Pics Of ... - Lovin Malta

Plans for the 930,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Maidencreek Township. (READING EAGLE-KEITH DMOCHOWSKI)

Residents are appealing an attempt by developers to fast-track the approval of a land use application for plans to build a 930,000-square-foot warehouse at Route 222 and Schaeffer Road in Maidencreek Township.

Developer Maiden Creek Associates advertised a notice of deemed approval early in April, which claims that a conditional use application for the plans is deemed approved according to state law, due to the supervisors failure to comply with the rules for conditional-use hearings.

A township hearing on the application has been ongoing since late November.

Attorneys for the developers have repeatedly criticized township officials for allowing what they said was irrelevant and excessive cross-examination from about 20 residents opposing the plans who are parties to the proceedings.

Residents claim they have a right to ask detailed questions about a project they worry will significantly worsen traffic and road safety, and lower their quality of life.

The developers stepped up their criticism of the townships handling of the hearing in February, filing a lawsuit against Maidencreek for allowing the hearing to proceed with questioning they contend is inappropriate, irrelevant, beyond scope, or used to present the opposition partys case.

The notice of deemed approval is the developers latest attempt at remedying conduct theyve claimed amounts to a violation of their right to due process.

Township solicitor Eric Frey noted at a meeting in April that the township believes the deemed approval is not warranted.

There was nothing done improper by the township, Frey said of Maidencreeks handling of the hearings.

Frey noted at the meeting that the township is not legally allowed to start an appeal of the deemed approval, and that a member of the public would have to step forward and file a challenge.

A residents group opposing the warehouse said an appeal against the approval was filed April 28.

Township officials said they asked Berks County Court to discard the deemed approval.

Officials said a ruling by the court is pending.

Conditional use approval would not guarantee approval of the final plans, which still need to be reviewed by the township, as well as county and state agencies.

The conditional-use hearing continued April 26 with developers calling two expert witnesses to give testimony.

The first was Fred Ebert of Ebert Engineering Inc. in Montgomery County, who testified about the proposed warehouses plans for a fire suppression system.

Supervisor Heidi Fiedler objected to Ebert as an expert in fire suppression, claiming his resume lacked expertise relevant to the design of fire suppression systems.

Ebert said his report covered the ability of the system to provide necessary water storage, pressure and flow to a sprinkler system, and that the sprinklers themselves are designed by manufacturers, not civil engineers.

The supervisors voted 2-1 in favor of accepting Ebert as an expert witness, with Fiedler voting no.

Ebert said the design of the fast response fire suppression system exceeds the requirements laid out by the National Fire Protection Association.

The code requires a minimum of 60 minutes of fire protection, Ebert said. Weve doubled that. Were providing 120 minutes.

He said the system includes an independent storage tank that can be refilled by the public water system, which would extend that time.

This is a very robust system that does not rely on a single source of water, Ebert said.

Fiedler questioned whether the Maidencreek water system would be able to supply enough water in the event of a sustained fire.

You as a township adopted a code and established a minimum guideline (for water capacity), Ebert said. I have doubled that capacity. If theres a greater concern, the onus is on the township to change the code.

Several residents also asked questions about the qualities and capabilities of the fire system.

Next to testify was Mike Baltrusaitis, an expert in environmental, public health and occupational safety compliance with Pennoni, a Scranton-based engineering firm.

Baltrusaitis said he reviewed the warehouse projects impact on environmental performance standards laid out in the townships zoning rules, including standards on vibration levels, air quality impact, electromagnetic interference, storage of hazardous materials, glare, heat and waste generation.

He said he found no compliance issues with the project, and that it adhered to required standards.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Willow Creek Elementary School auditorium.

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Residents appeal Maidencreek warehouse developers move to fast-track land use approval - Reading Eagle

Thomas L. Bogdan, 75, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital. He was born March 2, 1948, in New Eagle, son of the late John R Bogdan Sr. and the late Mary Dinsick Bogdan. He was a graduate of Mon Valley Catholic High School and a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Tom served as a staff sergeant in the 509th Organizational Maintenance Squadron B-52 Wing stationed at Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire. He was part of deployments to Andersen AFB, Guam and Thailand during the Vietnam War. Tom spoke fondly and frequently about his years in the Air Force. Many a long phone call or afternoon on the front porch of the farm was spent recalling his experiences during his enlistment and the airmen he served with. Following his time in the Air Force, Tom attended California University of Pennsylvania and worked for many years in appliance repair throughout the Pittsburgh area. He most recently worked at Sacred Heart Cemetery as a groundskeeper. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Donald Bogdan. He is survived by his brothers, John R. Bogdan Jr. of Keyser, W.Va., and Anthony Bogdan of Carroll Township; and two nephews, John and Paul Bogdan. Arrangements have been entrusted to ANTHONY L. MASSAFRA FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE INC., 40 Second St. Ext., Donora, PA 15033, 724-379-6900, where private services were held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Entombment was at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Monongahela, with full military rites accorded by the Mon Valley Honor Guard and Firing Squad. To share a condolence please visit http://www.massafrafuneralhome.com.

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Thomas L. Bogdan - The Mon Valley Independent

Most Americans dont have the financial resources to cover a surprise expense of $400 a car or appliance repair, or a medical bill without taking on debt, according to a new survey.

Just over one-third of respondents said they have cash on hand to cover the expense, and the figure rises to 48% when including those who said theyd use a credit card but pay it off immediately before incurring interest charges, according to a poll conducted by decision intelligence company Morning Consult for Bloomberg News.

The data highlight widespread financial fragility, even in an economy with unemployment near 50-year lows, and the erosion of the savings cushion that some households built up in the pandemic. It also shows how many Americans could be pushed into taking on more debt even as interest rates surge by a relatively commonplace event.

Weve had two really strong years of jobs growth and there has been a lot of coverage of wage compression, with lower-income earners actually experiencing more rapid wage growth, said John Leer, chief economist at The Morning Consult. And despite all of that, there is still a group of predominantly lower-income adults who are extremely vulnerable.

The findings show that millions of families, if they were faced by an unexpected $400 expense, wouldnt be able to pay some of their other bills.

Whats more, the inability to pay isnt confined to the lowest-income households. About 20% of the middle-income bracket those with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 said they couldnt cover a $400 expense with cash or equivalents. The figure was 8% among who make more than $100,000.

The poll shows that emergency expenses arent that uncommon. Overall, 44% of respondents said they had such an expense in the prior month, with the most frequent cause being vehicle-related costs, followed by medical bills. The median size of an emergency expense was $483, and many respondents reported that theyd been hit with more than one.

The changing structure of the labor market, with more people reliant on gig work, may also be adding to uncertainty around income and making budgeting harder, according to Sofia Baig, an economist at The Morning Consult. Those kinds of work arrangement also leave many families depending on unscheduled and likely higher-cost childcare, which adds to financial strains, she said.

The Morning Consult survey was conducted between April 12-16, among more than 11,000 respondents.

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Most Americans say they lack ready cash to cover a surprise $400 expense - Autoblog

(May 5, 2023) In this weeks article to Spotlight members of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, we recognize Gold Badge member Danny Chavis. Danny has been the owner and operator of A.D. SEA appliance repair and home improvement company serving Ocean City and surrounding communities for the past 39 years. He has also, for many years, been actively involved with the youth of our community as a coach for Pop Warner football.

Following high school, Danny enlisted in the United States Navy. He served in the Navy for six years prior to joining his family in Ocean City in December 1983. Danny joined the OCVFC on 12/15/87 to continue his community service. He had been impressed with the great brotherhood he witnessed in the OCVFC.

During his 30 years of active service to the OCVFC, Firefighter Chavis served as lieutenant on Engine 712 under the leadership of Captain (now Volunteer Chief) Jay Jester.

He is currently in the process of recertification as a driver/operator for fire apparatus. He also provided his expertise in maintaining and repairing the various appliances found at each of the firehouses.

Danny cites his involvement in an incident on the beach on June 21, 1995. He responded to the scene with members of the OCVFC and OCPD officers to save a 12-year-old young man buried in the sand on the beach at 109th Street. Tragically, the young man did not survive. Danny still recalls the strong emotions he felt upon returning home to see his own 12-yer-old son.

Firefighter Chavis states his greatest accomplishment as a member of the OCVFC is his effort to do his best over the years for the members of the OCVFC and the community we serve. He also welcomes every opportunity to share the experiences and knowledge gained over his many years as a volunteer firefighter to ensure fire safety and prevention for his family, friends, and clients.

We thank Firefighter Chavis for his years of service to protect our Nations freedoms and for his many years of service and commitment to the safety and well-being of our neighbors and visitors to our community.

For membership information or to learn about your volunteer fire company, please visit http://www.ocvfc.com.

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Veteran of 35 years Chavis integral to OCVFC | Ocvfc Volunteer ... - Ocean City Today

As we rifle through our sock drawer in a rush every morning trying desperately to find a matching pair, we are left asking where on earth they have all vanished to - but a TikToker appears to have solved the mystery.

Renea, who is an appliance repair tech from Salt Lake City, shared a video on TikTokexplained exactly where socks disappear to during the laundry cycle.

In the clip, which racked up over 18 million views, she claimed that it's not down to forgetfulness - thewashing machine actually does swallow them.

In the video she can be seen removing the back panel off the washing machine with a chisel.

Once the panel is off, the inside of the washing machine is completely stuffed with odd socks.

Taking the pile out and laying the socks on the floor it was clear that the machine had been collecting odd socks for some time.

Many were shocked with some joking they owe an apology to their tumble dryer for blaming that for years.

One person wrote: 'All the years joking about how 'the dryer eats them'.'

Another said: 'We all owe the dryer an apology.'

While another quipped: 'Are my Tupperware lids in there too?'

Others were completely shocked as they always thought it was an old wives tale.

One person said: 'So my washing machine does eat my socks!!!!!!'

Another said: 'So thats prob where my paw patrol sock that I lost when I was 3.'

While someone else wrote: 'I always said that the washing machine has been eating my socks. Im going fishing for my lost socks !!!!!'

Renea's revelation comes after a savvy mother also revealed on TikTok how best to clean your washing machine using just two ingredients.

Jen Watson, a mother-of-five from the US, revealed on her TikTok page titled OrganizedAndSimplified4u that a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar can clean the rim of the washing machine in just one cycle.

In the short clip Jen pulled back the rubber part of the door in a washing machine to show all the built up scum and dirt before advising adding bicarbonate of soda and white wine vinegar.

Applying around two tablespoons of the powder directly to the mess, she then poured over the liquid so the mixture immediately started bubbling.

Quickly shutting the door, Jen put the machine on a rinse and watched as the cheap and easy solution worked its magic.

As soon as it was over the mother pulled back the rubber lining to show it was now spick and span and clean enough for all your delicate washing.

Read more here:
I'm a washing machine expert and I know where your missing socks are - Daily Mail

Peay impressed the judges with his storytelling abilities.

ABCs American Idol returned on Monday with the Judges Song Contest, challenging each of the remaining contestants to since a song submitted anonymously by the Idol judges.

Standout contestant Warren Peay was asked to choose between Colder Weather by Zac Brown Band, Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Blue Side of the Mountain by The Steeldrivers. The South Carolina native was thrilled with all of the song choices but ultimately decided to go with Colder Weather by Zac Brown Band.

To prepare for the performance, Peay worked with the vocal coaches and hoped to showcase his vocal range throughout the song.

Surrounded by blue lights and a background that resembles a starry night sky, Peay took the stage to deliver a stirring performance of the 2x platinum-certified country hit, which was co-penned by Zac Brown, Coy Bowles, Wyatt Durrette and Levi Lowrey. The song was a great fit for Peay as it put his powerhouse vocals on full display.

Following his performance, it was revealed that Lionel Richie was the judge who hand-picked Colder Weather for Peay. Richie praised the former appliance repair technician for finally feeling comfortable enough to walk around the stage rather than stand behind the mic for his entire performance. The Hello singer also applauded the contestants storytelling skills.

Judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan complimented Warren Peay on how he manages to make each song his own by adding his signature flair into every performance he gives. Perry also shared her excitement over the dynamics of Peays voice.

It was revealed that Warren Peay was safe within the competition and would advance to the Top 8. Following the show, the Idol contestant took to social media to express his gratitude for the news.

I cannot put into words how it feels to be in the Top 8! It means the world to me to know you have all voted me this far into the competition, and I hope I can continue to make you all proud, he wrote, adding, To God be the glory!

Warren Peay auditioned with To The Table by Zach Williams and earned a yes from all three judges.

Coming into American Idol, I truly feel like this is a game changer for me, Peay shared ahead of his audition. I want to get out and play as much as possible.make it a career. I think my church is super proud that Im going, and Im so glad to have that support behind me.

His performance drew comparisons to Chris Stapleton and left the judges floored.

His voice cuts through, Bryan pointed out, while Richie added, FM Radio right there!

Perry was equally impressed.

A Christian Chris Stapleton. Warren Woo, she gushed. You walked in that door and I was like, please God, please God, answer our prayers, God. This guy looks the part. Please have him sound the part and you sound the freaking part.

Throughout the competition so far, hes gone on to sing Stone by Whiskey Myers, Set Fire to the Rain by Adele, Up There Down Here by Zach Williams, Its Not My Time by 3 Doors Down, and more.

Tyson Venegas and Marybeth Byrd were eliminated during Monday nights American Idol. In a surprising twist, the judges saved Oliver Steele.

American Idol returns next week with Alanis Morisette and Ed Sheeran joining Luke Bryan as guest judges. The Top 8 will perform and the Top 5 will also be revealed.

An all-new episode of the competition airs coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 7 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on ABC.

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WATCH: Warren Peay Impresses With Zac Brown Band Cover On ... - Country Now

Freight forwarders are the true architects of the global supply chain, and their capacity to handle uncertainties determines the flow of goods and trade. However, the industry itself is witnessing an identity shift not only due to digital forwarding but also consolidations.

In its April 2023 update of the air cargo market, CLIVE Data Services of Xeneta reported that longer-term contracts between shippers and freight forwarders may signal more common ground in a stabilising global air cargo market which saw demand dip at a slower -3% year-over-year in March.

Does this mean stabilisation in the market for freight forwarders? As the industry is still not out of uncertainties, both the long-term and short-term trends need to be assessed to answer that. The evolution of technology usage and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are two crucial gauges to measure this.

The most important topic of discussion in the current freight forwarding industry is automation through digitalisation. Regardless of where it has reached, the industry is reminding, once again that it is ruled by humans and human creativity.

Looking at the current market and industry, Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association observed that we're still seeing the value of creative logistical problem-solving, that only people can deliver.

It's an industry of knowledge, expertise and experience. It is the talent that makes the business value in this industry. And that continues today, regardless of the automation and size. Their skill, knowledge and expertise in the ability to address logistical challenges are that automation might not be able to do.

Technology, while helpful as just a tool, Fried argues, In the end, it's about the people and their knowledge and expertise that make the business successful.

It's an industry of knowledge, expertise and experience. We're still seeing the value of creative logistical problem solving, that only people can deliver.Brandon Fried, Airforwarders Association

Meanwhile, Lionel van der Walt, chief growth officer at logistics platform Raft thinks that digital freight forwarding is about bringing the human back into freight forwarding, acting as a catalyst for radically rethinking the nature of work in this age-old industry.

Traditional freight forwarding processes are often time-consuming and prone to error because they rely heavily on manual tasks such as preparing documentation, chasing payments, and tracking shipments.

According to Walt, with digital freight forwarding, many of these mechanical and time-consuming tasks are automated.

This frees up freight forwarders time to focus on higher-value work such as improving cash flow, working more effectively with vendors, and providing personalised customer service, he said.

Certainly, digital freight forwarding can bring value not only to forwarders but also to their clients, ultimately.

The rise of digital freight forwarding has streamlined operations and workflows at scale without the need for increasing manual labour.

Walt said, Automated processes are improving accuracy and reducing the time it takes to prepare documents, clear declarations, and process and reconcile invoices. AI is helping to improve visibility across the supply chain, enabling freight forwarders to track shipments in real-time and provide up-to-date information to their clients. Further to this, accessibility to real-time information has the benefit of ensuring better collaboration and transparent communications between teams, which ultimately makes life easier for freight forwarders.

Digital freight forwarding is bringing the human back into business, acting as a catalyst for rethinking the nature of work in this age-old industry.Lionel van der Walt, Raft

Another important but renewed talk of the town is on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the supply chain.

FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations) advisory body for information technology chair Tej Contractor thinks that AI is of great benefit and can remove mundane administrative tasks and allow the human workforce to move on to more interesting and skilled tasks.

Although AI will never be as good as the data which is input, or the user writing commands into the interface, it will significantly change the way forwarders do business, by adding value to their work and avoiding the repetitive work which is time-consuming and much of the time, uninteresting for the user, he said.

Fried who reports significant advancement in digital forwarding technologies and believes more is coming, argues that face-to-face interactions are essential in this industry. He notes that even in the so-called digital forwarding companies face-to-face customer discussions are going on as well.

They have marketing people who, sooner or later, are sitting down for lunch with the shipper because so much of creative logistical problem-solving comes from face-to-face interaction that might not be adequately addressed today, through the handheld device, he said.

However, while talking about where the industrys automation is going, Fried notes that there are several areas where digital solutions and technology can fool-proof operations.

For example, he said, There is a big concern now on dangerous goods and shipments like lithium batteries. While face-to-face interaction and consultative approaches are essential, there are procedures to be followed. To the point that could be automated, to make sure that a step isn't missed, the industry is starting to introduce that more.

The industry is lacking data visibility and supply chain transparency. And the biggest value that these digital forwarders have created is advancing that conversation.Derek Lossing, Cirrus Global Advisors

Meanwhile, talking about some of the digital freight forwarding companies that came into existence to revolutionise the traditional freight forwarding company, Derek Lossing, founder of Cirrus Global Advisors, a consultancy to forwarders opines that it was not the case.

I don't think any of them are revolutionising the way goods are moved around the world, he said.

However, on a positive note, he argues that these companies created a conversation around visibility and Lossing thinks this conversation needed to happen, irrespective of digital freight forwarders.

Only if you can have visibility and data points around what's happening in the global supply chain, will be able to correct problems or make improvements. And that's true, whether you're a shipper or a forwarder or a carrier. The industry is lacking in some of that data visibility and supply chain transparency. And the biggest value that some of these digital freight forwarders have created is advancing that conversation, he said.

Robert Khachatryan, chief executive officer of Freight Right Global Logistics notes that the talk about digital forwarding has fueled a massive influx of venture funding into an industry that promises great riches for those able to drag the industry into this century.

At least, this is what the would-be disruptors are prophecizing, he said.

However, he thinks that much of the value proposed by new tech companies is around giving smaller forwarders the ability to compete with larger ones. He also noted that, at least in the case of visibility, the ironic outcome of automation is more manual labour.

What has become clear is that the first round of digitization centred around rate management and quoting turned out to be a dud. Having been able to automate at least some portion of the quoting process, many forwarders realized that the solution could have been better. Visibility tools, which are the most active tech startups these days, are also finding that there may be a reason why smaller forwarders cannot offer visibility to their customer. The available data needs to be more cohesive and siloed. To plug the data gap, logistics companies, and technology providers are doing what they were preaching against. They have hired armies of staff in overseas offices to update milestones that are unavailable automatically or manually. he said.

To plug the data gap, they are doing what they were preaching against. They have hired armies of staff to update milestones that are unavailable automatically or manually.Robert Khachatryan, Freight Right Global Logistics

The money not only flowing towards the digitalisation of the industry but also into the consolidation of the industry itself. After a period of market uncertainties, the industry is reporting increased M&A.

For example, Jonathan Clark, CEO & EVP of the wholesale freight forwarding company Air Menzies International, in a recent interview with The STAT Trade Times noted that they are trying to double their global footprint in the next two years from 27 offices to 50. While he is expecting organic growth, a lot of that expansion will also come in inorganically by acquiring companies, particularly to enter new markets.

"The difficulty is that many companies have been very successful over the last few years which means the price asked for some of these businesses is inflated. By the middle and end of this year, the market should start to stabilise and should get back to some normality. The airfreight rates are still high. The profits of some of these companies will start to come down and we want to take advantage of this in the next few years, he said.

Lossing agrees with this development and thinks that it is part of how society realised the importance of global supply chains.

As an industry, top talent tends not to find its way into supply chain and transportation. And, the pandemic taught us how important supply chains are, they can make or break companies. And during that time, there was a lot of investor activity around global freight forwarding M&A. There was a lot of sentiment and how important these companies are, he said.

He thinks the margins and valuations are going to be falling in the next 12 to 18 months for these companies.

On the same line, Khachatryan is expecting many more consolidations, especially among the smaller companies.

Except for the first half of 2020, the pandemic years have been rough regarding M&A. As rates and margins soared, companies became more confident and less willing to sell. The owners that had to exit due to succession issues, for example, commanded multiples of EBIDTA, unheard of in the logistics industry. Now that the margins are back to pre-pandemic levels, many companies, especially the ones that took on a lot of overhead, are more and more likely to sell. Should the volume lull continue, some will become desperate to exit. On the other hand, aggressive and cash-rich companies find that acquisitions are the most viable way to grow market share as the overall pie is becoming smaller and smaller, he said.

Fried shared his frustration as an association leader with fewer companies, but still serving the same amount of people because now they're together as one company.

He said the forwarding industry is no stranger to M&A and it will continue to see more.

Valuations are a symptom of the marketplace. It's supply and demand. As time progresses, the market is going to stabilise. And in the long term, I am not seeing a reduction in this type of activity. he said.

Contractor thinks an increase in M&A activities is beneficial for the industry, which has traditionally struggled to secure finance from banks and financial institutions have always taken a cautious approach in lending to service providers.

The carriers have performed exceptionally well, exceeding their own expectations. It is only wealth that creates wealth hence considering the bottom line that they generated is being put to use to expand their footprint & their scope of services, he said.

Freight forwarders are the architects of the global supply chain, and without them, there is no flow of goods, trade, and certainly no response to the burning growth in consumer demand for more goods, as a result of economic growth which continues worldwide in the long run.

As Contractor puts it, The logistics industry is well positioned to meet the demands of customers, as we saw during the pandemic. Their flexibility and adaptability to change make them the strong foundation of the supply chain which customers seek.

This was originally published in the May 2023 issue of The STAT Trade Times.

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Freight forwarders: Architects of global supply chain - STAT Times

This article is part of our Design special section about making the environment a creative partner in the design of beautiful homes.

When the architect Emilio Ambasz won a 1998 competition to redesign the headquarters of Eni S.p.A., an oil company controlled by the Italian government, he recalled wagging a metaphorical finger at the companys president, saying: You owe it to Italy to do something green.

Mr. Ambasz proposed a new facade for the building that would cover the rusting and leaking 1960s curtain wall, and save millions by eliminating the need to relocate workers. This exterior portion would be a 20-story vertical garden, which would cool the building by shading it with flowers and plants that would change colors seasonally.

Though the green facade was never built, it represented a typical confrontation by a fearless pioneer. No polluting, extractive governmental bully was going to shrivel his environmental dreams.

Now 79 and a witness to many trendy environmental innovations, including verdant towers, Mr. Ambasz finds that rather than outracing his times, he is running neck-and-neck with them.

In 2020, the Museum of Modern Art established the Emilio Ambasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and the Natural Environment, which he helped create with a $10 million contribution from his foundation. The institute supports programming and research about environmentally responsive design. It is an urgent mission. Nearly 40 percent of energy- and process-related carbon dioxide emissions come from building operations and construction, according to the United Nations Environment Program.

In the fall, Rizzoli published Emilio Ambasz: Curating a New Nature, a monograph by the Columbia University art and architecture historian Barry Bergdoll that explores Mr. Ambaszs multifaceted career as a designer, architect and museum curator.

He is a legendary figure who creates legends. He is a great storyteller, Mr. Bergdoll said in a recent interview, but his most lasting contribution is green architecture.

Born in 1943 in Chaco, Argentina, a province about 600 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, Mr. Ambasz recalled deciding to be an architect when he was 9 years old. At Princeton University, according to Mr. Bergdolls book and other sources, he somehow convinced the faculty to let him complete both undergraduate and graduate studies in two years and was appointed as a lecturer in the architecture department there.

He left abruptly in 1969, when he was offered the job of design curator at the Museum of Modern Art. There he organized two groundbreaking shows, Italy: The New Domestic Landscape (1972), which introduced radical Italian design to the world, and The Architecture of Luis Barragn (1976), which sparked an enduring passion for the Mexican architect.

In addition to his curatorial endeavors, Mr. Ambasz practiced industrial design, claiming dozens of mechanical patents, including one for a flexible, responsive seat-back for Vertebra, a very early ergonomic office chair, introduced in 1976. His designs for the N14 and Signature 600 engines won multiple awards for Cummins, the engine manufacturer that Mr. Ambasz served as the chief design consultant for from 1980 to 2008.

Growing up in Argentina, he was influenced by Latin American magical realism in literature. He wove and published his own fantastical tales, which he called fables, though they lacked the usual ingredients of talking animals and pithy morals. Fabula Rasa (1976) told of a man who founded the discipline of architecture by building a home for the gods.

Mr. Ambasz was one of the leaders of the environmental movement in the 1960s. For him, green means more than LEED-certified, net-zero or energy-efficient structures, but rather buildings that indisputably belong to the landscape.

Emilios work is about poetry and how we would live with respect and appreciation of nature, Mr. Bergdoll said. In that sense, he was very prescient.

Mr. Ambasz often describes his approach as green over the gray, with berms, buried buildings and botanical facades giving back what was appropriated by human-made structures. I want to create urban settlements which do not alienate the citizens from the vegetable kingdom, he said in an interview. I am creating an architecture which is inextricably woven into the greenery and into nature.

In his Casa de Retiro Espiritual (House of Spiritual Retreat), a residence completed in 1979, outside Seville, Spain, with two monumental white walls framing views of nearby mountains, the living spaces are sunk into the ground and covered with a green roof. Using the earth as insulation decreased heating and cooling costs. Sustainability was not a word then. I did it because it was the right thing to do in that climate, he said.

He is as forward facing as any industrial designer versed in the tools and ingredients of mass production. Often we think of the early protagonists of ecological design as returning to premodern materials like timber, wood and clay, said the architectural writer and editor Suzanne Stephens. Ambasz was different, as he wasnt shying away from the most high-tech materials like steel, concrete or glass curtain walls.

At the Lucile Halsell Conservatory at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, which opened in 1988, he built massive concrete retaining walls around the sunken building in a scheme that decreased energy usage. A reviewer for Progressive Architecture magazine was critical about the circulation path and greenhouse rooms. But that didnt stop the jurors for the magazines annual awards competition from giving it a prize. Mr. Bergdoll said he considered the conservatory to be an important example of an architecture in which the plants were full-time residents and human beings but visitors.

Despite his many accolades, Mr. Ambasz has remained in the shadows of more acclaimed architects of poetic buildings, like Steven Holl, who designed the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo., and many other cultural centers.

Ms. Stephens attributed this low profile to his polymath tendencies. By doing so many things so well, she said, he was never typecast as any one thing, which didnt allow the public to really understand how talented he is.

Still, his projects are crowd-pleasers, even when they displace a public park, as did his design for the ACROS Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall in Japan, completed in 1994. Mr. Ambaszs solution was to cover the government office building in garden terraces that the public could use.

When you see it, you are astounded by this mountain of green, Mr. Bergdoll said. It is wild and overgrown, and you almost forget that there are people working in the offices inside.

The architect James Wines has written about Mr. Ambaszs environmentalism in several essays and in a book, Green Architecture, published in 2000. He said, For Emilio, the building art is a transcendental calling, where the combination of structure, vegetation and their relationship to the environment are seen as part of an integrative utopia.

Today, the Ambasz Institute supports research into the evolving practice of ecologically minded design. Its Material Worlds series and annual Earth Day lecture bring in diverse speakers to discuss advancements in green materials and projects.

We want to redefine the way a general audience understands architecture, said Carson Chan, the institutes director. More than just building design, the aim is to engage with the entire process that goes into making architecture. Only then can designers start to address the climate crisis.

The Ambasz Institute will develop concepts that are dear to Mr. Ambasz by stimulating those ideas in the work of others. Chief among them is the understanding that ecological design is not simply about making buildings with minimal carbon footprints or trees on their facades.

If an architectural work, regardless of how respectful of nature it may be, does not move the heart, is there a point in it? Mr. Ambasz asked before answering his own question: It is just one more building.

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An Architect Known for Building Castles in the 'Vegetable Kingdom' - The New York Times

Is there a moment in history you wish you could experience? The world is full of beautiful old historical buildings that connect us to the past, but too many are lost to decay or thoughtless development. Restoration can give us glimpses into what they might have looked like decades or centuries ago.

The /r/Saved_Architecture subreddit collects architectural success stories. Their before-and-after photos document the work talented architects and tradesmen do to preserve architectural history. Some of the buildings are worn down by neglect and time, while others are revealed from beneath facades installed to hide their former beauty. The old buildings scars can even tell us stories - of wars, demographic changes, economic decline, or changing tastes.

Restoration is a difficult and subtle trade. Ancient materials or processes may no longer be available, and neither are the buildings plans. Architects may have to use old photographs or even first-hand historical accounts as clues to discover an old buildings design.

Whatever the case, we are lucky to witness these restored slices of the past. Scroll down to vote for your favorite saved architecture restorations or add one youve seen in your own town or city.

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50 Times Architects Put In The Effort To Make Something Extra ... - Bored Panda