Latest news with #Foote
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
City firm giving global sports teams the edge
What do the All Blacks, the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions have in common — aside from all being rugby teams? The answer is Dunedin tech business Axon Perform, which is providing literally game-changing insights to give global sports teams the edge. The company has seen a rapid uptake of its integrated intelligence platform and, as the international rugby season approaches, there has been a flurry of new signings. Chief executive and founder Jon Foote started specialist data and analytics consultancy Flock Consulting more than six years ago. He always had a vision of building something that helped smaller organisations that could not build big data platforms, and making it easier for them to access. He was doing that in the health space and also supporting New Zealand Rugby, which is where he got to know Andy Watts, then an analyst with the Highlanders who has also held roles at the Japan Rugby Football Union and Cardiff Rugby. Mr Watts joined the business and that was the impetus to start building a platform for professional sports teams that was both scaleable and easy for teams to use. They have gone from looking solely after New Zealand Rugby to turning it into a global solution. Mr Watts, who is product lead, said high-performance teams had access to a multitude of high-performance insights, across numerous streams, and everyone was looking for improvements. "By analysing the performance information recorded during team training and games, we can provide performance staff with the link between what's happening on the field and what a team does next, all in one platform," he said. Mr Foote is now stepping away from the Flock Consulting leadership team to focus fully on its sister company, Axon Perform, while Mr Watts — who is originally from the United Kingdom — is heading back there to launch a UK office from next month. Mr Foote acknowledged growth of the business had happened quickly. He started building a platform five years ago that morphed into Reportabl., which is a health and sport platform. At the end of last year, the decision was made to focus on sport and a rebrand to Axon Perform was launched about two months ago. Clients now include teams from across New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Africa and Europe and include the Sydney Roosters, British and Irish Lions, Springboks and English men's and women's rugby teams. There was interest from a German field hockey team as any sports team could use parts of the solution, Mr Foote said. Axon was working hard on a solution specific to football, a sport which made up quarter of the global spend on data and analytics in the global sport market. Basketball was not far behind at just under a quarter. The company started with game analytics and then started expanding into performance analytics and its platform was way more advanced, usable and customisable than its competitors, Mr Foote said. Asked what it was like to be involved in global sport, Mr Foote said the "little kid" in him got excited when it was decided to focus solely on sport. He had always been sporty and he loved watching sport. Data had been his world for the past 20 years and now there was an opportunity to bring the two interests together. He acknowledged the potential of Axon was "pretty significant". ' "We are chasing a big number — that's why we are here. There's a lot of work in front of us but it's working pretty good at the start."
CNBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
'Tariff engineering' is making a comeback as businesses employ creative ways to skirt higher duties
Would you be bothered if your coat was officially classified as a windbreaker or a raincoat, or your shoes as slippers? Businesses do care though, as classifications under a preferred category can help them pay lower tariff rates. As U.S. President Donald Trump imposes duties on friends and foes alike, manufacturers are increasingly rethinking the classification of their products and resorting to "tariff engineering" to incur lower duties, several customs lawyers, supply chain and shipping experts told CNBC. Tariff engineering — a practice that precedes Trump — involves changing an item's materials, altering its dimensions or compositions so that the finished products can be justified to fit in a different "harmonized system code," legal experts said. Although most new tariffs added during Trump's second term are broad-based, the U.S. government has carved out exemptions for certain products, leaving doors open for companies to benefit through tariff engineering, trade lawyers pointed out. After Trump unveiled sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs in April, several overseas manufacturers moved to bundle steel and aluminum elements into their final products to qualify a lower 25% duty under Section 232, said David Forgue, a partner at Chicago law firm Barnes, Richardson & Colburn. Things, however, changed quickly in June as Trump jacked up tariffs on all steel, aluminum products and derivatives to 50%, except those from the U.K. "Now that the duties are reversed, we're now seeing companies remove those elements and ship them separately again," Forgue said. There is "nothing inherently illegal or even untoward about leveraging strategic design choices that result in creating different products that are subject to different tariff classification and duty rates," said John Foote, a customs lawyer at Kelley Drye & Warren in Washington D.C. "Tariff engineering is one of the few things you can do to try to get it right and reduce your duty liability." There are over 5,000 different product classification codes that U.S. customs authority uses while assessing tariffs. These tariff classifications were determined through decades of negotiations between governments and industry bodies, often varying by product category. Winnebago Industries, an American manufacturer of motorhomes, or recreational vehicle, said in its quarterly earnings call in March that it planned to "work with outside experts to develop and implement effective [tariff] mitigation strategies, including tariff engineering and deferrals." Aneel Salman, chair of economic security at Islamabad Policy Research Institute, described the act as "clever art of outsmarting customs," as importers and manufacturers tweak products "just enough" to qualify for lower duties. "I was talking to somebody recently and they were showing me their lapel pin," said Kelley Drye & Warren's Foote. The pin, tacked onto the person's suit, featured a "festive design" with pieces of cubic zirconia at the back, Foote said. The inclusion of cubic zirconia helped the company that manufactures those pins avert a 14% tariff, as the item no longer fell under festive article category but got classified as jewelry, Foote subsequently learnt. "The value attributable to the cubic zirconia was significant enough [and] it was a relatively easy manufacturing change," Foote said. The practice of tariff engineering can be traced back to 1882, when an importer coated sugar with molasses to avoid higher duties imposed on lighter-colored sugar. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court ruled the act perfectly legal: "so long as the goods are truly invoiced and freely and honestly exposed to the officers of customs for their examination, no fraud is committed." Since then, companies, big and small, have continued to play chess with the U.S. tariff classification system, with several household names successfully implementing strategic product tweaks to save on tariff costs. For instance, Columbia Sportswear has never been shy about its use of tariff engineering. "I have a whole team of people that work together with designers and developers and merchandisers and with customs, and to ensure that during the design process that we're considering the impact of tariffs," Jeff Tooze, the company's vice president of global customs and trade, told Marketplace during Trump's first term. Among its alterations, the company added small zippered pockets below the waist on women's shirts, allowing them to be exempted from higher duties under the U.S. customs rules. Similarly, footwear maker Converse adds fuzzy-felt fabric on the soles of its signature All Stars sneakers, rather than the typical full-rubber one, to be categorized as slippers rather than athletic shoes, helping it cut tariff drastically. Snuggies, the fluffy blanket with sleeves imported mainly from China, nearly halved its tariff costs by winning a lawsuit in 2017 classifying it as a blanket, not an item of clothing. Fast-moving consumer good and garments, apparel and footwear sectors can find it relatively easy to implement tariff engineering, said Andrew Wilson, supply chain strategist at consultancy Supplino Inc. For more sophisticated and "heavily-regulated" sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical devices, "it's especially challenging ... because even minor changes may require extensive validation and approval," Wilson said. "You might be looking at another 12 to 24 months of testing, certification and validation in order to get that done," Wilson added, as it requires extensive collaboration across departments including design, engineering and legal team. Companies have to tread a fine between between redesigning their products and fraudulently misrepresenting product classifications. A case in point illustrating the challenges with tariff engineering is Ford Motor. The automaker had for years imported its Transit Connect van as a passenger van, then removed the second row seats to sell them as cargo vans. In doing so, Ford circumvented a hefty 25% tariff and only paid a 2.5% import duty. The U.S. Justice Department said in its ruling last year that Ford was "misclassifying cargo vans" and that the back-row seats "were never intended to be, and never were, used to carry passengers." "The article must be a 'commercial reality' at importation. The risk is that customs [may] find the changes to be "fraud or artifice," [that case] the tariff engineering may be rejected,' said Forgue. "In some cases changing certain things about a product doesn't change the essential character of what the good is," said Derek Scarbrough, founder of Global Logistical Connections. "If you add something to a shopping cart, it's still a shopping cart," he added. U.S. Customs and Border Control has developed a so-called "binding ruling" system where companies can obtain official determinations on product classifications and HTS code before importing. Adam Lees, an attorney at law firm Harris Sliwoski, who has helped clients prepare such ruling letter requests, described it as "a way for companies to get CBP's official blessing" before shipment. For businesses, even "small percentage savings can be meaningful," Lees stated, as volumes shipped could be substantial.
Hamilton Spectator
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
BC Wildfire Service expects Squamish fire held soon, as residents celebrate rain
A fire that has been burning out of control as it threatened Squamish, B.C., this week is expected to be declared 'held' in the next couple days, a spokesman with the BC Wildfire Service said Friday. Rory Baldwin told a news briefing that crews expected good progress this weekend thanks to favourable weather, while District of Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford said rain on Thursday night had prompted celebrations on the streets. The blaze north of Vancouver — which triggered a local state of emergency and has been deemed 'out of control' since it was discovered on Monday — was 60 hectares in size, with Hurford attributing an increase to improved mapping. 'It's been a long week,' Hurford told the briefing Friday, while noting that the community that's halfway between Vancouver and Whistler usually sees a lot of traffic and visitors over the weekend. Hurford said he'd heard of people wanting to return to closed trails, but it was not safe to 'push the limits.' 'We want visitors to be mindful of the extensive emergency response that's underway,' he said. Squamish Fire Rescue chief Aaron Foote told the briefing that extra ground crews and another helicopter had arrived to help the fight. The district had earlier said on social media that a Black Hawk helicopter would be helping the aerial fleet bucket the flames. Foote said there had been strong progress at the southern end of the fire and the heavy bucketing was underway in the north. He also noted fire activity had 'decreased substantially' thanks to an increase in humidity. But he said burning trees had dropped overnight, within about 40 metres of homes. More than 200 properties, including multi-family dwellings, were under evacuation alert, he added. Foote said there had been a 'truly incredible' outpouring of support from the community for the local and BC Wildfire Service firefighters. Baldwin said he expected the fire to be declared held 'within the next operational period or the day after that.' The Squamish fire is among about 100 blazes actively burning across the province. The Pocket Knife Creek wildfire in the northeast is the biggest in the province at more than 1,500 square kilometres, and the wildfire service says it has grown significantly since merging with another fire on Sunday. But BC Wildfire Service information officer Julia Caranci said in a video update on social media on Thursday that anticipated rain could aid in suppression efforts this weekend. She says she's hopeful the rain will help, although the fire has a large perimeter and it remains to be seen how much the rain affects fire behaviour. It is one of three wildfires of note, alongside the Kiskatinaw River fire and the Summit Lake fire, all of which are in the northeast where most of the province's fire activity is concentrated. A situational report posted to the service website on Friday said rain was also forecast for most of northern B.C. this weekend before easing Sunday, and warned of the possibility of slides caused by sudden rainfall on eroded areas. The report noted a 'warming trend' was expected to return to the province on Sunday, which could then stretch into next week and increase fire behaviour. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Vancouver Sun
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Vancouver Sun
Squamish reports progress in fire fight, as northeast B.C. hopes for rain
A fire that has been burning out of control as it threatened Squamish this week is expected to be declared 'held' in the next couple days, a spokesman with the B.C. Wildfire Service said Friday. Rory Baldwin told a news briefing that crews expected good progress this weekend thanks to favourable weather, while Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford said rain on Thursday night had prompted celebrations on the streets. The blaze — which triggered a local state of emergency and has been deemed 'out of control' since it was discovered on Monday — was 60 hectares in size, with Hurford attributing an increase to improved mapping. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'It's been a long week,' Hurford told the briefing Friday, while noting that the community that's halfway between Vancouver and Whistler usually sees a lot of traffic and visitors over the weekend. Hurford said he'd heard of people wanting to return to closed trails, but it was not safe to 'push the limits.' 'We want visitors to be mindful of the extensive emergency response that's underway,' he said. The Squamish Fire Rescue chief, Aaron Foote, told the briefing that extra groundcrews and another helicopter had arrived to help the fight. The district had earlier said on social media that a Black Hawk helicopter would be helping the aerial fleet drop water on the flames. Foote said there had been strong progress at the southern end of the fire and the heavy bucketing was underway in the north. He also noted fire activity had 'decreased substantially' thanks to an increase in humidity. But he said burning trees had dropped overnight, within about 40 metres of homes. More than 200 properties, including multi-family dwellings, were under evacuation alert, he added. Foote said there had been a 'truly incredible' outpouring of support from the community for the local and B.C. Wildfire Service firefighters. Baldwin said he expected the fire to be declared held 'within the next operational period or the day after that.' The Squamish fire is among about 100 blazes burning across the province. The Pocket Knife Creek wildfire in the northeast is the biggest in the province at more than 1,500 square kilometres, and the wildfire service says it has grown significantly since merging with another fire on Sunday. But B.C. Wildfire Service information officer Julia Caranci said in a video update on social media on Thursday that anticipated rain could aid in suppression efforts this weekend. She says she's hopeful the rain will help, although the fire has a large perimeter and it remains to be seen how much the rain affects fire behaviour. It is one of three wildfires of note, alongside the Kiskatinaw River fire and the Summit Lake fire, all of which are in the northeast where most of the province's fire activity is concentrated. A situational report posted to the service website on Friday said rain was also forecast for most of northern B.C. this weekend before easing Sunday, and warned of the possibility of slides caused by sudden rainfall on eroded areas. The report noted a 'warming trend' was expected to return to the province on Sunday, which could then stretch into next week and increase fire behaviour.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jackson, MS, Ward 1 election results are finally counted. Race came to 8 votes. Who won?
Incumbent Councilman Ashby Foote will likely return to represent Ward 1 on the Jackson City Council after narrowly winning one of the city's tightest races, where just 25 votes at one point separated the top three candidates. On Wednesday, June 11, Municipal Clerk Angela Harris and Jackson election commissioners convened to finish counting the remaining mail-in ballots. In total, nine mail-in ballots were accepted: seven affidavits and two absentees. With all ballots counted, unofficial results show Foote won the race with 1,739 votes. Foote fended off two challengers, independent Grace Greene, who finished second with 1,731 votes, and Democrat Jasmine Barnes, who received 1,716 votes. Jackson election commissioners will now send the unofficial results to the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office for certification, which must be completed by June 13. Assuming the Secretary of State's office certifies the results as is, Foote will have won by a margin of .16% Before Wednesday's results were counted, Foote barely led the race with 1,738 votes, or 33.43% of the vote. Greene was only 10 votes behind Foote with 1,728 votes, or 33.24% of the vote. Barnes was third — only 15 votes behind Greene and 25 votes behind Foote — with 1,713 votes, or 32.95% of the vote. Here's a play-by-play of Ward 1's wild election night after polls closed at 7 p.m.: 7:57 p.m.: The first batch of ballots drops. Just two of Ward 1's 10 precincts reported, but Foote grabbed an early lead with 421 votes. Greene and Barnes were hot on his heels with 350 and 323, keeping things tight from the jump. 8:10 p.m.: Four precincts reported. Barnes made a big move, leapfrogging into first with 1,004 votes. Foote slipped to second at 783. Greene falls back with 637 — but it was far from over. 8:35 p.m.: Plot twist. Greene rocketed from last to first, taking a 24-vote edge over Barnes and 35 over Foote. All 10 precincts were in, and it was Greene with 1,684, Barnes with 1,660 and Foote then in third with 1,649. Election commissioners announced absentee ballots — about 870 of them — were next up. 9:13 p.m.: Another shake-up. The absentee ballots flip the whole script. Foote bounced back to the top with 1,738 votes. Greene trailed by just 10 at 1,728. Barnes was still in striking distance with 1,713 — just 25 votes behind the leader. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS Ward 1 city council race goes to Ashby Foote
