Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/550325
tobaccoasia 13 FRONT PAGE NEWS 卷首新闻 NTRM? NDTP? SORT IT OUT ! Do you have Non Tobacco Related Material or Non Desired Tobacco Products in your tobacco product stream? Let us help you sort them out. Find out more on www.tomra.com/tobacco US Imperial Buys Five Brands According to thisismoney.co.uk and dailymail.co.uk., Imperial Tobacco is to increase its stake in the US tobacco market to 10% by purchasing the brands Blu, Kool, Maverick, Salem, and Winston, in a deal worth US$7.1 billion. The cigarette brands were placed on sale as a byproduct of the merger between Reynolds American and Lorillard – re- spectively the second- and third-largest tobacco companies in America. Imperial Tobacco's US arm will now generate 20% of its revenue. Winston is regarded as a premium cigarette brand and Maverick a budget- cigarette producer; Salem and Kool are menthol cigarettes brands, and Blu an e-cigarette one. Alison Cooper, Imperial Tobacco c.e.o., said: "I'm delighted to announce the completion of this deal, which will transform our position in the US and generate significant returns." Reynolds American Inc., owner of Camel cigarettes, is buying its longtime rival Lorillard, maker of Newport cigarettes, for US$27.4 billion. Founded in 1760, Lorillard is the oldest tobacco company in the US. Lorillard ceased to exist as of Friday, June 12, 2015. Nigeria Millions Lost to Illicit British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) has spoken of the need for greater understanding of the illegal tobacco trade, the criminals behind it, and the need for greater cooperation to fight it. This call came as part of a new campaign developed by BATN to raise awareness of the facts around the illegal tobacco trade to coincide with the WHO's World No Tobacco Day. Legal and external affairs director, BATN, Freddy Messanvi, said the impact of illegal tobacco may not be felt as immediately and directly as other crimes, but the consequences are very real. "In West Africa, it is estimated to cost about US$774 million to govern- ments across the region," said Messanvi. "Coming closer to home, in Nigeria this implies that illicit activities conribute to the shortfall in government revenue from tobacco sales, paid in taxes to the Nigerian government, which could have been higher. Also crucial is that sales of illegal tobacco have been reported to fund human trafficking, drug and arms trades, as well as terrorist organisations activities globally." Messanvi said BATN has been operating here since 2003, adding that in the 15 years of the company's operations in Nigeria, it has shown commitment to the memorandum of understanding signed with the Nigerian government to regularize the tobacco sector, support sustainable foreign direct investments, and contribute to socio-economic development in Nigeria. "Our partnerships with government agencies have yielded a significant