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V2X Delivers Solid Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Results

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Fourth Quarter 2023 Summary

Reported record revenue of $1.04 billion, up +6.4% y/y Achieved y/y revenue growth of 31% in the Pacific and 18% in the Middle EastOperating income of $38.5 million; adjusted operating income1 of $76.2 million Net income (loss) of ($0.5) million, up $10.1 million y/yAdjusted EBITDA1 of $82.1 million with a margin1 of 7.9%Diluted EPS of ($0.02); Adjusted diluted EPS1 of $1.22Strong year-to-date cash flow from operations of $188.0 million; Achieved net debt reduction of $137.1 millionAwarded first substantial foreign military sales program valued at $400 million over 5 years

2024 Guidance:

Establishing full-year 2024 guidance with revenue and adjusted EBITDA1 growth of 5% at mid-point

MCLEAN, Va., March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — V2X, Inc. (NYSE:VVX) announced fourth quarter and full-year 2023 financial results.

“I’m pleased to report a strong finish to 2023, with record revenue and strong operational performance which drove significant cash generation and net debt reduction,” said Chuck Prow, President and Chief Executive Officer of V2X. “I’d like to thank our teams that demonstrated agility and excellent performance, delivering 8% pro forma revenue1 growth for the full-year and 6% for the quarter. We made significant progress advancing V2X as a leader in the operational segment of the federal services market while continuing to position the company for long-term growth. The leading indicators for our business remain strong with a backlog of approximately $13 billion, $9 billion of bids submitted currently under evaluation, and a robust pipeline of opportunities valued at $15 billion expected to be submitted over the next twelve months. Our capabilities and position in an expanding market, present opportunities to drive continued growth and value for our shareholders and clients.”  

“V2X achieved several milestones during the fourth quarter, which includes our first substantial foreign military sales (FMS) win valued at approximately $400 million over the next five years,” said Mr. Prow. “This program is a long-term aviation support and training contract in the Middle East and was a direct result of our multi-year FMS campaign. Importantly, our evolution as a company has been an enabler to participate in this market. With this opportunity, the total value of V2X FMS’ portfolio is approximately $700 million with accretive margins. We plan to build on this success and continue pursuing FMS opportunities that leverage our geographic footprint, strong partnerships, and core capabilities.”

Mr. Prow continued, “Our ability to provide full life cycle solutions from concept to fielding and sustainment is a significant differentiator that’s yielding results. During the quarter, we demonstrated our capabilities through the fielding of a defense platform that modernized existing systems. This program launched as an engineering development and prototyping effort with a new client and today has yielded a brand-new product that’s designed, produced, and sustained by V2X. Additionally, our engineering, integration, modernization and sustainment solutions resulted in approximately $70 million of awards to V2X in the fourth quarter.”

Mr. Prow concluded, “I’d like to thank our teams for their contributions in 2023 and progress executing our strategic framework: Expand the Base, Capture New Markets, Deliver with Excellence, and Enhance Culture. Looking ahead, V2X continues to transform to deliver enhanced capabilities in an expanding market. We have strong momentum, robust backlog, a highly aligned pipeline, limited recompetes, and high free cash generation that provides an excellent fundamental profile to support value creation.” 

Fourth Quarter 2023 Results

“V2X reported revenue of $1.0 billion in the quarter, which represents 6.4% year-over-year growth,” said Shawn Mural, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “Revenue growth in the quarter was achieved through exceptional team performance delivering milestones ahead of schedule, expansion on existing programs, and new business. This solid execution resulted in year-over-year revenue growth of 31% in the Pacific and 18% in the Middle East.” 

“For the quarter, the Company reported operating income of $38.5 million and adjusted operating income1 of $76.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA1 was $82.1 million with a margin of 7.9%. Fourth quarter GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.02), due primarily to merger and integration related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and interest expense. Adjusted diluted EPS1 for the quarter was $1.22.”

“V2X’s ability to generate strong cash flow with low capital expenditures is an important attribute of our business and one that we are extremely focused on as a primary avenue to enhance value for shareholders. I’m pleased to announce that during the quarter, our teams demonstrated outstanding performance in all aspects of cash conversion, driving significant collections, a record low DSO, and operating cash flow that exceeded our guidance. Net cash provided by operating activities was $188.0 million year to date. Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities1 year to date was $159.5 million, adding back $26.9 million of M&A and integration costs with $13.4 million of CARES act payments, and removing the contribution of the master accounts receivable purchase or MARPA facility of $68.8 million.”

“Solid cash generation enabled net debt reduction of $137.1 million for the year.  At the end of the quarter, net debt for V2X was $1,083.6 million.  Net consolidated indebtedness to EBITDA1 (net leverage ratio) was 3.3x, improved from 3.7x at the end of 2022.  Additionally, we believe our strong fundamentals will allow V2X to achieve a net leverage ratio at or under 3.0x by the end of 2024.”  

“Total backlog as of December 31, 2023, was $12.8 billion. Funded backlog was $2.8 billion. Bookings in the quarter were $0.6 billion, resulting in a trailing twelve-month book-to-bill of 1.1x. It’s important to note that backlog and bookings do not include the full performance period of the $400 million FMS program as the contract is being definitized and the $458 million F-5 Adversary aircraft award, discussed last quarter, as it remains in protest,” said Mr. Mural.

Full-Year 2023 Results

Full-year revenue was $3.963 billion, up 8% pro forma year-on-year. The Company reported full-year operating income of $124.4 million and adjusted operating income1 of $271.4 million. Full-year EBITDA1 was $293.9 million with a margin of 7.4%. Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.73), due primarily to merger and integration related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and interest expense. Adjusted diluted EPS1 for 2023 was $3.74.

2024 Guidance

Mr. Mural concluded, “Based on the positive trends in our business we are setting the mid-point of our guidance for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA1 at $4.150 billion and $308 million, respectively, representing approximately 5% year-over-year growth. We expect revenue and adjusted EBITDA to be weighted more heavily in the second half of the year. Importantly, guidance at the mid-point assumes approximately 90% of revenue from existing contracts and less than 5% from recompetes.”

Guidance for 2024 is as follows:       

$ millions, except for per share amounts

2024 Guidance

2024 Mid-Point

Revenue

$4,100

$4,200

$4,150

Adjusted EBITDA1

$300

$315

$308

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share1

$3.85

$4.20

$4.03

Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities1

$145

$165

$155

The Company is not providing a quantitative reconciliation with respect to this forward-looking non-GAAP measure in reliance on the “unreasonable efforts” exception set forth in SEC rules because certain financial information, the probable significance of which cannot be determined, is not available and cannot be reasonably estimated. For example, unusual, one-time, non-ordinary, or non-recurring costs, which relate to M&A, integration and related activities cannot be reasonably estimated. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested here, including those factors set forth in the Safe Harbor Statement below. 

Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Conference Call

Management will conduct a conference call with analysts and investors at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. U.S.-based participants may dial in to the conference call at 877-407-3982, while international participants may dial 201-493-6780. A live webcast of the conference call as well as an accompanying slide presentation will be available here: https://app.webinar.net/WrwGVYwl6dA

A replay of the conference call will be posted on the V2X website shortly after completion of the call and will be available for one year. A telephonic replay will also be available through March 19, 2024, at 844-512-2921 (domestic) or 412-317-6671 (international) with passcode 13743860 .

Presentation slides that will be used in conjunction with the conference call will also be made available online in advance on the “investors” section of the company’s website at https://gov2x.com/. V2X recognizes its website as a key channel of distribution to reach public investors and as a means of disclosing material non-public information to comply with its obligations under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Regulation FD.

Footnotes:

1 See “Key Performance Indicators and Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for descriptions and reconciliations.

About V2X

V2X builds smart solutions designed to integrate physical and digital infrastructure – by aligning people, actions, and outputs. Formed by the merger of Vectrus and Vertex, we bring a combined 120 years of successful mission support. Our lifecycle solutions improve security, streamline logistics, and enhance readiness.

The Company delivers a comprehensive suite of integrated solutions across the operations and logistics, aerospace, training, and technology markets to national security, defense, civilian and international clients. Our global team of approximately 16,000 employees brings innovation to every point in the mission lifecycle, from preparation to operations, to sustainment, as it tackles the most complex challenges with agility, grit, and dedication.

Contact Information

Investor Contact

Media Contact

Mike Smith, CFA

Angelica Spanos Deoudes

IR@goV2X.com

Communications@goV2X.com

719-637-5773

571-338-5195

Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”): Certain material presented herein includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Act. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, all the statements and items listed under “2024 Guidance” above and other assumptions contained therein for purposes of such guidance, other statements about our 2024 performance outlook, revenue, contract opportunities, and any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “potential,” “continue” or similar terminology. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of the Company based on information currently available to management.

These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions, or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors, many of which are outside our management’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements.  In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s historical experience and our present expectations or projections. For a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements, see the risks and other factors detailed from time to time our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the SEC.

We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF (LOSS) INCOME

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands, except per share data)

2023

2022

2021

Revenue

$   3,963,126

$   2,890,860

$   1,783,665

Cost of revenue

3,628,271

2,595,848

1,623,245

Selling, general and administrative expenses

210,439

239,241

98,400

Operating income

124,416

55,771

62,020

Loss on extinguishment of debt

(22,298)

Interest expense, net

(122,442)

(61,879)

(7,985)

Other expense, net

(4,194)

(Loss) income from operations before income taxes

(24,518)

(6,108)

54,035

Income tax (benefit) expense

(1,945)

8,222

8,307

Net (loss) income

$      (22,573)

$       (14,330)

$        45,728

(Loss) earnings per share

Basic

$          (0.73)

$          (0.68)

$            3.91

Diluted

$          (0.73)

$          (0.68)

$            3.86

Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic

31,084

20,996

11,705

Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted

31,084

20,996

11,836

 

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31,

(In thousands, except shares and per share data)

2023

2022

Assets

Current assets

  Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$           72,651

$         116,067

  Receivables

705,995

728,582

  Inventory, net

46,981

44,974

  Prepaid expenses and other current assets

49,242

42,309

  Total current assets

874,869

931,932

  Property, plant, and equipment, net

85,429

78,715

  Goodwill

1,656,926

1,653,822

  Intangible assets, net

407,530

497,951

  Right-of-use assets

41,215

52,825

  Other non-current assets

15,931

17,858

  Total non-current assets

2,207,031

2,301,171

Total Assets

$      3,081,900

$      3,233,103

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

Current liabilities

  Accounts payable

$         453,052

$         406,706

  Compensation and other employee benefits

158,088

168,038

  Short-term debt

15,361

11,850

  Other accrued liabilities

213,700

196,538

Total current liabilities

840,201

783,132

  Long-term debt, net

1,100,269

1,262,811

  Deferred tax liabilities

11,763

15,813

  Operating lease liabilities

34,691

41,083

  Other non-current liabilities

104,176

133,185

 Total non-current liabilities

1,250,899

1,452,892

Total liabilities

2,091,100

2,236,024

Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)

Shareholders’ Equity

Preferred stock; $0.01 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; No shares issued and outstanding

Common stock; $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 31,191,628 and 30,470,475 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively

312

305

Additional paid in capital

762,324

748,877

Retained earnings

230,851

253,424

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2,687)

(5,527)

Total shareholders’ equity

990,800

997,079

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

$      3,081,900

$      3,233,103

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

2022

2021

Operating activities

Net (loss) income

$      (22,573)

$      (14,330)

$        45,728

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  Depreciation expense

22,408

13,472

6,526

  Amortization of intangible assets

90,423

48,643

10,028

  Loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment

683

59

65

  Stock-based compensation

32,843

32,736

8,331

  Deferred taxes

(7,509)

(15,554)

(7,280)

  Amortization of debt issuance costs

9,067

7,805

912

  Loss on extinguishment of debt

22,298

  Gain on disposition of business

(450)

(2,082)

Changes in assets and liabilities:

  Receivables

19,064

(52,311)

(36,376)

  Inventory, net

(311)

(3,600)

(5,232)

  Other assets

12,076

14,962

(7,613)

  Accounts payable

43,153

71,837

56,985

  Compensation and other employee benefits

(9,901)

42,878

1,133

  Other liabilities

(23,303)

(51,020)

(11,868)

  Net cash provided by operating activities

187,968

93,495

61,339

Investing activities

Purchases of capital assets and intangibles

(25,021)

(12,425)

(9,776)

Proceeds from the disposition of assets

16

9

16

Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired

193,677

262

Disposition of business

1,349

(5,303)

Distributions from (contributions to) joint venture

1,007

(3,145)

  Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

(22,649)

175,958

(12,643)

Financing activities

Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt

250,000

Repayments of long-term debt

(432,603)

(108,400)

(8,600)

Proceeds from revolver

922,750

392,000

529,000

Repayments of revolver

(922,750)

(472,925)

(594,000)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

34

408

379

Payment of debt issuance costs

(8,818)

(2,325)

(17)

Prepayment premium on early redemption of debt

(1,600)

Payments of employee withholding taxes on share-based compensation

(18,036)

(1,994)

(2,347)

  Net cash used in financing activities

(211,023)

(193,236)

(75,585)

Exchange rate effect on cash

2,288

1,337

(3,325)

Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(43,416)

77,554

(30,214)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash – beginning of year

116,067

38,513

68,727

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash – end of year

$        72,651

$      116,067

$        38,513

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

Interest paid

$      117,482

$        54,267

$          5,801

Income taxes paid

$          8,356

$        13,416

$          9,703

Non-cash investing activities:

Purchase of capital assets on account

$          3,043

$          2,716

$             277

Common stock issued for business acquisition

$               —

$      630,636

$               —

 

Key Performance Indicators and Non-GAAP Measures

The primary financial performance measures we use to manage our business and monitor results of operations are revenue trends and operating income trends. Management believes that these financial performance measures are the primary drivers for our earnings and net cash from operating activities. Management evaluates its contracts and business performance by focusing on revenue, and operating income. Operating income represents revenue less both cost of revenue and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses. Cost of revenue consists of labor, subcontracting costs, materials, and an allocation of indirect costs, which includes service center transaction costs. SG&A expenses consist of indirect labor costs (including wages and salaries for executives and administrative personnel), bid and proposal expenses and other general and administrative expenses not allocated to cost of revenue.

We manage the nature and amount of costs at the program level, which forms the basis for estimating our total costs and profitability. This is consistent with our approach for managing our business, which begins with management’s assessing the bidding opportunity for each contract and then managing contract profitability throughout the performance period.

In addition to the key performance measures discussed above, we consider adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted operating income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted operating cash flow, and pro forma revenue to be useful to management and investors in evaluating our operating performance, and to provide a tool for evaluating our ongoing operations. This information can assist investors in assessing our financial performance and measures our ability to generate capital for deployment among competing strategic alternatives and initiatives. We provide this information to our investors in our earnings releases, presentations, and other disclosures.

Adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted operating income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, and pro forma revenue, however, are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP.  Definitions and reconciliations of these items are provided below.

Pro forma (PF) revenue is defined as the combined results of our operations as if the Merger had occurred on January 1, 2021.Adjusted operating income is defined as operating income, adjusted to exclude items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration, and related costs.Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income, adjusted to exclude depreciation and amortization of intangible assets, and items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration, and related costs.Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue.Adjusted net income is defined as net income, adjusted to exclude items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration and related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, amortization of debt issuance costs, and loss on extinguishment of debt.Adjusted diluted earnings per share is defined as adjusted net income divided by the weighted average diluted common shares outstanding.Cash interest expense, net is defined as interest expense, net adjusted to exclude amortization of debt issuance costs.Adjusted net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or adjusted operating cash flow is defined as net cash provided by (or used in) operating activities adjusted to exclude infrequent non-operating items, such as M&A payments and related costs.Net leverage ratio is defined as net debt (or total debt less unrestricted cash) divided by trailing twelve-month (TTM) bank EBITDA.

In this document, the Company presents certain forward-looking non-GAAP metrics. The Company does not provide outlook on a GAAP basis because the items that the Company excludes from GAAP to calculate the comparable non-GAAP measure can be dependent on future events that are less capable of being controlled or reliably predicted by management and are not part of the Company’s routine operating activities. Additionally, management does not forecast many of the excluded items for internal use and therefore cannot create or rely on outlook done on a GAAP basis.  The occurrence, timing, and amount of any of the items excluded from GAAP to calculate non-GAAP could significantly impact the Company’s fiscal 2023 GAAP results.

 

 

Non-GAAP Tables

($K, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

Revenue

$      1,040,307

$        978,167

$      3,963,126

$      2,890,860

Net income (loss)

$               (492)

$         (10,619)

$          (22,573)

$          (14,330)

Plus:

Income tax expense (benefit)

8,420

10,675

(1,945)

8,222

Other expense, net

1,859

4,194

Interest expense, net

28,497

30,971

122,442

61,879

Loss on extinguishment of debt

246

22,298

Amortization of intangible assets

22,606

20,046

90,423

48,643

M&A, integration and related costs

15,055

26,379

56,610

87,108

Adjusted operating income

$          76,191

$          77,452

$        271,449

$        191,522

Plus:

Depreciation expense

5,875

4,809

22,408

13,472

Adjusted EBITDA

$          82,066

$          82,261

$        293,857

$        204,994

Adjusted EBITDA margin

7.9 %

8.4 %

7.4 %

7.1 %

Minus:

Cash interest expense, net

26,305

27,069

113,375

54,074

Income tax expense, as adjusted

9,101

19,654

35,430

36,295

Depreciation expense

5,875

4,809

22,408

13,472

Other expense, net

1,859

4,194

Adjusted net income

$          38,926

$          30,729

$        118,450

$        101,153

 

($K, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               (0.02)

$               (0.35)

$               (0.73)

$               (0.68)

Plus:

M&A, integration and related costs

0.45

0.69

1.42

3.28

Amortization of intangible assets

0.68

0.53

2.26

1.84

Amortization of debt issuance costs and Loss on extinguishment of debt

0.11

0.10

0.79

0.29

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$                 1.22

$                 0.97

$                 3.74

$                 4.73

Average shares outstanding

Basic, as reported

31,192

30,465

31,084

20,996

Diluted, as reported

31,192

30,465

31,084

20,996

Adjusted diluted

31,822

31,284

31,567

21,346

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Revenue by client branch, contract type, contract relationship, and geographic region for the periods presented below was as follows: 

Revenue by Client

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Army

$     1,633,525

41 %

$     1,342,406

46 %

$     1,134,849

64 %

Navy

1,233,463

31 %

713,732

25 %

224,407

13 %

Air Force

538,698

14 %

459,849

16 %

266,291

15 %

Other

557,440

14 %

374,873

13 %

158,118

8 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Contract Type

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Cost-plus and cost-reimbursable

$     2,209,241

56 %

$     1,625,196

56 %

$     1,271,167

71 %

Firm-fixed-price

1,626,262

41 %

1,159,743

40 %

452,112

25 %

Time-and-materials

127,623

3 %

105,921

4 %

60,386

4 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Contract Relationship

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Prime contractor

$     3,726,199

94 %

$     2,695,067

93 %

$     1,663,828

93 %

Subcontractor

236,927

6 %

195,793

7 %

119,837

7 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Geographic Region

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

United States

$     2,286,052

58 %

$     1,494,255

52 %

$       578,255

32 %

Middle East

1,193,598

30 %

1,024,674

35 %

1,000,877

56 %

Asia

264,346

7 %

167,629

6 %

61,927

3 %

Europe

219,130

5 %

204,302

7 %

142,606

9 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

 

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SOURCE V2X, Inc.

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NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2024 /CNW/ — The longing for peace transcends time, geography and religion. Based on justice, human rights and universal values outlined in the UN Charter, a culture of peace brings us all together in our common agenda for humanity. We can only co-exist by aligning ourselves with such a world order.

On today’s International Day of Peace, we call on world leaders to end conflict and embrace a culture of peace as enshrined in the UN Charter and related international law.

As the UN General Assembly outlined in the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace  a quarter of a century ago, this must include: “Respect for life, human rights and fundamental freedoms; the promotion of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation; commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts; and adherence to freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations.”

Educating for peace starts at home and continues in school through years of education. This takes place during the most formative years of a child learning about their identity, ethics, values, conscience, courage and compassion. Wherever there has been a failure in imparting on children the imperative for peace, the world is turned upside down. This is a global failure with no geographical boundaries.

Today, we live in a world of unprecedented violence, armed conflict and chaos. All the genuine and heartfelt commitments made in 1945 in the UN Charter seem to be fading away. Children and adolescents are the most vulnerable, the least protected, and the most impacted. They bear the brunt. 

Global conflicts killed three times as many children in 2023 than in the previous year, according to the United Nations. The number of forcibly displaced people reached an unprecedented 120 million in May 2024.

“In 2023, the United Nations verified a record 32,990 grave violations against 22,557 children in 26 conflict zones, a 35% increase from the previous year,” according to recent analysis by the UN.

We can end these violations and invest in a constructive co-existence globally. We can use our resources for education, rather than for wars. In classrooms around the world, girls and boys who have withstood the wrath of war can rebuild their hopes and their lives. Cultivating a culture of peace is possible. The financial resources exist. The choice as to how we use them is ours.

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SOURCE Education Cannot Wait

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Niutech at the Forefront: U.S.-China Circular Economy Forum Tackles “White Pollution”

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BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On September 6, 2024, the inaugural U.S.-China Circular Economy Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing. The forum, guided by the U.S.-China Climate Action Working Group Circular Economy Task Force, was co-organized by the China Circular Economy Association and the US-China Business Council. The forum brought together approximately 460 distinguished guests from the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Market Regulation, the US State Department, the US Department of Energy and other government departments, as well as industry experts, business representatives and scientific research institutions of the two countries. As the domestic leader in continuous pyrolysis technology, Niutech was invited by the China Circular Economy Association to attend the forum and gave an insightful speech on the topic of waste plastic recycling, and the issues of ‘white pollution’ that can result from it.

Enhancing Quality and Efficiency in the Circular Economy with Innovative Forces

The forum was strategically designed to advance the goals outlined in the U.S.-China “The Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis” (hereinafter referred to as the Sunnylands Statement). It aimed to create a collaborative platform for the business community, social organizations, and research institutions from both countries to foster exchanges and drive tangible cooperation in the circular economy.  

Zhao Chenxin, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on International Climate Policy, Liu Zhenmin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs, Nicholas Burns, U.S. Ambassador to China, and Xie Zhenhua, former Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs of China, attended the opening ceremony of the Forum and delivered a speech, and Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., made a video message. Deputy Director Zhao Chenxin said that addressing climate change is a common cause for all mankind and cannot be separated from the cooperation between the two global forces, China and the United States.

The China-US Circular Economy Cooperation Forum, held as an initiative to implement the Sunnylands Statement, marked another significant milestone in China-US cooperation on the circular economy. This collaboration is crucial for both nations as they join forces to tackle the climate crisis. On the afternoon of September 6, the forum organized four parallel meetings, where representatives engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics such as using the recycling economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the application of recycled materials, addressing plastic pollution and enhancing recycling, and increasing the recycling value of waste in the context of new industries and consumption patterns.

Niutech: International Experts on Continuous Pyrolysis Technology and Pioneers in solving the global “white pollution” problem

Globally, hundreds of millions of tons of waste plastics are generated annually, yet only about 30% undergo recycling. Traditional physical methods are typically limited to high-value, single-category, and relatively clean waste plastics. However, repeated recycling can degrade the quality of the plastics. Chemical recycling, on the other hand, offers a transformative approach by converting waste plastics into high-value products or fuels through chemical processes, thus overcoming the limitations of physical recycling.

Pyrolysis technology, a cornerstone of chemical recycling, addresses the challenges associated with the material recycling of waste plastics. It is adept at processing various types of low-value, mixed, and contaminated waste plastics. The products of pyrolysis can be further processed to manufacture new plastics, achieving a closed-loop system where waste plastics are repurposed into high-value new plastics. This not only retains the material’s utility at a high level but also converts “white pollution” into a “white oil field,” signifying a major shift in the management and valorization of plastic waste.

At the forum, as the international expert in continuous pyrolysis technology, the corporate representative of Niutech shared the cases of waste plastic chemical recycling projects deployed with international giants BASF and Quantafuel in Denmark, Thailand and other countries. Niutech has developed its own pyrolysis technology and equipment, which they fully own the intellectual property rights to. This technology enables the transformation of low-value, mixed, and contaminated waste plastics—including various polymers such as PP, PE, PS, ABS—into high-quality fuel oil.  

The fuel oil derived from this process can undergo further refining into naphtha, a critical raw material in the production of new plastics. This advanced recycling process not only diverts plastics from landfills and the environment but also contributes to a circular economy by turning waste into a valuable resource.

In the future, Niutech will continue to champion the principle of “green, recycling and low-carbon” waste plastics pyrolysis. Armed with advanced technology, reliable equipment, abundant high-value solutions and proven experience, Niutech is committed to enhancing communication and cooperation with domestic and foreign partners. Together, they will drive forward the chemical recycling of waste plastics and the sustainable development of the global waste plastics recycling industry.

 

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SOURCE Niutech

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Global Ultrasound Institute Launches GUSI Fellowships Platform: Elevating Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Ultrasound Institute (GUSI) is proud to announce the launch of the GUSI Fellowships Platform, an innovative online platform designed to empower learners around the world to achieve confidence and competency in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). With a holistic, device-independent approach that includes comprehensive evidence-based education, personalized mentorship from world-class POCUS educators, detailed scan review feedback, quantitative assessments, and CME certification, GUSI is setting a new standard in POCUS education.

“GUSI’s online didactics are the best that I have seen. And what I like most about the fellowship were the 1:1 sessions and being able to interact with GUSI expert faculty who have many years of experience in POCUS. And you get to pick their brains and they get to instruct you 1:1. I have used the training I received from GUSI to do much more POCUS clinically and further impact my patients lives.”

Dr. James Wilcox,
Assistant POCUS Director, Indiana University School of Medicine
Adjunct Professor and Assistant Professor of Medicine

“Our mission at GUSI is to democratize access to high-quality ultrasound training,” said Dr. Kevin Bergman and Dr. Mena Ramos, Co-CEOs of Global Ultrasound Institute. “The GUSI Fellowships Platform enables learners from diverse backgrounds to enhance their skills in a supportive, flexible environment, making it easier than ever to reach their POCUS goals.”

With training options covering 38 different scan types, learners can expect personalized 1:1 mentorship with expert POCUS educators who provide timely feedback on practice scans.

“The GUSI fellowship mentors are the best: patient, kind, knowledgeable, experienced, and supportive. GUSI provided education in the areas I wanted and needed to obtain and in my home/office environment not requiring multiple trips around the country. It is not just the way course work is presented – learning is made easier by the support provided to each student.”

Dr. Glenda Patterson
Core Faculty, University of Arkansas Northwest Internal Medicine Residency
Physician, Veterans Health Care of the Ozarks
Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine

The GUSI Fellowships Platform features a scalable software system designed to monitor and track performance, ensuring learners can effectively measure their progress.

GUSI understands the challenges faced by healthcare professionals seeking to enhance their ultrasound skills amid demanding schedules. GUSI addresses these concerns with flexible scheduling options, allowing learners to progress at their own pace while balancing their professional and personal commitments. This adaptability and virtual experience is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development.

“I went from not being able to hold the probe to someone who can scan and diagnosing and finding pathologies. I worked with Dr. Milne-Price and she was amazing! She sharpened my skills and we did sessions of live scanning over Zoom. I feel confident in my skills now to scan on my own.”

Dr. Dalea Al-Hawarri
Faculty, Bryn Mawr Family Medicine Residency

As healthcare continues to evolve, the demand for proficient ultrasound practitioners has never been greater. GUSI is not only committed to providing exceptional education but also aims to inspire a new generation of healthcare professionals who can leverage POCUS to improve patient outcomes globally. Join us in this exciting journey towards excellence in ultrasound practice.

For more information on GUSI Fellowships and to start your journey toward ultrasound proficiency, visit https://globalultrasoundinstitute.com/.

About Global Ultrasound Institute:

Global Ultrasound Institute stands at the forefront of point-of-care ultrasound, providing wraparound education, training, AI, and administrative software tools to healthcare providers and health systems globally to lower barriers to POCUS adoption and implementation. GUSI has trained over 14,000 healthcare practitioners in over 60 countries. GUSI is working to create a better world in which every healthcare practitioner is empowered to offer a rapid, reliable, accurate ultrasound-enabled diagnosis directly at the point-of-care, for any patient, anywhere.

For more information about GUSI Fellowships or any of GUSI services, please visit https://globalultrasoundinstitute.com/

Contact:

Dr. Kevin Bergman, Co-Founder, co-CEO, Global Ultrasound Institute
Dr. Mena Ramos, Co-Founder, co-CEO, Global Ultrasound Institute

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SOURCE GLOBAL ULTRASOUND INSTITUTE

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