South African logistics group Transnet has unveiled a R300 billion plan which is set to create almost 600,000 new jobs across the economy.

Sujen Padayatchi, managing director of Aspen Logistics Services, tells Jane Alverca why the company can stay cool under pressure better than any other player in the transportation industry.

UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp, has closed on the sale of its fire and security branch operations in the US to Comvest Investment Partners.

The company provides integrated building solutions, including heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, building controls and automation, and fire and security systems.

Japanese car maker Nissan has announced that its all-new mid-sized hatchback will be produced at its Sunderland plant in the UK.

The as-yet unnamed new medium hatchback will create an additional 225 jobs at Nissan and 900 jobs at component companies supplying Nissan in the UK. The car will be manufactured from 2014.

The news follows the announcement at last month's Geneva Motor Show that Sunderland will also produce a mainstream B-segment compact car based on Nissan’s Invitation concept from next year.

To mark the centennial of its parent company Holcim Ltd, the cement plant in Ada, Oklahoma is participating in a year-long community service initiative.

Holcim (US), one of the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of cement and mineral components, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year by participating in Together for Communities, an initiative in which Holcim employees lead local volunteer projects.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) has sold its seven percent stake in US electric automaker Tesla Motors, making a profit of $113 million (£71m) on the sale.

The 75 percent state-owned utility had 7.3 million Tesla shares transferred to it by the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority in late 2010. A spokesman said TAQA had "admiration for Tesla's vision, technology and products", but that the automaker was a non-core investment for the organization.

Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based green crude oil production, has secured the final tranche of $144 million investment funding.

Readers of our 1 April story about profal oil need not be sceptical. It’s not the first of April today.

With this final investment round, San Diego-based Sapphire Energy’s total funding from private and public sources has risen to over $300 million.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest information technology company, has given notice of its sales and operating profit for Q1 2012.

The South Korean manufacturer of the Galaxy smartphone and Note mini-tablet released a consolidated earnings estimate today of 5.8 trillion won (approximately $5.1 billion) on sales of around 45 trillion won (almost $40 billion).

The profit figure is almost double the 2.95 trillion won posted in Q1 2011, while the sales figure is up from 37 trillion won in the same quarter last year.

Jaguar Cars has confirmed that it will bring an all-new sports car into production, to be known as the F-TYPE.

Speaking at the New York auto show Adrian Hallmark, global brand director, Jaguar Cars, confirmed: "We showed the C-X16 concept in September 2011, and the reaction to it has been so positive that we've accelerated our development of an all-new Jaguar sports car.