Tag Archive for: ProfuzLAPIS

Dubai’s Tarjama embraces SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT for Localization Services

Leading MENA language tech firm chooses NEXT-TT for secure cloud-based subtitling


For immediate release – 3 November 2022, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesWell-established technology developer, Profuz Digital is thrilled to announce that leading language solutions provider Tarjama, has selected the SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT platforms to optimise subtitling, translating and localization services, along with further reinforcing security.

Founded in 2008, Dubai-based Tarjama is a pioneering language technology firm that offers a wide variety of linguistic services that includes translation, localization, content creation, transcription, subtitling and strategic advisory.

SubtitleNEXT is a sought-after timed-text platform that offers real-time and offline subtitling and captioning for all media formats. Profuz LAPIS is an integrated web-accessible digital workflow asset management system that powerfully executes total desktop and cloud-management through browser functionality.

NEXT-TT combines SubtitleNEXT’s functionalities with Profuz LAPIS, into one powerful hybrid technology-base. The unique NEXT-TT platform provides an adaptable and multipurpose foundation for delivering enhanced localization services.

Tarjama adopted SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT to further boost their automatic voice recognition and machine translation services in order to manage costs.

Founder and CEO of Tarjama Nour Al Hassan says, “Tarjama uses a hybrid model that controls the speed of our innovative proprietary technology. Paired with the accuracy and creativity of expert linguists, it enables subtitlers to deliver quality content to companies at phenomenal speed, and efficiency. The fact that the Profuz LAPIS technology within NEXT-TT allows companies of all shapes and sizes to access projects at any given time, from anywhere, and facilitates collaboration among clients and staff, was a major draw. NEXT-TT can also be customized to produce targeted management and efficient workflows.”

Profuz LAPIS’s capabilities within NEXT-TT brings Tarjama many other advantages. It plays a central secure role, and controls the organisation’s processes seamlessly, from acquisition, classification, storage, search, post-production, to media content distribution. Data-files ranging from audio, videos, images, subtitles/captions, documents, news, projects, and more, are managed through its multi-platform content delivery capabilities that extensively synchronise the entire content production workflow and distribution chain.

Security is also of paramount importance to Tarjama and was a vital factor in their decision-making process. Nour Al Hassan confirms, “After extensively researching many cloud-based subtitling and workflow management platforms, we made the decision to invest in Profuz Digital’s SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT platforms as they fulfilled all our requirements, and “ticked all the right boxes”. As a company, we opted to pivot from single-license desktop subtitling applications to more accessible cloud-based subtitling tools. So, not only does this shift bring convenient benefits, but more crucially, security.”

Particularly when employing freelance linguists,” Nour added, “it is imperative that we ensure security for our clients, many of whom entrust us with sensitive material that might not yet have been aired or hit cinema theatres yet. So therefore, the possibility of security breaches would have disastrous consequences, and it’s a risk we are never willing to take. That’s why we chose SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT as trusted technologies that we can safely rely on in this area.”

CEO Nour Al Hassan founded Tarjama to meet the growing demand for excellence in translation services that cater to the unique multicultural environment of the Middle East. By tapping into an undervalued network of exceptional and talented women, she challenged conventional norms and went on to excel in the translation and localization fields. Under her stunning leadership, Tarjama has set new standards in the industry through the company’s commitment to quality, speed, and extraordinary linguistic value.

Nour affirms, “SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT have proven to be the solution that caters for all our technical needs and is the most cost-effective of all the other solutions that we had researched. Working in a fast-paced world of subtitling that comes with extremely tight deadlines and air dates, we also find the Profuz Digital and PBT EU teams to be very helpful and responsive. Their fast and effective support is essential to our business continuity, and we are extremely pleased to have the perfect support-system now in place, with Profuz Digital and PBT EU at the helm as our technology partners.”

Ivanka Vassileva, CEO and Managing Partner of Profuz Digital and PBT EU concludes, “Tarjama has an excellent reputation in the MENA region and delivers first-rate subtitling projects for incredible clients that use cutting-edge technology and span across a multitude of verticals, such as VOD, cinematic theatre releases, e-learning, corporate and government videos, in-flight entertainment and so much more. All of these areas demand their own set of specific requirements, challenges, and workflows, and Tarjama’s aim is for all of these projects to now go through SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT systems. We are absolutely delighted that Tarjama has chosen SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT technology as they continue to serve their customers and expand their offering, and we very much look forward to supporting them for the long-term.”

Discover the power behind Profuz LAPIS here www.profuzlapis.com;
Find out more about SubtitleNEXT at www.SubtitleNEXT.com;
Explore the NEXT-TT platform further at https://subtitlenext.com/product-line/platform/

 

###

About Profuz Digital
Profuz Digital develops and provides performance-leading solutions for customisable engineering system integration to empower content providers, broadcast, production, and post-production professionals to operate efficiently at the forefront of an ever-evolving digital environment. Profuz Digital’s primary focus is flexibility, futureproof customer-driven product innovation, fast deployment, along with committed teamwork.

Creators of the advanced real-time and offline captioning and subtitling software platform SubtitleNEXT and Profuz Digital’s digital asset workflow management platforms, Profuz LAPIS, designed to efficiently centralise processes and data all under one roof. Proven technology already adopted by the likes of Canal PLUS, Jornal do Centro, Council of Europe, Bulgarian National Radio and many other organisations.

The NEXT-TT system combines SubtitleNEXT’s functionalities with Profuz LAPIS into an all-in-one powerful hybrid technology-base that provides media professionals with a versatile backbone for enhanced localization services. NEXT-TT can be customised to produce targeted management and efficient workflows. It manages subtitles, dubbing and localization services for media content including the coordination of teams of translators, subtitlers, AV professionals, creative freelancers, while providing users with powerful toolsets in a secure workspace environment.

Some of the many organisations, that have already adopted Profuz Digital’s technology include Titles-On, EMG, Digitalmeister GmbH, Leinhäuser Language Services GmbH, Polsat, Kino Polska, University of Rome Tor Vergata, the University of Warsaw, University of Ghent, European School of Translation, Max Live Media Access, Biovisjon, IT Pros Subtitles, Doli Media Studio, Cube Cinema Technologies, Tring TV, Bulgarian National Television, Canal Plus Myanmar, AMC, HD Media, Hellenic American College of Greece, European School of Translation, the Complutense University of Madrid, and many others.

www.profuzdigital.com

About Tarjama
Tarjama is a language technology and services provider helping companies scale rapidly with multilingual content of every format and language. With a mission to help companies realize their potential for global growth, Tarjama is committed to delivering language solutions that meet international standards of quality, speed, and cost-efficiency. To find out more about Tarjama, visit www.tarjama.com

Profuz Digital heads to IBC2022

Profuz Digital’s team attending IBC to gauge industry trends post-Covid

For immediate release – 18 August 2022, London, UK – Creators of the subtitling system SubtitleNEXT, Profuz Digital, confirms its teams attendance at IBC this year. Plans to meet up with industry professionals and reassess the current state of the industry, post-Covid are priority. IBC allows companies like Profuz Digital to reunite, engage with friends, and re-energise once again.
Profuz Digital is an established European technology developer and creates customised platforms that allow global firms to access projects at any given time, from anywhere, and facilitate collaboration.
At IBC, CEO and Managing partner of Profuz Digital Ivanka Vassileva will be available to meet potential partners and clients and share the latest innovations available in the Profuz Digital range of products – SubtitleNEXT, Profuz LAPIS, and NEXT-TT.
The highlight of the show is the IBC2022 Special Award which will reward those who came together via a LinkedIn Group called ‘Support for Ukrainian Media Professionals’. Initiated by Sonya Chakarova at PlayBox Neo and Daniella Weigner of Cinegy, with consultant Phillip Covell, the LinkedIn Group provides resources, solutions and hardware to Ukrainian TV channels and media outlets to ensure they can stay on air during the ongoing war and has evolved into an active technical hub.
IBC will celebrate this collaborative effort of over 400 broadcast, media companies and individuals enabling broadcasting in Ukraine during the conflict. The Innovation Awards winners will be announced and showcased at an online digital awards show on 5 September at 4pm BST, followed by IBC’s prestigious Innovation Awards Ceremony at The RAI in Amsterdam on Sunday, 11th September.
“We are so grateful to the SubtitleNEXT team for offering subtitling solutions across Europe, helping efforts to support displaced refugees with easy access to television programming.” Said Phillip Covell on behalf of the ‘Support for Ukrainian Media Professionals’ LinkedIn Group.
The Profuz Digital team has been providing subtitling services via its SubtitleNEXT platform across Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, and other countries that have taken in Ukrainian refugees. SubtitleNEXT is included in the list of industry companies, and initiatives acknowledged and given special mention by The Group, such as AVID, VIZRT Group, Octopus Newsroom, and others.
SubtitleNEXT is a popular and affordable timed-text platform that offers real-time and offline subtitling and captioning for all media formats.
Profuz LAPIS, one of Europe’s most advanced digital asset workflow management platforms, has already been adopted by the likes of Canal PLUS, Jornal do Centro, Council of Europe, Bulgarian National Radio, and many other organisations. It delivers highly adaptable, business-based future-proof efficiency and is proven technology that can be deployed on AWS or other cloud service providers as well as on-premises.
Profuz LAPIS is a discerning investment for companies requiring management process integration under one roof. Web-accessible, it powerfully executes total management of cloud and desktop technologies through browser functionality. It plays a central secure role, and controls the organisation’s processes seamlessly, from acquisition, classification, storage, search, post-production, to media content distribution. Data-files ranging from audio, videos, images, subtitles/captions, documents, news, projects, and more, are managed through its multi-platform content delivery capabilities that extensively synchronise the entire content production workflow and distribution chain.
Profuz LAPIS’ other key features include optional modules for commercials management; unlimited users with supported licensing file modes; plus various data-files irrespective of location managed from a single dashboard without local system storage transfer. Configurable consoles for various user levels with built-in workflow design and automation are included. Flexible software licensing ownership and subscriptions pricing options are available.
The NEXT-TT system combines SubtitleNEXT’s functionalities with the integrated business management system Profuz LAPIS, into an all-in-one powerful hybrid technology-base that provides media professionals with a versatile backbone for enhanced localization services.
NEXT-TT can be customised to produce targeted management and efficient workflows. It manages subtitles, dubbing and localization services for media content including the coordination of teams of translators, subtitlers, AV professionals, creative freelancers, while providing users with powerful toolsets in a secure workspace environment.
Organisations that have embraced SubtitleNEXT and NEXT-TT’s technology include London’s Titles-On, EMG, many universities such as University of Ghent, Warsaw, Hellenic American College of Greece, European School of Translation, Complutense University of Madrid, Max Live, Biovisjon, IT Pros Subtitles, Doli Media Studio, Cube Cinema Technologies, Tring TV, Bulgarian National Television, Canal Plus Myanmar, AMC, HD Media, and others.
Profuz Digital proudly supports all its customers, most of which are already adopting cloud-based facilities capable of remote working capabilities, which has always been at the core of NEXT-TT’s strategy, long before the pandemic even arose. Profuz Digital’s aim is to best help companies manage security and complexity across projects, global offices, staff, and freelancers.
“It will be great to be back at IBC this year, especially, as we prepare to launch Profuz LAPIS, in the UK for the first time at London’s KitPlus Show. Being able to attend IBC beforehand, provides us with an exceptional platform from which to explore, expand options and be inspired with new ventures and European partnerships in the pipeline.” noted Kamen Ferdinandov, CTO of Profuz Digital and technical brainpower behind SubtitleNEXT, Profuz LAPIS and NEXT-TT technologies.
Profuz Digital’s CEO and Managing Partner Ivanka Vassileva added, “We are delighted to catch up with technology creatives in-person at IBC again and listen to current concerns people are facing. We’re eager to share the advantages our customised solutions bring individuals and organisations including our support for remote and in-house production pipelines and media localization workflows. We are honoured to support Ukrainian broadcasters helping refugees, and it is humbling to receive recognition, along with other companies from IBC’s Awards team. We look forward to seeing you there.”
To arrange a meeting with Profuz Digital at IBC, contact Ivanka Vassileva on +359 884 83 93 53, via mobile or WhatsApp, or by email at Ivanka@profuzdigital.com

Register to attend IBC at https://show.ibc.org/registration

For more information about LinkedIn Group “Support for Ukrainian Media Professionals” visit https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12630563/
Find out more about SubtitleNEXT at www.SubtitleNEXT.com;
Discover the power behind Profuz LAPIS here www.profuzlapis.com;
Explore the NEXT-TT platform further at https://subtitlenext.com/product-line/platform/

Jornal do Centro invests in Profuz LAPIS allowing remote accessibility and enhancing outreach capabilities

Profuz Digital is delighted to confirm the adoption of a Profuz LAPIS system at Portugal’s Jornal do Centro in collaboration with distributor PBT EU and reseller partner Pantalha.  Jornal do Centro selected Profuz LAPIS to centralise their business management processes across their organisation to help manage and control the management and centralisation of content, ensuring quality and file-format compliance towards playout and broadcast. (https://www.jornaldocentro.pt/)

Profuz LAPIS is a global business process and information management platform designed to create scalable customised modules that adapt to every type of complex business structure. It effectively connects all the dots that a business interacts with including multiple-companies, outsourcing, partners, suppliers and customers, while constantly adapting to the needs of the organisation.

Profuz LAPIS’ remote capability has revealed itself as an extraordinary tool in these extraordinary times. A great example of how LAPIS is helping the team in the current global crisis is the fact that they can access the system remotely from home.  Keeping the number of people working in the office to a minimum is a priority for many firms at the moment.  LAPIS has made things easier for the teams as it has enabled the majority of users to work remotely and safely from home, without having to configure any VPN or dedicated line to their Servers. The LAPIS solution provides journalists with access to all their content at all times from anywhere in the world, without having to be confined to the office.

As with the majority of newspapers in the digital era, Jornal do Centro has had to adapt and expand in innovative ways to manage the ever-growing need for digital content that can reach mass audiences digitally. In addition to the print version of their newspaper, Jornal do Centro has also created a dedicated online website and their own Web TV for which content is produced and managed. The combination of all these various publication platforms called for an efficient centralised management system, whereby several different departments could work together and converge all content to a central place. Items that can be centralised with ease using LAPIS include videos, images, newspaper pages, photoshop edits, voice-over audios and much more.

The efficiency of LAPIS is already helping the teams streamline their news. When the journalism teams at Jornal do Centro create a news piece for their newspaper for example, their online editors can then use the very same content for the web-version equivalent of that exact news piece. By having shared access to the same content, which is all centralised, they are able to keep their editorial line exactly the same, regardless of the final medium of where it will eventually be published.

Back in 2019, when Jornal do Centro was in the process of exploring several different technologies, PBT EU’s reseller partner Pantalha presented the Profuz LAPIS solution.  The initial installation of the system took place on-location with the support of both Profuz Digital’s LAPIS and Pantalha’s technicians, and went very well and smoothly, followed shortly by the relevant training.

Currently, both Pantalha and the Profuz LAPIS’ teams are helping to configure the system to new requirements that naturally appear as soon as users actually start operating the system. Jornal do Centro will be using all the capabilities to their full capacity that the system delivers within the next few months, and the team is very happy with the advantages that LAPIS is presently delivering.

Solutions Architect and Support Engineer, Pedro Jervis at Pantalha confirmed, “After some back and forth with information being discussed and shared, Jornal do Centro decided to go with the Profuz LAPIS solution for several reasons. Firstly, the user-friendly interface and user permissions features in LAPIS,  along with its CRM functionality appealed to the team. Secondly, they were also impressed with the Profuz LAPIS’ team’s openness to develop further specific functionalities uniquely for each customer. Thirdly, they also felt it was a real advantage to have Pantalha’s support team at their disposal.  They had many other reasons why they loved the system, and overall, the quality of the system, combined with its exceptional value for money was a plus point. All these factors together truly won them over.”

Profuz Digital’s CTO, Kamen Ferdinandov notes, “Jornal do Centro provides an extremely valuable service and we are proud that our product Profuz LAPIS can play an integral role in helping them attain their goals, especially in this current crisis and with its remote accessibility. As a team that places our customers as first priority, we deeply value the relationship we have with our reseller partner Pantalha and their customer Jornal do Centro who are well  placed in the region to support their playout development in the region.”

“As one of the top resellers of technology solutions for the Portuguese broadcast industry, Pantalha is a strong partner in the region,” adds CEO of PBT EU Ivanka Vassileva. “With a focus on solutions that help customers attain their goals, Pantalha provides a strong local presence and market expertise for our solutions and we are delighted to see Jornal do Centro using and enjoying the benefits that Profuz LAPIS brings to an organisation of its size and scope.”

To find out more about Profuz LAPIS visit: https://www.profuzlapis.com/

NEXT-TT forms the technology backbone of unique PixelSub platform

NEXT-TT forms the technology backbone of unique PixelSub platform

For immediate release – 4 June 2020, Dubai  Profuz Digital  is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with leading post-production, localization, and entertainment company, Linxstream Media. The partnership launches with the creation of Linxstream Media’s PixelSub;  a cloud-based platform for managing localization, dubbing and timed-text services.

We provided the underlying technology to power PixelSub by integrated business management software Profuz LAPIS  with timed-text application SubtitleNEXT. Together, the resulting hybrid platform (“NEXT-TT”) provides a technology base which can be highly customized to produce precisely targeted management and localization workflows.

Linxstream Media then applied their unique localization knowledge to the base technology to create PixelSub, which is a product aimed at helping enterprises, collaborators and single users monetize and streamline localization projects efficiently, while combining the advantages of the cloud and desktop.

The PixelSub platform features the management of order creation, invoicing, project coordination and collaboration while providing multi-tier protection of content with private workspaces and a wide suite of tools designed to support the industry’s largest content creators, distributors, and studios. The PixelSub platform additionally offers other advanced features such as automatic speech recognition (ASR) and machine generated subtitles that convert text into multiple languages. These operations all incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies (MLT) into the localization services. This way, users can benefit from using a single platform in order to prepare automatic, semi-automatic and human written subtitles and captions for audio-visual content.

Machine translation and transcription are tools for automatic speech recognition (ASR) and are key functions within Profuz Digital’s NEXT-TT platform.  NEXT- TT includes automatic translation of text from one language to another and automatic transformation of actors’ voices into captions and subtitles.  All of these advanced features from NEXT-TT are now made available in PixelSub by incorporating third party engines which activate these automatic processes.

By virtually connecting to localization platform PixelSub, users can gain access to proprietary tools, technologies, and delivery capabilities that provide breakthrough client results. With Profuz Digital’s deep technology and engineering expertise, the collaboration represents a step-change in the way both businesses address the needs of the localization and subtitling market.

As part of the strategic alliance, Linxstream Media is authorized to resell products and services from Profuz Digital in the Middle East.

CEO of Profuz Digital Ivanka Vassileva stated, “We are delighted that Linxstream Media, along with their expertise of the media localization business and their presence in the Middle East, have become one of our most respected regional partners to serve the sector. Through this strategic partnership, we have essentially expanded our NEXT-TT platform offerings that will now allow users in the Middle East to benefit from a localized version of our powerful NEXT-TT solution backed by reliable local systems integration, onboarding and continuous technical support services. Working together and joining hands with Linxstream Media as one of our key partners will enable us to deliver an integrated and optimal experience for our customers in the region.”

Profuz Digital’s CTO Kamen Ferdinandov and developer of the NEXT-TT platform said, “Our hybrid NEXT-TT platform which was created by combining both our LAPIS and SubtitleNEXT functionalities, provides a versatile backbone to power-focused localization services. Linxstream Media has demonstrated this with PixelSub. The main advantage of our technologies is that they are highly adaptable to each client’s specific requirements, allowing a wide range of different configurations and UI experiences. This project with PixelSub demonstrates that our distributor PBT EU openly welcomes ideas from companies of all sizes to share their unique vision and understanding of the localization processes which we can adapt to form a specialised bespoke solution.”

Founder of Linxstream Media Rafiq M. Sarwari confirmed, “PBT EU and Profuz Digital helped build the remarkable cloud-based multi-layered PixelSub platform based on Profuz Digital’s NEXT-TT solution. One of the key factors that we took into consideration when we first approached them about collaborating, was whether we were willing to invest in each other’s vision and commitment to develop a product that would be truly unique and innovative, and also be able to simplify the arduous localization tasks. So, together we developed a mutualistic linkage and a shared way of working together that serves both of our clients’ interests. Working with PBT EU was simply the right choice. From the start it was clear that the team was willing to roll up their sleeves and get things done and deliver on their promises.”

Rafiq expanded, “The partnership between Linxstream Media and PBT EU has provided us with a localization and subtitling platform that truly is a one stop shop for our clients. PBT EU’s understanding of complex digital product development, its deep engineering expertise and collaborative approach is uniquely complimentary to how a Linxstream team works. With presence in Europe, North America, Canada, India and the Middle East, and the added capabilities of over 7,000+ global freelance translators, this partnership will allow us to drive far more business impact for our clients.”

“In summary, both PBT EU and Linxstream’s combined years of experience and expertise, and our shared willingness to be open and agile, have contributed to the creation an advanced platform that not only solves many problems but simplifies daily tasks. Simply said, excellence speaks for itself!” concluded Rafiq.

 

To find out more about NEXT-TT, visit https://profuzdigital.com/next-tt/

To find out more about PixelSub, visit https://www.linxstream.com/services/pixelsub/

Profuz Digital’s LAPIS is system of choice for Canal+ Myanmar FG

Canal+ Myanmar FG selected Profuz LAPIS to manage localization of thousands of hours of content, ensuring quality subtitling & file-format compliance for playout

Profuz Digital is delighted to announce the adoption of the Profuz LAPIS system at CANAL+ Myanmar FG, marking the first deployment of the technology in the Asia-Pacific region.

CANAL+ Myanmar FG is now currently implementing Profuz LAPIS to process, manage and control the localization of thousands of hours of legacy and newly produced content, ensuring quality of subtitling and file-format compliance towards playout and broadcast.

CANAL+ Group is the leading Pay-TV group in French-speaking countries, with a high international profile, boasting an ever-growing presence in fast-developing markets, such as Poland, Vietnam and recently Myanmar.

The CANAL+ Group launched activities in Myanmar in partnership with the leading private Burmese media group Forever Group, enabling subscribers to watch local and international content localized into Burmese, on DTT, DTH and mobile devices.

Profuz LAPIS is a global business process and information management platform designed to create scalable customized modules that adapt to every type of complex business structure. It effectively connects all the dots that a business interacts with including multiple-companies, outsourcing, partners, suppliers and customers, while constantly adapting to the needs of the organization.

”Canal+ Myanmar FG is managing internally 9 in-house channels, implying a massive amount of media assets to secure, localize, index and control. Profuz LAPIS was the perfect match for us to combine a Media Asset Management with our specific internal workflows. Profuz Digital’s team has provided a strong support all along the project in order to customize the product according to our specifications and to make it a powerful solution, yet very user-friendly for our collaborators and partners.” states Maxime Woimant, Chief Technology and Information Officer at CANAL+ Myanmar FG.

Profuz Digital’s CTO, Kamen Ferdinandov notes, “Canal+ Group provides an extremely valuable service across the globe, and we are proud that Profuz LAPIS can play an important role with them in the ASEAN region. As a team that places our customers as first priority, we deeply value the relationship we have with Canal+ Myanmar FG and are well positioned to support their Pay-TV development in the region.”

To find out more about Profuz LAPIS visit https://profuzdigital.com/media-and-broadcast-solutions/

_____________________________________________________________________


Media Information

 

About CANAL+ Group

CANAL+ Group is the leading Pay-TV group in France, ranking first both for its premium-content networks with the generalist channel CANAL+ and associated channels, and its themed networks. It is also the top multi-channel platform and pay-tv distributor in France. CANAL+ Group has a high international profile, with a presence in fast-developing markets. It is the leading pay-tv operator in French-speaking countries, particularly in Africa where it has nearly 3.5 million subscribers. It is also present in Poland, Vietnam and recently Myanmar. Overall, CANAL+ Group has over 15.5 million subscribers worldwide, including 8 million in mainland France. A free-to-air TV operator with three national channels, including France fifth highest rating channel, C8, and in-house advertising sales division CANAL+ REGIE, the Group is also a benchmark player in commercial TV. Through its subsidiary STUDIOCANAL, CANAL+ Group is the European leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.  Group CANAL+ is fully owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.