This year is likely to mark a turning point for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union, with total employment expected to increase by 0.3 percent and value-added by 1 percent as compared to 2012. Preliminary forecasts expect the positive developments further accelerating in 2014. After five years of an uncertain economic environment, 2013 is expected to be the first year since 2008 with a combined increase in aggregated employment and value-added of the EU's SMEs.

Valspar Corporation, a global player in the paint and coatings industry, will provide Valspar Aquaguard waterborne coating for shipping containers manufactured in Maersk Container Industry's operations in Dongguan, China. With this agreement, manufacturing of a significant share of dry goods containers will convert from solvent borne coatings to Valspar Aquaguard waterborne coating.

Seventy percent of chief procurement officers (CPOs) say their suppliers do not provide sufficient innovation and value to their companies, according to a new survey by Consero Group, which creates invitation-only events for senior executives. The results were reported as part of the 2013 Global Procurement & Strategic Sourcing Data Survey.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and Consumer Product Safety Commission investigators have seized more than 200,000 toy dolls arriving from China due to high levels of phthalates, a group of banned chemical compounds.

Retailers looking to expand their business internationally might do well to consider selling online in China or Japan. Those two countries take first and second place, respectively, in a new index of the 30 best countries for online retailing from A.T. Kearney.

Five years ago, Waste Management recycled around 6 million tons of materials in the U.S., according to CEO David Steiner. It set a goal of recycling 20 million tons by 2020 and began up to $100m a year in recycling facilities and technology.