SOLUM and SPAR International extend agreement for ESL and Digital Signage

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SOLUM and SPAR International extend agreement for ESL and Digital Signage

2026-02-24 15:00 Last Updated At：18:04

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 24, 2026--

SOLUM (KOSPI: 248070) and SPAR International have extended their agreement as Preferred Supplier for Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and Digital Signage. SPAR International’s Preferred Supplier program is designed to help SPAR-licensed organisations worldwide evaluate and adopt trusted, competitive solutions more efficiently. With this selection, SOLUM is positioned as an official partner supporting SPAR organisations with ESL and Digital Signage solutions.

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SOLUM can supply SPAR licensed organisations with advanced and durable ESL and E-Paper solutions, including the latest Newton Core+ and Newton E-Paper 32” Series, alongside Digital Signage tailored to different store environments and use cases. Digital Signage can be delivered in multiple formats—including bar-type, dual-type, and standard signage—and can be configured and scaled flexibly as deployment needs evolve. Beyond communicating prices and in-store information, ESL and Digital Signage can also enable stores to utilise digital touchpoints as a communication space linked to retail media, supporting SPAR licensed organisations in expanding shopper engagement and creating new value in ways that fit their local market context.

SPAR International continues to develop global partnerships that support its licensed organisations and retailers as retail environments evolve, while staying grounded in its community-focused heritage and commitment to value for shoppers. “This selection is intended to support SPAR licensed organisations in more easily assessing and adopting proven digital solutions,” said Tom Rose, Head of International Operations at SPAR International. “By working with partners that can provide consistent quality and support, we aim to help strengthen digital capabilities across different market environments.”

Daniel Lee, CEO, SOLUM Europe, said, “Being chosen as a Preferred Supplier by SPAR International reflects trust in SOLUM’s ability to reliably supply and support ESL and Digital Signage solutions across diverse retail environments—not just individual products. We will continue to respect SPAR’s brand values and operating principles, while supporting SPAR organisations in using digital technologies in a practical and flexible way.”

This Preferred Supplier selection formalizes cooperation between SPAR International and SOLUM, and SOLUM will continue to support SPAR organisations as they build and expand their digital retail environments.

About SOLUM

Founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Samsung Electro-Mechanics, SOLUM is a publicly traded company listed on the KOSPI stock exchange. The company has established itself as a leader in power solutions, display technologies, and electronic shelf labels (ESL), driving innovation across the global retail sector. With a strong commitment to customer-centric innovation and sustainable retail transformation, SOLUM continues to develop high-quality solutions that empower retailers to operate more efficiently in an increasingly digital world.

Learn more at https://www.solum-group.com.

France ups the ante in the spat with US ambassador, says ministers will no longer meet him

PARIS (AP) — France’s spat with the U.S. ambassador to Paris took another turn Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top U.S. diplomat in France must respond to a summons and won't have access to French government officials until he complies.

French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner — the father of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner — for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up.

Speaking Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the failure to attend the meeting as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Charles Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.

“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info.

He said that Kushner "is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job he needs access to members of the government. That’s the basics.”

“When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government,” the minister said.

The U.S. Embassy did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment on Monday and a follow-up request on Tuesday morning also got no immediate reply.

France's foreign ministry had summoned Kushner over Trump administration tweets relating to the beating death in France of a far-right activist, Quentin Deranque. The 23-year-old student, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten by a group of people earlier this month in the city of Lyon, in fighting that erupted between far-left and far-right activists. He later died of brain injuries.

In a post last week on X, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”

The U.S. Embassy in Paris posted the same statement, in French.

Barrot said France needs to discuss the comments with Kushner.

“We must have an explanation with him,” Barrot said. “We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate.”