Sun Micro, MindTree join hands
Bangalore: Sun Microsystems and MindTree Consulting on India have announced a partnership to offer Web service solutions based on Sun's Open Network Environment (ONE) technology platform.

Web services enable companies to automate business processes over the Internet by seamlessly tying up different types of software programs and computers. Sun's ONE platform is akin to rival Microsoft's .NET software strategy.
Back to News Review index page  
Tatas to launch sedan this year
Chennai: Tata Engineering will roll out Tata sedan and a totally new passenger car Estate in the range of its successful Indica, in the coming fiscal.

The company has emerged as the second largest passenger car company in the country, thanks to the tremendous success of Indica, amidst stiff competition from as many as 14 manufacturers including 10 global players.

The company is expected to turn into cash profits this fiscal. Indica alone had 22 per cent market share of the C segment of passenger cars this fiscal as against 17 per cent in 2001.

The total sales of Indica which had crossed 55,000 units by February 2002 is expected to touch 60,000 units mark by the end of this month.
Back to News Review index page  
Turbo Genset to float JV with Tatas
Bangalore: The UK-based Turbo Genset, would soon float a 50:50 joint venture with a Tata company to introduce distributed power generation systems in India.

The JV, to be headquartered in Mumbai, will be established within a month with large input in Bangalore in terms of electronic systems and software development.

Discussions are currently on with Tatas regarding the research to be carried out, people to be employed and issues relating to systems and what kind of work to be generated.

The JV is likely to be with Tata Electric or Tata Consultancy Services.

Turbo Genset will initially invest between 0.5 million pound sterling and one million in the JV, which would also develop a lot of software applicable to the Indian market, as well as develop opearating systems to be used by Indian grid networks.
Back to News Review index page  
Godrej&Boyce for organisational restructuring
New Delhi: Godrej&Boyce may initiate a restructuring exercise to rationalise the number of divisions, which may involve merging some key ones.

The Godrej group company currently has 12 divisions and deals in products as diverse as steel processing, machine tools, security systems, furniture and construction. The company has already formed an internal team of five-six persons to suggest a reorganisation.
Back to News Review index page  
M&M introduces Bolero Camper
Mumbai: Mahindra & Mahindra has introduced Bolero Camper, which is compliant with Bharat stage-II emission norms. It is being introduced in popular white, dark green and blue colours.
Back to News Review index page  

Publicis buys Bcom3 for $3b
Paris: French advertising group Publicis will buy Bcom3 in a deal to create the world's fourth-largest advertising company valued at roughly $3 billion.

Japanese Dentsu, which holds 20 per cent of Bcom3, would hold a substantial stake in the merged group following the deal, which is expected to be sealed by the end of June.

Dentsus investment would be worth $500 million and would give it a 15 per cent stake in the new company, implying a value for the new group in excess of $3 billion.

Publicis accounts include McDonald's, Walt Disney, Mars and Pampers.
Back to News Review index page  
UshaComm to invest $10m
New Delhi: Usha Communications Technology is planning to invest $10 million in the next one year towards expansion of development facility, upgrading of infrastructure and marketing activities.

The investment would be supported largely out of internal accruals.

The company which has development centres in Kolkata and Bangalore is planning to expand its development capacity which would involve increasing its current workforce to 750 professionals from the current 500 professionals.
Back to News Review index page  
Qualis registers 28% sales surge in '01
Mumbai: Toyota Kirloskar Motor registered a 28.62 per cent rise in the sales of Qualis in 2001 by selling 28,022 units compared to 21,785 in 2000.

With the increase in sales, Toyota now has a 41 per cent market share in the multi purpose vehicle segment.
Back to News Review index page  
Film directors to make ads for colas
New Dellhi: Pepsi has hired director Farhan Akhtar to make commercials for a range of Pepsico products while Coke has roped in Aamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowarikar to make adfilms for Coca-Cola.

Farhan Akhtar would be a permanent fixture in Pepsi repertoire and used strategically.
Back to News Review index page  
HCL Tech alliance with ZAMBA
New Delhi: HCL Technologies Ltd has invested $1 million in the US-based ZAMBA Solutions, a CRM consulting and systems integration company, to offer CRM solutions to Global 2000 companies.

The investment would be made through its US-subsidiary by issuing fresh equity, the company said in a statement here. HCL Technologies did not disclose the quantum of equity it was acquiring in ZAMBA Solutions.
Back to News Review index page  

Essar Shipping approves pref allotment
Mumbai: Essar Shipping Ltd has decided to issue 20-crore equity shares to promoters on preferential basis.

The board of directors of Essar Shipping Ltd at its meeting held on 6 March resolved to issue 20 crore equity shares of Rs 10 each at par on preferential allotment basis.

Of the 20 crore, 10.5 crore equity shares of Rs 10 each is to be issued to promoters and 9.5 crore to institutional investors, and their nominees and associates.

The promoters would be converting Rs 105 crore unsecured loan extended to the company for funding the Vadinar terminal project into equity. The company will issue fresh capital of Rs 95 crore.

The Vadinar crude oil terminal is being set up by Essar Shipping Ltd at a cost of Rs 1,874 crore.
Back to News Review index page  

Tata BP Solar to build integrated photovoltaics
Bangalore: Tata BP Solar, a joint venture of the Tata Power Co and BP Solar, will shortly introduce integrated photovoltaics used in replacement with building materials. With glass on both sides, the PV modules provide heat and sound insulation to the building apart from solar electricity.

The building integrated PV modules developed by the company, which is vastly used in western countries, is being tested in the US for environmental conditions and is likely to get the test clearance in a month.

The company is also looking at patent search for the product both within and outside the country and will be launched in May or June.
Back to News Review index page  

Samsonite plans outlets expansion
Bangalore: Samsonite Corporation plans to increase its turnover in India by over 20 per cent through a two-pronged strategy that involves a massive expansion spree on its exclusive outlets and brings lower price range Samsonite products to the market.

The company plans to increase the number of exclusive outlets Travel world from 64 now to 82 by the month end and 100 by the end of this calendar year involving a total investment of Rs 10 crore.

The company plans to introduce a new product line every two months.
Back to News Review index page  

VSNL scouting for foreign ILD partners
New Delhi: Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), now under the wings of the Tata group, is scouting for new partnerships with foreign carriers to ward off the threat from competition in international telephony starting 1 April.

The company has decided to explore relationships with carriers not only in the US where it already has tie-ups with the big three MCI, AT&T and Sprint, but also in countries where it has no direct link until now.

VSNL offers international dialing for its customers to 237 countries through its international gateways located at Jullunder, New Delhi, Kolkata, Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Ernakulam and Kanpur.
Back to News Review index page  

Eicher sales up in Feb
New Delhi: The Eicher group registered an improvement in sales of tractors, motorcycles and light commercial vehicles in February.

The company said it sold 1,301 tractors in February, up 9.14 per cent from 1,192 tractors sold in the same month last year. So far this financial year, Eicher has sold 16,216 tractors, up 3.94 per cent from the sales in the same period of last year.

With the launch of new motorcycles, Royal Enfield Motors managed to raise its sales in February to 2,306 units, up 29.6 per cent from 1,779 sold in February 2001. Sales so far this financial year has been 21,941 units, up 12.1 per cent from sales in the same 11 months of 2000-01. However, Royal Enfield Motors' sales are much lower than the over 35 per cent growth registered by the motorcycle industry.
Back to News Review index page  

Ranbaxy teams up with Wockhardt
New Delhi: Ranbaxy and Wockhardt have forged a strategic alliance to tackle competition in the $15-billion US generics segment.

The alliance covers multi-product development, supply/sales and marketing for Enalapril and Ranatidine in the US.

The business alliance would bring together the product development capabilities, manufacturing expertise and capacities of Wockhardt with the sales and marketing prowess of Ranbaxy to optimise the commercial value of these products.

Enalapril and Ranatidine have both been available in the US since their patent expired.
Back to News Review index page  

E Merck rechristened
Mumbai: E Merck India has proposed to drop the letter E from its name following directives from the parent to all its affiliates and subsidiaries. It will now be known as Merck Ltd.

The change in name would enable the company to correctly reflect its corporate identity and would be effective after the necessary approvals of the members and thereafter of the central government.
Back to News Review index page  

McGraw-Hill sets up offices in Dubai
Abu Dhabi: McGraw-Hill Education and Platts, divisions of US-based global information services provider and publisher McGraw-Hill Companies, have established regional offices in Dubai Media City.

McGraw-Hill Education is a global leader in education materials and professional information, while Platts is the world's largest provider of energy market information.

McGraw-Hill Companies provide services that cater to worldwide needs in the financial services, education, business information markets and publishing through leading brands such as Standard and Poor's, Business Week magazine and McGraw-Hill Education.
Back to News Review index page