L&T wins order for largest export project
Maersk Oil Qatar has awarded Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) a contract valued around Rs250 million for its Block 5 development in Qatar, comprising two new offshore platform top-sides, a flare platform and interconnecting bridge.

This among the largest overseas project orders for L&T for single-point execution of vital energy sector projects. Maersk Oil Qatar is developing the field under a production-sharing agreement with Qatar Petroleum.

L&T is building a world-class fabrication facility at Sohar in Oman with deepwater capability and all-weather delivery into such projects, starting with the flare platform and bridge for this project.

The order for Maersk will be executed by L&T in alliance with its project partners Aker Kvaerner and Seaway Heavy Lifting of the Netherlands, acting as subcontractors.

To be executed in 28 months, the 'block 5 package 14' project consists mainly of two 2300-tonne topsides with facilities for oil production and export, entailing for L&T project management, concurrent engineering, global sourcing, and quality fabrication at its Hazira facility, sea installation and fault-free commissioning of the offshore platform and pipeline projects.

L&T is also building its own 3000 T 'heavy lift pipelay vessel' to be completed by 2008, which will further increase its value addition and capability for such projects.
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Bridgestone mulls radial tyres plant in India
Global leader in tyre manufacturing, Bridgestone Corporation, Japan, is considering setting up a truck and bus radial manufacturing facility in India in the next three years

Bridgestone will make this investment, estimated to cost around $200 million including the land cost, through its wholly owned Indian subsidiary Bridgestone India.

Bridgestone India currently imports radials from the Bridgestone plant in Thailand.

It has launched two new tyre varieties in India, one for small cars and the other for upper end cars like the Mercedes Benz S-Class, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. The tyre for small cars will be available in the tubeless and tube tyre versions.

The Indian company, whose current priority is to improve its market share in the passenger segment, has targeted sales of commercial vehicle to 10,000 pieces per annum in in 2008.

It currently has a 30-per cent market share and increase its plant capacity from 11,000 to 15,000 by the end of this year.
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Bharti's Wal-Mart stores may not display US company's name
New Delhi: The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, which recently signed an agreement with Bharti to to open its brand of chain stores in India, may initially have to do so without its signage on its storefront.

Wal-Mart is facing political hurdles owing to the contentious issue of FDI in the Indian retail sector. Accordingly, the company is willing to forego the Wal-Mart branding at the store level to avoid fueling opposition on concerns of a foreign multinational adversely affecting the small and unorganized Indian retail sector.

According to a Wal-Mart spokesperson in India, the front-end stores would be entirely owned and operated by Bharti, with the US firm focusing on back-end operations like logistics and other supply chain management.

Bharti says the company was conducting consumer research and evaluating options at present and a decision regarding the brand name would be taken in due course of time.

Bharti Group is likely to unveil the strategic roadmap for the business on Monday, while a high-profile team of the US giant, which could also include its CEO Michael T Duke, is also expected in India next week.
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