Airtel rolls out Platinum 3G network in Ankleshwar

Ankleshwar, October 12, 2015: Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the launch of its Platinum 3G network for customers in Ankleshwar in Bharuch district of Gujarat state, Now available at 3G tariffs, Airtel’s Platinum 3G will boost indoor coverage, enhance voice clarity, deliver faster internet speeds and offer a superior network experience for customers. Additionally, Platinum 3G will help optimize the backend engagement between the network and mobile devices, thus allowing customers to enjoy extended battery life on their phones.

Commenting on the launch of Platinum 3G, Murthy Chaganti, CEO, Gujarat, Bharti Airtel (India) said, “As a leader in the telecommunication space, it is our endeavor at Airtel to consistently innovate and make investments that help us move closer to our vision of delivering a seamless network experience to our customers. The launch of Platinum 3G is an integral part of this commitment and will deliver enhanced voice as well as data connectivity for customers - at existing 3G tariffs. We now invite data savvy customers in Ankleshwar to enjoy Airtel Platinum 3G and experience our world class ‘Smartphone Network’.”

With Airtel Platinum 3G available in the city now, Airtel is uniquely positioned to become the only network in Gujarat to leverage these world class technologies towards delivering the ultimate ‘Smartphone Network’ experience for its customers in Ankleshwar.

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Shriram infuses Rs.10 Cr capital to AMC

Shriram Asset Management Company has ambitious plans to grow the mutual fund business and attain leadership in the next 5 – 7 years time. Shriram AMC has recently infused INR 10 Cr capital to the AMC and proposes to add additional 30 cr in the coming one year.

Mr. D Ramanathan, Head of Sales and Marketing, Shriram AMC, said, “Shriram Mutual Fund is positioning itself as one of the unique entities to today’s competitive space by introducing innovative products and widening the product suit to our growing number of customers”. “We are working on launching two new schemes--- pure equity scheme and a hybrid scheme with a high debt orientation--- during the financial year,” Mr. Ramanathan said.

The maiden offering of the company – Shriram Equity & Debt Opportunities Fund, an open ended equity oriented asset allocation fund has delivered 15.91% since inception outperforming its benchmark and sensex by a decent margin. In addition, the fund has declared two dividends in less than a year of launch translating to 13% ie Rs 1.30 per unit under dividend plan. In the recent sharp market correction, the scheme has managed the downside risk exceedingly well and demonstrated consistent performance. Among the peer group, the scheme enjoys the highest portfolio market capitalization of INR 80,000 Crore (source- Value Research). The fund is managed by Partha Ray who is an alumnus of IIT – Kharagpur & IIM – Bangalore with a rich experience of over 2 decades in the financial services domain.

The company has introduced a first of its kind feature – ANY DAY SIP effective August 2015, which allows the investor to choose his or her sip date any day from 1 to 30th of a month. This is a departure from the industry practice of choosing specified dates in a month targeting broader class of investors including small businessmen, entrepreneurs and traders in addition to salaried classes.

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Airtel launches 4G services in Tirupur

Tirupur, October 9th, 2015: Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”), the third largest mobile services provider globally with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the commercial launch of its high speed 4G services (also called LTE) in Tirupur. Now, customers across the country can experience high speed wireless broadband on Airtel 4G and get on to the digital superhighway to enjoy uninterrupted HD video streaming, superfast uploading and downloading of movies, music and images. Airtel 4G is available to customers across a range of smart devices including mobile phones, dongles, 4G hotspots and Wi-Fi dongles.

Commenting on the launch of Airtel 4G in the city, George Mathen, HUB CEO – Kerala & Tamil Nadu, Bharti Airtel said, “As customers in India show an increasing propensity for consuming data services, we at Airtel are excited to take the lead in introducing the market to the power of blazing 4G speeds. With the help of the feedback received from the beta launches, we have now built India’s first commercial 4G network. Today, as we launch Airtel 4G for our customers in Tirupur, they will be uniquely positioned for a superlative 4G experience. We are committed to building a world class 4G network in the region”.


Airtel has led the 4G story in India, having launched India’s first 4G network in Kolkata in April 2012. On 6th August 2015, Airtel announced that its 4G services were available in 296 towns across India. Prior to that, Airtel had successfully conducted trials of its 4G services in select cities and leveraged feedback from customers towards strengthening its service experience.

Customers can enjoy Airtel’s recently launched carrier agnostic mobile app – ‘Wynk Movies’ – a first of its kind movie mall that will offer a specially curated library of thousands of movies and other popular videos. Additionally, customers can leverage a host of strategic initiatives announced by Airtel as part of its national 4G rollout.

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Eco Recycling Ltd launches E-waste Mukt Bharat

India is home to a mammoth magnitude of e-waste arising mainly from the abandoned, obsolete or broken electrical or electronic devices. Thanks to India’s fast increasing load of e-waste originating from household consumption, enterprises and imports. All these put together, India’s E-waste is expected to grow to 20 million MT by 2020 from 3.2 million MT in 2015 consisting of monetary value of recoveries from e-waste to the tune of USD 4 billion (INR 25,000 crore) and expected to touch to 20 million MT by 2020.

A Social Drive called as ‘E-waste Mukt Bharat: Swachh Bharat’, hopes to contribute to the Prime Minister’s Mission of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. Ecoreco envisage setting up 100,000 “Eco-Bins” across India in educational & spiritual places to facilitate individual and other small e-waste generators to ‘Deposit e-waste for Disposal’ with ease, effective & economic way of provide robust ‘E-Waste Collection Centres’ to the masses, so that every item of E-waste generated, be it a chip board, mobile handset or a mobile battery, can be thrown in allocated areas at various destinations.

Eco Recycling Ltd (Ecoreco), a BSE listed Company (Scrip Code: 530643) is India's first and leading professional E-waste Management Company. As the industry pioneer and market leader, Ecoreco provides an end to end seamlessly integrated solution for e-waste management to Multi-National Companies (MNC), Indian Multi-National Corporates (Indian MNC), other Corporates, Retailers, Bulk Consumers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Government Departments, NGOs, Households, Philanthropy Organisations, Educational Institutions and all other entities willing to discard their e-waste in an environment friendly manner.

Founded by Mr B. K. Soni, Chairman and Managing Director of the Company, Ecoreco has ISO 9001, 14001 & 18001 Certified Facilities. To meet the international standards and practices, Ecoreco preferred technologies from US, Europe & Japan to develop India-centric solutions. Ecoreco has developed its in

house technologies for recovery of Precious and Rare Earth Metals from the complicated e-waste, Recycling on Wheels Facilities for Data Destruction and Lamp Recycling Facilities for on-site & off-site services amongst other value added services.

Today, Ecoreco boasts of a unique business model that has evolved to meet changing customer needs and regulatory requirements of the India’s e-waste management industry. Its end-to-end services start from Removal of the asset from the client’s premise, Inventorization, Packing, Reverse Logistic, Data Destruction, Asset Recovery, Dismantling, E-waste Recycling, Lamp Recycling, Precious Metal Recovery, Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Implementation, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Enabling on pan India basis as well as in other neighbouring countries either directly or through its association with World Class E-waste Recycling Companies.

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Cadence inaugurates New Facility in Pune

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) today announced the inauguration of a new facility in Pune, one of four Cadence Research and Development (R&D) facilities in India. The new 27,000-square-foot facility in Commerzone Tech Park will house employees engaged in technology development of various Cadence Tensilica® Xtensa® configurable processors and related products. Cadence acquired Tensilica in 2013, which has had an R&D facility in Pune since 2006.

In the last 28 years, Cadence has built world-class centers in India to develop the cutting-edge electronic design automation (EDA) software, hardware and IP technologies to help build the electronics products we use in our daily lives. The company currently employs approximately 1,580 people in India (regular full-time employees), engaged in R&D, global customer support, field operations, and support functions.

Cadence India was named among the 100 Best Workplaces in India in 2015 by the Great Place to Work® Institute, which is a testament to the vibrant culture that its employees have built in India. Based in Noida, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad, employees in India work as "One Cadence - One Team" to innovate technologies, support the local community with philanthropic efforts, and celebrate customers' successes.

Speaking about the facility, Jaswinder Ahuja, corporate vice president and managing director, Cadence Design Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd., said, "Cadence was among the first technology companies to establish an R&D facility in India back in 1987. Since then, we have grown significantly in terms of number of sites and employees, and also the kind of R&D work that we are doing out of India, and built a strong culture that encourages teamwork, respect, learning, fun and giving back to the community."

Ahuja continued, "The team in Pune is working on cutting-edge development of digital signal processors (DSP) and other IP technology, and the Pune facility is among the best-in-class globally. The new facility provides a conducive environment for innovation and, hence, enable us to attract the best talent."

Cadence's Pune R&D facility is involved with creating world-class software for various Tensilica DSP cores; contributing significantly to RTL verification; developing an integrated design environment (IDE) for the next-generation configurable Xtensa processors; and providing in-depth technical support to worldwide customers.

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Mahindra Two Wheelers Sells 19,069 Units in Sep 2015

Mahindra Two Wheelers Ltd. (MTWL), part of the USD 16.9 billion Mahindra Group, today announced its sales numbers, which stood at 19,069 units for September 2015. The company’s exports for September 2015 were 1,895 units registering a growth of 100% over September 2014, while domestic sales during September 2015 were 17,174 units.

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Synechron acquires Crossbridge

Pune, Sep 30: Pune based company Synechron, the largest independent pure-play technology consulting and outsourcing provider for the financial services industry, today announced the acquisition of Crossbridge, a specialist financial services consulting firm based in London.

The acquisition deepens Synechron’s strong financial services expertise and expands its offerings to include Business and IT Transformation, Regulatory Services, Data, and Financial Crime. The deal extensively augments Synechron’s consulting expertise and consolidates its footprint in the London financial services community and the European market.

“This acquisition is an important milestone for us and it has been our major strategic objective to strengthen our presence in London, since starting out in the U.S. financial services industry in the early 2000s,” said Faisal Husain, co-founder and CEO of Synechron.“Crossbridge’s strong financial services capabilities matched with our unparalleled client service promise and acumen across the financial, business and technology sectors make this collaboration an incredibly fruitful opportunity for us to continue servicing our clients with a gold standard.”

Synechron’s aggressive growth strategy combines a foundation of strong organic growth with an acquisition approach to accelerate entry in strategic areas and geographies. The Crossbridge transaction marks the third acquisition in 2015 and a continuation of an effort to enhance the delivery of Synechron’s core values: Customer Satisfaction, Integrity, Excellence, Execution and Agility. Synechron’s previous 2015 acquisitions include:

·       Usable: a NYC-based boutique UI/UX design firm, acquired to strengthen and further expand Synechron’s digital design and user interface/user experience capabilities.

·       TeamTrade: a Paris-based firm specializing in software integration and business consulting acquired to enhance Synechron’s consulting and systems integration expertise.

Speaking about the acquisition, Tony Clark and Richard Squire, Managing Partners of Crossbridge said,“Our clients have been looking to us to rapidly grow the Crossbridge consulting services, capacity and global footprint, so joining forces with Synechron is a great strategic move.

We are delighted to be part of a team with technical depth and scale, which is absolutely well aligned with our Transformation, Regulation, Financial Crime, Data and Digital practice areas. In a rapidly evolving market, we believe that the amalgamation of Synechron's technical consulting focus and Crossbridge's business consulting capabilities creates a leading, full lifecycle financial services consulting proposition.”

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ASUN Solar Power participates in Renewable Energy Expo 2015

New Delhi, 25 September, 2015:  ASUN Solar Power- leading renewable energy company will be participating in the Renewable Energy Expo 2015 by UBM group , from September 23- 25, 2015 at India Expo Center in Greater Noida.

Asun Solar Power Pvt. Ltd. is a professionally managed company making rapid strides in the domain of solar and renewable energy solutions in India. The company caters to a broad spectrum of customers as a contractor and systems Integrator for all solar energy products.
“Renewable Energy Expo 2015 will serve as a platform for us to showcase our lineup and excellence to the target audience. Today, in India, the concept of Solar energy is on boom and it’s very important to set the foundation right so that people rely on this source,” said Mr Hitaksh Sachar- Director, Asun.

Using this expo as a platform Asun Solar Power will also be launching a range of solar trackers in partnership with
TRACKERS FEINA of Spain. Asun will exclusively market their one axis and two axis solar trackers in the Indian subcontinent.

According to Mr. Varun Sachar, MD, ASUN Solar Power, " Trackers are the only and most effective technology available to meet the high demand CUF (Capacity Utilization Factor) of a solar plant. The  single axis trackers can increase the yield of a solar plant by as much as 28%, whereas the two axis trackers can increase in yield by up to 37%."

Trackers which are already being used successfully in plants across Europe, USA and Asia make a lot of economic sense for any medium to large solar installation, because, while their cost can be recovered in less than three years, they offer a potential return on investment as high as 600% to 800%. Failure to use tracker means failure to make profits.

The brand will be displaying an array of high end solar power systems ranging from 5KW to multiple of 100KW's. Understanding the requirements of customers in India ASUN provides customized solutions for setting up solar power units for a broad spectrum of customers. The company will be showcasing its products at two stalls in the exhibition.

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Honeywell Showcases Technology Innovations for Process Industries

Honeywell (NYSE:HON) Process Solutions (HPS) will showcase the latest developments in automation and process control at the Honeywell India Users Summit, Aug. 24 and 25 in Mumbai. More than 170 representatives from across process automation industries will attend the annual event.

The summit will focus on issues facing manufacturers in India, including the changing economic environment, increasing connectivity and the need for real-time insights that can improve operations. Attendees to the event represent critical industries such as refining, petrochemicals, oil and gas, chemicals, power, and minerals and metals.

HPS will showcase next-generation technologies for digital transformation, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and best-practices in process control and automation that can help manufacturers improve business performance.

“According to recent research by Accenture, the IIoT could contribute US$14.2 trillion to world output by 2030. India has immense potential of benefitting from the technology if it improves its infrastructure and skills that will help support the adoption of new technologies,” said Bruce Calder, chief technology officer for HPS. “Honeywell has been leveraging the concepts and technologies behind the IIoT as part of the vision that we have been evolving towards for several years.”

As organizations adapt technologies to help them take advantage of the benefits of the IIoT, the increased connectivity also brings added risk. The summit will feature a panel of experts from the Indian government, Honeywell and industry, which will discuss how to build cyber security skills within organizations and ways to sustain it.

“With increasing connectivity, there is an immediate need for cyber security solutions that take a measured approach to managing the industrial IT lifecycle,” said Vikas Chadha, managing director, Honeywell Automation India Limited and HPS India leader. “Increasing plant reliability by using next generation cyber security solutions will be critical.”

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UBM Index Fairs launches India Kitchen & Bath 2015

UBM Index Fairs, host of the flagship show, Index today launched its pioneer exhibition for the kitchen and bath industry, India Kitchen & Bath 2015 (21-23 August at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi). The show was inaugurated by eminent industry designers and dignitaries like Ar. Karan Grover; Pratap Jadhav, President, Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID); Mohan Deshpande, Chairman, Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum and celebrity Master Chef Ranveer Brar.

Supported by the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), All India Hardware Association and Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum , the three-day trade fair brought together buyers and traders in kitchen and bath equipment, OEM white goods, accessories, kitchen and bath furniture and fittings, lighting products with architects, interior designers, builders, project managers, consultants, procurement heads across the hospitality, corporate and government sectors. Renowned companies such as Porcelanosa, Queo, Acrysil, Faber, Godrej Interio, Hafele, JB Glass, Kaff Appliances, Kohler, DS Doors, Marmo Home, Collins, Numobel, Oswal Hardware, Oyster Bath, Prestige, Royal Kitchens, TZ Panels, Unique Innovations, Victorinox, Viega Gmbh and Welcona, amongst others, displayed their products and offerings.

Highlights of the show include the Sculpture Zone, presented by Aura Art Development Pvt. Ltd. showcasing sculptures by artists such as Sidharth, Swati Pasari, Srinia Chowdhury, Asurvedh, Suresh Kumar and Hrishikesh, and KUDOS, the popular showcase honouring inspirational work of 12 eminent architects from New Delhi and Mumbai. The second day of the event will further see an interactive knowledge seminar by IIID on "DESign....V desi or Be Desi".

Yogesh Mudras, Acting Managing Director, UBM India, said, "Today in India, while the modular kitchen market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 42.93% by 2018, sanitary ware will see growth between 12-15%. Both the segments have witnessed a shift from utility to luxury. With India's luxury market estimated to grow 86 percent in constant value terms between 2013 and 2018, urban India's growth in corporate environment and the rising middle-class population's per capita income, the industry is expected to further grow in the coming years. The potential and hence the need for a trade platform was echoed by the industry too, in their feedback to us as industry players. UBM Indexfairs India has thus launched India Kitchen & Bath here in the capital to tap and further harness the potential for this growing market in India."

Mr. L.A Khan, Managing Director, UBM Index Fairs further elaborated, "Owing to our flagship trade show, Index, we enjoy a close connect, with the community of architects, interior designers and builders/developers and with key trade and buyer delegations across India. In addition, through our strategic alliances, we have a standing relationship with industry's professional bodies. India Kitchen & Bath is a natural extension of our offering to the niche segment of the industry we have been catering to, since the last 26 years."

Encouraged by the overwhelming success of India Kitchen & Bath's launch edition, UBM India has announced the second edition of the show, slated for 8-10 July 2016.
UBM India hosts Index annually in Mumbai, India's biggest interiors, architecture and design event, hosting over 25,000 trade visitors and 300 exhibitors with country pavilions from China, Turkey, UK and Spain.

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Bharti Airtel and Uber announce Strategic Partnership

Mumbai, Aug 20: Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”), the third largest mobile services provider globally with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, and Uber today announced a first-of-its-kind strategic partnership in India. As part of this partnership, Uber riders across India can now pay for their trips using Airtel’s mobile wallet service - Airtel Money. Additionally, Mumbaikars will now be the first in India to enjoy free high-speed internet from Uber, powered by Airtel 4G. This service will soon be rolled out for Uber riders pan India.

“Our partnership with Uber is directly in line with our commitment to offer innovative and relevant services for our customers. Now, Uber riders can enjoy the convenience of paying through their Airtel Money wallets, while also experiencing the power of blazing internet speeds with Airtel 4G on the move. We are excited that Uber has chosen Airtel to fulfill its telecom needs, and look forward to supporting the company’s rapid growth across India”, said Srini Gopalan, Director – Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Airtel to deliver solutions that elevate the Uber experience for riders and drivers throughout India. This unique partnership is built on our shared visions and strengths of broad, reliable networks and connecting people to their world, anytime, anywhere,” said Amit Jain, President, Uber India. “Airtel is leading the way for wireless connectivity, and as our telecom partner, will help us in our quest toward transforming urban mobility for hundreds of millions of commuters in India.”

This integration will provide riders with another hassle-free payment option and will make Uber the first technology platform to officially launch Airtel Money. For a limited time, new Uber riders who top up their Airtel Money wallet will earn up to Rs. 500 for free. Additionally, starting with Mumbai, every Uber vehicle in India will soon be equipped with free WiFi, powered by Airtel 4G. Whether riding to work or a night out in the town – Uber will offer commuters high-speed internet at no data charges, powered by Airtel 4G.

Airtel will also become Uber’s official telecom partner across India, and support the company’s rapid growth in India by offering mobile, data and device plans to Uber driver-partners. As part of this alliance, Uber will also offer exclusive promotions, discounts and experiences to Airtel customers - including Rs. 500 off their first ride upon using Airtel Money.

Airtel is India’s largest mobile operator with a customer base of over 230 million customers. In 2011, Airtel’s subsidiary Airtel M Commerce Services Limited (AMSL) launched the company’s flagship semi-closed wallet under the brand name Airtel Money - India’s first prepaid mobile wallet by a telecom services provider. Registered Airtel Money customers can link their account on Uber’s mobile app now. To do this - select “Payment” from the menu in Uber app, tap “Add Payment”, tap “Airtel Money” to add account. Afterwards, they can select Airtel Money as their payment method and take a ride. To sign up for Airtel Money, customers can now know more by visiting airtel.in/money/.

Airtel has led the 4G story in India, having launched India’s first 4G network in Kolkata in April 2012. Now, customers across the country will be able to experience high speed wireless broadband on Airtel 4G and get on to the digital superhighway to enjoy uninterrupted HD video streaming, superfast uploading and downloading of movies, music and images. Airtel 4G is available to customers across a range of smart devices including mobile phones, dongles, 4G hotspots and Wi-Fi dongles. For more on Airtel 4G, visit http://www.airtel.in/4g/.

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SpiceJet launches the ‘Freedom to Fly’ Sale

Gurgaon, India, Aug, 20: SpiceJet, the country’s favourite low-cost carrier, today announced the launch of its ‘Freedom to Fly’ sale, putting more than 1,00,000 seats on offer with one way fares starting as low as Rs. 799/- (excluding taxes). An additional 10% percent discount will be available for those booking through SpiceJet’s mobile app on Apples iOS and Android.

The one-way fare for this sale ranges from Rs. 799/- to Rs. 2,699/- and covers popular destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Srinagar, and many more.

The lowest fare of Rs. 799 is available on routes such as Delhi-Chandigarh, Mumbai-Goa, Bengaluru-Kochi, Madurai-Chennai, Jammu-Srinagar, Kolkata-Agartala and many more.

The three day sale starts from 20th August 2015 and will remain open till midnight, 22nd August 2015. The travel period covered in this sale is 25th August 2015 to 26th March 2016. The sale is valid only for direct flights within SpiceJet’s domestic network.

Shilpa Bhatia, Sr. VP and Head of Sales and Distribution, SpiceJet, said, “We are known as the airline that has made air travel more affordable for more Indians than ever before, revolutionizing the industry and driving record growth in passengers in the process. With this sale, we continue to promote the Freedom to Fly for more Indians in our long standing tradition."

Tickets for this sale can be booked on www.spicejet.com, SpiceJet’s official mobile apps of iOS and Android, on online travel portals, and through travel agents. The sale is not available at SpiceJet’s call centre or at SpiceJet Airport Ticket Offices.

Tickets under this offer are non-refundable (taxes and fees are refundable) though they are changeable with a change fee and fare difference.

There is limited inventory under the offer, and seats will be available on First-Come-First-Served basis. Sales fares are not applicable on group bookings. Fares vary from sector to sector depending on the travel distance and flight schedules and timings are subject to regulatory approvals and change(s).

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Subramanian Sarma becomes CEO & MD of L&T Hydrocarbon

Mr. Subramanian Sarma has taken over as CEO & Managing Director of L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Limited (LTHE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T). He will be driving the L&T Group’s strategy of expanding its hydrocarbon business across geographies, particularly the Middle East. He has already been appointed to the Board of L&T as a Non-Executive Director.

Mr. Sarma will play a key role in adding thrust to L&T’s aspirations to grow the business in domestic and international markets. He will be based in the Middle East to enable close monitoring of key on-going projects and drive new business development.

“Mr. Sarma brings with him global experience and competence to drive our hydrocarbon business in India and abroad. With his international experience, he will be at the forefront of leading L&T Hydrocarbon in becoming one of the best in class global companies offering comprehensive EPC solutions across the spectrum – upstream, mid & downstream and pipelines,” said Mr. A.M. Naik, Group Executive Chairman, L&T.

“I have always believed that L&T Hydrocarbon is one of the most respected names in the industry and it will be my endeavor to enlarge its global footprint which will not only strengthen the brand but also make India proud. We will harness the talent and capabilities embedded in our system to ensure an exciting and rewarding future,” said Mr. Sarma.

Prior to joining LTHE, Mr. Sarma served as Managing Director of Petrofac - Onshore Engineering & Construction - and was responsible for the company’s onshore EPC projects worldwide. He has over 30 years of experience in the oil & gas industry, with the last 25 years being in the Middle East. Having joined Petrofac in 1997, he has handled the complete value chain including business development, process engineering, project management and execution. He is a post graduate in Chemical Engineering from IIT, Bombay.

Background:
L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro. It delivers comprehensive engineering and construction solutions across the spectrum – upstream, mid & downstream and pipelines. With a network of international offices and facilities, it caters to clients in the Middle East and North Africa, India, South East Asia, Australia, CIS and the North Sea. L&T Hydrocarbon draws on over three decades of experience and expertise of the parent company in the hydrocarbon engineering and construction segment.

Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing and financial services with over USD 15 billion in revenue. It operates in over 30 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for over seven decades.

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Tata Opportunities Fund invests in Uber Technologies Inc.

Uber and Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF), the flagship private equity fund advised by Tata Capital, today announced that TOF will make a significant investment in Uber, the first such investment made by TOF in a global company with headquarters outside India and underscores the confidence in Uber. The partnership is a milestone for both entities and will help Uber expand its services and solutions in India by leveraging the Tata Opportunities Fund’s network within the wider Tata Group as well as externally.

Uber launched in India less than two years ago. Today, the service is available in 18 Indian cities* -- more than in any other country outside the United States. With its current base of over 150,000 driver entrepreneurs and continued robust 40 percent month on month growth, Uber has quickly gained a significant market share in India of over 35 percent.

Padmanabh (Paddy) Sinha, Managing Partner of TOF’s advisory team in India, said: “The Tata Opportunities Fund is delighted to support Uber’s growth and continued success around the globe, more recently in China and India. Uber’s technology continues to transform the way millions of people commute while creating economic opportunities for hundreds of thousands of first time entrepreneurs (drivers and owners), who value the flexibility it offers. It is why Uber has grown at such an astonishing rate and continues to lead the way in the Internet economy. We look forward to working with the team on innovative new opportunities to help both riders and drivers”.

“Tata is synonymous with entrepreneurialism in India and I am incredibly excited to have the Tata Opportunities Fund on board as a partner,” said Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber Technologies. “Our goal is simple: reliable and affordable transportation at the push of a button everywhere, for everyone. Right now, we’re particularly focused on building a great service for hundreds of millions of Indians - Tata’s leadership and experience will be crucial in helping us meet this important goal”.

Uber’s partnership with the Tata Opportunities Fund follows other strategic relationships with Baidu in China, AmericaMovil in Latin America, and American Express in the U.S. Each of these partners bring a deep understanding of their countries and extensive networks that have helped significantly increase the adoption of Uber’s services in over 60 countries and 330 cities around the world.
* Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Mysore, Nagpur, New Delhi, Pune, Surat, Visakhapatnam.

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Fairfax India Holdings Corporation acquires NCML

Fairfax India Holdings Corporation, through its wholly-owned subsidiary FIH Mauritius Investments Ltd, today completed its acquisition of majority ownership interest and management control in National Collateral Management Services Limited (NCML) by subscribing newly issued shares of NCML (approximately $31 million) and purchasing the shares of certain selling shareholders (approximately $95 million), for an aggregate investment of approximately INR 8 billion (approximately $126 million).

NCML is the country’s leading private-sector agriculture storage company in India that is preparing to expand to take advantage of the significant market potential in India’s under-developed agricultural storage industry. NCML operates in the mid-stream agriculture value chain offering end-to-end solutions in procurement, testing, storage and collateral management in a wide ranging set of agri-commodities.

“We look forward to NCML, under the leadership of Sanjay Kaul and his management team, continuing to develop vast opportunities in India’s agriculture industry by continuing with its entrepreneurial approach creating modern efficiencies in the country’s post-harvest value chain,” said Prem Watsa, Chairman of Fairfax India.

Following this investment by Fairfax India, NCML will continue to operate independently with Sanjay Kaul as MD;CEO and his highly experienced executive team. Sanjay Kaul, welcoming this investment said, “The management and employees are excited with the opportunities in the post-harvest agri-space and under the inspiring leadership of Prem Watsa, Chairman Fairfax, look forward to a phase of rapid growth across all our business verticals.”

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Accenture completes Acquisition of EnergyQuote JHA

New Delhi, India, Aug 18: Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has completed its acquisition of EnergyQuote JHA, a London-based energy management and procurement services provider with clients in more than 22 European countries.

The acquisition, initially announced on July 21, strengthens Accenture’s energy procurement capabilities in Europe, enhancing its ability to deliver energy management as-a-service to clients. EnergyQuote JHA provides services including energy risk management and strategy development, forecasting, energy contract management, portfolio management, carbon emissions reduction and utility bill validation.

“EnergyQuote JHA’s deep industry expertise, analytics capabilities, proprietary technology platform and delivery scale complements Accenture’s existing energy procurement and management capabilities,” said Mike Salvino, group chief executive, Accenture Operations. “The acquisition bolsters our ability to provide differentiated end-to-end services to our clients, helping them to reduce risk and improve pricing and payment accuracy.”

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Godrej HIT Launches its Nationwide Movement

Godrej HIT has been a thought leader in building mass-awareness against mosquito borne diseases and has executed many successful education campaigns against Dengue and Malaria across the country. On the occasion of World Mosquito Day, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) launched its nationwide campaign – Desh Ke Har Kone Se Machharon Ka Safaya. As a part of the campaign, Mr. Ravinder Kumar, Honourable Mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation along with Mr. Sunil Kataria, Business Head - India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited flagged off the Godrej Kala HIT canter for it to embark on a 4000+ km drive from Delhi to Bangalore with the objective of educating people about Dengue. On its way to Bangalore, the HIT Van will cover more than 20 cities and demonstrate how HIT - Track the Bite app can help them be informed and safe from Dengue.


There is regular coverage on print and electronic media about vector-borne deadly diseases like malaria and dengue claiming thousands of lives around the globe. Why is it then that people are almost indifferent to the effects that mosquitoes have?

HIT realized that intense media clutter and cacophony in traditional media channels has made people indifferent even to such critical messages. The leader in the house-hold insecticide spray market, Kala HIT, thus elevated the significance of its campaign with the launch of the ‘TrackTheBite’ app today – a necessity these days owing to the vast population that has taken to cellular devices and mobile internet. The app is designed to deliver real time Dengue and Malaria threat information basis user’s location to individuals owning smart phones.

Amongst other features, users can check threat levels in any part of the country and with easy share feature of the app one can alert their family and friends to take necessary action. In case the recipient does not own a smart phone, HIT Track the Bite app is designed to send the alert through SMS. In addition the app allows users to report a mosquito infestation in a particular locality.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Kataria, Business Head - India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) stated, “Godrej Consumer Products has always strived to make the lives of consumers brighter and better. Carrying this philosophy forward, on the occasion of World Mosquito Day, Godrej HIT has taken the initiative to create awareness about dengue and malaria by launching the HIT Track the Bite app. This app will provide real time information on mosquito infestation and will empower the citizens to fight the threat of mosquito borne diseases. The campaign will also include on ground activations like installing 2000 HIT Clamps at Police Station, Hospitals, Colleges, Hostels and places of public importance. Kala HIT is also embarking on a 4000+ Km drive starting from the national capital – Delhi with the objective of educating people about Dengue. In addition, we are partnering with government institutions and NGO's to amplify this message across the country"

With HIT ‘Desh Ke Har Kone Se Machharon Ka Safaya’ campaign, GCPL will reach out to people driving awareness about the threat of dengue & malaria. We will demonstrate how HIT-Track the Bite app helps us to be informed and alert others in time so that we can take necessary steps required to prevent the spread of Dengue and Malaria.

As a part of this campaign HIT will install clamps with HIT cans in places of public importance like hospitals, police stations, etc. so that people can spray Kala HIT to kill even the hidden mosquitoes and remain protected from Dengue and Malaria.

Godrej Consumer Products Limited is a dominant leader in the 3800 Cr Household Insecticide (HI) market with brands like HIT & GoodKnight leading the industry across all the major formats - Coils, Liquid Vapourizer and Aerosols. HIT commands indomitable market share of more than 80% in aerosol segment and id trusted by millions of households for its 100% efficacy in eliminating even the hidden mosquitoes.

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Visagar Polytex Q1FY16 Net up 26.26%

Mumbai based Visagar Polytex Limited, engaged into manufacturing, retail and trading of women’s ethnic wear reported its results for the quarter ended June 2015.

The company’s revenues stood at Rs. 22.33 crore, up 20.12% compared to Rs. 18.59 crore in the same quarter last year.

Company’s net profit witnessed 26.26 % growth at Rs. 1.25 crore vis-à-vis Rs. 0.99 crore for the quarter ended June FY15.

The EPS of the company stood at Re.0.07 for the quarter ended June 2015.

The company has changed its fiscal year ending period to March from June earlier.

The company markets its products under the brand name VIVIDHA and currently has a 2000 square feet flagship store in Kolkata. The company also recently opened VIVIDHA showroom in Jaipur to provide a premium shopping experience.

The Company has declared a final dividend of Re. 0.03 per share being 3% on 184,650,400 Equity Shares of Re. 1/- each for the Nine months period ended 31st March 2015 which shall be subject to approval of the Shareholders in Annual General Meeting of the Company.

Management’s comments:
Mr. Tilokchand Kothari CMD, Visagar Polytex Ltd said, “We have huge expansion plan ahead and aim to increase our retail store footprints to Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. We also plan to open about 200 stores in the next three years.”

The company currently has 13 stores in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Gujarat and also has wholesale presence in about 1500 stores.

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Industry Gears up for Personal Care India Expo 2015

UBM India's maiden show Personal Care India Expo 2015, (19th - 21st August, Pragati Maidan,New Delhi) India's first international trade event catering to the personal care, cosmetic & home care ingredients, machinery and packaging industries has been well received by the industry at large with support from Chemexcil - Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council (a Ministry of Commerce & Industry Government of India initiative), The Indian Home & Personal Care Industry Association (IHPCIA), Fragrances and Flavours Association of India (FAFAI), EU Chamber of Commerce, Oil Technologists' Association ofIndia - West Zone (OTAI), and the All India Cosmetic Manufacturers' Association (AICMA).

Spread over three days, the event will provide an industry platform for International Buyer-Seller Meets to cosmetics & ingredients manufacturers, exporters/importers, distributors, consultants and trade bodies. The exhibiting sectors will primarily include cosmetics ingredients, raw material and contract manufacturing, packaging and machinery, Ayurveda & Nutraceutical ingredients.

The show will also be marked by a series of industry seminars and workshops on packaging & technology, digital packaging, ingredients & raw material, fragrance & flavours. Other event highlights include an Innovative Product Showcase corner, onsite engagement contests with the opportunity to win prizes from Shahnaz Hussain Group.

Yogesh Mudras, Acting Managing Director, UBM India said, "There has been an evident increase in the use of special ingredients in the formulation of personal care products which as an industry is expected to further increase the demand for such ingredients. With North India being a huge concentration of manufacturing facilities, market research backed by our own traction with our potential exhibitors, buyers and international delegates, further validated the industry need for such a trade platform and in-turn, our decision to launch an industry dedicated trade show in the region. The industry response received so far, has endorsed our strategy for launching Personal Care India Expo 2015."

Key exhibitors in packaging and ingredients participating this year include Aarti Industries Limited, Ace Technologies, Agilent Technologies, Ancalima Lifesciences Limited, Arochem Ratlam Pvt. Ltd., Edelmann Packaging India (P) Ltd., Ekato India Pvt. Ltd., Identiscents FZC, Lasons India Pvt. Ltd., N V Organics Pvt. Ltd., Norex Flavours Private Limited, Maharshi Udyog, Marjem-Imaje India Pvt. Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical India Pvt. Ltd., Salicylates And Chemicals, Shree Bhagwati Machtech India Pvt. Ltd., Suru Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., Waxoils Pvt. Ltd., West Bengal Chemical Industries Ltd., Zhejiang JM Industry Co., Ltd, Zhongshan Luencheong Dispensing Pump Ltd amongst others. Furthermore, the event will also showcase an international pavilion from China with cosmetic packaging, dispensing pumps and aerosol valves products on display.

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SES and POST Telecom partner to Develop Smart Cloud-Based ICT Solutions

SES Techcom Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of leading satellite operator SES, and POST Telecom, a leading specialist in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions and a subsidiary of POST Luxembourg, today announced that they have entered a new partnership to develop and introduce smart cloud-based ICT solutions worldwide.

POST Telecom offers enterprises a range of converged solutions, including server virtualisation and online storage, while SES Techcom Services provides a variety of state-of-the-art engineering services, such as broadband connectivity, cloud-based solutions for e-platforms and satellite infrastructure and network operations. The partnership will leverage their core competencies and cutting-edge ICT infrastructures to develop a range of innovative services.

Managing Director of SES Techcom Services Gerhard Bethscheider said, “The partnership with POST Telecom is particularly exciting as it enables the two organisations to jointly develop and commercialise satellite- and cloud-based communication services. This will be especially important for serving customer requirements as the telecom industry develops in the future. We look forward to working closely together with our partner in realising the great potential this agreement represents.”

POST Telecom’s Managing Director, Jean-Marie Spaus, added, “We are pleased to have signed this Memorandum of Understanding with SES Techcom Services and are confident the partnership will be of great benefit to both companies.”

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