Godrej & Boyce Sees Growth in Precision Engineered Equipment as “Make in India” Policy Gathers Momentum

Make in India

* Delivers critical equipment to help India’s biggest indigenously developed nuclear power project achieve key operational milestone

Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej group said that there is likely to be rapid increase in the demand for precision equipment and larger opportunities for growth in bespoke engineering systems and equipment offerings as the country’s “Make in India” mission gathers greater momentum.

A strategic partner of Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) for over 20 years, Godrej Precision Engineering was integrally involved in supplying mission critical equipment to NPCIL for the Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant-3 - the first indigenously built 700 MWe Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) in India that achieved criticality recently.

Godrej Precision Engineering delivered the Fueling Machine Bridge & Carriage for Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant-3 which are installed in the critical zone of the Nuclear Power reactor.

With approval of 10 new 700 MW nuclear power projects, competent and committed partners with necessary experience in design, engineering & manufacturing, backed by significant scientific knowledge and technical prowess, will be one of the key drivers of the government’s ‘Atma-Nirbhar’ initiative. 

“At Godrej & Boyce, we have been investing for over 50 years in building strong engineering and machine-building capabilities and partnering with Indian institutions to deliver complex equipment for key strategic industries like Nuclear Power and Defence”, said Mr Jamshyd N Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce.

“Our strong experience of mission-critical systems and an integrated framework for design, manufacturing and testing will help accelerate India’s journey towards industrial self-reliance”, Mr. Godrej added.

“Our ability to innovate and execute has helped us partner with our customers and the equipment has been ‘made in India’ for the first time”, said Kaustubh Shukla, Chief Operating Officer, Industrial Products Group, Godrej & Boyce.

Godrej Precision Engineering manufactures custom-built equipment for complex and sophisticated systems for several mission-critical applications in nuclear power, land based and naval systems for Defence and for other industries like Steel, and Wind Energy. Besides equipment for Nuclear Power, the business unit executes orders for defence land systems like Brahmos Missile Launchers, Missile carriers and Naval systems like Diving and Surfacing Systems, Hull Equipment, Life Raft Container Ejection Systems, Steering Gear and so forth.

Each high precision, custom-built equipment is developed, manufactured and tested according to stringent quality requirements of our customers.

About Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.

Godrej & Boyce (‘G&B’), a Godrej Group company, was founded in 1897, and has contributed to India’s journey of self-reliance through manufacturing. G&B patented the world’s first springless lock and  since then, has diversified into 14 businesses across various sectors from Security, Furniture, Aerospace to Infrastructure and Defence. Godrej is one of India’s most trusted brands serving over 1.1bn customers worldwide daily.

Sanjeev Vohra Named Global Lead of Accenture Applied Intelligence

WHAT: Sanjeev Vohra has been named the global lead of Accenture Applied Intelligence. In this role he also joins the company’s Global Management Committee (GMC). Accenture’s Applied Intelligence business – which helps clients use data, AI, analytics and automation to fuel business transformation – is a strategic growth driver for the company, and an increased priority for its clients as organizations pursue greater agility and data-driven insights..

WHO: Vohra oversees a global Applied Intelligence workforce of 40,000, with deep industry expertise and skills in areas including AI, data science, deep learning, machine learning and data engineering. This team works with clients on every step of their AI journey – from data strategy to data foundation, from AI governance to implementation. Prior to this new role, Vohra was Accenture’s Growth & Strategy lead for Technology, overseeing business strategy and investments, including ventures and acquisitions.

Since joining Accenture in 2002, Vohra has played a key role in shaping the company into a data-driven organization, with the skills to match. In his role leading Accenture’s data services portfolio, Vohra deepened relationships with mature and emerging ecosystem partners to meet new demands with joint capabilities. As part of the global leadership team, he helped drive Accenture’s focus on “the New” (digital, cloud, security), bringing the right technology, coupled with strong talent, to deliver hundreds of digital transformations for clients. 

Vohra is passionate about fostering a culture of learning within his teams, and the industry more broadly. In addition to promoting skills development at Accenture, he has forged strategic partnerships with universities including MIT, Stanford, Wharton and Harvard to facilitate innovative learning programs and research.

ACCENTURE COMMENT:

“Sanjeev brings unparalleled data and analytics expertise and a wide-ranging strategy and technology background to this critical role. We will count on his exceptional business acumen, leadership, and innovation-led mindset to drive our Applied Intelligence business and help our clients discover new ways to harness the power of data and insight to fuel their transformation and growth.”

—Annette Rippert, Group Chief Executive, Accenture Strategy & Consulting

WHEN: Vohra’s appointment is effective immediately. 

BACKGROUND: Applied Intelligence is Accenture’s approach to scaling AI-powered data, analytics and automation capabilities for clients. Our expertise in defining end-to-end strategy, combined with deep data infrastructure capabilities, cognitive services and industrialized accelerators help smooth clients’ path to AI adoption, extending human capabilities and supporting clients in scaling AI responsibly.

One billion mobile users in India by 2015

India could have more than one billion mobile phone users by 2015, with the bulk of that growth in rural areas, one of the country's top telecom executives said on Wednesday.

Manoj Kohli, chief executive of India's biggest mobile phone group Bharti Airtel, told an industry conference in Hong Kong that his firm is aiming to almost double its customer base to 200 million people in the next few years.

"Achieving a billion plus (Indian mobile users) by 2015 is possible," he told the Mobile Asia Congress, the region's largest telecom industry gathering.

"The largest growth will happen in the rural market," he said, adding that pricing wars between providers were knocking down rates in the Indian market and making phones affordable to more people.

Competition in India has become even more aggressive as new players unleash deeper price cuts with innovative per-second billing plans that have pushed call costs down to less than a cent a minute.

"There is hyper-competition like no other place in the world," he said.

India is the world's second-biggest cellular market with more than 400 million users, lagging behind only China, which has over 600 million users.

Rural customers are also seen as key to growth in China, said Chang Xiaobing, chairman of China Unicom, one of the nation's three major telecoms operators.

The company aims to tap "vast rural areas" for growth as demand for basic mobile voice services slows in saturated urban markets, he said, with customers now looking for multi-function devices that can send emails or play movies.

"Voice is a mature market in some areas, but we still see some growth potential," Chang told the conference. "Voice will be in continuous demand (in China)."

But Chinese operators must boost their data business to offset falling prices on voice calls, he said.

Chang has said he expects Apple's iconic iPhone, which Unicom distributes, will be China's highest-selling smartphone despite disappointing results after its official launch this month.

Mobile connections in Asia Pacific are expected to cross the two billion mark this year, more than triple the level in 2003, according to statistics released by conference organiser GSMA, a mobile industry trade group.

Agencies

IT, ITeS industry growth may fall to 5-year low, says IDC

Indian IT and IT-enabled services industry is expected to grow at 10.8 per cent in 2009, the lowest in the last five years, due to the global economic meltdown, a report said.

But in next four years, it would grow at 13.9 per cent to touch revenue of USD 110 billion, the report by analyst firm IDC India has said.

"In the backdrop of one of the worst ever global financial and economic meltdown, it is estimated that in 2009, the overall India IT/ITeS industry is expected to grow at 10.8 per cent, which is the lowest in the last five years.

"Going forward, the overall IT/ITeS industry is expected to grow at 13.9 per cent (CAGR 2008-2013) to touch over USD 110 billion in 2013," IDC India Country Manager Kapil Dev Singh said in the report.

The total revenue for the Indian IT industry in 2008 stood at over USD 57 billion in 2008.

"The ongoing global slowdown will definitely have its impact on the Indian IT sector. Despite that the industry is still expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.4 per cent by 2013," IDC India Country Manager Kapil Dev Singh said.

The domestic IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) revenue is slated to touch about Rs 2,06,398 crore by 2013 from Rs 99,254 crore in 2008, growing at a CAGR of Rs 15.8 per cent, the study said.

Agencies

Is Wipro riding on the recovery wave?

The last two quarters were a bitter time for the computer industry in India. However, with a slight recovery seen in sales during January, Wipro Infotech wants to ride on the recovery wave in the notebook segment by launching its new series.

As per IDC reports, notebooks market will see a growth of 12% in India and with this expectation, Wipro has rolled out e.go, its new range of notebooks in India.

Talking to CXOtoday, Anand Sankaran, Chief Exclusive of Wipro Infotech said, “The industry has gone through a rough period during the last two quarters but we are seeing a sign of recovery since January 2009 and expect this trend to continue. We have launched our new range we reach out to the bold new Indian.”

This is Wipro’s second range of notebooks launched and will cater primarily to the Indian market. What more the e.go comes in three models and most unique one is the 7F3800 with a 10 inch ultra portable netbook priced at Rs 19,990 excusive of taxes. It comes in four vibrant colours including chrome red, ocean blue, racer yellow, autumn red and coral blue. “We are setting a new revolution by coming out with a netbook priced sub of Rs 20,000 that more ever comes with such high features,” said Ashok Tripathy, General Manager & Head, Computing Division, Wipro Infotech.

The notebooks have been designed integrating aerodynamics contours with advanced thermo dynamics to ensure perfect harmony of design and function.

The company plans to reach out to the enterprise as well as the consumer segment. “We have seen a negative growth in the enterprise segment but the consumers’ continue to show a positive trend in sales,’ said Sankaran.

Besides the range also comes with all ‘Green’ features that are eco-friendly and have all RoHS complaint features installed that can be recycled without causing any damage to the environment.

In fact, Wipro recorded a 60-70% jump in notebook sales during the last year but due to the present global scenario doesn’t permit similar growth this year, said Sankaran.

Wipro will target the consumers segment by selling its new desktops at Reliance Digital, Next and Pantaloon’s E Zone outlets across the country. “We expect to add more retailers in the coming months,’ said Tripathy.

Wipro has a manufacturing capacity of 1.5 million units from its two units at Pondicherry and at Uttaranchal. However, they did not disclose if the plant is utilizing its full capacity at it two units or not.

IT sector likely to grow 31.4 percent in '09

The domestic IT- ITeS market is likely to grow 13.4% in 2009, the slowest since 2003, as per market research firm IDC India. The market which includes hardware, software and services, grew 17.3% in 2008 to generate revenue worth Rs 1,01,031 crore.

India is likely to witness a slower growth in the coming five years, IDC said. The domestic IT-ITeS market is expected to record an average growth rate of 16.4% in 2009-13, against 24.3% during 2003-08. The slower growth will see enhanced competition, leading to a change in strategy and continuous market re-alignment on the part of players, it said.

"The issues in the short run, more pronounced throughout 2009, will be productivity, cost savings and customer retention. This would eventually pave way for innovative services by leveraging the existing infrastructure and aligning it with emerging opportunities," IDC India country manager Kapil Dev Singh.

The research firm said global IT-ITeS market is expected to grow only 2.6% in 2009, against 5% in 2008 and much slower than 7% in 2007. Despite a lower growth rate, India will continue to be the fastest-growing IT market in Asia Pacific, followed by China, Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines.

In the domestic market, the product categories expected to grow faster than the average include collaborative applications, storage software, system and network management software. Within IT services, segments likely to outgrow the average include desktop management, information systems outsourcing, network management and application management. Solutions such as virtualisation, unified communications and business continuity services will also grow faster on account of enterprises' focus on cost savings.

Among emerging technologies, cloud computing services such as software as a service (SaaS) will be tested and adopted on a larger scale and will perform even better than in 2008. IDC said the economic slowdown will further increase and accelerate the adoption of outsourcing services by the Indian enterprises, while consumer spending on IT will moderate. There will also be increased consolidation among outsourcing vendors.

Source: Economic Times

BRIC will account for 40% of world growth by 2020

BRIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India and China - are likely to contribute 40 per cent of global economic growth in the next 10 years due to a "tectonic shift" in the distribution of global capital over the next decade, global consultancy firm Ernst & Young said.

"Companies and governments in the developed world have to face up to the reality that there will be a further shift in the economic balance of power in the years ahead," Mark Otty, Area Managing Partner (Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa) at Ernst & Young said.

In the latest research note titled 'For Richer, For Poorer Global Patterns of Wealth', Ernst & Young said emerging economies have seen their share of global output and wealth rise significantly over the last few years, driven by faster growth, rising income, high savings ratios, strong investment and export.

In the next decade, the BRIC countries are likely to contribute 40 per cent of global growth, while the US would account for around 14 per cent.

China is set to become the biggest economy in the world in public-private partnership terms by 2019 and by 2020 the BRIC countries would account for almost a third of global GDP - of which China will contribute 18 per cent.

E&Y projects that the BRICs would account for 65 per cent of global basic metals output by 2020 and here also China would account for the lion's share of growth.

According to the report, around 77 per cent of world reserves, totalling almost $ trillion, are held by emerging markets. Besides, cross-border private investment by emerging economies has been increasing as well.

Sources: Agencies

Philips poised for major growth in India

Royal Philips Electronics, a global leader in Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting has outlined its focus on India as an emerging market. Keeping its commitment to delivering affordable healthcare solutions in emerging markets, Philips announced the acquisition of Meditronics, a leading manufacturer of General X-Ray systems targeting the economy segment in India.

Emerging Markets
Philips has stepped up its focus on emerging markets by creating an emerging markets structure which has become operational since spring this year. Focusing on emerging markets allows the company to accelerate growth in developing countries such as India, China, Latin America and Russia.

“Executing on our strategic decision to scale up our presence in emerging markets has been an important element of Philips’ transformation into a focused, less-cyclical company in recent years,” said Gerard Kleisterlee, President and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Philips Electronics. “We are committed to continue this course of action by increasingly redirecting resources to help fuel growth in emerging markets, and build out our industrial footprint in this cost-effective and high-quality manufacturing environment - for Healthcare, but also for our Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting sectors.”

Thirty percent of Philips’ sales in FY 2007 were from emerging markets, also representing a 10% sales growth over FY 2006. This geographical spread contributes to the resilience of Philips’ portfolio.

Philips has said that it is redirecting Euro 250 million of innovation spend from mature to emerging market to drive growth and (original) product & market development, and that it is also redirecting Euro 250 million to emerging markets to align marketing spend with innovation to ‘embed’ its product & solution simplicity message with customers; increase the dialogue with stakeholders to allow them to experience the brand.

Healthcare
Philips is committed to delivering affordable healthcare solutions in emerging markets. And the acquisition of Meditronics is its second in recent months of a healthcare equipment maker in India specialized in manufacturing products for the economy segment - one of the fastest growing market segments in the global healthcare equipment market.

Said Murali Sivaraman, CEO, Philips Electronics India Limited, “Meditronics’ high-quality and clinically proven economy segment product portfolio complements Philips’ existing high-end General X-Ray range and further strengthens Philips’ leading position in India’s high-growth imaging and monitoring equipment market. This also allows us to gain access to local manufacturing platforms at emerging markets cost levels.”

Analysts estimate that the General X-Ray segment of the Indian market will show annual growth rates of 10% or higher. This acquisition gives Philips access to strong sales and distribution channel for the economy segment. Meditronics has dealer network of 25 dealers with large geographical coverage, focused on mid/low end X-Ray business.Lighting
Philips in India is now a key production, research and development (R&D) hub for the company’s global lighting operations.

Philips has recently set up a global research and development centre for lighting electronics at Noida, India. It is its third such unit in the world. The facility will develop advanced lighting solutions, will be scaled up and linked to the global development centre in Shanghai. The centre will cater not only to the specific needs of the Indian market but also the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and North America. The centre currently employs 35 engineers and the headcount will increase with the unit taking up more work.

Philips aims to lead the Indian industry in Green initiatives and create awareness about Energy Efficient Lighting solutions. Solid State Lighting is the next wave of energy efficient solutions and Philips became the first company to introduce LEDs for the home segment last year. The company now plans to introduce the Consumer Luminaire range in India in the next few months.

Consumer Lifestyle
In India, Philips drives innovation by actively combining its global expertise with local consumer insights to deliver offerings designed for Indian audiences. After the successful launches of the Intelligent Food Processor (hands-free mixer grinder) and the Intelligent Water Purifier last year, Philips introduced Rip-all AZ1856 Sound machine in India early this year. Philips now plans to introduce in India some of its innovative global offerings from the Consumer Lifestyle stable such as Aurea TV, Ambisound and high end beauty and personal care range.

GlobalLogic records impressive growth in 2008

GlobalLogic, the global leader in product development has announced that it continued to experience solid momentum and growth during the third quarter (the company’s fiscal second quarter) ending September adding 25 new technology clients representing the mobile, healthcare, consumer and enterprise software product verticals.

The company’s revenue increased 40% through the first six months of its fiscal year, with GlobalLogic exceeding $100M in revenue for the first time. In addition, GlobalLogic grew its employee base nearly 20% during the quarter, reaching 3,000 employees worldwide. Despite the global economic slowdown, its business outlook remains promising and robust. GlobalLogic expects to continue its quarter over quarter growth.

“Considering the current downturn in the economy and its potential effects on global markets, GlobalLogic’s specialization in full software product development lifecycle services is a relatively strong sector to be in,” explained GlobalLogic CEO Peter Harrison. “Our technology clients, both early stage and established, are able to utilize their GlobalLogic partnership to attain product quality, economy and time-to-market benefits through access to our product engineering centers in the US, India, Ukraine and China.”

Other key milestones for GlobalLogic in the first half of its fiscal year, April-September, 2008 included:
* Expansion including Ukraine, where GlobalLogic is the largest technology employer, China and Israel
* Significant new client wins with Microsoft, Yahoo, Qualcomm, JDSU, Genband and Avid
* Industry recognition for GlobalLogic’s Agile-based Version 1.0 service at innovation conferences such as Demofall2008; Dataquest and Hewitt Associates for Top Employer in India and Ukraine; and Microsoft partner of the year in Central and Eastern Europe
* World-class, public markets experienced executive team additions including CFO Wayne Grubbs, and President Shashank Samant

Enterprise technology spending in 2008

Reports indicate that SOA, virtualization are still hot ...

When it comes to technology spending, a quick look at the economy is often enough to get a rough idea of whether budgets are expanding, contracting or staying flat -- and this year is no exception.

"Looking back over the last 60 years, what's happening with economic growth feeds directly into what companies are prepared to spend on technology," said Andrew Bartels, a research analyst at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. "We see some positive signs that the economy seems to be ...