Wildcraft Collaborates with IBM to Drive Higher Customer Advocacy

IBM has announced that Wildcraft India Pvt. Ltd, India’s foremost company in the manufacturing and distribution of head-to-toe products for trek-to-travel solutions, has selected IBM to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as-a-service-platform to drive customer advocacy and enhance customer experience.

The solution developed by IBM Services is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) capabilities and analyses customer interactions with Wildcraft India Pvt. Ltd at multiple touch-points. This 360-degree view of every shopper will help the company provide its customers a personalized shopping experience across all its channels.

The CRM-as-a-service solution ties into ‘The Circle’, Wildcraft’s customer engagement program which provides consumers with a single window to get all relevant information about the brands, products and services of Wildcraft. This initiative is part of the company’s growth plan to drive higher customer engagement by understanding their preferences.

As part of this new CRM solution, Wildcraft is introducing a virtual chatbot on their website and via WhatsApp. This virtual chatbot will be available in English and eight Indian regional languages (Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Oriya, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam). The virtual chatbot will handle a high volume of inquiries, from general FAQ’s to questions about multiple topics including products, policies and procedures and even customer complaints.

“At Wildcraft, we have always believed in harnessing the power of the unknown. In the last couple of months, we have been able to reach out to some of the remotest areas in the country to enable everyone to be safe and be ready. A lot of these consumers are first time users of Wildcraft and it was necessary to create a mechanism to reach out to them effectively. Partnering with IBM allows us a robust technology driven platform to understand our consumers and their wants. This will help us make our products better and customise them according to the larger needs,” said Gaurav Dublish & Siddharth Sood, Co-Founders, Wildcraft India Pvt. Ltd.

“We are proud to partner with Wildcraft India Pvt. Ltd to drive customer advocacy for higher brand affinity. IBM’s CRM-as-a-service platform has equipped Wildcraft with a 360-degree view to map their customers’ journey - from prospect, to customer, to brand advocate. Every customer will be nurtured at each stage to harness the real power of CRM, in today’s challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Kamal Singhani, Managing Partner, Global Business Services, IBM India/South Asia.

The virtual chatbot will authenticate users and facilitate user-specific information and transactions. In addition to understanding the intent of customer conversation through natural language processing (NLP), it will analyse the sentiment of customer responses and transfer the conversation to a live agent, if need be.

QuEST Global Enhances Deep Learning Solutions with Intel’s Industrial Edge Insights Software

QuEST Global, a global product engineering and lifecycle services company, announced today that it has enhanced its vision analytics and predictive maintenance solutions with Intel® Edge Insights for Industrial. QuEST developed these deep learning solutions to help OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the industrial and semiconductor sectors to automate security and monitoring systems and manufacturing tools used for making semiconductor chips.

The vision analytics solution developed by QuEST uses the Intel distribution of the OpenVINO toolkit to provide manufacturers with actionable insights based on specific patterns captured by machine vision systems. The solution uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop insights based on video feeds. In addition to OpenVINO toolkit, the solution incorporates Intel Edge Insights for Industrial framework to facilitate deployment by end-users.

The predictive maintenance solution developed by QuEST is designed to help semiconductor OEMs maintain manufacturing tools. In this application, Intel Edge Insights for Industrial framework provides times series analytic capability as part of a predictive maintenance solution. This analysis help OEMs determine the remaining useful life of an asset and help to optimize maintenance time.

Commenting on the two solutions Krish Kupathil, Head – Hi-Tech and Digital, QuEST Global said, “As a trusted thinking partner to our customers, we aim to develop and implement innovative solutions in the areas of manufacturing, security and monitoring, and automotive. Intel’s Edge Insights for Industrial framework and related technologies have been enhancing our vision analytics and predictive maintenance solutions and AI capabilities, helping us create the frontier for our customers. We look forward to continued collaboration with Intel to drive tech-driven business growth for customers across industries.”

Intel Edge Insights for Industrial enables near real-time analysis at the edge by making it easy to integrate data, devices, and processes in manufacturing applications and easy to utilize Intel processors and accelerators. “The industrial sector is using Intel Edge Insights for Industrial-based solutions and tools to help improve operational efficiency and to help tighten factory security and monitoring. This enabling software makes it easy to deploy AI solution and optimizes the hardware performance across Intel-based platforms,” said Jonathan Luse, General Manager, Intel Industrial Solutions.

QuEST Global works with leading global companies across diverse verticals, helping them to address the growing demand for providing connected engineering experience to the end customers. Over the past two decades, the company has been helping its customers take the next step in their digital transformation journey by automating the process of identifying production problems, proactively implementing innovative solutions, and making products safer and more reliable.

Renault Duster Becomes Powerful SUV in the Segment with Launch of All-New "1.3L Turbo Petrol Engine"

 Highlights 

* The all-new BSVI compliant 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine delivers maximum power and torque of 156PS @ 5500 rpm and 254 Nm @1600 rpm respectively, which is best-in-segment 

* Comes with 6-speed Manual Transmission and X-Tronic CVT gearshift with a 7 speed Manual mode 

* The 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is available in 3 trims in MT - RXE, RXS and RXZ and 2 trims in CVT - RXS and RXZ  

* Renault will also offer the option of the existing 1.5L Petrol engine; DUSTER range starts at an attractive price of INR 8.59 lakhs 

* Builds on the DUSTER legacy of being a Bold, Versatile, Reliable offering and a ‘True SUV’ with all-round capability 

Renault India announced the launch of the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine that will power one of the most successful SUVs in India, Renault DUSTER. With this, DUSTER becomes the most powerful SUV in its segment in India. The all new DUSTER with the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine will be available in three variants with a 6-speed manual option at a starting price of INR 10.49 lakhs, while the X-Tronic CVT will be available in two variants with a starting price of INR 12.99 lakhs. Renault will also offer the option of the existing 1.5L Petrol engine and the Renault DUSTER range starts at INR 8.59 lakhs.  

The 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is an advanced, high-power, turbo charged, BSVI compliant engine that offers best-in-class power and torque of 156PS @ 5500 rpm and 254 Nm @1600 rpm respectively. The modern engine comes with advanced technologies like Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) which provides high performance and efficiency, Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) for higher torque at lower rpm and reduced emissions. Together with enabling maximum power in the segment, DUSTER offers superior fuel efficiency of 16.5 kmpl in manual transmission and 16.42 kmpl in the CVT version.  

“The launch of Renault DUSTER equipped with the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine marks a new chapter in the DUSTER journey in India. This is a world-class engine and powers our successful global SUVs and Crossovers like Kadjar and Arkana. DUSTER has achieved an iconic status in one of the most dynamic automotive markets. Over the years, adventure enthusiasts and numerous Indian families have established a strong bond with this True SUV. The bold and more powerful DUSTER will surely inspire more people to join the growing family of adventure seekers and explore new terrains and horizons, as well as enjoy the effortless driving experience,” said Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations.  

DUSTER plays a pivotal role in Renault India’s product portfolio and has seen regular enhancements and progressions, catering to evolving customer needs. DUSTER won the ICOTY award in its year of launch, along with numerous other industry recognitions. DUSTER’s aggressive exteriors, elegant interiors and advanced equipment have proven its deftness at handling any challenge on Indian roads. There are also numerous DUSTER fan clubs across the country. The epic ‘Gang of DUSTERS’, which is an exclusive community of DUSTER owners with more than 1 lakh registered members, traverse across breath-taking landscapes in the Renault DUSTER and share unforgettable experiences together. To further ensure a continued customer association, Renault has announced a loyalty benefit scheme including an AMC package exclusively for existing Duster owners upgrading to the new 1.3L Duster. 

ALL NEW 1.3L TURBO PETROL ENGINE: THE MOST POWERFUL ENGINE IN THE SEGMENT  

The all-new 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is a globally proven engine which comes with high levels of performance and efficiency enabled by its advanced technology. The Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system mated with a Turbocharger, helps to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, while enhancing engine performance with low end torque. Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) is another function that enhances performance with higher low-end torque and positively impacts the fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions. 

The turbo petrol engine will be offered with options of either a 6-speed Manual Transmission, or a X-Tronic CVT gearshift with a 7 speed Manual mode.  

The Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that offers a real time, accurate and continuous control of gear ratio in acceleration and deceleration. It aids pick up, smoothens change in gear ratio and helps in ensuring low cabin noise while cruising. Apart from the CVT option, customers can also select the 6- Speed Manual Transmission, which will appeal particularly to drive enthusiasts who prefer to enjoy a more immersive driving experience. The 6-Speed manual gearbox comes with high level of shift quality and good level of efficiency. The new powertrains are not only suited for city drive, but capable of safe and confident drives on highways and hilly roads with the help of the Electronic Stability Program and Hill start Assist features. 

RENAULT DUSTER: ICONIC AND BOLD 

Together with its global styling cues, the designing of the Renault DUSTER accounts for Indian conditions and consumers’ preferences. The iconic Renault DUSTER looks bolder with the Crimson Red Accents on the Front Grille, Tail Gate, Roof Rails & Fog lamp cover which complements the Turbo petrol engine inside. The bold look is further accentuated with the tri-winged full chrome grille, dual tone body colour front bumper which features muscular skid plates, signature projector headlamps with LED DRLs that sync perfectly with the dominating and broad hood.  The all new R17 Forza Diamond Cut alloy wheels enhance the commanding look of the iconic DUSTER.  

DUSTER offers a high ground clearance of 205 mm, along with high approach and departure angles to accommodate Indian road conditions and consumer preferences. The Kayak roof rails, body coloured ORVM, matt­e black tailgate embellisher, and Waterfall LED tail lamps further accentuate its dynamic stance.  

RENAULT DUSTER: SOPHISTICATION AND COMFORT ON THE INSIDE  

The unmatched driving experience of the DUSTER is enhanced by the sophisticated and comfortable interiors. The new Duster now comes with remote Pre-Cooling function which allows the customers to switch on the engine and start the air conditioning even before entering the car with the key fob. The Midnight black interiors give the cabin of the DUSTER a refreshed new look and feel. The premium blue glazed seats lend a classy touch while the contemporary styled Renault steering wheel with soft touch butt­ons along with comfort features like Cruise Control with speed limiter help make any adventure effortless. The dual tone centre fascia with soft touch dashboard and door trims further accentuate the stylish interiors. Additionally, the aesthetics are enhanced by the ice blue graphic instrument cluster with multi-information display, which always keeps the driver updated on critical driving parameters. 

The Renault DUSTER’s interiors merge imagination with practicality. The interiors deliver an engaging experience with the fully integrated 17.64 cm touchscreen MediaNAV Evolution that comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice recognition and EcoGuide – a system that monitors driving patterns and provides guidelines to improve efficiency. The DUSTER offers ARKAMYS tuned audio experience with 4 speakers and 2 front tweeters for enhanced sound output. The Renault DUSTER comes equipped with a fully automatic climate control which adjusts the air flow inside the cabin and ensures the most comfortable temperature. To further enhance the fuel efficiency and lower emissions and cost of ownership, Renault DUSTER comes with the Smart Start/Stop function which automatically switches off the engine when the car is stopped and re-starts on driver demand detection.  

RENAULT DUSTER: ENHANCED SAFETY FEATURES 

The Renault DUSTER is compliant with front, side & pedestrian crash norms, stipulated by the Indian authorities. It is equipped with a host of active and passive safety features like Antilock-Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), driver and passenger airbags, rear parking sensors, seat belt reminder & speed alert. All these safety features are standard across all versions of the Renault DUSTER. Features such as Reverse Parking Camera, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Hill-Start Assist enhance the SUV capability of Duster. 

Renault DUSTER offers a range of 38 different categories of innovative accessories which enhances its SUV appeal and make the drive more comfortable and convenient for the passengers. 

Hero Motocorp Sets the Stage for Return of Caribbean Premier League T20 From Augut 18

 * Hero MotoCorp – Title Sponsor of Caribbean Premier League since 2015

* First mainstream Twenty20 cricket league to commence since Covid-19 lockdown

* Scheduled from Aug 18-Sep 10 in Trinidad and Tobago; To be broadcasted on Star Sports and Live Streamed on FanCode

The wait is over! Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer is set to bring the exciting cricketing action back with Hero Caribbean Premier League (Hero CPL), popularly known as the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’, starting from 18 August to 10 September 2020.

Marking the return of the electrifying Twenty20 format of the game in the ‘New Normal’, the tournament will be conducted in a bio-secure environment to meet the safety and social distancing protocols. In a first for a cricket premier league, the matches would be played in stadiums without any spectators, with the objective to maintain social distancing.

Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman & CEO of Hero MotoCorp, said, “Hero MotoCorp has always believed in supporting and promoting sporting action across the world and we are glad to be leading the efforts towards the resumption of top sporting event in the Caribbean. The Hero CPL T20 marks the gradual return of live action sports after a gap of nearly four months. The Hero Caribbean Premier League is an exciting opportunity to highlight the cricketing Heroes from around the world.”

The Hero CPL will bring the best T20 cricketers in action from the Caribbean and from around the world. This includes the likes of Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Ross Taylor and Dwayne Bravo.

The Hero CPL T20 will witness participation from six popular teams –Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks.

The tournament will see 33 games played at two venues in Trinidad and Tobago.  Hero CPL 2019 runners-up – Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on Trinbago Knight Riders in the opening match, while the second game will be contested between Barbados Tridents and St Kitts and Nevis.

Hero CPL T20 will be broadcasted on Star Sports 1 and 1HD, Star Sports 2 and 2HD, Star Sports Hindi 1 and Hindi 1HD and will also be live streamed on FanCode. Matches will be held at 7.30 PM and 3.00 AM (following day) on weekday and 7.30 PM and 11.45 PM on weekends (IST) respectively.

First started in 2013, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

Studds Sets Up Asia's Biggest Helmut Manufacturing Facility in Haryana with Investment of Rs.200 Cr

Reiterating its commitment towards manufacturing in India, for the world, STUDDS Accessories Ltd., the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeler helmets (in terms of volumes sold in a year), commenced operations at its new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Faridabad in Haryana. 

Spread across an area of over 5.5 acres, the Company has made an initial investment of over Rs.160 Crore to set-up the largest helmet manufacturing facility in Asia. Apart from producing some of the most popular motorcycle helmets from STUDDS, including the Shifter and Thunder series, the facility will also produce bicycle helmets for domestic market.

In addition to setting-up the biggest helmet manufacturing facility in Asia, STUDDS also recently began operations at  its another manufacturing plant, which is India’s only facility with an in-house Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) production line. EPS is a crushable foam used in helmet production and is the most important safety feature in the helmet. Spread across 1.5 acers, STUDDS has invested Rs. 40 Crore in the second plant, marking a total investment of over Rs. 200 Crore in the manufacturing plants.

The new plants will have production capacity of 7.5 million units of motorcycle helmets and 1.5 million bicycle helmets per annum. These facilities will ensure direct employment for over 1500 individuals.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Sidhartha Bhushan Khurana, Managing Director, STUDDS Accessories Ltd., said, “This is a huge milestone for all of us at STUDDS as we move forward in the post-COVID era. This step is a testament to our commitment towards Make in India, for the world, reaffirming our role as the market leaders, with integrating some of the best manufacturing practices from across globe. With the goal of expanding our production efficiency, our new plants would provide employment prospects for local citizens as well as add to the overall economic growth.

“Currently, we have just begun operations and are planning to ramp up production gradually. With the commencement of our new plants, we have doubled our production capacity from 7 million to 14 million units of motorcycle helmets.”

The world-class facilities are highly automated and bring some of the best manufacturing processes to the Indian market, including paint shop, moulding, visor coating, packaging and warehousing.

With these new manufacturing units, STUDDS now has four manufacturing factories in the country, all of them located in Faridabad, Haryana.

STUDDS is currently exporting its helmets to more than 40 countries and the new plant is aimed at ramping up the exports. The company also plans to introduce a new range of exciting helmets within this financial year.

About STUDDS Accessories Ltd.

STUDDS ACCESSORIES LIMITED is the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeler helmets. The company has two flagship brands STUDDS & SMK HELMETS. It has a wide range of helmets and motorcycle accessories, which keeps evolving every year with new technology, design and graphics. The brand believes that our focus on safety, quality and style makes us a lifestyle choice for our customers, and positions STUDDS and SMK as aspirational brands. Its flagship brand STUDDS is marketed and sold in 40 countries across the globe.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Forays into the Compact SUV Segment with its Youngest SUV “Toyota Urban Cruiser”

Forays Into Compact SUV 

* Slated to be launched in India this festive season 

* Aimed at fortifying the brand’s strong presence in the SUV segment

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced its much awaited entry into the compact SUV segment in India with the all-new Toyota Urban Cruiser- Toyota’s youngest SUV. A unique offering from Toyota in India, the new Urban Cruiser exudes an ‘Urban Standout Appeal’ for those who love to ‘Travel in Style’. The Urban Cruiser would endear itself to the discerning customers who are seeking more from a compact SUV. The company will launch the compact SUV in its India line-up during the festive season to cater to the growing demand for compact SUVs in India.

Commenting on the foray into the compact SUV segment, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Services, TKM, said, “We are very excited to announce our plans to launch the Toyota Urban Cruiser this festive season. With a customer-first approach, TKM has always endeavoured to fulfil the aspirations of its customers with timely introduction of new products and the Toyota Urban Cruiser is another such effort to satisfy the evolving customer needs.  Also, we hope that the Urban Cruiser gives us an opportunity to welcome a new set of customers who not only aspire to own a Toyota SUV early in life, but would also like to experience Toyota’s global standards of sales & after-sales services. We will share more details about the car and the launch in the days to come”.

Hyundai Launches New Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) & Introduces Sport Trim in VENUE

Summary

India Debut of Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) offering a clutch pedal free Drive Experience available on VENUE SX and SX(O) as well as VENUE in Sport Trim on SX & SX(O)

Sport trim in VENUE has been introduced on Kappa 1.0 l T-GDi Petrol BS6 and 1.5 l U2 CRDi Diesel BS6 engines

Sport trim in VENUE now features Sporty D-Cut Steering with Paddle Shifters on Kappa 1.0 l T-GDi Petrol BS6 engine with 7DCT

New Dual Tone Colour Titan Grey with Phantom Black Roof introduced on Sport trim in VENUE

Launched new S+ Trim on VENUE powered by Kappa 1.2 l Petrol BS6 engine with 5MT

India’s most awarded SUV of 2019-2020 

Hyundai Motor India Ltd., country’s first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since inception, today launched the highly anticipated Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) and introduced Sport trim in VENUE. 

Commenting on the occasion, Mr SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Hyundai has consistently set the benchmark with new Products and Technologies that offer Superior Design, Comfort, Performance and Efficiency. VENUE – India’s First Connected and most awarded SUV of 2019-2020, has now been launched with the innovative Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) and Sport Trim. With this, we are once again setting new standards for the industry that will enhance Customer Delight and revolutionize the way India Drives.”  

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

Hyundai is upping the ante, offering the revolutionary new clutch pedal free iMT technology on its rip-roaring Kappa 1.0 l T-GDi Petrol BS6 engine mated to 6-Speed Manual Transmission that features an electromechanically actuated clutch. 

With the new launch, Hyundai is offering customers a clutch pedal free drive but with manual gear shift control for a thrilling Drive Experience that employs just the right facets of power packed performance on a Manual Transmission with the Seamless Comfort of a 2-Pedal Transmission. 

FUNCTIONING OF INTELLIGENT MANUAL TRANSMISSION (iMT) 

Hyundai’s iMT technology features a Transmission Gear Shift (TGS) Lever with Intention Sensor, Hydraulic Actuator and Transmission Control Unit (TCU). The system has been designed to offer a seamless Drive Experience by incorporating a cohesive logic between the various components on manual transmissions: 

Transmission Control Unit receives signal from TGS Lever Intention Sensor, indicating driver’s desire to change gears.

TCU sends signal to engage Hydraulic Actuator forming Hydraulic Pressure. 

Hydraulic Pressure is then sent to Concentric Slave Cylinder (CSC) through Clutch Tube. 

Concentric Slave Cylinder uses this pressure to control the clutch and pressure plate, thereby engaging and disengaging the clutch.  

Driver is able to seamlessly shift gears without the need to mechanically operate clutch pedal. 

Vedanta Launches Phase 2 of ‘Meal for All’ Program to Daily Wage Earners

Vedanta Limited a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, a global oil & gas and metals company, has launched Phase 2 of its “Meal for All” program to provide meals to daily wage earners across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The program successfully provided more than 11.08 lakh meals to daily wage earners in the first phase. The project also distributed 49,626 dry ration packets to local communities and engaged more than 15,000 women in mask-making activities. The program not only provided aid to the suffering people, but also extended a helping hand to stray animals in the rural and urban areas. More than 12.70 lakh stray animals were fed in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Pune in the first phase.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman - Vedanta Resources, said, “The spread of Covid-19 pandemic has led to the closure of many economic and employable institutions. This has left a huge number of daily wage earners stranded without any scope of income and daily essentials.  Our initiative is an effort to provide them with the basic necessities and ease their pain as much as possible. We aim to reach maximum number of people with this initiative and provide a ray of hope to the daily wage earners and give them strength.”

The Phase-2 of the ‘Meals for all’ program was flagged off by Mr. Gunvant Patel, noted entrepreneur and philanthropist. It will be a week-long initiative with a target of reaching 38,000 daily wage earners and their families across Delhi, Mumbai & Ahmedabad. They are being provided with ration kits consisting of daily essentials such as Rice, Pulses, Refined oil and Spices along with a pair of slippers. The project aims to provide better living conditions to people in the coming days whilst providing a temporary relief.

Complimenting Vedanta on this initiative, Mr. Gunvant Patel said, “The pandemic is truly a test of our resilience and the strength of togetherness, this is the moment where we have to come together to give, share and reach the people in need. Vedanta’s gesture through the program “Meals for all” is an example of humility and how such initiatives are so important during times like these. I am glad to contribute to the program and look forward to maximize our effortsrogram 

Vedanta Limited a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, a global oil & gas and metals company, has launched Phase 2 of its “Meal for All” program to provide meals to daily wage earners across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The program successfully provided more than 11.08 lakh meals to daily wage earners in the first phase. The project also distributed 49,626 dry ration packets to local communities and engaged more than 15,000 women in mask-making activities. The program not only provided aid to the suffering people, but also extended a helping hand to stray animals in the rural and urban areas. More than 12.70 lakh stray animals were fed in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Pune in the first phase.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman - Vedanta Resources, said, “The spread of Covid-19 pandemic has led to the closure of many economic and employable institutions. This has left a huge number of daily wage earners stranded without any scope of income and daily essentials.  Our initiative is an effort to provide them with the basic necessities and ease their pain as much as possible. We aim to reach maximum number of people with this initiative and provide a ray of hope to the daily wage earners and give them strength.”

The Phase-2 of the ‘Meals for all’ program was flagged off by Mr. Gunvant Patel, noted entrepreneur and philanthropist. It will be a week-long initiative with a target of reaching 38,000 daily wage earners and their families across Delhi, Mumbai & Ahmedabad. They are being provided with ration kits consisting of daily essentials such as Rice, Pulses, Refined oil and Spices along with a pair of slippers. The project aims to provide better living conditions to people in the coming days whilst providing a temporary relief.

Complimenting Vedanta on this initiative, Mr. Gunvant Patel said, “The pandemic is truly a test of our resilience and the strength of togetherness, this is the moment where we have to come together to give, share and reach the people in need. Vedanta’s gesture through the program “Meals for all” is an example of humility and how such initiatives are so important during times like these. I am glad to contribute to the program and look forward to maximize our efforts.

TradeIndia Announces India’s First Virtual B2B Event "COVID 19 Essentials Expo India 2020

B2B Event

* The pioneering virtual tradeshow will be held during August 5-7, 2020

* The event is set to boost trade and commerce between different brands across the country by showcasing their products

As several small and medium industries have been adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 contagion in the country, the business community is roping in all efforts to stabilize the situation and rejuvenate the ailing economy. While government-sponsored relief, and financial relaxations are helping industries regain lost ground, inch by inch, there is also a new lease of hope dawning upon the market that every hurdle that is crossed is a step closer to the victory lap.

In a bid to transform the black swan Covid-19 pandemic into a lucrative business opportunity, TradeIndia, India’s largest B2B marketplace offering global buyers and sellers a reliable platform to identify trustworthily business partners shall be organizing the country’s first virtual tradeshow titled, “COVID-19 Essentials Expo India between August 5-7,2020. The trade expo that is targeted will be in the same lines as of a traditional the exhibition, but due to the pandemic concerns will be conducted via the virtual medium.  

The event will be targeted towards reviving the various SMEs and MSMEs of the country whose operations have been affected due to the dire effect of the corona virus crisis and helping them maintain business continuity in such turbulent times. As the pandemic has vehemently increased the demand for essential products, the market is amuck with a plethora of companies selling all kinds of essential wares, but only those companies will triumph who couple their essential product offerings with innovation. Besides revealing and brainstorming on the various innovative guidelines that companies can instill in their product development, the expo will also aim to discover alternate channels of revenue for companies that are suitable for the current market dynamics.

The trade expo will feature a multitude of brands, their products through a virtual exhibition solution that enables exhibitors to showcase their products at a very low cost but with high scalability. The tradeshow will also feature 3D stalls or immersive virtual spaces that enable attendees to sift through the various product lineups, access business catalogues while interacting with exhibitors via chat or video conference.

Featuring more than 60 booths and with an experience spanning over 20 years in online marketing space and event promotion, TradeIndia enjoys the largest industry database in the country that holds countless prospective visitors and investor’s for one’s brand. the essential range products that will be the central to the trade show are Surgical dressing and Disposable; Personal safety equipment; Personal care products; Common medicines and drugs; Temperature instruments; Medical, diagnostic & hospital supplies; Home cleaning appliances, etc.

Commenting on this highly enterprising initiative, the spokesperson for Trade India said, ”While the pandemic has wreaked havoc upon industries and the resultant economy, it has also opened up hitherto unlocked vistas of promising opportunities, As businesses across the world are united in their transition from the offline mode to the online mode of presuming their operations, We, at TradeIndia, endearingly strive to tap into the exuberant potential of the digital business model and also extend a much-needed lift-up to the struggling factions of SMEs and MSMEs and help them shift to the online medium of  commencing business through this first of its kind landmark virtual tradeshow. We welcome everyone to participate and grace this novel event as together we can adapt and thrive in this new normal, no matter how great the challenge.”  

About TradeIndia:

TradeIndia.com is an online Business to Business (B2B) portal for small businesses based in India and around the globe. The portal was started in 1996 by Bikky Khosla and is maintained and promoted under the flagship company, Infocom Network Ltd. The company is headquartered in New Delhi, India, and has branch offices in more than 42 cities across India.

LAVA Invites You to Design the Next #ProudlyIndian Smartphone

Indian mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, announced the launch of its ‘Design in India’ contest. Through this unique contest, Lava is inviting entries for designing the next Indian smartphone. Lava’s Design in India contest is open for B.Tech/B.E/B. Des/M.Des students/professionals. Students and professionals from Engineering (ECE/IT/CS/Mech/Industrial Design) departments can participate in this contest in groups of 1-3 members and win a chance to work for Lava’s Design-in-India team. 

Speaking about the contest, Tejinder Singh, Head- Product, Lava International said, “Our country stands at a very important juncture right now. We envision India to be the next global manufacturing hub. We have the potential to be self-reliant too. Through this unique initiative, we want to give the youth of our country a platform to play their part in this nation building process. We invite them to use their creative skills and bring fresh perspectives to our design methods.”

The registration process for this contest will be open from 2nd July- 9th July 2020.

For T&C and to register, please visit- https://www.lavamobiles.com/design-in-india-challenge/

Lava’s Design in India contest will be conducted in three parts- Ideation, creating a prototype & presentation to the jury. Lava’s Design team will mentor the contestants throughout the competition. Contestants will be judged on three parameters- Creativity, functionality & uniqueness. The judging panel will be led by Sanjeev Agarwal, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Lava International.

At the end of the competition, top three winning teams will get a pre-placement interview opportunity at Lava. They will additionally receive a cash prize of Rs. 50000, Rs. 25000 and Rs. 15000 respectively. 

Sanjeev Agarwal, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Lava International said, “Designing in India has been a very big strength for our brand over the last few years. It not only helped us translate customer insights into products but also let us build unique propositions for our customers. Being mentored by the Lava Design team can be a very meaningful opportunity for the young talent of our country.”

Lava has always been at the forefront of Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Lava was the first mobile brand to take a lead in support of this important nation building program and had set up a design team in India, becoming the first brand to design phones in the country. With this ‘Design in India’ initiative Lava is now the only Mobile handset company that makes truly ‘Made In India’ phones with complete control on design and manufacturing within the country. 

Intel to shut sites in Malaysia, Philippines; To layoff 6,000 jobs

Intel Corp said on Wednesday it would close manufacturing plants in Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as its only remaining factory in Silicon Valley, cutting as many as 6,000 jobs.

The announcement comes a day after the world's largest maker of microprocessors used in personal computers slashed prices on a number of its chips and a week after it reported a decline in fourth-quarter revenue.

Intel said it would close two assembly test facilities in Penang, Malaysia, and one in Cavite, Philippines.

It will also halt production at a wafer fabrication facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, as well as its Santa Clara, California plant -- a factory connected to its headquarters and the only one left in Silicon Valley.

The actions will result in a reduction of 5,000 to 6,000 jobs, Intel said. It ended 2008 with around 84,000 employees.

Not all cuts at the affected plants will lead to job losses and some workers will be offered positions at other facilities, it said, adding that the restructuring will take place between now and the end of 2009.

"It's not a surprise given that their first quarter is probably going to be challenging, and they're trying to do what they can to cut costs in places that make sense," said Taunya Sell, an analyst at Ragen Mackenzie, a division of Wells Fargo.

Intel said it was not halting production at any of its more advanced factories.

Intel shares rose about 1 percent to $13.40 in after-hours trading, after rising 3.11 percent to close at $13.26 on the Nasdaq stock market.

Last week, Intel said its fourth-quarter revenue fell 23 percent from the year-ago period and profit tumbled 90 percent. It also held back on giving detailed quarterly forecasts, citing economic uncertainty.

Analysts have been wary about Intel's outlook for the year as chip sales slide. PC makers and other technology companies have been trimming inventory and cutting back on purchases.

Intel also faces competition from new, cheaper chips made by Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD.N).

On Tuesday, Intel said it was lowering prices on some of its processors, including price cuts of up to 40 percent on some of its higher-powered, faster quad-core chips.

AMD said earlier this month that it expected to post additional restructuring charges for fiscal 2008 and 2009.

Agencies