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.

US-India Strategic Partnership Forum to Honor Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra & Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narayen

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) announced their third Annual Leadership Summit, titled “US-India Week: Navigating New Challenges”, which will convene virtually this year from August 31- September 3. The week-long program will include a range of strategic discussions between USISPF’s board members that includes which include 21 Fortune 500 CEOsand senior government officials from both countries.

At the summit, USISPF will honour Chairman of Mahindra group, Anand Mahindra and Shantanu Narayen, Chairman & CEO of Adobewith the 2020 Leadership Awards, awarded each year for exemplary vision towards promoting U.S.-India bilateral ties.

Congratulating the awardees, John Chambers, Chairman of the USISPF Board, said, “We are delighted to confer the 2020 Leadership Awards to two business leaders who have displayed tremendous leadership and ambition in strengthening the U.S.-India bilateral economic partnership, especially at a time when the global economy is faced with uncertainties and businesses are forced to pivot from their core capabilities. As a global centre of manufacturing excellence with presence in the United States, the Mahindra Group is a shining example of a true win-win opportunity for our bilateral ties with positive impact in the lives of the American people and across the American economic engine. Chambers further added, “Shantanu’s pioneering work in digital technologies, leveraging support to communities, and deep impact on start-ups have been of tremendous value to governments, civil society, and the overall bilateral relationship. I cannot think of a more consummate candidate for this award.”

Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group said, “I accept this award on behalf of the entire Mahindra Group. At this challenging & transformational time for the world, such a recognition only reminds us that companies must contribute much more towards building a better world.  Mahindra remains deeply committed to the US market which is integral to its future growth and prosperity. Overall, I expect the relationship between India and the US to get even stronger over time with both countries being natural allies given our shared values and mutual economic interests.”

Mr. Shantanu Narayen, Chairman, President,and CEO of Adobe said, “I am honoured to accept the Leadership Award from the USISPF. USISPF’s mission to accelerate the strategic partnership between the US and India brings together two global leaders with the power to create compounding benefits for the global economy. Now more than ever, uniting the strengths, innovations and talents of the world is critical to building bridges and driving economic prosperity.”

Alongside US Vice President Mike Pence, high-ranking U.S. and Indian government officials participating at the leadership summit include: Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs; Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry; Kenneth I. Juster, U.S. Ambassador to India to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of India to the United States; Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog; Adam Boehler, CEO, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat; Neil Chatterjee, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Chairman, National Innovation Foundation, and former senior officials from both countries. The summit will highlight areas of bilateral cooperation: trade and investment relations; strategic energy ties; India’s position in global supply chains, collaboration in fintech, healthcare, and technology; building a fair tax regime to attract FDIs, among others.

About the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF):

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India. As the only independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to strengthening the U.S.-India partnership in Washington, D.C. and in New Delhi, USISPF is the trusted partner for businesses, non-profit organizations, the diaspora, and the governments of India and the United States.

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.

SCHUTZEN Chemical Group Appoints “Azelis as Preferred Distributor for Personal Care & Paint Coating" Markets in India

SCHUTZEN Chemical Group, the leading diversified specialty chemical manufacturer has announced the appointment of Azelis, a leading global distributor of specialty chemicals and food ingredients as the preferred distributor for its Personal Care & Paint Coating Markets in India.  

Azelis will focus on the distribution of two innovative actives from Schutzen: 

The Tamarind based active for Hair & Skin Care 

The Anti-Viral, Anti-Microbial, Anti-fungal active which is safe and free of hazardous chemistries 

 SCHUTZEN Chemical Group has developed an innovative Hair & Skin Conditioning Product which is derived from Tamarindus indicia Seed polysaccharide, a more sustainable option compared to ubiquitous chemistries like Polyquaternium -10 & Cationic Guar Gum. 

Further as a rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis, SCHUTZEN Chemical Group was quick to develop & deploy a very safe Anti-Viral, Anti-Microbial & Anti-Mite active for Home & Personal Care markets and Paint Coating market. The Biocide is an active which is free of hazardous chemistries and aligns with SCHUTZEN’s sustainability objectives. 

Raj Mahendra Tanna, Founder & Director, SCHUTZEN Chemical Group said, "We are proud that we could quickly adapt to the COVID-19 crisis & rapidly respond with the launch of one of the safest Virucidal, Microbicidal & Fungicidal actives. The active will further serve as a major contributor in the hygiene market post COVID-19. We are equally excited to launch our unique Hair & Skin conditioning active based on Tamarindus Indica Seed polysaccharide through our patented process. This presents to be a game changer in terms of sustainability & performance in the personal care market.” 

He further added, “Azelis’ market presence, formulation development capabitlities and customer centric approach proved crucial in our decision to chose them as a partner. We sensed Azelis to be a very supportive & humble organization. They exhibit a genuine focus on solving challenging customer problems. We are confident that Azelis India will make an excellent partner and significantly add to our growth & brand equity.” 

Commenting on the partnership, Mrs. Aparna Khurana, Managing Director Azelis India comments: “Schutzen offers highly innovative products in line with the market demand for our key markets of Personal Care and CASE. Their new launch, the Anti-Viral, Anti-Microbial, Anti-Fungal active, a clean and safe hygiene solution, is a great demonstration of their adaptability to the market demand, making their portfolio continually attractive. We are delighted about this partnership as it offers new product development opportunities for our customers. Azelis will do its utmost to boost Schutzen’s penetration across India and grow the number of customers in CASE and Personal Care.”  

SCHUTZEN has chosen Azelis India as one of its key distributors thanks to its strong market presence, formulation development capabilities and support towards all spectrum of customers. This distribution agreement enables the Group to optimize its distribution network. Both companies share a strong focus on innovation and technical service to customers based on expert knowledge & business support, sustainability, transparency, and constructive collaboration.  

SCHUTZEN is very determined to bring around sustainable solutions to difficult areas in the industry. 

 

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”.

ABB India Opens a New Robotics Facility to Support the Digital Transformation of Manufacturing in India

The new ABB Robotics solutions delivery facility will enable Indian customers to reap the benefits of Industry 4.0 including cutting-edge robotics and digitalization technologies, going at the heart of helping India become a resilient high-tech manufacturing economy in the world.

Spread over 3,600 sq.m at the ABB Nelamangala factory premises in Bengaluru, the new facility will enable ABB India to deliver robotic applications and digital solutions for a variety of Indian industries, including automotive, food & beverage, electronics and other upcoming sectors. The facility houses a state-of-the-art shop floor that can run proof of concepts and factory acceptance tests for 1000 ABB robots every year, which doubles the company’s capacity. This enables rapid innovation, adaption, optimisation and agile delivery of made-to-order robotics applications for Indian customers.

“The new facility harnesses the powers of ABB’s deep global expertise and knowledge of the Indian industrial landscape to support our customer base,” said Sanjeev Sharma, Managing Director of ABB India. “Even with increased demand for automation, the penetration of robotics, especially in small and medium enterprises is still low in India compared to the global average. With the help of the new and improved robotics facility, we will be able to share our knowledge and encourage Indian manufacturers to embrace our game changing technologies and become best-in-class manufacturers for local and global markets.”

The facility includes a demonstration center where the latest technologies in robotic welding, gluing and material handling will be showcased and can be used to carry out joint prove-out sessions with customers. ABB will also integrate an ABB AbilityTM Connected Services team that can remotely monitor an installed base of ABB robots to conduct predictive maintenance and high uptime.

A new Customer Experience Center is being set up for customers to learn about the latest in robotics technology and applications, including ABB’s dedicated robot simulation and programming software, RobotStudio. Additionally, the facility will host a paint lab where customers can run simulations of a broad range of industrial painting applications.

ABB is one the leading suppliers of robot, robot systems and machine & factory automation solutions, having shipped over 400,000 robot solutions across the globe. Designed as a complete digital ecosystem, ABB’s factory of the future concept will cater to the growing demand of collaborative automation solutions, by enabling innovation of new robot applications tailor-made to the Indian market.

About ABB Group

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.

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. 

Siemens and SAP Join Forces to Accelerate Industrial Transformation

End-to-End Software  

* Together, industry leaders Siemens and SAP will deliver integrated end-to-end software solutions across product lifecycle, supply chain and asset management.

* Partnership leverages expertise and technology of both companies to provide a true digital thread that helps enterprises eliminate process and information siloes, drives digitalization and delivers a comprehensive solution for the 4th industrial revolution (Industry 4.0).

* SAP will offer Siemens’ Teamcenter software as the core foundation for product lifecycle collaboration and product data management. Siemens will offer SAP® Intelligent Asset Management solutions and SAP Portfolio and Project Management applications to maximize business value for customers over the entire product and service lifecycle and enable new collaborative processes between manufacturers and operators.

Siemens and SAP SE has announced a new partnership that will leverage their industry expertise and bring together their complementary software solutions for product lifecycle, supply chain and asset management so their customers can deliver new innovation and collaborative business models that will accelerate industry transformation globally. Through this agreement, both SAP and Siemens will be able to complement and integrate their respective offerings in order to offer customers the first truly integrated and enhanced solutions for product lifecycle management (PLM), supply chain, service and asset management. This will enable customers to form a true digital thread integrating all virtual models and simulations of a product or asset with real-time business information, feedback and performance data over the entire lifecycle.

"Digital transformation will be critical for the manufacturing industries to increase productivity, flexibility and accelerate innovation, so companies must come together in new ways to enable the digital enterprise,” said Klaus Helmrich, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries. “This exciting collaboration between two industry leaders is about more than just interoperability and interfaces; it is about creating a truly integrated digital thread that unites product and asset lifecycle management with the business that enables customers to optimize production of products.”

Silos between engineering and business have existed in enterprises for decades. This new partnership will help customers to break down these siloes so manufacturers, product design teams and service managers have the information needed to quickly create and manage customer-centric product and service offerings.

“As manufacturers design and deliver smarter products and assets, access to real-time business information across networks is critical to bring new and improved innovations to market faster,” said Thomas Saueressig, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and responsible for SAP Product Engineering. “Bringing together expertise from SAP and Siemens to offer Industry 4.0-enabled business processes allows enterprises to create a digital thread for the entire product and asset lifecycle. With this end-to-end solution, teams across the business network can efficiently work together to design and deliver innovative products productively, profitably and sustainably.”

Going forward, both SAP and Siemens will be able to offer new solutions that combine their technologies in order to help companies shorten time to market by leveraging Industry 4.0-enabled data using intelligent assets and products. This will also give organizations the benefit of incorporating customer insights into product development through a comprehensive solution, from product design to service and asset management. As a first step in the partnership, SAP will offer Siemens’ Teamcenter®  software as the core foundation for product lifecycle collaboration and data management and Siemens will offer SAP® Intelligent Asset Management and SAP Portfolio and Project Management software to maximize the business value for manufacturers and operators across networks. Both companies will collaborate to develop applications from an end-to-end lifecycle perspective to help customers achieve a seamless digital thread that improves overall business performance.

“Combining Siemens’ Teamcenter and SAP S/4HANA® software provides companies an end-to-end process capability from product design to decommission,” said Bob Parker, Senior VP of Industry Research at IDC. “The IT benefits of pre-integration of PLM, ERP, asset management and supply chain applications and the business benefits from having a more resilient response to changing market demand make this a compelling consideration for companies seeking a competitive advantage in the digital economy.”

Godrej Protekt, Indian Railways Parner for Hygiene-Based Safe Rail Travel Program by Introducing Personal & Home Hygiene Range

Travel Safe

* With new products, Godrej Protekt forays in segments like soaps, disinfectant sprays, face masks, fruit & veggie disinfectant and dish washing liquid

* Partnership with Mumbai division of Central Railway for a social initiative to promote safe rail travel and hygiene

To empower people to live fearlessly in the ‘new normal’, Godrej Protekt, India’s trusted hygiene brand from Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), introduces a complete personal and home hygiene range of twelve products. Offering 99.9% protection against germs, bacteria and viruses, the range includes Godrej Protekt Health Soap, Body Wash, Germ Protection Fruit & Veggie Wash, Germ Protection Dish Wash Liquid, INR 1 Hand Sanitiser Sachet, Air & Surface Disinfectant Spray, On the Go Disinfectant Spray, Surface & Skin Anti-Bacterial Wipes, PW95 Face Masks, and Multipurpose Disinfectant Solution.

Till recently, Godrej Protekt was present only in hand hygiene segment with hand sanitisers and handwashes including Mr. Magic – India’s first powder to liquid handwash, in its portfolio. With the new range, Godrej Protekt becomes a complete personal and home hygiene brand. It is foraying for the first time in segments like soaps, disinfectant sprays, face masks, fruit & veggie wash and dish washing liquid. Thus, Godrej Protekt will now offer hygiene based protection for home, kitchen and personal use.  It has also introduced hand sanitiser in a sachet format at INR 1 for the first time.

 

Commenting on the occasion, Sunil Kataria, CEO - India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), said, “Godrej Protekt's purpose is to alleviate hygiene concerns of consumers with the personal and home hygiene range. We have become a complete hygiene-suite for home, kitchen and personal use. Our key new products include Germ Protection Fruit & Veggie Wash, Germ Protection Dish Wash Liquid, INR 1 Hand Sanitiser Sachet, Air & Surface Disinfectant Spray, On the Go Disinfectant Spray, Surface & Skin Anti-Bacterial Wipes, and Multipurpose Disinfectant Solution. As a brand, Godrej Protekt aims to be INR 500 crore in next 3 years.”

 

He further added, “We have partnered with the Indian Railways' Central Railway zone to promote travel hygiene amongst passengers and rail employees. 2 lac products of our new range like Hand Sanitiser Sachets, On the Go Disinfectant Spray will be used in passenger trains for a safe travel experience. Our Air and Surface Disinfectant Spray will be used to disinfect surfaces of ticket booking counters as well. We look forward to the partnership with Central Railways to build an initiative which will positively impact people's lives.”

As a purpose-driven brand, Godrej Protekt has effectively utilised the new range for an initiative in partnership with Indian Railways’ Central Railway zone. In the new normal, regular activities like rail, flight, and road travel, will be impacted. Health risks perceived by people will need immediate acknowledgement, to boost their confidence and reassure a safe travel experience. Under the aegis of Protekt India Movement, Godrej Protekt and Mumbai division of Central Railway will run a joint program to improve travel hygiene and its awareness amongst passengers and rail employees. The following activities will be undertaken as part of the joint program: 

* Safe travel awareness-raising activities will be conducted at railway stations under Central Railways

* Godrej Protekt Health Soap will be given to railway employees to boost their hand hygiene

* Godrej Protekt Hand Sanitiser sachets to be distributed amongst passengers on Central Railway local trains as well as long-distance trains originating from Mumbai for cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna, Lucknow, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Gorakhpur, Darbhanga, and Gadag

* Godrej Protekt’s On the Go Disinfectant Spray, with 99.9% germ protection and anti-bacterial capabilities, will be used in the above mentioned long-distance trains to disinfect hard surfaces like passenger’s luggage along with handles, seats, armrests, door handles

* Surroundings and surfaces of ticket booking counters of Central Railway stations in Mumbai will be disinfected with Godrej Protekt Air and Surface Disinfectant Spray, an aerosol spray which kills 99.9% germs and bacteria. 87 ticket booking counters of 53 stations between CST upto Karjat, Panvel and Kasara, will be covered

* Both entities will co-create digital content around hygiene practices necessary for rail travel during COVID-19 times. This will be to build awareness amongst 4.12 lac combined followers of Central Railways on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The program will cover close to 400 local and long-distance COVID-19 special trains. The on-train activities will benefit passengers of long-distance trains traveling from Mumbai to states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Odisha, Telangana, Kerala and other parts of Maharashtra. Passengers of Mumbai local trains running under Central Railways will benefit as well. Around 2 lac products from Godrej Protekt new personal and home hygiene will be offered by Godrej Protekt for this program.

Commenting on the joint program, Gaurav Jha, Sr. DCM, Mumbai Division, Central Railway, said, “Through a joint awareness program with Godrej Protekt, Central Railways highlights its commitment towards health and safety of our passengers and employees. This is a unique social initiative aiming to boost hygiene standards awareness as well as gear them with relevant solutions at select touchpoints. This will encourage people to travel more by rail. We will connect with passengers on-ground, in-train and via digital media through this program. Seeing its success, we can replicate this program across various zones of Indian Railways.”

About Godrej Consumer Products Ltd:

Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company. As part of the 123-year young Godrej Group, we are fortunate to have a proud legacy built on the strong values of trust, integrity and respect for others. At the same time, we are growing fast and have exciting, ambitious aspirations.

Today, our Group enjoys the patronage of 1.15 billion consumers globally, across different businesses. In line with our 3 by 3 approach to international expansion at Godrej Consumer Products, we are building a presence in 3 emerging markets (Asia, Africa, Latin America) across 3 categories (home care, personal wash, hair care). We rank among the largest household insecticide and hair care players in emerging markets. In household insecticides, we are the leader in India, the second largest player in Indonesia and are expanding our footprint in Africa. We are the leader in serving the hair care needs of women of African descent, the number one player in hair colour in India and Sub-Saharan Africa, and among the leading players in Latin America. We rank number two in soaps in India and are the number one player in air fresheners and wet tissues in Indonesia.

But for us, it is very important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, much-loved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in our Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our 'Good & Green' approach to create a more inclusive and greener India.

At the heart of all of this, is our talented team. We take much pride in fostering an inspiring workplace, with an agile and high performance culture. We are also deeply committed to recognising and valuing diversity across our teams.

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.

Kazan Helicopters has Certified the Ansat simulator According to International Standards

Kazan Helicopters of the Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has received positive qualification of Ansat helicopter training simulator's compatibility to international standards. The evaluation was carried out by the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after N.E. Zhukovsky (TsAGI). 

The comprehensive Ansat simulator was tested for its compliancewith the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Evaluated characteristics included the layout and design of the cockpit, simulation of flight and engine dynamics, controlling on ground, helicopter systems, acoustic, visual and vibration effects and navigation. The assessment result was positive. 

"We consider the certification of the Ansat helicopter simulator according to ICAO standards as one of the important achievements of our company. Our Aviation Training Center is now waiting for the first intake of students to pass the simulator training in August 2020. The training will be organized to foreign customers: pilot training is included in the price of the helicopter in all export orders", pointed out Managing Director of Kazan Helicopters, Yuri Pustovgarov. 

The simulator model was developed on the basis of helicopter flight test data provided by the design bureau of the Kazan Helicopters. The cockpit and interior of the simulator are completely authentic. Instrumentation is replaced with simulator devices, but their appearance and functionality fully correspond to the originals.

The Ansat simulator is equipped with a visualization system that provides full visibility from the pilot's seat. It can be used to reproduce two distinct areas: the city of Kazan along with the Kazan Helicopters flight test center, as well as the city of Sochi. A vibrating platform and audio system help to simulate the vibrational and acoustic effects of flight. Using the simulator,trained pilots will be able to maneuver the helicopter model in various conditions, including in dangerous and emergency situations.

The comprehensive Ansat simulator was designed and produced as part of the investment project "Development Concept for for the Aviation Training Center of the Kazan Helicopter Plant of Russian Helicopters Holding Company".

The KHP Aviation Training Center also has a comprehensive simulator for Mi-8MTV helicopter. The cabin of the simulator has been adapted to simulate training of pilots at night with night vision goggles. Besides, the simulator has a vibroacoustic unit whichimitates vibration and sounds of a helicopter depending on the flight mode and conditions. 

The Aviation Training Center of Kazan Helicopters was established in 1995. In more than 20 years it has trained almost 9,000 specialists. The center provides courses on retraining andprofessional development for pilots, engineers and technical specialists. Teachers constantly improve their skills and undergo practical training in the leading training centers in Russia and abroad, and have registered certificates of aircraft manufacturers. The KHP Aviation Training Center provides training for helicopters of Mi-8/17 and Ansat types. In the future it is planned to create a similar training program for Mi-38 helicopter.

JSC “Russian Helicopters”, a part of Rostec State Corporation, is a leading player in the global helicopter industry, the sole Russian designer and manufacturer of helicopters. The Holding Company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. We operate five helicopter assembly plants, two design bureaus, component production and maintenance enterprises, aircraft repair plants and one helicopter service company providing after-sales support in Russia and abroad. The customers of the Holding Company are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, EMERCOM of Russia, and other state customers, Gazpromavia, UTair Aviation company, large Russian and foreign companies.

State Corporation Rostec is one of the largest industrial companies in Russia. It unites more than 800 scientific and industrial organizations in 60 regions of the country. Its key areas of activity are transport engineering, electronics, medical technology, chemistry and innovative materials. Rostec holdings form three clusters: electronics, weapons and aviation. The corporation’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, Kalashnikov, Russian Helicopters, Uralvagonzavod and others. Rostec is active in the implementation of all 12 national projects. The company is a key provider of Smart City technology, it is engaged in the digitalization of public administration, industry and social sectors, and it is developing plans for the development of 5G wireless technologies, an Industrial Internet of Things, big data and blockchain systems. Rostec partners with leading world manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Daimler, Pirelli and Renault. The corporation’s products are delivered to more than 100 countries worldwide. Almost a third of the company's revenue comes from the export of high-tech products.

IMTMA Supports Indian Machine Tools for MSME Tool Rooms

Recently, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with a view to modernize Tools Rooms and Training Centers had floated a tender with the assistance of the World Bank to acquire CNC Machines, Measuring Instruments and Accessories. 

Indian machine tool manufacturers had bid for this tender. However, none of the Indian machines offered were selected due to some minor deviations from the tender specifications, while international vendors were selected.

In this context, IMTMA is working closely with the Ministry of MSME and other government departments requesting a reconsideration of the offers submitted by Indian manufacturers, who are members of IMTMA. We are hoping that our request will be considered.

About IMTMA

IMTMA was formed in 1946 the year before India got its independence when around 20 machine tool manufacturers joined hands to form an Association. Over a period of over seven decades it has grown in size to have more than 450 members representing around 90% of the organized machine tool and allied equipment manufacturers as on date.

Today, IMTMA is the apex body and single point of contact for the entire machine tool industry of India and plays a critical role in the development of the metalworking industry.

A not-for-profit association, IMTMA’s initiatives range from government advocacy to industry and export promotion, trade fairs and events, training and seminars, technology missions, publication of various industry and technical writings, structuring of regional councils, and development of clusters.

Hyundai Records Landmark 1.5 Million Visitors on ‘Click To Buy’ in India

Online Retail Sales

* Fortifies the ‘Future of New Online Automotive Retail’ in India recording over 1 900 online vehicle bookings

* Strong traction & acceptance of online car buying channel with more than 20 000 registrations and over 20 000 enquiries

Hyundai Motor India Ltd., country’s first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since inception, announced an overwhelming response for India’s First and Only Comprehensive Online Car Buying Platform Click To Buy that has recorded over 1.5 Million visitors and over 20 000 Enquiries since its launch in March 2020.  

Commenting on the record breaking success of ‘Click To Buy’, Mr. S S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Hyundai is redefining the online automotive retail space with its revolutionary digital sales initiative Click To Buy. The platform has seen outstanding traction, recording over 20 000 Registrations and over 1 900 Bookings is a testament of customer trust in brand Hyundai. With digital buying becoming a ‘New Normal’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hyundai will continue to provide smart mobility solutions such as Click To Buy ensuring a seamless online car purchase experience for our customers.”

The customer response on Click To Buy, highlights strong acceptance and showcases comfort of purchasing cars online. The Click To Buy platform has revolutionized the online retail experience and provided unparalleled Future Retail Experience to Indian customers.

With Click To Buy, Hyundai is offering a complete end-to-end online car buying solution that enables customers to purchase cars from the convenience & safety of their homes. Hyundai has also partnered with leading Banks HDFC and ICICI, in India to facilitate application of loans online without the need to visit a Bank/ Branch for approval, all on the Click To Buy platform that integrates over 600 dealerships. 

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. 

Yamaha Celebrates its HERITAGE During the 65th Anniversary in India

65th Anniversary

* Yamaha Heritage of products, technologies and racing victories constitute the brand’s spirit of serving the society ~

* Yamaha also pays tribute to the frontline workers who have enormously contributed towards the society during challenging times ~

Yamaha Motor India (YMI) Group celebrated the 65th anniversary along with the global businesses under the Yamaha Motor Company (YMC) Ltd. with its HERITAGE of unique mobility solutions including two wheelers, ground breaking technologies and racing legacy. The company has planned various online and digital initiatives to recount the brand’s landmark successes of performance and innovation during the “Yamaha Day” celebrated globally on July 1 that could further help the current employees and management to cultivate “The Unique style of Yamaha”.

The brand’s motorcycle division that started in 1955 at Japan with the introduction of YA 1 had gradually rolled out some of the world’s best seller commuters and performance-driven motorcycles along the sidelines of ace technologies like 4 stroke, DOHC 5 valve engine and eventually setting outstanding records of racing championships. YMIG under its brand campaign “The Call of the Blue” has been driving the spirit of this HERITAGE with the help of a unique two-wheeler line up that are “exciting, stylish and sporty” and striking engagements and customer activities. Yamaha will run a host of customer activities on the digital space and will separately engage Yamaha employees in various craftwork initiatives to continue to transmit the brand’s uniqueness, thus redirecting from physical activities to digital initiatives as billions of people are grappling with the pandemic.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of companies said, “Yamaha’s Heritage is an outstanding tale of cutting through the constraints and develop world-class products and experiences. Since the beginning, Yamaha’s aim was to bring heart revving products and experiences that many would cherish in a world of routines and limits. The 65th anniversary is when we showcase our heritage of uncompromising excellence of innovation and performance to the world and reiterate the brand’s continuous commitment towards the society in offering more exciting, stylish and sporty products. On this occasion, the brand in India has also decided to stand with the frontline warriors who have enormously contributed towards sustaining our society.”

The company has also endeavored to offer its tribute to the frontline warriors including medical fraternity, teams handling emergency, civil and essential services through a new campaign “Yamaha Salutes Frontline Warriors”. All two wheelers and four wheelers used by the employees along with the company’s transport would display the illustrative stickers in support of the campaign, a balloon signage will also being installed at OMR, Chennai near to the company head office while the teams at Yamaha’s Chennai plant have offered their support with the help of a unique vehicle formation saying ‘Thank You’. The company has also launched a Social Media campaign “Yamaha salutes frontline warriors” in which various employees from across pan India offices of the company along with dealers and customers can be seen to have come together to offer their support and thanks to the frontline warriors.

Acer India Appoints Sudhir Goel as the Chief Business Officer for India and Bangladesh

Acer India, the global PC brand, has appointed Sudhir Goel as their Chief Business Officer. Sudhir has been associated with Acer India since 1999 handling various leadership roles spanning product engineering, manufacturing, support, supply chain and recently as the head of commercial business group. In his new role as Chief Business Officer, Sudhir will be responsible for leading both the commercial and consumer business of the company in India and Bangladesh.

With over 35 years of experience, Sudhir brings in a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role in Acer India. He was instrumental in establishing Acer India’s manufacturing facility at Pondicherry. He later took on the portfolio of Chief Supply Chain officer, handling complete supply chain - operations, procurement, material planning and manufacturing functions. In addition, he assisted Sales and Marketing in strategic calls on all large deals. Before this role, he was responsible for Acer India’s commercial business group handling PnL, product strategy, alliance relationships and establishing leadership position in multiple categories. He was also in charge of the company’s product solution development in Asia Pacific countries.

Harish Kohli, President, and Managing Director, Acer India said, “Under the leadership of Sudhir Goel, Acer India has successfully excelled in an intensely competitive environment and gained substantial impetus in Indian commercial PC market. Sudhir brings in excellent prerequisites to navigate Acer India in a challenging business situation and we are confident that his strategic thinking, experience, and ability to drive people will navigate the organization to even greater success in the future.” 

Commenting on appointment as Chief Business Officer of Acer India Mr. Sudhir Goel said, “I am honored to be appointed Chief Business Officer and excited to lead Acer's Commercial and Consumer business with support from our executive leadership team, as our company shapes the future of our industry. And now with the new normal where we are seeing a paradigm shift in consumer behavior, it is times like these when being effective, innovative and intuitive really makes a difference and I am looking forward to successfully lead both the business groups."

Before joining Acer India, Sudhir started his career in 1985 with DCM Data Products as a Design Engineer and later joined Compaq as National Tech Support Manager for two years. He has done his engineering degree from BITS Pilani and did his MBA from Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University. He is fond of reading both fiction and non-fiction and loves to watch movies in his spare time.