Powered By Microsoft Azure, Blue Yonder Is Enabling Businesses To Build Intelligent Supply Chains And Reduce Carbon Footprint

Making environment friendly and cost-efficient supply chains a reality, Blue Yonder’s AI-powered logistics platform – Luminate Control Tower – is enabling businesses to deliver the right product at the right place and at the right time while reducing their carbon footprint. Luminate Control Tower is an AI-powered supply chain logistics platform built on Microsoft Azure which helps organizations have a positive environmental impact as well as save costs. Abiding by the philosophy that – ‘a better supply chain means a better planet’ – the platform optimizes transportation routes that directly impact the fuel costs, carbon credits, and other related sustainability objectives. The platform identifies and resolves potential disruptions with delayed deliveries and increase in carbon emissions to company supply chains.

Luminate Control Tower uses Microsoft Azure to help customers gain better visibility of their supply chain, and identify untapped opportunities for businesses. It does so by considering past sales trends, conducting competitor analysis, and analyzing overall economic impact of factors such as local festivals or a global pandemic—anything that can impact supply, manufacturing, or demand.

“Our goal is to help our customers save US$100 billion worth of value from savings and efficiency by 2025. Azure’s built-in tools enable us to process huge amounts of data in a short timeframe and we’re leveraging those services to be able to quickly run scenarios and come back with outputs. With Azure, we were able to help our customers create what-if scenarios and take informed decisions during unprecedented events like COVID-19 pandemic and the Suez Canal blockage and deliver real-time visibility into the supply chains of high-priority clients.” said Vishal Dhawan, group vice president, Asia Pacific, Blue Yonder.

Many organizations turned to Blue Yonder for solutions during COVID-19 to help with global supply chain disruptions, which caused an acute shortage of several products globally. Using Microsoft Azure, Blue Yonder enabled businesses to prepare alternate plans of production, storage, and distribution, thereby minimizing the impact of lockdowns and other restrictions. During the lockdowns, trucks carrying raw material and final goods could not move about freely. Using Blue Yonder’s tools, they could get access to real-time information about restrictions and suggestions about alternate routes. Similarly, if a supplier was in a containment zone, their tools suggested alternate suppliers to their customers.

The Suez Canal blockage, earlier this year, was another event that impacted logistics and supply chains around the world. During the blockage, Blue Yonder was tracking over 200 containers with US$ 500 million worth of products on 30-odd vessels. With the world’s most vital shipping route blocked for nearly a week, Blue Yonder set up a cross functional team to actively monitor the situation. They gathered this real-time information through several sources or feeds, including daily news, weather updates, sensors installed on containers, and GPS. Using Luminate Control Tower, Blue Yonder was able to predict the arrival date of the customers’ goods at the intended port and notify on delays that customers faced. They were also able to show the impact of the delay on the production capacities, sales, and eventually on the lives of their customers’ customers in real time.

Over 3,000 companies currently use Blue Yonder’s services. The Luminate Control Tower currently offers customers visibility, prediction, and prescriptions for their supply chains. Going forward, the company plans to create autonomous supply chains. Using Luminate Control Tower, Blue Yonder can not only predict and prescribe to their customers ways to build a more robust supply chain, but also helps execute that plan.

AU Small Finance Bank Signs MoU With NABARD For Ongoing Rural Development In Rajasthan

* Convergence of ongoing programmes of NABARD with credit facilities of AU Small Finance Bank for rural development 

* To benefit stakeholders like farmers, artisans, agriculture start-ups etc. in Rajasthan  

AU Small Finance Bank announced that the bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) to boost ongoing rural developmental initiatives in the state of Rajasthan. 

The MoU envisages joint initiatives for the benefit of farmers, farmer producer organisations, Self Help Groups (SHG), Joint Liability Groups (JLG), rural artisans, agri-preneurs, agri start-ups, etc., in the State.  

The MOU was executed by Shri. Jaideep Srivastava, Chief General Manager- Rajasthan, NABARD and Shri. Sanjay Agarwal, MD and CEO, AU Small Finance Bank in the presence of Dr. G.R.Chintala, Chairman, NABARD.  

On the occasion, Shri. Sanjay Agarwal, MD and CEO, AU Small Finance Bank said, “The collaboration between NABARD and AU Bank would enhance rural prosperity through the convergence of institutional lending & ongoing development initiatives. This association would further give impetus to lending in the state especially in areas pertaining to agriculture and rural development.” 

Shri. Jaideep Srivastava, Chief General Manager, NABARD, said “The collaboration between NABARD and AU Small Finance Bank is a significant step towards empowering the rural segments with easy access to credit. With signing of this MoU both NABARD and AU Bank will reach greater heights in term of overall development of rural areas in Rajasthan.” 

Photo Caption: Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, MD & CEO, AU Small Finance Bank, Dr. G.R.Chintala, Chairman, NABARD & Shri. Jaideep Srivastava, Chief General Manager, NABARD .

Blue Dart Announces General Price Increase From January 1, 2022

* Customers signing up from October 01st to December 31st 2021 will not be impacted by the price increase.  

Blue Dart Express Limited, South Asia's premier express air and integrated transportation and distribution express logistics company announced its General Price Increase (GPI), effective from January 1st 2022. The average shipment price increase will be 9.6% as compared to 2021, dependant on the shipping profile. 

Blue Dart prides itself on its future-ready solutions and has ensured that all its customers are provided with exceptional service quality despite the pandemic; an attribute that is benchmarked by the express logistics provider in the industry. In order to continue providing a resilient, reliable and efficient solution to customers, Blue Dart adjusts its prices annually, taking into account inflation, currency dynamics, fuel cost fluctuations, rising regulatory costs and other mandatory costs, such as expenses related to compliance for the workforce with enhanced security regulations across 35,000+ locations it services. 

Commenting on the announcement, Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart said, “Over the last year and a half, innovation, adoption of technology, agility of our systems and our workforce, have all showcased the resiliency of the Blue Dart brand. Our persistent need to consistently update our systems and processes, has ensured that we remain one step ahead of the curve even during unprecedented times. We need to always trouble-shoot for potential challenges today in order to guarantee a satisfied customer at all times. Annual increase is more inflation related and enables us to sustain service quality and cost increases. At the same time, we also try to make a significant contribution to improving our environmental footprint and remain a Sustainable Provider of Choice.”   

Ketan Kulkarni, CMO & Head - Business Development, Blue Dart adds, “Blue Dart has thrived during the pandemic and continues to remain cautious yet optimistic on the way forward. Automation and technology have always been major pivots of our business, not only to ensure customer satisfaction, but also to make sustainable choices that secure a future for the generations of tomorrow. Our innovation will continue to remain persistent to provide customers with only the best in class services with future ready technologies.” 

As a Provider of Choice for leading organisations in the country across sectors such as eCommerce, Lifesciences & Healthcare, Automobiles, Consumer Electronics, Banking / Financial Services & Insurance; Blue Dart is committed to continuously invest in technology, automation & infrastructure in order to offer solutions that are industry benchmarks and at par with global standards. 

India’s Appetite For Plots Is Growing With Current Demand Almost At Par With Apartments: Magicbricks Consumer Survey

* 36 % of the respondents voted for apartments while 34% have voted for plots

* Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Lucknow see maximum demand

* Demand primarily in the range of 900 sqft – 1800 sqft

India’s appetite for plots has been growing at a rapid pace, resulting in a significant demand rise that today stands almost at par with that for apartments, reveals the latest Magicbricks Consumer Survey.

As per the survey - ‘What type of property are you planning to buy in 2021?’ - apartments were the most preferred choice with 36% respondents voting for it, while plots emerged as the second most preferred asset with 34% votes. Around 20% of the respondents voted for independent houses and 10% for villas.

Post-Covid consumer trends on Magicbricks suggest that the demand for plots has been on the rise as home buyers look for more space to accommodate the rising needs for a home office. Residential markets with big infrastructure projects such as metro, airport, highway, and rail connectivity are witnessing a huge demand for plots. Demand on Magicbricks reflects that Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Lucknow have been witnessing the maximum demand. In terms of maximum supply, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Gurgaon, and Pune top the charts.

In terms of localities, Yamuna Expressway (Greater Noida), Vishweshwaraiah Layout (Bangalore), Sultanpur Road (Lucknow), Mokila (Hyderabad), and Shamshabad (Hyderabad) have been witnessing a rise in demand. Shadnagar (Hyderabad), Yamuna Expressway (Greater Noida), Devanahalli (Bangalore), Sultanpur Road (Lucknow), and Sangareddy (Hyderabad) are the localities with maximum supplies.

Commenting on the trend, Mr. Sudhir Pai, CEO, Magicbricks, said, “Over the last 12 months, we have seen a demand surge for larger configuration homes necessitated by the fact that home buyers are now either looking to buy or upgrade to higher configuration homes due to the continuance of Work from Home (WFH) policies. We have witnessed that most of the demand for plots has been in the range of 900 sqft to 1800 sqft. Property seekers today are looking for authenticity while searching for plots, and more than 30% of the supply on our platform are approved by local authorities, assuring our customers with a sense of security. Our plots category offers exclusive access to credible information and latest updates that would enable buyers take an informed and a smart investment decision.”

Magicbricks has curated the largest collection of authority approved plots across more than 65 key corridors in the residential markets of Delhi NCR, Mumbai and MMR, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, and Kolkata. The corridors have been carefully selected keeping in mind the availability and significant growth potential about connectivity, economic, and social infrastructural development.

A diagram of a building

Description automatically generated with low confidenceMagicbricks’ research team has conducted a thorough research of 100 Investment hotspots across all the 65 key corridors. For each of these hotspots, the growth drivers and the pros/cons are listed out clearly to help buyers take an informed decision. Plot seekers rare also provided credible information and latest updates that help them conduct an in-depth research and make a smart decision, thus making it a seamless experience and reducing plots search from months to minutes.

Those planning to buy a plot need to carefully budget, keeping in mind the total cost of land, taxes, stamp-duty, and registration charges. The buyers also needs to get the construction map approved through government authorities, hire a contractor, and arrange funds for any emergency. All these challenges can be overcome by using Magicbricks, wherein one can get personalised assistance through plot experts, plot vlogs and expert talks and stand assured with credible advice and trusted expertise.

The World Economic Forum Welcomes Western Digital To Prestigious Global Lighthouse Network

 

* Western Digital’s smart facilities in Malaysia and Thailand are the first Lighthouses to be accepted in these countries

* Award recognizes leadership in scaling innovation with next-gen manufacturing technologies

* Facilities deploy artificial intelligence and automation technologies to achieve new levels of sustainability and efficiency across the production chain

* Western Digital CEO, David Goeckeler, to participate in Global Lighthouse Network - Lighthouses Live event Sept. 29, 2021

Today, Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) announced the World Economic Forum has named two of its smart factories in Asia to the Global Lighthouse Network, a community of world-leading companies that have succeeded in the adaptation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) at scale. Of the 90 total sites within the World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse network, Western Digital is the first company to receive this distinction for an intelligent factory in Malaysia. Additionally, the company’s Thailand facility is the first in the country to be recognized as an end-to-end (E2E) Lighthouse for accelerating digital transformation and augmenting human performance at scale.

“Today’s recognition by the WEF Lighthouse Network is an honor and a testament of our leadership efforts in 4IR with both technology innovation and workforce engagement,” said David Goeckeler, CEO, Western Digital. “In a world that is increasingly technology-enabled and technology-dependent, we understand that the responsibility we have to the future of industry has never been more critical. As the world’s leading data infrastructure provider, and we are committed to enabling sustainable growth and transformation across our facilities around the world to deliver value to our customers, employees, and partners.”

Western Digital applied the technology innovations it enables for customers each day – artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, advanced analytics and the Internet of Things – to achieve transformational change at its facilities in Penang, Malaysia and Prachinburi, Thailand.

With an increase in flash memory demand of more than 2X, stringent quality requirements and the need to optimize costs, Western Digital’s factory in Penang, Malaysia embarked on lights-out manufacturing journey based on Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. By automating production and logistics, they were able to deliver 32% factory cost improvement and transition to build-to-order with intelligent planning system, thereby reducing product inventory and order lead time by 50%.

In Prachinburi, Thailand, with rapidly growing demand, rigorous quality requirements and cost pressure for hard disk drive (HDD), Western Digital leveraged connectivity and advanced analytics technologies to transform a capacity-saturated manufacturing site into a digital operation system with real-time visibility in suppliers, production, logistics and customers and data-based insights and predictions, ultimately increasing factory output by 123%, avoiding 30% in procurement and production costs, and reducing product return rate by 43%.

“Increased global concern for environmental impact has made sustainability a must-have to maintain business viability,” said Francisco Betti, Head of Shaping the Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains, World Economic Forum. “The selected Sustainability Lighthouses make it clear that by realizing the potential of 4IR technologies in manufacturing, companies can unlock new levels of sustainability in their operations and explore a win-win solution: greater operational competitiveness while simultaneously making commitments to environmental stewardship, leading in a cleaner, more sustainable future as a result.” 

Western Digital is committed to its sustainability effort, and this presents a great opportunity to collaborate with WEF on this new frontier.

The Lighthouse Award is provided by the Global Lighthouse Network (GLN), a World Economic Forum (WEF) initiative in collaboration with McKinsey & Company that brings together the most advanced manufacturing facilities setting new benchmarks in productivity, sustainability, agility, speed to market, and customization. The award honors manufacturing sites that have achieved outstanding business results while decreasing environmental footprint through the adoption of 4IR technologies.  

JK Tyre Partners With FMSCI To Breathe Life Into TSD Rallies Again

* New packaging Provides Breeding Ground for Professional Rallying in India with JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship

JK Tyre, India’s leading tyre manufacturer and pioneer of motorsports in India, has launched JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship, the first-of-its-kind motorsport Nationals that is expected to provide a platform for driving enthusiasts to start their journey into professional rallying.

Ever since the Company got involved in Motorsports, the sole purpose has been to promote, nurture and provide opportunities from grassroots level to the highest echelons of motorsport to enthusiasts. The company has also invested in putting together a step by step motorsport program for budding racers who are interested in taking up motorsport as a career. JK Tyre introduced karting in India that is now the breeding ground for professional racing. Similarly, the JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship will provide the necessary platform for entry into professional rallying.

Run under the aegis of Federation of Motorsport Clubs of India (FMSCI), and backed by JK Tyre the Indian National Regularity Run will be held across 17 cities in the country making it one of the most awaited National Championship of the year with biggest geographical spread.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Head-Motorsport, JK Tyre said, “Promoting motorsports at the grass-root level in India has always been a key priority for JK Tyre. Our idea endeavors to create an eco-system and provide opportunities to motorsport buffs, as always. By launching the JK Tyre FMSCI India National Regularity Run National Championship, we hope to nurture the new generation of rally enthusiasts to get into professional rallying. Our activities and initiatives in the past few years have further strengthened our leadership position in Indian National Rally Championship and we continue our commitment towards building more professional rally drivers.”

Regularity Run is a form of TSD rally, usually conducted on public roads, both clean tarmac and flat dirt tracks which need precise time and average speed on various segments of pre-defined but undisclosed route. Each team comprises of a driver and a navigator will start the run at a fixed interval creating a field that is spread along the route with undisclosed Time Controls. The team with minimum time penalties will win. INRRC will have a Championship Class that will see National champions for 2021, one Navigator, a Driver and the team.

The zonal qualifiers will start on October 1, with the Rally of Bangalore, the first of the five South Zone events while Rally of Chamba, will kick start the other zonal rounds. Another five rounds are scheduled in the East, three in the West and one Central round would complement the North Zone event. The first South Zone round will be flagged off at 8 am at Kanteerava Stadium, in the busy downtown area and travel to the heritage Hampi city in Vijayanagar district. A 10-km run of over 40 vintage cars in the heart of the city are expected to enthrall and popularise the sport among the youngsters.

The final round of INRRC will be the JK Tyre Tri Nation Himalayan Drive in Siliguri which is the biggest motorsport event in Eastern India that traverses through the picturesque regions of Darjeeling, Sikkim, crossing Nepal and culminating at the enigmatic kingdom of Bhutan.

Tata Motors Launches The All-New NRG In Nepal Market

* The new NRG is now available across the Sipradi dealer network in Nepal at 33.75 Lakhs NPR

In partnership with Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd., Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand launched yet another exciting product under its ‘New Forever’ range - the all-new NRG at a starting price of NPR 33.75 Lakhs. A testament of class and style, it is designed specifically for young and dynamic customers seeking a sporty SUV-like performance from their hatchback.

Positioned as the ‘Urban Toughroader’, the NRG is not only enhanced with an aggressive front visage and muscular body but also gives a tough road performance with a higher ground clearance. With a GNCAP 4-star adult safety rating, this vehicle will be launched in 4 attractive colors – Forest Green, Fire Red, Snow White, and Cloudy Grey. The vehicles are now on display and have been made available for test drive across the dealer network of Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd.

Speaking on the launch of the all-new NRG in Nepal, Mr. Mayank Baldi - Head PVIB, Tata Motors, said, “We’re elated to launch the Tata NRG, a rugged version of our much-loved hatchback, in Nepal. With an expressive and bold design - true to its character, the NRG is the ultimate toughroader, crafted for those who want to create a different impression every day every moment. A bold new addition to the New Forever range, the NRG fits well with the increasing trend of bringing more SUV-like characteristics in hatch segment. The all-new NRG is perfectly positioned to give a sporty, adventurous and delightful ride to our customers in Nepal, and we are hopeful for yet another successful reception to this new addition to our product family.”

Commenting on this momentous occasion, Mr. Rajan Babu Shrestha, Chief Executive Officer, Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd., said, “The Tata NRG is a unique and exciting proposition for the Nepalese market, and marks yet another milestone in our thriving partnership with Tata Motors. We are excited to be a part of this journey and we are looking forward to bringing more differentiated products to our customers in Nepal.”

The NRG comes packed with a range of premium features like a push start button, rear parking camera and auto fold ORVM to enhance its overall appeal. An amalgamation of the tough armored exterior and sporty charcoal black interiors, it ensures robust safety and great convenience with enhanced abilities to take over rough terrains. With its 1.2L revotron engine, and manual and AMT transmissions, the NRG is engineered to deliver optimum power and torque for better driving experience. Indeed, a toughroader, for the tough ones.

For more details, refer to adjoining specification sheet or visit our website at https://cars.tatamotors.com/cars/tiago.