Next Gen Ashok Leyland School Bus – Sunshine and New MiTR Launch in Bengaluru

Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja Group, and the country’s largest Bus manufacturer, today launched the much-awaited Sunshine and the new MiTR in Bengaluru. Sunshine is an ideal combination of safety and comfort designed to make school bus journeys happy and memorable. The New MiTR is a safe and modern school bus in Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment. 

Sharing his views on these new products, Vinod K. Dasari, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Ashok Leyland Ltd. said, “With the brand promise of Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet, we at Ashok Leyland have always believed in setting new benchmarks in everything that we do. Sunshine and MiTR are very special to us and they will set new benchmarks in the school transport sector. Children are the nation’s future and to ensure that their travel to and from school is stress-free, it becomes imperative that we completely re-look at their mode of transport. Sunshine reflects the happy world of children while at the same time revolutionizing safety through a host of features such as frontal crash protection, rollover compliant design and anti-bacterial interiors. Both Sunshine and MiTR are shaped by technology and expertise of global standards that will transform the daily commute of children making journeys safer and more comfortable.”

Commenting on Sunshine, T. Venkataraman, Senior Vice President, Global Buses, Ashok Leyland said, “Being the largest bus manufacturer in India and the fourth largest in the world, we believe in setting industry benchmarks. At Ashok Leyland, our core philosophy behind each product is to modernise the industry and taking this thought forward we are launching Sunshine today. Sunshine is a result of extensive feedback from all our stakeholders – including children, parents, drivers and customers - and an immersive study into the lives of all these stakeholders. For the first time we had children and parents visit our R&D centre and share their feedback on what an ideal school bus means for them. We complemented this with Jury Appraisals by customers to factor in their voices as well. Sunshine has been crafted after in-depth research and analysis of over 3,000+ stakeholder voices to offer industry-leading features for its occupants, to provide our customers with economical transport solutions, and to deliver on its brand promise of safe journeys, happy memories.”

Speaking at New MiTR launch, Nitin Seth, President - Light Commercial Vehicles, Ashok Leyland, said, “We are delighted to present this Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment bus, the ‘MiTR’ from Ashok Leyland. After introducing the PARTNER earlier this month, this is our second launch in the LCV within a month. With multiple seat options and best-in-class features, MiTR will add strength to our fast-expanding LCV portfolio. We will continue to delight our customers with contemporary products that deliver best-in-class user experience, coupled with exceptional efficiency. In the coming months, we will pursue our expansion of LCV portfolio very aggressively and intend to have a similar leadership position in this segment as we have in M&HCV.”

Racold Launches Italian Designed ANDRIS Range of Water Heaters Priced Rs.7630 Onwards

V Ramnath, Managing Director, Ariston Thermo India Private Limited unveiled a new range of electric storage water heaters ‘Andris’ under the brand Racold.

Designed by renowned Italian Designer Umberto Palermo, Andris a premium designed water heater is meant to enhance aesthetic of the bath space. The path breaking design is already successful in Vietnam and South East Asia market and is set to be the much awaited product of the year in India.

Andris has a titanium enamel coating on its inner tank which provides durability even in the harshest of water conditions. Andris has a minimalistic design which is a perfect balance of geometry and style. The combination of compact design and thick PUF insulation makes it highly energy efficient is validated by the 5 star rating from BEE. Andris is rated 8 bar enabling it to withstand high pressure, making it suitable for high rise buildings.

V Ramnath, Managing Director, Ariston Thermo India Private Ltd. said, “There is an emerging trend for designer bathrooms. Bathrooms are no longer just a utility space, just like a house or a living room is an extension of one’s identity and is seen as a reflection of one’s taste, choices and personality. We continue to set benchmarks in the industry by introducing innovative, state-of-the-art technology and aesthetically designed products every year. The new offering bears testimony to our ability of constantly offering innovative and customized solutions based on consumer insights. We continue to invest and look at opportunities on how to expand the category. Our endeavor going forward will be to focus on consumer backed innovation, distribution, after sales service and world class manufacturing”.

Andris will be available in capacities of 10, 15 and  25 liters across two variants Andris Lux and Andris Lux Plus. With prices starting from Rs. 7,630 the product will be available for consumers across India.

‘Technology Push to Aid Digital Economy’ - Union Budget 2017-18

Budget Reactions 2017

Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India says, “The Finance Minister has presented a balanced budget, underlined by the continued push to using technology to aid a digital economy. As India strengthens its position on the global map, the need for skilled youth is crucial. The budget’s focus on extending market relevant training for the youth and setting up 100 international skill centers across the country, is a positive move. The emphasis on science and technology for students, and launch of SWAYAM, will further empower India’s youth for the future. I am glad to witness the increasing focus on cybersecurity, which is critical to securing the economy’s digital transformation. The reduction of corporate tax for MSMEs is a welcome move and will boost the economic growth. The momentum in the implementation of GST is promising and I look forward to seeing it unfold in the coming months.” 

Krish Iyer, President and CEO Walmart India says, “The Union Budget 2017 is a game changer and continues to rightly focus on rural, agriculture and infrastructure sector with an aim to give boost to formal economy.  The planned investment in these sectors will not only create much needed jobs in the country but also spur consumer spending and boost economic growth. Fiscal deficit too has been contained very well.

The continued focus on ease of doing business with several measures such as abolishing FIPB, 'Model law on contract farming', Simplification of Labour laws under four areas – wages, industrial relation, social security and welfare and Safety -  augurs very well for the economy. Major income tax relief in the lowest bracket is laudable as it will bring back consumer confidence and boost domestic consumption. 

The measures announced to boost the manufacturing sector are commendable. Rewarding MSMEs by reducing rate of income tax will further boost `Make in India’; Proposal to set up dairy processing fund will boost food processing while increased allocation to schemes such as MSIPS will boost the electronics sector. Rural sector gets a boost with increased allocation to MNREGA.

The agenda for the year to `transform, energise and clean India’ is indeed noteworthy. Government's commitment to lift 1 crore people out of poverty by 2019 is commendable.

Government's steps to promote digital economy post demonetisation are very logical and will boost formal economy.

Overall, this is a very good budget. Adherence to fiscal discipline, with emphasis on growth, development, increasing infrastructural and rural spending, and encouraging formal economy are key aspects of the budget.

Besides, there is focus on timely implementation and execution effective April 1 2017 as the Budget has been brought forward by one month, and combining Railway budget with Union Budget is a historic move.

Rostow Ravanan, CEO and MD, Mindtree says,“Several measures introduced in the 2017 Union Budget are an important step towards building India into an important digital economy. This budget has made special provisions to ensure greater financial growth, with emphasis on enhancing cybersecurity in finance, and bringing greater coordination and transparency between departments. The Computer Emergency Response Scheme is a great initiative which will smoothen coordination between finance regulators. The push to drive adoption of mobile and an Aadhaar-enabled payment system will help bring in greater financial inclusion amongst citizens.

Additionally, IT exemption for start-ups will help reduce income tax for smaller companies with a turnover less than Rs 50 crore, which we believe will significantly improve the ease of doing business for smaller businesses and start-ups in India. There has also been a revision in personal income tax rates which will boost consumption to some extent.

The new budget has also made provisions to raise India’s innovation quotient, through the setting up of an innovation fund to encourage and fuel innovation amongst youth. The budget’s focus on making education more accessible to educationally backward blocks, along with the steps taken to ramp up the Skill India Mission will also help in maximizing the potential and capabilities of youth in the country.”

Rishi Bhatnagar, President, Aeris says, “Overall a very positive budget. Reduction of corporate tax rates from 30% to 25% for MSME firms will definitely encourage investors and corporates. Some of the steps taken will definitely increase foreign direct investment and lead to employment generation which will be good for country.”

Surendra Singh – Country Director, Forcepoint says, “We appreciate and welcome the Finance Minister’s announcement on setting up a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for the financial sector made today during Union Budget  2017. It reaffirms Digital India’s long term commitment towards securing consumer’s against cyber frauds. We believe that this initiative will help to strengthen security of the financial sector amid the increasing incidents of cyber frauds thereby protecting the consumers of various financial institutions”.

Indian Leisure Tourists Going to South Africa on the Rise Every Fiscal

Spending by Indian travellers in South Africa has crossed ZAR 1.1 billion (Rs 551 crore) with 81,429 arrivals by the end of the third quarter, a growth of 27%.

Addressing reporters at the South African Tourism Trade Delegation roadshow here in Bangalore, SA Tourism India country manager Hanneli Slabber said, “Overall, average spend per leisure traveller from India was placed at ZAR 150,000 (Rs 5,90,000), indicating that South Africa attractsavarietyofpocket sizes.”

“We want to sustain this growth,and also attract return travellers. Going forward, we would focus on increasing the geographical scope of the market — our biggest sources are Mumbai and Delhi, followed by Bengaluru and Chennai at present,”Hanneli added.

The average number of nights by Indian tourists in South Africa now stands at 11 for leisure, and 19 for business, with the ‘Rainbow Nation’ attracting scores of Indian travelers wanting to soak in adventure, culture, wildlife, cricket and history, among other interests.

RS Components India to Grow Online Business to 50 Percent Over Next Few Years

By Manu Sharma
Global industrial component and electronic products distributor R S Components is all set to expand its online trading platform in India from the existing 30 percent to 50 percent over the next three to five years.

After 24 years of operations in India, the UK-headquartered firm has announced a sum of Rs 15 million primarily to support electronic design engineers and small quantities buyers over the next few years. The company is also strengthening its online market by making the platform more robust, secure and expand its operations in India.

Speaking to the media, Keith Rice, Head of Emerging Markets, RS Components Worldwide said, “We have a very strong online market globally and sell almost $2 billion electric components online. Infact, we sell about 70% i.e. $1 billion of our products online through our portal. However, in India most of our customers surf our website for our products, inquire online via customer support/helpline but when it comes to buying they still prefer offline. This has been the trend in India for a very long time, but is slowly changing. Today about 30 percent is sold online in India and intend to grow this market to 50 percent over the next few years. We are also focusing on IoT, Medical Electronics and Aeronautics, Automotive to expand."

Shiv Bhambri, Chief Executive Officer, R S Components and Control India said, “We have major customers like the Indian defence - Army, Navy and the Airforce as our major customers and as you are aware they still purchase products offline. Likewise few others also prefer the offline mode of payment. Now through DesignSpark events, RS plans to increase the digital awareness among the communities."

The company has opened a new office of 2,000 sqft of space in Whitefield, the hub for IT and ITes companies in Bangalore. “This is mainly because we have 6.5 lakh products and over 10,000 customers in India and that's reason moved to a new location closer to the IT hub, adds Bhambri.

RS in India has a diverse ranges including process control and automation, electrical consumables, electronic components, information technology, health and safety, mechanical products, office equipment and semiconductors.

The new Bangalore Centre will have technical marketing and support teams, specialized sales force that will focus on specific industry verticals like IoT, Medical Electronics, Aeronautics, Automotive among others,

Boeing Announces Launch of Engineering & Technology Center in Bangalore; To Employ Hundreds of Engineers In India

Boeing has announced the formal launch of the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC) in Bangalore. Hundreds of local Boeing employees will work to support Boeing – including Information Technology and Data Analytics, Engineering, Research and Technology, and Test. BIETC will leverage a talented pool of employees to increase productivity and long-term competitiveness to support Boeing’s engineering growth in strong global markets like India. 

“When we look for regions of competitiveness for the company around the world, we look at building cost, capability and market access advantages,” said Pratyush Kumar, president for Boeing India. “In India we see a true path towards a mutual partnership for success, and the launch of BIETC is a major step in that direction.”  

“The BIETC and the talented people who work here are strengthening Boeing’s efforts to innovate, compete and win by providing contributions in key technology areas that make our products and services more capable and more valuable,” said Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief technology officer, and senior vice president, Boeing Engineering, Test and Technology.

“Boeing IT has been working in India with Tier-1 suppliers for many years,” said Ted Colbert, Boeing chief information officer and senior vice president, Information and Analytics. “The new center is instrumental in promoting the digital transformation of Boeing by utilizing India’s talent seamlessly with our U.S. teams.”

With a mix of technically proficient engineers, BIETC will undertake high quality technology-driven work to support areas as diverse as the development of advanced environment friendly coatings, data analytics for next generation Airplane Health Management tools, software tools for airlines and airports to improve their operations and reduce costs, automation for more efficient next-generation manufacturing, systems, infrastructure and analytics.

RS Components Sets Up New Electronic Center in Bangalore; To Focus on IoT, Medical Electronics & Aeronautics, Automotive

RS Components, the world’s largest distributor of electronics and maintenance products today announced the opening of their innovation hub, a  new  ‘Electronic Centre’ in Bangalore. The high service level supplier of electronic components and tools plans to invest close to $ 15 million over the next two to five years at the Bangalore centre.

The new 2000 Sq feet office in the heart of Bangalore has been set up to support electronic design engineers and manufacturers in the region. The compay also plans to set up a warehouse which will enable RS Components to undertake “next day delivery” to its customers.

The Bangalore Centre will have technical marketing and support teams, specialized sales force that will focus on specific industry verticals like IoT, Medical Electronics, Aeronautics, Automotive and RnD sector.

Speaking at the launch of the Electronic Centre, Keith Rice, Head of Emerging Markets, RS Components Worldwide said, “Our Electronic Centre at Bangalore is a great opportunity to bespeak RS’ strong value proposition in the light of our technical expertise and tailor made solutions that create a huge difference in the day-to-day life of a design engineer.”

Talking about the potential of the Indian market and RS India’s growth Keith Rice added, “RS envisages India as one of the most promising and high potential markets. The pace at which the RS India story is accelerating will soon turn out to be a significant advantage for them on a global landscape.”

Shiv Bhambri, CEO RS Components India, further added, “The Bangalore Electronic Centre is a reflection of the strong Indian ESDM market, as well as the continued growth of the Indian operations of RS Components, which has been a part of the electronics design and manufacturing story in India for the past 20 years.”

Explaining the reason for setting up such a large operation in the city Bhambri said, “Bangalore has emerged as a major global EDSM hub and recognised as the RnD capital of India. Most of the Global Industries and PSUs in strategic electronics have their manufacturing facilities and R&D centres in Karnataka. Therefore it was important for RS Components in India to further expand it’s Electronics focused set-up in Bangalore.”

On the role of the Bangalore office in supporting the local ESDM community, Bhambri said, “The Electronic Centre at Bangalore will be key to RS Components goal of providing technical training and assistance to Design engineers and students. The engagements with design engineers will influence and drive our electronics business which is targeted for high double digit growth in near future”

RS will offer value added services to the design community in and around Bangalore including: Organizing workshops on new technologies and solutions; Running training programs for EDE and Academia Holding engineer meet ups; New product launches in collaboration with suppliers, among others

The team at the Bangalore office will also be actively involved in building up the design engineering community through DesignSpark.com. DesignSpark provides its community of over five lakh engineers with free access to design tools like DesignSparkPCB, DesignSparkMechanical and DesignSparkElectrical.

RS In India

Elaborating on RS Components unique value proposition to Indian manufacturers Bhambri says, “The key to our strategy is that we are a high-service level distributor. No order is too small, as we believe in supporting every aspect of the business from concept to preproduction. He further says, “We offer our customers a choice over 500,000 products from 2500 leading brands along with technical datasheets to help them make an informed buying decision.”

With e-commerce at the heart of its business strategy, RS India has one of the most advanced transactional website offering benefits like parametric search and around 5000 new product introductions every month.

“We offer the broadest range of semis, passives, electro mechanical components, test and measurement equipment and quintessential tools to support every design engineers’ job. We are committed to provide value add solutions to electronic design engineers at every stage of design life cycle from concept to pre-production,” concludes Bhambri.