FarEye Logistics Platform To Help Improve Visibility of Deliveries of Amway India

FarEye, a logistics technology solutions firm, has signed a contract with Amway India to help increase the visibility of deliveries of customer orders for the direct selling company.

To begin with, FarEye will provide Amway India with visibility into the order delivery process right from the time products move out of the fulfilment centres until they reach the customer or direct seller with the help of third-party logistics partners (3PL).

As soon as the customer or direct seller places an order for a product, the warehouse team prepares a ready-to-ship package and using FarEye’s platform digitally notifies one of the multiple 3PL partners. Based on the customer's location and an assigned drop-code, the 3PL partner organises delivery to the customer or direct seller location
seamlessly.

The FarEye logistics platform helps 3PL partners with the most efficient routing plan and delivery process. Simultaneously, the delivery teams keep the customer or direct seller engaged by text messaging the status of the shipment through their handheld devices. The device which works well even in 2G environment delivers preset messages indicating shipment location and expected time of delivery.

“We deal with multiple third-party logistics partners and understand that getting real time visibility on the product delivery can be cumbersome. FarEye's technology helps us on this account,” says Diptarag Bhattacharjee, Chief Operating Officer, Amway India.

FarEye's platform lets Amway cut down the delivery cycle time as well as evaluate 3PL partners based on their on-the-ground performance--separating the star performers from the laggards.

“Engaging customer journeys while maintaining costs are crucial for both retailers and e-tailers. To ensure consistent customer experience most retailers are outsourcing logistics. With mobility solutions, retailers can ensure that their 3PL partners are providing the desired experience,” says Kushal Nahata, Co-founder and CEO, FarEye.

FarEye, the logistics technology platform, serves customers in Asia Pacific, Northern Africa, Oceania, South Asia, Western Asia and Europe through its offices in Singapore, Dubai and India.

FarEye’s mobile platform transforms enterprise operations by providing real-time visibility on the field workforce. FarEye’s intuitive dashboard delivers transparency into operations to CXOs who can then better serve their customers. This empowers the enterprises to build a competitive advantage by improving agility.

A user-friendly delivery interface allows a client’s mobile workforce to upload task completion reports, escalate issues and order service parts instantly through
one-touch handheld devices.

FarEye’s route optimization feature coupled with its Business Process Management capability significantly improves the responsiveness of its client companies.

FarEye counts aCommerce, leading e-com service provider in South East Asia; Namshi.com, e-com player from Middle East (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE); Maraxpress, a West Asian e-com firm; Zalora, online fashion retailer spread across Asia Pacific; Australia’s National Product Fulfilment and Belgian postal service TBC Post among others as its customers.

FarEye’s global customers in India--BlueDart-DHL and Walmart among others--helped strengthen its leadership position in express logistics segment with over a million shipments a day.

First Cashless Swayamvar Across Five Cities Using FreeCharge

FreeCharge, in association with Fever 104 FM, hosted India’s first ever cashless Swayamvar as part of ‘Band Bajaa Fever’ Season 3. This is an unique initiative that attempts to make marriages unforgettable, extra-special and cashless with an unparalleled entertainment quotient.

The company also organized a star-studded evening in Namma Bengaluru where the bride to be Pranvesha Kundu chose ‘Sahil Sen’ as her Mr. Right amidst a fun filled night of music, entertainment and competitions.  Suitors were invited to register through online portal or WhatsApp for Band Baaja Fever and at the gala night, the final three contestants battled their way to be the ‘Mr. Right.’

As part of this initiative, cashless weddings were also conducted across Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. In these cities, prospective brides and grooms were invited to participate in Band Bajaa Fever to make the weddings memorable and cashless with FreeCharge. All wedding rites and rituals from Joota Churana to Moohn Dikhayi were all cashless; payments were made and gifts were exchanged through FreeCharge wallet in this unique avatar.

Speaking on the occasion, Kanika Kalra, Vice President – Marketing, FreeCharge said, “At FreeCharge, we are constantly looking at promoting the government of India’s vision of a cashless economy and realized the best way to promote the habit of using digital payments is through ‘weddings’ and in our country weddings involve a heavy amount of money transactions whether it is gifting the couple or paying the vendors, payments are an integral part of marriages. Through Band Bajaa Fever, we wanted to show the possibilities of conducting these transactions through mobile wallets and digital payments at weddings and are very happy to partner with Fever 104 FM for making it a success.”

The event on Saturday night saw an overwhelming participation from the guests, who came to witness the finale and be a part of this innovative initiative by FreeCharge and Fever 104 FM. Celebrities like Shruti Hasan were also in attendance to lend support to the cause of financial digitization and bring awareness to using mobile wallets like FreeCharge.

“Marriages are high indulgence family occasions in India and Fever has always attempted to make them extra special. With our partner FreeCharge, season 3 of Band Baaja Fever takes innovation to another level. Swayamvar on radio is the first ever in the category and with this Fever FM establishes a new milestone in the radio category,” said Harshad Jain, CEO Radio and Entertainment – HT Media Ltd.

Sharing her experience Pranwesha Kundu, “It's been a month-long journey with Band Baaja Fever. I have had so much fun right from the selections to the interactions with the RJs, the nervousness and excitement on the dates, selecting the top 3 out of 5, to the fun games on air, to see the top 3 fighting it out on stage to making the final choice. I am thankful to the organizers for giving me this opportunity to be a part of such an exciting idea like a ‘Swayamvar on air’ and for making this journey so special and memorable for me.”

The winning suitor Sahil Sen said “I loved bonding with the Fever team, fellow suitors and Pranwesha while answering awkward questions, dressing sharp and filmy dialogue rants formed an exciting and fun-filled experience I will not forget.”

Mphasis and DEF Partner to Spearhead Rural India Digital Transformation

True to its brand promise of ‘Unleashing the Next’, Mphasis,  a leading IT services and solutions provider, today announced the launch of a unique initiative in the town of Musiri, Trichy district in Tamil Nadu, to transform the lives of artisans and the weavers’ community in the area. By collaborating with Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), Mphasis is transforming traditional skill-based clusters in the Musiri region into an integrated digitally-enabled cluster to empower artisans, weavers, and entrepreneurs for socio-economic prosperity.

At an event organized in Trichy, Vishesh Nautiyal, Director - South Zone, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and P. Vasu, Dy. Director, Dept. of Handlooms and Textiles, Government of Tamil Nadu virtually inaugurated five digitally connected cluster resource centres in Natrajnagar, Manamedu, Mangalampudur, Paithamparai and Thathiangerpet in Musiri. V. Suryanarayanan, Chief Financial Officer, Mphasis and Osama Manzar, Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation were also present at the event. The cluster resource centres have been set up with an intention to provide physical space, digital infrastructure, and various equipment’s required for the betterment of the cluster community.

The programme also includes development of a ‘Cluster Wireless Network’ which provides the much needed Internet infrastructure for the cluster community. The cluster wireless network model will create an ecosystem by connecting schools, health centres and anganwadi centres in the region. In order to enhance employability, livelihood, income and living conditions of the citizens, the initiative will deploy a ‘Cluster Core Skills Development’ programme along with ‘Cluster Tertiary Skills Development’ to encourage entrepreneurship and self-sustainability of cluster members.

Similarly, the ‘Cluster Enterprise Development’ programme will provide software support for the development of Digital Resource Centre (DRC), enabling digital product designing and processing. In addition, the ‘Cluster Resource Centre’ (CRC) will offer information-based, digital and non-ICT support services for the core and tertiary activities of the cluster. Empowering the members to expand their product reach, the programme also envisions the development of an exclusive e-commerce portal, aiding the cluster community to connect with national and global customers.

“Mphasis is committed to bringing a difference in the lives of people. As our country is on a journey to create a digitally empowered society, Mphasis being a responsible corporate entity decided to contribute significantly within our limit. According to economic statistics, handloom sector is providing the second largest employment after agriculture in our country. Despite being a mass GDP contributor, they are struggling to sustain livelihoods. We partnered with DEF to create a meaningful difference in to the lives of artisans and weavers’ community by modernizing the way they function, live and trade. By doing so, Mphasis is spearheading the much needed digital inclusion of a larger section of our society,” said V. Suryanarayanan, Chief Financial Officer, Mphasis.   

‘’It is essential to digitally empower the rural masses to enable better inclusion with the rest of the country. We are glad to collaborate with Mphasis on this project to transform the lives of a larger part of our rural population and empower them in the digital path. Hundreds of community members have already received digital literacy and we look forward to touching the lives of many more and thus being a part of the larger Digital India vision,’’ Osama Manzar, Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation.

German Engineered SmartWash Set to Revolutionize Indian Bathrooms

Dr. Wiesner Test and Automation, a 50 year veteran of the industrial automation industry has marked its entry into the B2C lifestyle consumer segment through the launch of SmartWash, a range of automated bathroom closet seats. A fusion of precision German engineering and local manufacturing in Bangalore, SmartWash aims to redefine the hygiene, convenience and luxury benchmark in Indian bathrooms.

Available in 4 different variants, SmartWash aims to usher in a distinct shift in our day-to-day bathroom experience. With features like automated water cleansing for both men and women, pulse and water massage and odor control, the SmartWash offers a truly global quality offering at prices tailored to suit Indian budgets. The price range begins at Rs 9999 and consumers will have the choice to purchase their product through the online store or through local stores very soon.

Commenting on this disruptive and ambitious entry into the Lifestyle segment, HK Nagbhushan, Head of Operations and Director, India said, “We have been a pioneer in the industrial automation space for more than 50 years now. This education of creating world class manufacturing led us to the discovery of this product category. Our research shows that the Indian market is ripe for a smart bathroom. The growing urban elite are behind the tremendous demand for improving living standards as they have been exposed to global sensibilities. We estimate a demand of more than 50000 units in the first year alone.”

The SmartWash fits on most current bathroom pots and comes with easy instructions for a quick installation. Users will very soon have an option to avail an installation service with an on-ground channel partner for added convenience. Commenting on the realization of a long standing dream for Dr. Wiesner Test and Automation, Jochen Mὒller, Executive Director and Board Member, said “We are proud of this German Engineered and Made in India product. The team in India gets a lot of credit for having the vision of the product, especially one that touches our personal lives with so much impact. We are manufacturing almost 100% of the product in India itself which gives you an indicator of the technical strength of our Indian engineering and sourcing team.”

Post launch, the team is looking to ramp up production capacity at its Dabaspet facility near Bangalore. There is a strong push to adhere to the ‘Make in India’ theme and they estimate the team strength to quadruple in the next two years. SmartWash has received very positive interest from interior designers and real estate developers that promises to be a high volume growth area for the brand. The company has plans to enhance their lifestyle category product line in the near future with products like air purifiers and nebulizers under development. 

Mahindra Supro Brings Out 11 New Passenger and Cargo Vehicles in Diesel, CNG and Electric Variants.

Mahindra n Mahindra Ltd., a part of the US $17.8 billion Mahindra Group, today introduced 7 new products simultaneously under its Supro platform. The company launched 4 new variants of its stylish and spacious Passenger carrier, namely Supro Minivan, Supro Minivan VX, Supro Minivan CNG and Supro School Van and 3 new variants of its modern load carrier, Supro Minitruck, Supro Minitruck CNG and Supro Cargo Van. Priced competitively, the Supro Minivan starts at Rs. 4.61 lac (ex-showroom Bengaluru, BS4) while the Supro Minitruck starts at Rs. 4.33 lac (ex-showroom Bengaluru, BS4).

Today, the Supro platform boasts India’s widest range of Passenger and Cargo vehicles with 11 offerings which are available in Diesel, CNG and Electric Variants.

In the small commercial load category, the company expanded its range with the launch of Supro Minitruck, Supro Minitruck CNG and Supro Cargo Van, additions to the already existing Supro Maxitruck, making it a complete range of powerful, profitable Small Cargo vehicles.

In the passenger category, the company expanded its range with the launch of the Supro Minivan, Minivan VX, Supro Minivan CNG and Supro School Van to the already existing Supro, resulting in it a complete range of spacious, comfortable Minivans.

The Supro platform was conceptualised to effectively cater to the needs of multiple segments in the passenger and cargo movement categories, while delivering a superior value proposition.

Speaking on the launch, Pravin Shah, President and Chief Executive (Automotive), Mahindra n Mahindra said, “As the leader in the small commercial vehicle load segment with a market share of 51% in less than 3.5T category, we are always aiming to understand and address the evolving needs of our customers. The roll out of an entire range of 7 new variants from the Supro platform with their superior value proposition is a strong step in this direction.”

Shah further added, “The Supro brand is synonymous with Superior performance, Superior operating economics, Superior style and Superior comfort. With the launch of the Supro Minitruck and Minivan, we will further strengthen our portfolio under the “Supro” brand umbrella. I am sure that the Supro platform will go a long way in helping our customers prosper in life, in line with our Mahindra Rise philosophy”.

Built at Mahindra’s state-of-the-art plant in Chakan, Maharashtra, the Supro platform has undergone rigorous and full test cycle runs and has been validated on all performance, safety and reliability parameters. It also comes with a class-leading warranty of 2 years/60,000km (whichever comes earlier).

At the launch of the Supro platform in October 2015, the company had introduced two products, namely the Supro Maxitruck (aimed at customers upgrading from the mini truck segment) and the Supro Van (aimed at Personal, Dual usage and Low end Tour and Travel customers). In October 2016, two more variants, namely the eSupro Van and the eCargo Van were launched.

Sasken Communication Technologies Limited Renamed to Sasken Technologies Limited to Reflect its Broad Range of Services

Sasken Technologies Limited, (formerly Sasken Communication Technologies Limited), announced that it has changed its name to Sasken Technologies Limited effective February 14, 2017 to reflect its broad range of services.

The Company had earlier changed its name from Silicon Automation Systems Limited to Sasken Communication Technologies Limited in 2000 in order to cater to the growing opportunities in the telecommunication space around the world. Today, the nexus of forces such as computing, communications, mobility, cloud, social media and analytics has transformed communications into a core ingredient across all business verticals. Sasken’s expertise therefore now serves businesses ranging from automotive, smart devices and wearables, industrials, enterprises, satellite, and retail, among others. Therefore, Sasken’s new name is a true reflection of its current vast opportunity landscape.

Rajiv C. Mody, Chairman, Managing Director and CEO, Sasken Technologies Limited said, “We see a whole new world unfolding in front of us where new services are getting launched which were hitherto unheard of. The key drivers that are making this difference are advances in silicon, embedded systems, cloud computing, and cognitive technologies.

“Sasken has been at the helm of enabling technologies that touches and betters lives. Over the past two and a half decades, we have enabled our customers to build cutting-edge solutions that have been breakthroughs in their respective markets. We are working with technology leaders to enable cognitive technologies that help define the world of tomorrow in areas such as car, home, wearables and devices, industrials, and retail. We are very proud of our heritage and are continuing to build a new future which is really going to make a difference in the new world we are embarking on.”

IESA Launches Hyderabad Chapter; To Make Hyderabad an ESDM, Aerospace and Defense Hub

IESA, India Electronics and Semiconductor Association the premier trade body representing the Indian Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) industry has announced the launch of their Hyderabad Chapter. The key objectives of setting up an office in Hyderabad is to widen the eco-system, acquire new members and strengthen the supply chain in the region.  This move will boost the electronics, hardware and semiconductor startups and firms in the state with the required support and information. There will also be a large thrust on the Aerospace & Defense manufacturing too.

Telangana contributes to 6% of the electronics production in the country and aims to reach a revenue of more than $10Bn and provide employment to 1.75L citizens. The Telangana Government is planning to make Hyderabad as the hub of ESDM and is pursuing to attract investments into the two ESDM clusters at e-City Manufacturing Cluster and Maheshwaram Science Park. With a view to facilitating investments in the electronics manufacturing industry, IESA has gearing up to strengthen operations in Telengana this year.

Excited with this announcement, K. Krishna Moorthy, Chairman, IESA said, “This is a proud moment for us as we have now expanded our presence across the major technology hubs of the nation. With this launch, we now have an even more strengthened support to bring India into the global radar for manufacturing innovation. Several policy initiatives have been approved in last few months which include providing very attractive financial investment in electronics manufacturing and providing preference to domestically manufactured electronic goods in all Government procurement as well as all those electronic goods whose use has security implications for the country. This expansion has put us in the right path for the fulfilment of our objectives and aiding the government of India to digitally empower the nation. We are certain that, with the right mix of trained professionals and regional expertise we will make our vision of making India the global hub for innovation a successful reality very soon.”

Spearheading and strengthening ties with the local industry, MosChip Semiconductor has joined hands with IESA. Speaking at the launch of the IESA Hyderabad chapter, Ram Reddy, CEO and  Chairman, Moschip Semiconductor, said “We are delighted to be a member company of IESA Hyderabad. We strongly believe that this collaboration will be an impetus to start-ups and engineering/ research students to promote the country’s top design engineers and buyers with the best degree of technical knowhow and help bring the Government and ecosystem together on the same platform.”

Commenting on this move, M.N. Vidyashankar, President, IESA added, “We are delighted to announce the launch of the new IESA Chapter in Hyderabad. We need to improve the supply chain. We could achieve innovation-led design in the semiconductor space. But, what we lack is design-led-manufacturing. With the recently announced Chennai chapter and this launch, we have further expanded our reach to enrich the supply chain and make significant inroads in making the country the next manufacturing hub. We strongly believe that this expansion will fast-forward our operations and enable us to achieve the common goal of giving a boost to design-led-manufacturing.”

Forthcoming events from IESA:

This year, Hyderabad will be the host city for DEFTRONICS 2017, the fourth edition of the annual Aerospace, Defence & Internal security focused event. This will be an additional fillip to the Aerospace & Defence sectors. The Indian Aerospace and Defence industry is one of the most lucrative industries with a booming market and an ocean of opportunities for engineering design and manufacturing companies. India’s current requirements on defence are largely catered to by imports. The Global OEM and Indian companies alike are keen to leverage the opportunity of defence contracts, which reflects the success of initiatives like ‘Make in India’

IESA Vision Summit 2017

The 12^th edition its annual flagship event, IESA Vision Summit 2017. Powered with global and Indian audiences to discover, innovate and bring together a stellar line-up of thought leaders & robust speakers. Scheduled on February 21 and 22 at The Leela, Bangalore, it aims to steer India closer to its goal of Design led Manufacturing – Redefining the future of India’s ESDM.

Telangana is the hub of Electronics Manufacturing Clusters with Districts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak being the base for the state. With an aim to give a fillip to the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector of Andhra Pradesh, the India SME Forum has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the State government for two industrial parks and an incubation centre in the State. As part of this, an industrial park for multi-sectoral MSME units is being proposed to be set up either at Vijayawada or at Visakhapatnam or Tirupati. As favourable Government policies and conducive growth opportunities exist in the state, Telangana became as one of the most preferred destination for the IESA’s expansion.