jivi Mobiles Unveils ‘Sumo T3000’ with 3600 mAh Battery in Karnataka

jivi Mobiles – the Mobile Division of Magicon Impex Pvt Ltd, - has expanded its portfolio of feature phones with the launch of Sumo T3000 at Rs 1490 in Karnataka. The feature phone has a powerful battery of 3600 mAh that makes phone last up to 50 days (under standard operating conditions) in standby, even with 3600 mAh battery, phone looks slim and stylish. These innovations from jivi further the product philosophy of amalgamation of technology meeting millions of lives.

Pankaj Anand, CEO, jivi Mobiles said “Today we’ve added a new feature phone to our line up in Karnataka with a huge battery that meets the need of people working for long hours. Karnataka is a very important market for us.” 

jivi Mobiles is offering double assurance policy “111 days” replacement warranty & free screen (breakage) replacement on all its feature phone range. The company has also launched a scheme applicable with 5 jivi models namely Sumo T3000, N210, N3270, N4332 and N300. On purchase of any of the model, customer will get free T-shirt worth Rs. 300.

Pankaj Anand, CEO, jivi Mobiles added “We have taken a thoughtful step in catering to the needs of the less privileged section of the society. We are the only company in India to offer the scheme of “double assurance policy” in which our customers are not only secured for 111 days, but also have a replacement for their screens in case it gets broken for any functional reason.”

jivi Mobiles revolutionary double assurance policy “111 Days Replacement Policy” has been introduced where in case of functional failures, customer will get replacement, within first 111 days from date of activation/Purchase Bill. This policy is effective from April 15, 2017 i.e. on all handsets which are activated or purchased on or after April 15, 2017.

“Screen Breakage Policy” has been introduced under which customer will be given free screen replacement on all jivi Models, for one time only within first 111 days from date of activation/Purchase Bill. This policy is effective from April 15, 2017 i.e. on all handsets which are activated or purchased on or after Apr 15, 2017.

Sumo T3000 is an innovative product priced at Rs1490 comes with 3600 mAh battery, Dual Sim, 2.8 inch screen size with screen resolution of 240*320 pixels. The device also features like Camera with flash, Vibrator, Bluetooth, FM Radio, Auto call record, Mobile Tracker, Torch Light, Sound record, GPRS, WAP, speed Dial, Calculator, Indian Calendar, Festival List with Tithi Details  , World clock , Ebook  Reader, Schedule  Power On/Off, Power management,  Blacklist, Contacts  Import/Export to Memory Card , Pre Loaded Game, jivi App, Schedule SMS…

Every feature that is present in the feature phone has been made keeping in mind the requirements and understanding the mindset of the people. jivi mobile promises to offer mobility solutions that stand on three firm pillars of On the go Concept (OTG), durable and cost effective products. All jivi products meet Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications. The device would be ‘Made in India’, atour newly opened facility in Mahipalpur.

Anand further added “We are extremely happy to introduce our new device Sumo T3000 to match the needs of people who are constantly supporting us in a big way. The device has a potent battery which will help the people to keep them going when they work tirelessly with all their might. No frills and only right amount of features make this affordable phone a wise choice for people who want to invest their hard earned money on something worth their sweat.”

jivi Mobiles has taken a major step in the direction of realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of ‘Make in India’ by setting up two new facilities with an investment of Rs. 200 crores. jivi Mobile first factory is in Mahipalpur, New Delhi built up on an area of 15000 sq. ft. which would cater to North and East India demand of jivi Mobile phones. Second facility of jivi Mobiles which is located in Lonavla, Maharashtra to cater to the South and Western parts of the country, would be operational in the coming months.

The purpose of setting up these manufacturing facilities is to save on the imports duties and hence cut on the manufacturing cost by 10-15%. We would pass on the benefit to our customers,” said Pankaj Anand.

McCormick & Company Ups 15% Stake to Own 100% of ‘Kohinoor’ Branded Basmati Rice in India

McCormick and Company, Inc., a global leader in flavor, is set to acquire remaining 15% equity ownership in Kohinoor Speciality Foods India Private Limited (KSF), i.e. ‘Kohinoor’ branded Basmati Rice business in India, from Kohinoor Foods Ltd (KFL), thus becoming 100% owner to Indian business of ‘Kohinoor’ branded basmati rice, one of the country’s best basmati rice brand. Earlier in September 2011, McCormick purchased the ‘Kohinoor’ brand and other trademarks along with 85% ownership in KSF.

This development places the company in prime position to accelerate its growth and investments plans in India - ethically, sustainably and with no compromise on its commitment to the highest standards of quality.

McCormick has invested more than $150 million in India since 1994 through four ventures which employ over 2000 people today.

The company’s two joint ventures in South India are equipped with the latest processing technologies and produce high quality spices products for India and international markets.

In 2014, it set up a corporate services entity based out of Gurgaon, India, leveraging on India’s IT talent to serve the company’s global needs.

“As a key emerging market, India presents exciting growth opportunities for McCormick.  We have invested in India continuously for over two decades and are deeply committed to the ‘Kohinoor’ brand in this market. Our goal is to leverage ‘Kohinoor’ brand from a Basmati rice brand to a “Rice and Spice” leader in this market through our passion for flavor” said Malcolm Swift, President of McCormick’s International Business.

Quality to consumers remains a priority and in establishing a stronger operating model, McCormick has ceased operating arrangements with Kohinoor Food Limited and its promoters, by way of an amicable settlement agreement. Both parties have initiated the process to withdraw all legal proceedings.

“Our recent infrastructure enhancements, the building of stronger RnD capabilities at our Food Factory in Haryana and our plan to expand our offerings under the ‘Rice and Spice’ platform are building on our decades of commitment to this market,” said Amit Mehta, Managing Director, Kohinoor Speciality Foods India Private Limited. “We’re here to stay and we are set on our mission to provide the ‘Best quality food products for our Indian consumers’ as we believe India deserves the best”.

Honeywell Selects 17 Indian Students to Train Like An Astronaut At US Space & Rocket Center

Honeywell has announced that 17 Indian children joined 320 students from 45 countries for a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience at the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (HLCA). The unique leadership program was run for two consecutive weeks at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) in Huntsville, Alabama.

Ansh Bhagania, from Pune, who attended HLCA said, “Launching model rockets and flying a fighter jet on a simulator was terrific. I never thought I could do that too. The more interesting part was to meet students of my age from different parts of the world. We are all great friends now. What could be better than this?”  

HLCA aims to encourage excitement and engagement around science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects for students between the ages of 16-18. Activities are delivered in fun and innovative ways to bring STEM studies to life.

“The act of bringing this global Honeywell community together with Space Camp allows these students to plan for a future of improving life on our planet and beyond,” said Dr. Deborah Barnhart, CEO and executive director, USSRC. “They bring the best of their diverse cultures to Space Camp, where they will use teamwork and technology to prepare them for a future they have yet to imagine.” 

Interactive and experiential sessions around rocket designing, building, and testing; participation in simulated astronaut training, shuttle missions and a moon walk, infuse vigor and expands students’ learning curve. They also meet scientists, engineers, and former astronauts, who reinforce core leadership competencies and share their first-hand professional experiences. The program is designed to educate students on the importance of STEM in an ever-changing connected world.

Naomi Varghese, a 17-year-old student from Bangalore, said, “Standing next to a rocket, the step-by-step demonstration of rocket-building, and moonwalking like an astronaut were life-changing. I almost felt like I was in space.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Pranav Kaushik from Delhi, said, “Meeting students from around the world who share the same passion for rockets, jets, space shuttles, and the moonwalk was extremely exciting. We learnt a lot from the experiences of scientists and astronauts. What’s really great is that the program combines science and engineering with fun and friendship for life.”

Since its launch in 2010, Honeywell, in partnership with the USSRC, has awarded 2,090 such scholarships to students. Scholarships are granted after a rigorous application and review process based on academic achievement and community involvement. Financial contributions from Honeywell and its employees fund the scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition, meals, accommodation, and program materials.

Crescent School of Business Invites Application for the Academic Year 2017-18

Crescent School of Business (CSB), Chennai’s new, unique management school is inviting applications for its one year PGDM in Strategy and Leadership for the academic year 2017-18. Designed to enable young professionals with skills required to excel in today’s dynamic work environment, this one-year, full-time, residential program offers a customizable MBA course as part of its pedagogy.  The application window for the one-year PGDM will remain open till May 30.

Tailor-made to support career transitions, CSB has designed a contemporary curriculum, comprising relevant pedagogical practices and blended learning to meet the growing needs of the industry. The course is structured to accommodate the interests of every student and delivers personalized instruction based on the strengths, weaknesses and career aspirations of each student. While pursuing the course, students will also have an opportunity to undertake certificate programs in Business Analytics offered in collaboration with the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

Designed for working professionals, the program aims to further enhance skill-based education in the country by preparing industry-ready talent. Monitored and mentored by a CXO Advisory Board, comprising some of the most respected thought leaders from the industry, the program offers students an opportunity to work closely with both entrepreneurs and academicians to further sharpen the skill set.

Scheduled to begin in July 2017, the method of instruction includes a combination of visiting faculty, periodic guest lectures, seminars, workshops and industry visits. Faculty members are experts and thought leaders in their respective fields, and will enrich the students’ education, keeping in mind the core philosophy of the PGDM Programme.

The total fee for the course is Rs 7.65 lakhs, inclusive of food and accommodation in fully furnished serviced apartments. http://www.csbedu.in/

William O’Neil Unveils Stock Research Platform MarketSmith to India

William O’Neil, has launched its flagship global brand MarketSmith for the Indian investor community. MarketSmith is a comprehensive stock research platform that provides data, analysis tools to support the investors making informed investing decisions. MarketSmith India is available to the investor community through internet platforms such as website and Apps, which can be downloaded from various platforms like Amazon, Google Play, Opera Mobile Store and APTOIDE currently.

Steven Birch, President, William O’Neil + Company, while formally launching MarketSmith India said, “We are excited to bring MarketSmith to India at a time, when the whole world is looking at India as one of the growth engines of global economy. India’s vast telecom-enabled population and very low exposure to financial markets currently presents a very big opportunity for us to remain present in the fintech space like never. William O’Neil’s global expertise in stock picking through innovative research tools is sure to build further a great deal of knowledge-driven investment culture in India among the market participants.”

MarketSmith India has four key sections to support investment decisions viz. Idea Lists, Evaluation, Market Outlook and Model Portfolio. The App provides institutional quality data and efficient stock quality analysis and helps a user to simplify the stock search process.

Anupam Singhi, Chief Operating Officer, William O’Neil India said, “MarketSmith India empowers the investors with knowledge enabling them to make better profits in uptrends and protect their capital during downtrends. It facilitates strengths and weaknesses of Indian stocks based on data-backed research almost instantaneously. The App works on a growth-oriented research methodology based on last 50-years of experience and delivers pattern recognition, stock reports, market commentary apart from offering a model portfolio to the subscribers.”

MarketSmith India App is based on the O’Neil Methodology (OM), which uncovers stocks with the potential to generate alpha. In 1960s, William O’Neil noted certain characteristics like accelerating revenues and earnings growth, high relative strength, increasing trading volumes, new products or management and the industry group strength repeatedly emerge before the stocks made their big moves.

For more than 50 years, William O'Neil has been educating U.S. investors on the proven investing method he created. His investing classic How to Make Money in Stocks has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and his perfected method (CAN SLIM), rooted in historical precedent, which has been evolving with the market for more than 40 years.

William O’Neil India is part of the O’Neil companies, a family of businesses dedicated to providing industry-leading financial services and information. William O’Neil India focuses on individual equities, mutual funds, ETFs and indices across the globe. Their professional teams are passionate about stock market research and the development of services that support all O’Neil brands.

Rolls-Royce First Asian Defence Services Delivery Centre Comes Up in Bangalore

Rolls-Royce has opened a new Defence Service Delivery Centre (SDC) in Asia, located at the Manyata Embassy Business Park in Bengaluru. Co-located with the Rolls-Royce Engineering Centre, the SDC will offer localised engineering support to improve frontline capability of Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy (IN) aircraft, and to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The Centre was officially inaugurated by Dominic McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner, Bengaluru, in the presence of Rolls-Royce executives including Kishore Jayaraman, President – India and South Asia; Lee Doherty, Senior Vice President - Defence, Asia Pacific; and Shaun Agle, Vice President Customer Services India Defence.

According to Doherty: “We put our customers at the heart of our business, and the opening of our first Service Delivery Centre in India demonstrates our commitment to be closer to our customers to ensure they get the best possible aftermarket support and outstanding customer service which they have come to expect from us. With a highly skilled team, fully trained in engineering services, supply chain and operational support, we will continue to provide maximum engine readiness and availability.”

The Centre will be providing defence customers in India with services such as fleet management, services engineering and supply chain co-ordination. It will also be the base from which Field Service Representatives can be rapidly dispatched to frontline bases, subject to contract coverage, to provide on-ground technical support. The aim is to deliver the optimum support possible to over 750 aircraft engines which power the Indian Armed Forces, including: the Adour, which powers both the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer and the Jaguar combat aircraft; the Gnome engine, which powers the Sea King; and the Dart, which powers the HS748. It also provides coverage for AE2100 and AE3007 engines that power the C-130J and the Embraer 145, respectively. The SDC also will have the capability to support new engine fleets.

Additionally, the SDC will support HAL by enabling “state of the art” supply chain management that will also combine with improved in-country support for manufacturing, assembly and test & repair capabilities.

This SDC is based on a highly successful model operated by Rolls-Royce at Royal Air Force Marham, UK for RB199 and also in use for the US Navy Adour F405 in Kingsville. The support system puts engineering and services staff on-base, working closely and collaboratively with the service to increase efficiency and communication. 

Agle explained “This Service Delivery Centre has been configured specifically for the Indian Armed Forces and HAL with Bangalore being a logical location close to Engine Division. Overall this contributes to the broader Make in India agenda through skills development and increasing self-sufficiency. The overriding goal is to improve availability of ‘engines-on-the-wing through a step change improvement of in-country responsiveness for current fleets as well as for future Defence programmes.”

Jayaraman explained what it means to India’s growing aerospace capabilities: “The opening of this Service Delivery Centre marks the beginning of a new chapter in the strong partnership that has existed for over eight decades between India and Rolls-Royce. It demonstrates our commitment to support India’s growth capabilities by encouraging knowledge transfer, building highly skilled teams and developing the Indian aerospace ecosystem.”

Indian Smartphones Represent 62% of all Mobile Phones Sales in 2018

As the Indian cellular market goes through consolidation and aggressive 4G roll out, demand for smartphones will continue to grow. With smartphone penetration maturing in many developed markets (see Table 1), continued growth in the world’s third largest smartphone market makes India an attractive market to device manufacturers. Smartphones in India are expected to account for 62 percent of all mobile phones sales in India in 2018.

Analyst Take: “With the slowdown in sales in major markets, including the U.S., China and mature Western Europe, India represents the largest opportunity because it is the second-largest mobile phone market after China,” said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner.

In addition demonetization in India through the elimination of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes caused an increased push from the government for digital currency, as well as people becoming more open to using digital payment methods. The rise of digital currency is bringing a new use case for smartphones, which, in turn, is set to trigger higher demands for smartphones. This opens the opportunity for service providers to launch mobile wallet solution or even vendors to launch their exclusive mobile payment solutions like Android Pay or Apple Pay to build an ecosystem.

Leading global vendors, Samsung and Apple, have made exclusive plans to grow their shares in the market. Major Chinese manufacturers, such as Gionee, Huawei, Oppo, BBK (Vivo), Xiaomi, Lenovo etc., have committed big investments to exploit the growth opportunity.

Ever rising competition from Chinese manufacturers has not only troubled top local brands such as Micromax, Intex, Lava and Karbonn mobile but also resulted in a decrease in smartphone market share for Samsung in India (see Table 2).

“With an exclusive focus on the market from the device manufacturers, we expect more customized smartphones to come to market and remain key to win in this highly competitive market,” said Gupta.

As opposed to earlier falling mobile phone average selling price (ASP) trends led by the rush to low cost mobile phone, we have noted a change in consumer spending. Our recently concluded consumer survey showed, users are willing to spend more to get a smartphone with better features than simply rushing for lowest price smartphones.

“The growing ASP trend will be maintained in the coming years with the increasing middle class population and rising per capita income leading to more disposable income to be spent on electronic goods,” Gupta said.