Neeco, Tata Communications Enters into Arrangement for IoT Services for Enterprises in Europe

Neeco Global ICT Services announces that it has become a customer of Tata Communications, a leading global digital infrastructure provider, to take to market and deliver Internet of Things (IoT) services for enterprises in Europe. With this arrangement, Neeco will leverage the Tata Communications MOVE platform to offer integrated IoT services to its customers, enabling them to deploy IoT connected devices anywhere in the world.

Neeco has developed a unique set of IoT products and services aimed at global telecom providers, IoT technology vendors, enterprises, and government organizations. These include Trexee, a GPS and GSM tracking solution that offers a complete set of capabilities – including location, acceleration, temperature and vibration – for different sectors such as transport & logistics, waste management construction, agriculture, leasing companies and rental companies.

The Tata Communications MOVE platform enables enterprises to transform how they operate and engage with their customers by capturing, moving and managing information seamlessly and securely worldwide. This platform is underpinned by Tata Communications’ relationships with more than 600 mobile network operators worldwide, and its global network, which connects 4 out of 5 mobile subscribers.

“We are delighted that Tata Communications has chosen to work with Neeco to help accelerate IoT adoption in Europe. We are constantly working on new IoT products that bring additional benefits, reliability and efficiency into various market segments. The IoT is still very much a developing field, with many competing technologies. We feel that this puts Neeco at an advantage because we are able to help design, deliver and maintain IoT devices for our customers as the IoT field continues to evolve,” says David Pátek, founder and CEO of Neeco Global ICT Services.

With a network of over 1,900 local and regional channel partners and association with industry-leading businesses like Tata Communications, Neeco is able to promote, offer, sell and support IoT solutions across more than 160 countries worldwide.

Organizations significantly depend on ICT technologies for growth. This requires the support of trusted ICT companies like Neeco that can supply complex services and solutions like IoT on a worldwide basis. Founded in 2009 by David Pátek, Neeco has built its global success over the past decade by acting as a one-stop ICT shop, providing customers with a single point of contact for all ICT solutions. This simplifies processes and communication while freeing customers from having to strike time-consuming bilateral agreements with partners in each region, helping them become more cost-efficient.

JK Tyre Promoters Take Control of Pledged Shares by Repaying 200 Crore Loan

The promoters of JK Tyre, Bengal and Assam Company LTD - a holding company of the group comprising family members - had borrowed Rs 200 crore from KKR Capital in the month of March 2019.

The amount was borrowed for a period of 4 years with a lock in period of one year by pledging JK Tyre shares owned by the promoters. The loan amount was to be repaid by March 2023.

However in the recent past the capital market had witnessed significant downturn. The JK Tyre stocks did not remain isolated in this situation either.

But despite non-favourable market conditions the promoters decided to return the money and take control the shares pledged with KKR.

While the first installment of Rs 50 crores were returned on 20th August, the remaining principle of Rs 150 crore was returned on 30th August 2019. As on date the entire lot of shares pledged against the sum borrowed from KKR is back with the promoters.

The decision to repay the loan and get the shares back was taken keeping in mind the interest of share-holders and instill confidence in investors associated with JK Tyre; despite odds in the market.

Vaishnavi Group, Katerra Partner for Integrated Offsite Manufacturing Tech at a Residential Project Near Yelahanka

Vaishnavi Group has joined hands with Katerra, a technology-driven offsite construction company to introduce next generation housing construction technology. With the implementation of integrated offsite manufacturing technology and the concept of DFMA (Design for manufacturing and assembly), Vaishnavi Group can now ensure:

* 50% faster completion time
* 90% factory-finished elements including all in-built mechanical, electrical and plumbing services
* 100% offsite manufactured bathroom pods dropped onsite for easy plug and play
* Close to 40% reduction in pollution through minimised vehicular movement
* Close to 29% material conservation, water saved through steam curing, design efficiency and factory planning to reduce material usage at construction site.     

Speaking on the launch of Vaishnavi Serene, Mr. C.N.  Govindaraju, Managing Director, Vaishnavi Group, said, “In keeping with our aim of ‘Building from the Heart’, we have created homes that give people the best use of their living spaces. For instance, our immaculate planning will ensure that a 1,118 sqft 3-bedroom home at Vaishnavi Serene gives the home owner the experience and efficiency of a 1400 sqft home! The quality of construction is unparalleled thanks to the offsite manufacturing technology that is being used. This ensures that the handover of homes will not just be on or ahead of schedule but will be delivered with an impeccable build quality. Further, the impact on the environment is minimal across the board. With Yelahanka being an upcoming growth hub, the infrastructural development currently underway will only serve to make this project a winning proposition for a home buyer”.

Speaking on the collaboration with Vaishnavi as well as the introduction of this next-generation construction technology in a residential real estate project in India for the very first time, Mr. Nejeeb Khan, the Head - Design & Brand Strategy, Asia & Middle East, Katerra, said, “Our teams have worked to design, engineer, factory-manufacture and assemble high-quality housing, built offsite, eliminating many of the common problems associated with traditional on-site construction. Designed and manufactured with precision, we believe in delivering quality homes through technology, ultimately increasing the speed and quality of delivery, while simultaneously being more sustainable by reducing waste, optimised resource utilisation, and minimal environmental disruption. A prime example of this technology is in action at Vaishnavi Serene."

Vaishnavi Serene will showcase Katerra’s unique technology. This project is adjacent to the lush green CRPF Campus in Yelahanka. The project comprises 896 apartments in configurations of 1, 2 & 3-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 635 sq.ft to 1118 sq.ft. It offers potential home owners several firsts in terms of features – from being the first residential project in Bangalore to be built with global off-site technology, to being the first community to offer homes with a new set of specifications and smart sizes to highly enhanced space efficiency along with Vaastu compliance.

TV Host, Chef Maria Goretti to Conduct - Connections by Design Dekko in Bengaluru on September 7

After a super successful edition in Pune, Connections by Design Dekko, a unique one-day pop-up event celebrating spaces and minds who shape them, is making its debut in Bengaluru. As part of this, TV Host, Author and Chef Maria Goretti, will be in the city and conducting a special workshop, powered by Godrej Interio. She will inspire people to make space for their passions starting at home and from areas like kitchen along with a special live-cooking demo of her special recipes.

From existing or potential home owners, design enthusiasts to the top architects and interior designers, Connections by Design Dekko aims to create an experience relevant for all through conversations and cross-pollination of ideas. Connections by Design Dekko will also see presence of experience zones of brands like Godrej Security Solutions, Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems and Godrej Properties.

Venue: Godrej Lake Gardens, 7th Main road, Harlur Road, near Sarjapur Road-ORR Junction, Bengaluru

Time: 2pm to 4pm

Entry: Free; https://www.designdekko.com

QuEST Global Appoints Former KPMG partner, Gregory L Smith, to the Board of Directors

QuEST Global, a global product engineering and lifecycle services company, announces the appointment of former KPMG partner, Gregory L Smith (Greg), to the Board of Directors as an independent non-executive director. Alongside this role, Greg will also serve on the audit committee of QuEST Global and help the company to further enhance the quality of its corporate governance. Previously, he acted as the Global Lead Partner at KPMG, where he led the development and delivery of audit, tax and advisory services to KPMG’s multi-national clients, as well as to growth-oriented private equity backed companies.

Greg has more than three decades of expertise in public accounting, including finance, auditing, tax and compliance. Throughout his career, he has held various leadership positions, including Global Lead Partner, and was responsible for leading teams that provided audit, tax and advisory services for Warburg Pincus and its portfolio companies, Walmart and other large multinational companies. He also served as a board member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Enactus US, along with chairing the GMA Advisory Council.

Ajit Prabhu, Chairman & CEO, QuEST Global said, “Greg brings invaluable experience and an excellent track record of helping organizations to align with their operating model, and of identifying valuable opportunities for growth. His deep experience in serving global organizations, his understanding of diverse markets and financial expertise will help us to further accelerate our plans for growth and continue to be a trusted thinking partner to our customers.”

Commenting on his appointment, Greg said, “I have observed QuEST Global emerge as a global player in the product engineering services industry over the years. The company has diversified its portfolio in both organic and inorganic ways and has successfully integrated the companies that they have acquired in the past two decades. I am excited to join this fast growing company and look forward to helping QuEST Global enhance its growth strategy, gain a competitive edge and reach new outcomes in the engineering outsourcing market.”

Tata Motors Candidate Honored with the Medallion of Excellence at the WorldSkills Competition in Kazan, Russia

Mr. Tushar Phadatare, the Tata Motors candidate at the 2019 edition of the prestigious WorldSkills Competition, was awarded the Medallion of Excellence at the world championships for vocational skills, held in Kazan, Russia. This medallion was awarded to Tushar in the recently contested Automobile Technology category of the competition. A total of 35 countries participated in this category of skills. Tushar finished with an exceptional score of 710 points and secured the 15th position, placing India ahead of countries such as Belgium, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain. For Tata Motors it was a proud moment, as it was the only Indian manufacturer to participate in the Automobile Technology category this year.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Subhajit Roy, Senior General Manager & Head - Customer Care (Domestic and International Business), Passenger Vehicle Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors said, “This is a very proud moment for all of us at Tata Motors. This achievement is admirable and we are delighted that the efforts of both Tushar and the Tata Motors team have resulted in making this possible. Due to his exemplary performance, Tushar has helped improve India’s position in the WorldSkills Competition by one place, and our rank by three spots, as compared to the previous edition in 2017.”

WorldSkills International awards Medallions of Excellence to those candidates, whose performance exceeds the global industry benchmark in a particular category. The results are derived from a WorldSkills Scale that uses a statistical formula and evaluates all participating countries in a particular skill. Tushar has completed his Full Term Apprentice (FTA) course at Tata Motors’ plant in Pune. To be eligible for representing India at WorldSkills, Tushar qualified and secured the winning position in the district, state and regional level rounds of IndiaSkills, followed by a gold medal in the final round of the competition.

NetRack Appoints Sudhakar Gooty as Global Head for Data Center Products at Bangalore

NetRack, a leading solution provider for data centers and end-to-end IT server racks, today announced the appointment of Mr Sudhakar Gooty as Global Head for Data Center Products at NetRack, shall be stationed at Bangalore Headquarters.

Mr Sudhakar Gooty, an Engineer Graduate with Executive Management from IIM Bangalore comes with an experience of more than 20 plus years with a strong track record in Business Operations Management, Program & Project Management, Data Center Architect, Management and Operations, Cloud Technologies and Operations, Change & Risk Management, Customer Relationship Management etc., in top IT companies like DELL EMC, HP/Compaq/Digital, India Satcom

Announcing this appointment, Mr. Ravi Raj, Brand Head, Director, Sales & Support at NetRack said, "Mr Gooty's addition to NetRack team will bring great value to our data center rack solutions. Apart from his deep understanding in engineering and design processes, Mr Gooty has proven credentials in delivering consulting assignments, identifying opportunities for business development, driving initiatives for growth, cost reduction and bottom-line performance enhancement. His rich industry experience from leading IT companies makes him a natural fit for the current role and responsibilities."

In his new role at NetRack, Sudhakar will lead the company in driving strategic alliances and DC business centric partnerships

"It's a privilege to be a part of NetRack team. I am quite excited about my new challenging role and the opportunities that lie ahead. The Datacenter industry is growing at rapid pace as Digital Transformation is the driving factor across all business segments. I look forward to the opportunity that lies ahead and be a part of growth and success story of Netrack" said Mr Sudhakar Gooty.

"We heartily welcome Mr Sudhakar Gooty to carry out his new responsibilities at NetRack. We look forward to work as a team and drive towards a common goal in creating and catering innovative data center solutions," added Ravi Raj.