Yamaha Kicks Off 2021 With Positive Growth Recorded In January 2021

* January sales pegged 54% growth compared to last year

Yamaha Motor India group of companies announced that the total sales has increased by 54% to 55,151 units in the month of January 2021 compared to 35,913 units in January 2020. The company has been reporting growth in its sales volumes consecutively in the 2nd half of the last year, after restrictions of lockdown were lifted from July 2020. With a strong focus in 2021 on product promotion, customer reach and retail network strategies, Yamaha’s positive growth recorded in the month of January 2021 upon the trend of growth shown half-yearly between July and December 2020 has set the stage for the brand to capitalize on its business goals in the new year.

Yamaha is gearing up with its retail and product strategies in order to match up to the positive records of the preceding months by a record sale. The company expects overall demand to grow in 2021 owing to a varied demand of personal mobility. Yamaha’s recently introduced ‘Connect X’ Application enabled with Bluetooth technology for its motorcycles, the ‘Customize Your Warrior’ campaign that supports a wide range of color model variant in MT-15, the online shopping experiences like VIRTUAL YAMAHA STORE or the Yamaha accessories and apparels availability at Amazon.in have received an overwhelming response from the customers. 

In order to reach out to more customers, the company is also running a campaign called “Test Ride my Yamaha” which aims to provide touch and feel as well as a personalized riding experience to more and more customers who aspire to own a Yamaha product and are curious to know about the new technologies and the safety features installed in Yamaha scooters like “Stop & start system”, “Smart motor generator (SMG)” and the “Side stand engine cut-off switch”. The company will continue to launch such campaigns as well as introduce new technologies in future to further intensify the excitement among customers in the Indian market. 

The current line-up of Yamaha BS VI model consists of scooters in the 125 cc category (Fascino, Ray ZR and Ray ZR Street Rally) with advanced safety features and technologies offered in a wide range of stylish and sporty models, and the sporty motorcycles in 150 cc (R15 Version 3.0 & MT-15 in 155 cc, FZ FI & FZS FI Version 3.0) and 250 cc categories (FZ 25 and the new FZS 25 ) offering Yamaha’s popular excitement of adventure, superior controls and refined power delivery.

Mahindra XUV300 Launches All-New Petrol AutoSHIFT Transmission & BlueSense Plus Connected SUV Technology

 

Thinks big on convenience

* AutoSHIFT, an innovative auto transmission technology, offers an effortless driving experience

* Sunroof to be offered from mid-variants onwards on manual & AutoSHIFT variants in both Petrol & Diesel variants

* Top-end AutoSHIFT variants will now feature ‘BlueSense Plus’ – Mahindra’s connected SUV technology

* AutoSHIFT Starts at an attractive price of ₹ 9.95 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai for W6 Petrol variant)

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), a part of the US $19.4 billion Mahindra Group, today announced the introduction of Petrol AutoSHIFT, its auto transmission technology, on the XUV300. The AutoSHIFT top variant, W8(O), will also be equipped with the all-new BlueSense Plus connected SUV technology. The Electric Sunroof will now be offered from its mid variant - (W6) onwards on both manual & autoSHIFT versions.

Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said: “The young Indian consumer doesn’t like to compromise and seeks technology-led convenience & experiences. Today, we launch our innovative auto transmission AutoSHIFT on petrol, which uses advanced technology to offer an effortless drive in city drive as well as on the highways. We also introduce today the BlueSense Plus, our connected SUV technology with 40+ features, that will seamlessly integrate the XUV300 into the always-connected world of today’s consumer.”

Mr. Nakra further added, “We are glad to introduce electric sunroof right from the mid-variants of the XUV300. As India’s safest and most feature-loaded SUV, the XUV300 has always strived to inspire consumers to think big about their aspirations and will continue to do so with future introductions.”

Keeping in line with the growing consumer preference for sunroof, the XUV300 will now offer electric sunroof on the mid-variants of both manual & AutoSHIFT variants. With a starting price of just ₹ 9.4 Lakh (Ex-showroom Petrol W6) the sunroof will now become accessible to a wider base of customers.

Along with these introductions, XUV300 range will also see introduction of new colours - Dual-tone Red and Dual-tone Aquamarine on all W8(O) AutoSHIFT variants and an all-new Galaxy Grey on its manual W6, W8 & W8(O) variants.

Bookings for the all-new Petrol AutoSHIFT are now open and deliveries will begin from mid-February onwards.

About XUV300 Petrol AutoSHIFT & BlueSense Plus Connected SUV technology

Advanced & Effortless AutoSHIFT

Among the most refined & affordable auto transmission technologies in the market, the XUV300 AutoSHIFT has been crafted to deliver the seamless driving experience of an automatic yet offer the option of switching to a Manual mode for an involved drive. Developed by transmission experts Marelli, it comes equipped with a tap-to-switch set up that will allow enthusiasts to experience the full force of the XUV300’s formidable 1.2 liter turbo-petrol engine, along with a clutch-less driving experience. With this, the XUV300 becomes one of the few vehicles in the segment to offer auto transmission on both Petrol & Diesel.

The XUV300 autoSHIFT on Petrol & Diesel is an advanced technology that offers tremendous convenience and versatility to the user. Some of its key feature are as below:

1.    Auto Mode: Automatic, effortless, smooth and fatigue-free drive.

2.    Manual Mode: Control of the gear shifts for a more involved driving experience.

3.    Advanced ‘Creep’ Function: 1-pedal drive (without accelerator input) in First & Reverse gear, for relaxed handling of congested city traffic or tricky parking scenarios.

4.    Electronic Stability Control: Total control and Stability in all driving situations.

5.    Hill Start Assist: Prevents roll-back for added safety & confidence on slopes.

6.    Kick-down Shifts: Punchy pick-up during overtaking or for quick acceleration.

7.    Adaptive Pedal Response: Automatic gear shift map selection based on accelerator inputs & driving requirements ranging from comfortable to sporty.

8.    Tap-to-switch: Shift to Auto, Reverse or Manual modes with just a single tap.

9.    Drive and Reverse Lock Out: Adds to safety by restricting sudden shifts between reverse and drive modes, unless the speed drops to less than 5 kmph.

10.  Creep disable on Door Opening: Prevents the vehicle from moving in Auto/ Manual mode if the doors are open.

BlueSense PLUS – Connected SUV Technology

Mahindra’s Connected SUV technology - BlueSense Plus on W8(O) AutoSHIFT will create a connected experience between the SUV & its owner. It offers variety of features like Remote Vehicle Control Features (like Door lock/ Unlock, Find my XUV300), Location-based Features (like Live Tracking & Sharing, Route Deviation), Safety & Security Features (like Geo Fencing, Emergency Assist), Vehicle Information Alerts (like Distance to empty, Tyre Pressure), and other features (like Infotainment Controls, Document Wallet). BlueSense Plus will be available on both Android & iOS.

BlueSense PLUS is a complete connected SUV solution, that is powered by an embedded SIM, that allows one to stay connected to their XUV300 no matter where they are. One can get a plethora of information at their fingertips & use its 40+ features, using the smart phone.

Available on Android & iOS.

The Premiere Of 8119 - Miles The Film At Net5, An OTT Platform From February 5, 2021

Miles is a captivating film of Gabriel D’Selva, a mechanic from Goa, and his companion Anil Nair, the two struggling immigrants to reach their destination – the United Kingdom. A thrilling story by Liverpool based Indian film-maker Joe Eswar and his team of the unusual journey through the infamous 8119 Miles with pit stops that include Ulaanbator in Mongolia, Atrau in Khazakstan, Istanbul and Erzurum in Turkey, Sofia in Bulgaria, Cologne in Germany, Belgium and finally the UK.

Releasing exclusively on Net5 an OTT platform on February 5th, 8119 Miles, as its title suggests is a road movie, shot in several countries. Gabriel’s life’s greatest ambition is to travel to the UK. He tries several times to secure a visa but gets refused. Desperation leads him to find a travel agent who is also an illegal immigration specialist- Ram Kumar. Mr Kumar organises Gabriel’s journey across an old route used by Illegal Immigrants in the 80s to travel from Asia to Europe. As the adventure begins, Gabriel gets a new companion, a bankrupt film producer who’s trying to flee from his debtors- Anil Nair. The Duos journey shapes up from the coast of Goa through the Mongolian Steppe through the Silk Roads of Central Asia through the oblasts of Russia to Joseph Stalin’s Georgia. From Georgia, the story evolves through Ottoman Turkey and spreads its wings across Europe. Cultures, ideas and concepts are all incorporated into a journey that leads the protagonist Gabriel D’Selva and his companion Anil Nair through a road less taken these days. The reason for Gabriel’s journey is the suspense of the film, and the outcome of his travel is yet another matter of curiosity to the audience. To watch the movie, download the Net5 App from Google Playstore or Applestore & its also available on www.net5.in

Hero MotoCorp Sells 4.85 Lakh Units Of Motorcycles And Scooters In January 2021

Hero MotoCorp has sold 485,889 units of motorcycles and scooters in January 2021. The sales include a total of 449,037 motorcycles and 36,852 units of scooters. In comparison, the automaker sold 501,622 units of two-wheelers in the corresponding month of 2020. The figure includes 494,432 motorcycles and 7,190 units of scooters. What's interesting to note here is the fact that overall scooter sales have gone up significantly from last year.

While sales in the domestic market stood at 488,069 units last year, for 2021 the numbers dipped to 467,776. While the domestic sales tumbled, exports shot up significantly from 13,553 units in January 2020 to 18,113 units in January 2021.

To further consolidate its presence in the foreign markets, the company has appointed new distributor partners in Nicaragua and Honduras, Central America.

The company has also recently announced that it has surpassed the significant milestone of 100 million (10 Crores) units in overall production even since Hero started manufacturing two-wheelers. The 100 millionth bike, the Xtreme 160R, was rolled-out of the Hero’s manufacturing plant in Haridwar, in the northern Indian hill state of Uttarakhand.

To mark the occasion, the two-wheeler maker also introduced six celebration edition models. The new bikes include - Splendor+, Xtreme 160R, Passion Pro and Glamour and two scooters - Destini 125 and Maestro Edge 110. Hero further announced that the new bikes will be available for purchase from this month (February 2021). 

CRN® Names Trend Micro As One Of The Coolest Cloud Companies For 2021

Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), the leader in cloud security, today announced that it was named one of the 100 Coolest Cloud Companies for 2021 by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company. This annual list recognizes the leading cloud technology providers in five critical categories: infrastructure, monitoring and management, security, storage, and software.  

The list not only honors exceptional technology suppliers, but it has become a trusted resource for solutions providers looking for cloud technology providers to partner with — presenting a list of the companies best-positioned to support their cloud service needs.  

This year’s 100 Coolest Cloud Companies were selected by the CRN editorial team based on two key deliverables: companies’ demonstrated commitment to working with channel partners; and their innovation in product and service development.  

“Since day one, our sales model has been selling through the channel - that has not changed. However, as market dynamics and the needs of our partners change, so does our partner program. With cloud becoming increasingly relevant, we’ve refreshed our channel program to enable and reward our partners for their cloud business,” said Louise McEvoy, vice president of US channel for Trend Micro. “I’m proud of the work the Trend Micro channel team has done to grow this business through the channel and proud of our partners for growing their cloud business alongside us. I’m humbled by this recognition, as it is a great validation of these efforts.” 

With the launch of Trend Micro Cloud One, the company has launched a security services platform for organizations building in the cloud, delivering the broadest and deepest cloud security offering in one solution. It enables customers to secure their cloud infrastructure with clarity and simplicity. 

“We are thrilled to be selected, once again, as one of CRN’s Coolest Cloud Companies for 2021.  The award affirms our position at the top of the industry in cloud security, all the while remaining in close contact with our channel partners to ensure their overall success,” said Wendy Moore, vice president of product marketing at Trend Micro. “Trend Micro’s Cloud One™, our new security services platform for cloud builders, will help our partners simplify their end customer’s hybrid and multi-cloud security. This, in return, adds both a cloud portfolio and services opportunities for our valued partners.” 

CRN’s 100 Coolest Cloud Companies list is featured in the February 2021 issue of CRN and online at www.crn.com/cloud100. 

About Trend Micro 

Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers with connected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, and networks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with a cross-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized for key environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, faster protection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world’s most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com. 

About The Channel Company 

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace..

JK Tyre Enters Into A Synergic Partnership With Natrax For Development Of Wet Grip Test

• The track to be used by JK Tyre for product testing upon completion

Indian tyre industry major & market leader in Truck Bus Radial segment, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) towards the development and polishing of Wet Grip Test Track at NATRAX Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh.

NATRAX is one of the state-of-the-art automotive testing and certification centers under NATRIP, a flagship project of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. NATRAX consists of 16 test tracks, covering aspects such as speed, braking, off road, comfort, sustainability, noise, friction etc. The Wet Grip Test Track will be used to test the safety aspect of tyres that includes Wet Grip as per ECE R117 regulation, Wet Braking, Peak Brake Force Coefficient (PBFC), etc.

Being the pioneer in tire testing, JK Tyre houses facilities ranging from static to highly dynamic tests, and also has the capability to conduct regulatory tests to performance level tests. It also uses state-owned testing centers under NATRIP (National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project) across India to perform both subjective and objective vehicle level tests. The company is constantly upgrading their test facilities that includes modernization of existing equipment and adding new equipment to meet the emerging needs of OEMs and regulatory requirements (national & international).

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. VK Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre and Industries said, “We are honored to be part of the government’s flagship project towards building competencies in automotive sector that are at par with the global standards.  We have been working towards driving innovation and tech-excellence in the Indian tyre industry. With our experience and expertise, we are rightly placed  to lead this project with NATRAX.”

Upon completion, JK Tyre will be testing its future range of revolutionary products at the Wet Grip Test Track located at NATRAX Pithampur.

Over the past four decades, JK Tyre has been at the forefront of driving innovation and excellence in the tyre industry through the introduction of ground-breaking technologies and products that cater to diverse business segments in the automobile industry. The company launched first ever ‘Smart Tyre’ technology and introduced Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) by offering TREEL sensors.  

JK Tyre’s unwavering commitment towards innovation is reflected through its state-of-the-art Global Research and Technology Centre – the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence - in Mysuru, which houses latest and world class testing facilities.

JK Tyre & Industries Limited

The flagship company of JK Organisation, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is amongst the top 25 manufacturers in the world. Pioneers of radial technology, the Company produced the first radial tyre in 1977 and is currently the market leader in Truck Bus Radial segment. The Company provides end-to-end solutions across segments of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, farming, Off-the-Road and two & three-wheelers.

A global force, JK Tyre is present in 105 countries with over 180 Global distributors.  The Company has 12 globally benchmarked ‘sustainable’ manufacturing facilities - 9 in India and 3 in Mexico – that collectively produce around 35 million tyres annually. The Company also has a strong network of over 4000 dealers and 550+ dedicated Brand shops called as Steel Wheels and Xpress Wheels.

JK Tyre’s unwavering commitment towards innovation is reflected through its state-of-the-art global research and technology centre – the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence - in Mysore, which houses some of the world’s finest technologies and techniques.

JK Tyre launched India’s first ever ‘Smart Tyre’ technology-and introduced Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) which monitors the tyre’s vital statistics, including pressure and temperature. The company recently rolled out its 20 millionth Truck/Bus Radial tyre becoming the first and the only Indian company to achieve this milestone.

It is the only Indian tyre manufacturer to be included in the list of Superbrands India in 2019 for the seventh consecutive year. JK Tyre has been conferred the Sword of Honour for Safety across its plants by the British Safety Council,UK. The company entered the Limca Book of Records with the country’s largest off-the-road tyre - VEM 04.

JK Tyre is also synonymous with motorsport in the country. For over three decades, the Company has relentlessly worked towards shaping India’s positioning as the motorsport hub of Asia, developing the right infrastructure for the sport and promoting young talent in the arena.

IT, Healthcare, Ecommerce Will Be Three Big Employers In 2021; Virtual Working To Be A Dominant Trend At India Inc: TimesJobs Survey

India Inc. proved to be a ‘rider of the storm’ in 2020 as it adopted the digital nuances overnight to ensure work continuity, said most HR managers in a new TimesJobs survey. E-recruitment portal TimesJobs surveyed 1,735 HR managers working in different industrial sectors and startups to understand the HR learnings from 2020 and the skill roadmap for 2021. Here is the data that proves that India Inc. sustained it all:

* Hiring stalled: Most (63%) HR managers admitted that their hiring plans derailed in 2020, followed by 26% who said they hired, but in fewer numbers

* Digital roles preferred over mass roles: Roles ensuring digital continuity grew, Digital Marketers (28%) and Customer Relationship Managers (18%) topped talent demand as claimed by most HR managers

* New roles became prominent: The demand for roles as Back-end Developers (28%), Data Science & Analytics (22%) and Cyber Security (16%) toppled the need for all other roles in most firms

* Tech savviness preferred by hiring managers: Other than core skills, tech-savviness (ranked 1st) topped the soft skills preference of employers, emotional intelligence followed (ranked 2nd)

* Upskilling was the name of the game: Most (68%) employers encouraged their workforce to upskill through various ways as discounts on certifications, in-house training etc

* Upskilling in Digital Marketing most popular: Most employees preferred to gain a certification in Digital Marketing (21%), followed by Data Analytics (12%) said the HR managers

* AI baffled recruiters: Most recruiters (36%) faced the skills gap while dealing with Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning-led apps or softwares

Summarising the findings of this survey, Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig said, “2020 was the year of ‘digital’ and a ‘resilient India Inc.’ in the true sense. Our survey shows that most employers (28%) - irrespective of their domains - hired Digital Marketers, and most (21%) claimed that their employees preferred Digital Marketing for upskilling. This shows how quickly the corporates and their workforce transitioned from their traditional realms and adopted the digital mannerisms to thrive in the virtual working environment. Similarly other digital-led and digital-focussed job roles and skills grew and this trend will continue in 2021 too.”

In the same survey, TimesJobs asked the HR managers to outline the workplace trends for 2021. Here are those findings:

●       Work from home for one more year: Most Indian firms will continue working from home in 2021 too, followed by those who said they would be extending this to at least two years

●       Virtual working to become a permanent trend: Most (58%) of the surveyed HR managers said that the en-mass work from home will be a future trend at their workplace

●       Virtual working will dominate the hiring pattern: The potential of remote working will impact future hiring, said 51% HR managers, followed by 21% who said ‘no’ to this possibility

●       IT will be the biggest employer in 2021: The IT domain will hire most professionals in the coming year (voted as 1st), followed by Healthcare (voted 2nd) and E-commerce (voted 3rd)

About TimesJobs:

TimesJobs is a platform to help competent professionals enhance their career growth. With over 25 million registered jobseekers across the board and more than 60 million page views every month, it is the most preferred career portal among ambitious and talented professionals who want to make smarter career decisions that accelerate their career progression.