ABB India Introduces Next Generation Compact Drive Specialized For HVACR Systems

•     ABB’s new range of drives are designed specifically for HVACR applications

•     Compact design allows for lower cost and easier cabinet installation

•     New drives can control high efficiency motors, empowering businesses to reach the highest IE5 efficiency standard

ABB India launches its next generation compact drive, ACH180, for HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) equipment. As the newest addition to ABB’s HVACR drive portfolio, the ACH180 enables expert control of high-efficiency motors, while utilizing a compact design for space savings, lower capital expenditure and easier commissioning.

With the current climate impact, there is a rising need for effective heating and cooling systems in India.  While it is crucial that these systems have a sharp focus on boosting comfort and safety, they must also ensure energy savings, in line with the country’s ambitious plans to reduce emissions.

“The launch of this new drive is a great addition to our portfolio of all-compatible drives. This also reflects our efforts to really focus on offering energy-efficient solutions to highly energy intensive industries while ensuring that the solution meets the industry-specific needs,” said A.R. Madhusudan, President, Drive Products, ABB India.

ABB’s new drive is designed for commercial buildings such as data centers, hotels, and shopping malls. The ACH180 drive’s design will allow operators to run motors based on the HVACR process demands, rather than running them at full speed and reducing output using mechanical controls like throttles or dampers. This greatly decreases energy consumption and CO? emissions. With a built-in filter to lower high-frequency emissions, it allows the drive to be used in industrial or domestic environments without the need to buy and install additional external filters.

It supports the control of various motor types, including permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motors like IE5 EC Titanium™ by ABB, permanent magnet motors, and conventional induction motors. Further, onboard communication protocols, including BACnet MS/TP and Modbus RTU, offer compatibility with a wide range of building automation systems (BAS) or OEM controllers.

The ACH180 is suitable for a wide range of HVACR applications, including air handlers, fan arrays, heat pumps, compressors, and pumps, minimizing the cost and complexity of using a drive. These drives are designed for harsh conditions such as 60°C ambient temperature with derating, making the ACH180 a better choice for customers expecting high reliability. With features like the fireman's override which allows the fire service to take control of the installed drives controlling fans to help maintain escape routes, the new range of drives ensure high standards of safety for personnel and people.

The drive is available on February 15, 2024, and has been launched at ACREX 2024 in India – South Asia’s largest exhibition on air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and intelligent buildings. The exhibition is taking place from February 15 to February 17, 2024. Learn more about the new product here.

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on over 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com 

ABB Motion keeps the world turning – while saving energy every day. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to enable the low-carbon future for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services our customers and partners achieve better performance, safety and reliability. We offer a combination of domain expertise and technology to deliver the optimum drive and motor solution for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Through our global presence we are always close to serve our customers. Building on more than 140 years of cumulative experience in electric powertrains, we learn and improve every day. Go.abb/motion

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Redefines Customer Experience With Industry-First “Awesome New Car Delivery Solution”

In line with its commitment to ‘customer-first approach’ and creating awesome buying experience through value added services, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (Toyota Kirloskar Motor/TKM) today announced the introduction of its “Awesome New Car Delivery Solution”, an initiative to be implemented by TKM’s authorised dealers as a part of their sales process. The new initiative aims at extending vehicle logistic services till delivery touchpoints by eliminating possible drive down of new cars by the Dealer staff to the delivery location. As an industry first, the new initiative will enable Toyota Dealers to transport new vehicles from dealer stockyards to their sales outlets on a flat-bed truck. This will ensure new vehicles to reach the final delivery outlets of the dealerships without driving the new vehicles on road, even in rural and semi-urban locations where last mile logistics pose challenges.

With the launch of the Phase I of this program, customers from 26 states with 130 dealerships, will enjoy this trustworthy and delightful car buying experience at Toyota dealerships. The key highlights include:

Peace of mind and awesome delivery experience – Secured transport service to all customer delivery touchpoint

No additional cost to be borne by the customer

Setting new industry benchmark – Consistent, standardized and trustworthy buying experience to customers nationwide

Utmost convenience and care – Flatbed carriers for safe transportation, backed by transit insurance.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Sabari Manohar – Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, "At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, our commitment to customer-centricity is paramount. We consistently strive to innovate, aiming to enrich the end-to-end customer journey for a truly awesome ownership experience. The introduction of the “Awesome New Car Delivery Solution” initiative to be executed by our Dealers exemplifies our unwavering commitment to excellence. Offering movement of new cars from dealer stockyards to dealer showrooms through a carrier service, at no additional cost to the customers, will not only bring peace of mind but will also establish a uniform purchasing experience across all locations by effectively minimizing transit-related issues. As we continue to broaden our focus on providing access to our world-class products and services, we believe this initiative will particularly benefit customers in rural and semi-urban areas, where movement of vehicles large trucks, remains a challenge and new vehicles are often driven to the delivery location by road from Dealer stock yard.

More than just a car delivery program, the “Awesome New Car Delivery Solution” Initiative is about crafting exceptional experiences and delivering enhanced value to our customers by bringing curated solutions.

As a part of the program, dealerships have tied-up with expert logistic company to implement seamless “Awesome New Car Delivery Solution”. This innovative approach involves the utilization of flatbed single car carriers, effectively mitigating the risks associated with transportation of new vehicles and elevating the overall safety and reliability of the vehicle transportation process. Furthermore, to fortify the protection of vehicles during transportation, transit insurance is provided through Insurance Companies. This additional layer of coverage reaffirms utmost dedication in delivering new vehicles to customers in line with enhanced expectation.

Over the years, TKM has strived to improve customer experiences throughout the entire purchase and ownership cycle by implementing timely and relevant initiatives through value-added services that include the newly introduced 5-Years of Complimentary Roadside Assistance Program and specialized schemes, aimed to make the dream of owning a Toyota vehicle a reality, ensuring a joyful ownership experience for our existing customers.

59% of Indian Enterprises Have Actively Deployed AI, Highest Among Countries Surveyed: IBM Report

Trust in AI is key as 94% say that being able to explain how their AI reached a decision is important to their business.

Top factors driving adoption in India are accessibility of AI tools, need to reduce costs and automate, and increase in AI embedded into off the shelf business applications.   

New research commissioned by IBM (NYSE: IBM) found that about 59% of enterprise-scale organizations (over 1,000 employees) surveyed in India have AI actively in use in their businesses. The ‘IBM Global AI Adoption Index 2023’ found early adopters are leading the way, with 74% of those Indian enterprises already working with AI, having accelerated their investments in AI in the past 24 months in areas like R&D and workforce reskilling.

Ongoing challenges for AI adoption remain, including hiring employees with the right skillsets and ethical concerns, inhibiting businesses from adopting AI technologies into their operations. Therefore, in 2024 addressing these inhibitors would be a priority, like providing people with the relevant skills to work with AI and having a robust AI governance framework.

“The increase in AI adoption and investments by Indian enterprises is a good indicator that they are already experiencing the benefits from AI. However, there is still a significant opportunity to accelerate as many businesses are hesitant to move beyond experimentation and deploy AI at scale,” said Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia. “To harness its full potential in the coming months, data and AI governance tools are going to be critical for building AI models responsibly that enterprises can trust and confidently adopt. Without the use of governance tools, AI can expose companies to data privacy issues, legal complications, and ethical dilemmas – cases of which we have already seen plaguing many across the world,” he added.

Highlights for India from the ‘IBM Global AI Adoption Index 2023’ conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of IBM: 

Over the last several years, AI adoption has remained steady at large organizations surveyed:? 

Today, 59% of IT professionals at large organizations report that they have actively deployed AI while an additional 27% are actively exploring using the technology.

Similarly, around 6 in 10 of IT professionals at enterprises report that their company is actively implementing generative AI and another 34% are exploring it.

74% of IT professionals at companies deploying or exploring AI indicate that their company has accelerated their investments in or rollout of AI in the past 24 months in areas like R&D (67%), reskilling/ workforce development (55%) and building proprietary AI solutions (53%).

Easier to use AI tools and the need to reduce costs and automate processes are driving AI adoption among surveyed companies: 

Advances in AI tools that make them more accessible (59%), the need to reduce costs and automate key processes (48%), and the increasing amount of AI embedded into standard off the shelf business applications (47%) are the top factors driving AI adoption. 

The skills gap remains the biggest barrier to AI adoption in India:

The top 5 barriers hindering successful AI adoption at enterprises both exploring or deploying AI are?limited AI skills and expertise (30%), lack of tools/platforms for developing AI models (28%), AI projects are too complex or difficult to integrate and scale (27%), ethical concerns (26%) and too much data complexity (25%). 

The need for trustworthy and governed AI is well understood, but barriers are making it difficult for surveyed companies in India to put into practice:?

IT professionals are largely in agreement that consumers are more likely to choose services from companies with transparent and ethical AI practices (98% strongly or somewhat agree) and 94% say being able to explain how their AI reached a decision is important to their business (among companies exploring or deploying AI).

However, despite understanding its importance?only a minority are taking key steps towards trustworthy AI like reducing bias (36%), tracking data provenance (46%), making sure they can explain the decisions of their AI models (52%), or developing ethical AI policies (46%). 

The top barriers for developing trustworthy and ethical AI are the lack of an AI strategy (57%), lack of company guidelines (55%) and lack of AI governance and management tools that work across all data environments (55%).

Among surveyed organizations in India, AI is already having an impact on the workforce:  

Among companies citing AI’s use to address labor or skills shortages, they are tapping AI to do things like reduce manual or repetitive tasks with automation tools (63%), automate customer self-service answers and actions (63%) or using AI to improve recruiting and human resources (56%).

46% are currently training or reskilling employees to work together with new automation and AI tools. 51% said that employees at their organization are excited to work with new AI and automation tools.

About IBM:

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Coca-Cola Reports Fourth Quarter And Full-Year 2023 Results

Global Unit Case Volume Grew 2% for the Quarter and 2% for the Full Year

Net Revenues Grew 7% for the Quarter and 6% for the Full Year; Organic Revenues (Non-GAAP) Grew 12% for the Quarter and 12% for the Full Year

India Highlights from the global release:

Consolidated:

For the full year, unit case volume grew 2%. Developing and emerging markets grew 2%, driven by growth in India and Brazil, partially offset by the suspension of business in Russia in 2022.

Unit case volume grew 2% for the quarter. Developing and emerging markets grew 4%, driven by growth in Brazil and India.

Asia Pacific:

Unit case volume grew 2% for the quarter in the Asia Pacific region, primarily driven by growth in juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverages and sparkling flavours, led by India and China.

For the year, the company gained value share in total NARTD beverages in the Asia Pacific region, led by share gains in India, the Philippines, South Korea, and Japan.

Company Updates:

Building a system that is increasingly positioned for sustainable long-term growth: Our franchise business model has enabled the company to develop a strong global footprint with a local touch in markets around the world. The company continuously works to optimize the system with trusted, capable, and motivated bottling partners allowing it to focus on building and growing consumer-loved brands. Recently, the company completed the refranchising of a portion of its company-owned bottling operations in India to existing franchise bottlers.

Motorola Launches “moto g04” Boasting Premium Design With 4 Stunning Colours, 90Hz 6.6” Punch-Hole Display, Latest Android™ 14

Highlights

The moto g04 boasts stunning design and comes with four amazing never-before-seen colours made from premium materials, a punch-hole 16.66 cm (6.6”) IPS LCD 90 Hz display for ultimate entertainment at an incredible budget friendly effective price starting Rs. 6,249*

The moto g04 stands out as India’s most affordable smartphone with Android™ 14 ^making it safer, more personal, and easily accessible.

The moto g04 also features powerful performance with built-in 8GB / 4GB LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB / 64GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The RAM can be further expanded up to 16GB with the help of RAM Boost.

The moto g04 comes with other best in segment features such as a Dolby Atmos® speaker, IP52 water repellent design and a massive 5000mAh battery making it a perfect entertainer.

The device will be available in two memory variants, namely 4GB + 64GB and 8GB + 128GB at Rs. 6,999 and Rs. 7,999 respectively.

Consumers will also be able to get an additional Rs. 750 off on exchange as part of the launch offer in 4GB + 64GB variant, making the effective price of the device just Rs. 6,249 and Rs. 7,999 respectively. Moto g04 will go on sale on Flipkart, Motorola.in and leading retail stores across India, starting 22nd February 2024, 12PM onwards.

Motorola, India’s best 5G smartphone brand launched its latest entry level smartphone the “moto g04”.It comes with a premium design with acrylic glass finish (PMMA) and will be available in 4 attractive colours. It also features a 16.66 cm (6.6”) IPS LCD punch-hole display with 90 Hz refresh rate. The moto g04 is also India’s most affordable smartphone with the latest Android™ 14. Furthermore, the moto g04 delivers powerful performance with its built-in 4GB or 8GB RAM which can be extended up to 16GB with RAM boost feature and 64GB or 128GB UFS 2.2 storage with UNISOC T606 chipset, and a massive 5000mAh battery. Additionally, it features IP52 water-repellent design, a rarity in this price range, and a 16MP AI camera with a Quad Pixel camera system for superb pictures, whether in daylight or low light

The moto g04 boasts an exceptional design, beautifully crafted from premium materials. Its streamlined camera housing feels great in hand and the device is extremely thin just 7.99mm and lightweight just 178g making it one of the lightest and slimmest smartphone in the segment. Moreover, the side-mounted fingerprint reader ensures an easy and fast unlock along with high-quality matte finish on the back of the phone making it look as good as it feels. Available in four vibrant colours, namely Concord Black, Sea Green, Satin Blue, and Sunrise Orange, the moto g04 compliments every style. The IP52 water-repellent design also ensures the device stays protected even with light spills and splashes.

Users can enjoy a multidimensional audio-visual experience owing to the punch-hole 16.66 cm (6.6”) 90 Hz display with a High Brightness mode complemented by a powerful Dolby Atmos® speaker. The display offers an immersive experience, eliminating all distractions and disturbances. High Brightness mode automatically adjusts the display outdoors so it’s easier to see, reaching peak brightness levels of up to 537 NITS. Conversely, the Night Light mode tints the screen amber, making the display easier to view in dim or poor lighting conditions. Matching such a remarkable display, Dolby Atmos® adds another dimension of audio, offering greater depth, clarity, and details.

The moto g04 comes with Android 14, the only phone in its segment to do so. With this, users can make their devices more personal, protected, and accessible while getting privacy updates for health, safety, and data. With enhanced PIN security that recommends users set a 6-digit PIN, upon finishing which the device unlocks automatically without any friction. Additionally, the Health Connect feature acts as a central way to connect and sync all the data from various fitness apps in one place, for a more holistic view. Another feature is the flash notifications that alerts the users by turning on the flash and screen light for incoming calls, so they don’t miss a notification.

Ensuring an unmatched performance, the moto g04 comes with built-in 8GB / 4GB RAM which can be expanded up to 16GB with RAM boost feature. Coupled with a a reliable UNISOC T606 chipset, and UFS 2.2 storage that enables faster read-write speeds, the moto g04 makes multitasking seamless. The moto g04 offers two storage options of 64GB and 128GB which can be further expanded to 1TB via a dedicated microSD card and it also features a triple sim card slot.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. T.M. Narasimhan, Managing Director, Mobile Business Group – India, said “We are pleased to announce yet another addition to our g series smartphones - the moto g04. This device is a true embodiment of our commitment to providing users with attractive design, disruptive features at outstanding price points. As India’s most affordable Android 14 smartphone, moto g04 enables users to experience cutting-edge technology without compromising on essential features. With this launch, we continue to make significant strides in our pursuit to democratise technology by empowering individuals to explore, connect and experience like never before.”

The moto g04 comes with a massive 5000mAh battery that offers outstanding backup and supports 15W charging. It also comes with an IP52 rated water repellent design and a 16MP AI-powered camera that captures beautiful photos with the help of automatic AI enhancements. Loaded with smart features like HDR and Portrait mode, to generate professional-looking shots automatically. Moreover, consumers can click better selfies owing to the device’s 5MP front camera with face retouch, for social media worthy clicks every time. Other notable features included in the camera system are Timelapse, Night Vision, Portrait Mode, and Leveller among others. 

Availability:

The moto g04 will be available in four beautiful colours: Concord Black, Sea Green, Satin Blue, and Sunrise Orange, featuring acrylic glass (PMMA) finish with a matte texture that makes it scratch-resistant.

moto g04 will be available in two memory & storage variants with built-in 4GB RAM + 64GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage; and will go on sale on Flipkart, Motorola.in and leading retail stores starting 22nd February 2024, 12PM onwards.

Launch Price:

4GB RAM + 64GB Storage: Rs. 6,999

8GB RAM + 128GB Storage: Rs. 7,999

Affordability Offers~:

Additional Rs. 750 on exchange for 4GB + 64GB variant.

Effective Price with offer:

4GB + 64GB: Rs. 6,249

8GB + 128GB: Rs. 7,999

To know more about the product visit:  

https://www.flipkart.com/moto-g04/p/itm697d6b05ee342?pid=MOBGUFK4HDHHKJPP

https://www.flipkart.com/moto-g04-e7gc-coming-soon-store

Operator Offers:

Total Benefits worth Rs. 4,500 from Reliance Jio (Applicable on pre-paid plan of: Rs. 399)

- Cashback worth Rs. 2000

- Partner coupons worth Rs. 2500

To know more about the offer:   https://www.jio.com/en-in/jio-motorola-g04-offer-2024

Pramerica Life Insurance Announces “13th Edition of Emerging Visionaries Program” For Young Changemakers, Enrich Communities

Pramerica Life Insurance, one of the fastest growing life insurers in India, unveils the 13th edition of its innovative cause-related initiative, the Emerging Visionaries, a national recognition program that awards school students for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

The program represents the evolution of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a longstanding program that has recognized over 150,000 young individuals over 27 years worldwide and has a rich legacy spanning over 13 years in India. Benefiting from the purpose driven history of Prudential Financial Inc. and financial expertise of Piramal Finance, Pramerica Life Insurance continues its journey of recognizing and celebrating the remarkable efforts of children who contribute positively to their communities by developing innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges.

At its core, the Emerging Visionaries program serves as a manifestation of Pramerica Life Insurance's overarching brand vision: securing and enriching lives. By acknowledging the contributions of children towards addressing these challenges, the program reinforces the company's dedication to this vision. Through this initiative, the company aims to enhance the well-being of the communities it inhabits.  

The primary objective of the program is twofold: to recognize the exceptional efforts of young changemakers and to inspire a broader culture of social responsibility. By highlighting the initiatives of these young leaders, the company seeks to inspire others to contribute positively to society, fostering a ripple effect of positive change.

Pramerica Life Insurance is committed to reaching out to the students and catching them young, celebrating their intent of social responsibility from an early age. This recognition program is an effort to create a supportive ecosystem where kids at an early age can thrive and make meaningful contributions to society.

"Our hearts swell with pride as we celebrate the tireless efforts, indomitable spirit, and noble intent of these young champions," expressed Karthik Chakrapani, Chief Business Officer of Pramerica Life Insurance. "Through this initiative, we aspire to shine a spotlight on their exemplary actions, igniting a beacon of inspiration for all. By showcasing their innovation, determination and resilience, we hope to inspire others to join hands and strive for the greater good of our world, embodying the ethos of collective action and compassion."

In addition to its online application process, the program broadens its impact through comprehensive school outreach. The company plans to reach out to 3000+ schools across India covering Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities through digital webinars, on-ground presentations and dialogues with the students and school management. This extensive engagement ensures the program's accessibility to a diverse array of students, fostering inclusivity and enabling young changemakers from all corners of the country to participate and contribute to positive societal change.

The program is open to students from classes 8 to 12 who have demonstrated active engagement in volunteer activities.

Participants are invited to submit projects addressing either financial or societal challenges within their communities.

Applications must be e-certified by their respective school principals.

A distinguished panel of jurors will evaluate submissions and select finalists in two categories: Financial Solution Challenge and Societal Solution Challenge.

Five finalists will be chosen for the Financial Solution Challenge, while twenty finalists will be selected for the Societal Solution Challenge.

From these finalists, two national honorees - one from each category - will be awarded Certificates of Excellence, gold medallions, and a cash prize of INR 50,000 each.

Additionally, honorees will receive trophies, and their school principals will be recognized.

Both national honorees will be granted an all-expenses-paid trip to an international recognition event in the United States.

The application submission window is currently open till February 21, 2024. For more information about the Emerging Visionaries program, visit https://emergingvisionaries.com/in/.

About Pramerica Life Insurance Limited

Pramerica Life Insurance Limited is a joint venture between DIL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Limited and Prudential International Insurance Holdings, Ltd. (PIIH), a fully owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI). Pramerica Life Insurance Limited represents the coming together of two renowned financial services organizations with a legacy of business excellence spread over decades. Pramerica Life Insurance Limited, started operations in India on September 01, 2008 and has a pan India presence through multiple distribution channels which have been customized to address the specific insurance needs of diverse customer segments. The Company is committed to providing protection and quality financial advice to its customers. Pramerica is the brand name used in India and select countries by PFI. For more details, visit: www.pramericalife.in

Bengaluru To Host CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League Season One Finale

CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, India's first franchise-based Supercross league, announces a change in venue for the highly anticipated Season One finale. Originally slated for Delhi, the event will now thrill fans in Bengaluru on February 25, 2024, as initially scheduled.

Due to unforeseen circumstances necessitating the implementation of some stringent resolutions by authorities, which could potentially create logistical challenges, the organizing committee has made a conscious decision to relocate the event to Bengaluru. This careful decision was made to ensure the seamless execution of the season finale and, above all, to prioritize the safety of all those involved.

The prestigious APMC ground located at Byatarayanapura, opposite to Pheonix Mall of Asia in Bangalore, Karnataka has been selected as the new host venue for the season's thrilling conclusion.

Veer Patel, Director and Co-Founder of Supercross India Pvt. Ltd. said, "We acknowledge the anticipation surrounding the Season One finale, and we extend our apologies for any inconvenience caused by this adjustment. However, after careful consideration of various factors, including the prevailing circumstances, we believe that relocating the event to Bengaluru, that is considered the epitome of motorcycle events, will bolster the confidence of our partners and draw exceptional crowds. We are confident that the culminating event will offer an exhilarating Supercross racing experience to its fans."

The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering a world-class experience for fans and participants alike. The league looks forward to showcasing the excitement of Supercross in Bengaluru and creating lasting memories for all involved.

For more information on the CEAT ISRL Season One, please visit the official website at

https://indiansupercrossleague.com/.