Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from July 2004

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from July 2004

HOT SPOTS: WILDFLOWER HALL, SHIMLA (located at 8250 feet in the Himalayas Oberoi Spa by Banyan Tree offers holistic treatments based on western and Asian therapies).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Oberoi Spa by Banyan Tree at the Wildflower Hall in Shimla offers holistic treatments based on western and Asian therapies. The Wildflower Hall is located at 8,250 feet above sea level in the Himalayan...

HOT SPOTS: ANANDA-IN THE HIMALAYAS (special 2 nights/3 days package valid until 30 Sep 2004, costs between Rs17,000 and Rs21,500).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Ananda is near Rishikesh in the Himalayas. Ananda is located in the palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal. Ananda offers traditional ayurveda, yoga, meditation as well as the latest European and...

HOT SPOTS: GOLDEN PALM SPA and RESORT, BANGALORE (weight management package for seven days combined with yoga, meditation, workouts and diets costs Rs56,000).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Golden Palms Spa and Resorts is located on the outskirts of Bangalore. The facilities include a pool, a sports centre, a state of the art gym and several spa treatments. It also offers a dozen...

CONVENTION POINT: VICEROY HOTEL and CONVENTION CENTRE (hotel's main convention hall spans across 15,000 square feet and can seat 4,000 people).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Viceroy Hotel and Convention Centre, which is located at the Secunderabad end of the Tank Bund Road, is the only hotel in Hyderabad with a dedicated convention centre. The hotel has 180 rooms at present...

LULLABY AND RIVERDANCE: GATEWAY RIVERVIEW LODGE, CHIPLUN (manor with 38 rooms offers standard single room at $50 and standard double room at $60 per day).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Gateway Riverview Lodge, which was built in 1988, is designed on the lines of a manor. The hotel has 38 rooms, which are all the same, so there is no option for upgrades as such. For adventure, rock...

JAMMU and KASHMIR SEEKS INCREASE IN POWER ENTITLEMENT (the State seeks an increase of 50-100 megawatts from 600-700 megawatts).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has urged the Government of India to increase its daily entitlement of power from central projects in view of shortage of power in the State. The State's entitlement...

DOES PR WORK? (public relations works when perception-reality matrix blends).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Public relations (PR) includes event management, marketing consultancy and brand management but is basically thought of as media management. If a company were to inflate its public image without the...

ADVERTISING: COMMERCIAL CONFUSION (several channels have advertising-to-content ratio of 15:45 per hour).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Initiative, research division of Lowe's, claims that advertising clutter in television is at an all time high and is expected to rise. Asia is one of the highest clutter regions, where it rose 19.7 percent...

DEATH OF KIRANA STORE (Hindustan Lever launches Sangam Direct at Thane, a one-stop shop for grocery and supermarket needs; offers door delivery).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Hindustan Lever Ltd's (HLL) new retail venture is its supermarket-on-the-phone, Sangam Direct, at Thane. It is a large-scale, one-stop-shop for grocery and supermarket needs. But unlike the supermarkets,...

MARKETING: CROSSING THE SEVEN Cs OF PRICING (pricing requires understanding of customers' perceptions of benefit and cost).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Pricing is one of the most important factors in business but one that is not adequately understood. An effective pricing strategy is built around the seven Cs, the first one being cost. Pricing can be based...

THE SENSATION OF A BRAND (brands should focus carefully on each of the sensory experiences of customers).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The brand is a perception that precipitates onto one's mind. The first stage is the basic perception that has just taken seed. The second stage is the process of germination and flowering. The perception of...

NFL GETS EXCELLENT RATING UNDER MOU (during 2003-2004, company produced 32.56 lakh tonnes of urea and achieved 100% capacity utilisation).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) has received an excellent rating under MoU system by Government of India, Department of Fertiliser, for 2002-2003. The rating, which is for the eighth time, is for...

IOCL SELECTS ABB FOR HEAT EXCHANGER (immediate replacement necessary to maintain quality of products in catalytic reforming unit).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has entrusted ABB Lummus Global with the job of replacing an existing feed effluent heat exchanger at its Mathura refinery. An immediate replacement is imperative to maintain...

EEPC SETS US$11.5 BILLION EXPORTS TARGET (plans to formulate a strategy to face international competition).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) has set an export target of $11.5 billion for 2004-2005, a 15 percent growth. EEPC is part of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. The...

THE POWER OF PERSEVERANCE: CONNECTWELL INDUSTRIES PVT LTD (efforts were needed to project the product in the right perspective and build a brand image).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Vijay Saheta, Managing Director of Connectwell Industries Pvt Ltd (CIP), based in Mumbai, before starting Connectwell, had tried his hands at several ventures, but without success. Connectwell was...

PROCESSING INDUSTRY: THE NEW EMPLOYMENT GENERATOR (food processing sector employs an estimated 16-lakh workers, which is about a fifth of India's industrial labour force).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Indian food processing industry employs an estimated 16,00,000 workers, which is about a fifth of India's industrial labour force. According to the ministry of food processing, the size of the industry...

BISCUITS WITHSTAND THE STORM (domestic biscuits industry recorded 11.7% growth in 2003 according to AC Nielsen India retail store audit data).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Indian biscuits segment grew by 11.7 percent in 2003, according to the AC Nielsen India retail store audit data for 2003. This translates to approximately seven percent of the FMCG sector, whose market...

NEW PRODUCTS: THE POWER OF SHAKTI (Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation enters health drinks sector with launch of Amul Shakti, a white health food drink).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation has entered the health-drinks sector, with its white health-food drink Amul Shakti. The company, which is a leading player in milk-based products, is...

NEW PRODUCTS: KEEP YOUR COOL, COURTESY DABUR (Dabur introduces traditional cooling recipes in three varieties-aam panna, pomegranate and watermelon fruit juices).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Dabur Foods has introduced Coolers, the fruit-based drinks that cool from within. According to the company, the drinks are traditional cooling recipes in three varieties-aam panna, pomegranate and...

NO IMFL RIGHTS TO KATRA (UB group decides to keep IMFL business with group companies; not to give IMFL rights to Katra Liquor's Marco Polo brand).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The UB group has decided not to give the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) rights to Katra Liquor's Marco Polo brand. This follows the UB Chairman's decision to keep the IMFL business of the brand with the...

HP WINE PROJECT IN THE COOLER (production under the first phase was to have begun by 2003).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) HPMC has slowed down the Rs40-crore wineries project. Production under the first phase, which is an apple-based winery to be set up at Pragatinagar at a cost of Rs25 crore, was to have begun operations by...

SUGAR: RECOVERING AFTER THE CANING (sugar share prices have surged in the past six months).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The production of sugar climbed from 128 lakh tonnes in 1997- 1998 to 201 lakh tonnes in 2002-2003. The result was increasing inventories and depressed prices. But cane prices, guided by the statutory minimum...

Swedish plastics manufacturers pressured by high oil prices.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Dagens Industri) Plastics manufacturers in Sweden are being hard hit by high oil prices and few companies are able to pass on the costs to customers. Borealis at Stenungsund, Sweden, which produces...

New materials wit improved characteristics.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Press Release) Nanotechnology is one of the most important key technologies of the 21st century. Bayer MaterialScience and Bayer Technology Services GmbH held a colloquium on nanocomposites on 28 Jun...

Felda aims to become global palm oil player.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - The Star (Malaysia)) The Government of Malaysia, in its re-engineering plan till 2054, intends to establish the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) as an international palm oil conglomerate. The...

Inno Biologics redeveloping four generic drugs.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - The Star (Malaysia)) The Malaysia-based Inno Biologics Sdn Bhd is planning to redevelop four types of protein-based generic drugs for a regional pharmaceutical company, by investing Ringgit 10 M. This...

Arsenic plan fails.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - New Scientist UK Edition) In eastern India and Bangladesh the crisis caused by arsenic-polluted drinking water is expected to get worse than it already is. In West Bengal 2000 arsenic removal facilities...

Renegade gene can aid and abet spread of cancer.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - New Scientist UK Edition) One of the greatest problems in cancer treatment is the problem of tumours developing resistance to standard treatments. A renegade gene has been discovered that switches from...

Lawsuit could force limits on US carbon emissions.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - New Scientist UK Edition) The US has rejected the Kyoto treaty, but eight states and a city are suing some of the world's biggest power companies, which are in the US, in an attempt at limiting carbon...

Sanofi-Synthelabo's offer for Aventis tender period has expired.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Press Release) Sanofi-Synthelabo announces that the tender period for its French, German and US Offers for Aventis expired simultaneously on 30 Jul 2004. Accordingly, holders of Aventis ordinary shares...

President Aliyev to meet with Olympics athletes.
July 31, 2004... (From AssA-Irada) On August 4 President Ilham Aliyev is expected to meet with athletes to participate in the upcoming Athens Olympics at the Zagulba Youth and Tourism Center and wish them good luck in the competition. The athletes are...

Human Rights Fund to hold protest action in Strasbourg.
July 31, 2004... (From AssA-Irada) The "Garabagh" Committee of the Azerbaijan Human Rights Fund (AHRF) is expected to hold protest action outside the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France in mid-August. The Fund told AssA-Irada...

Azerbaijan receives $36m in loans, repays $71m in foreign debt.
July 31, 2004... (From AssA-Irada) In the first half of 2004, the government of Azerbaijan received loans totaling $36 million from international financial institutions, including the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank (WB), German KfW Bank,...

Majority loans made in energy sector.
July 31, 2004... (From AssA-Irada) Currently, Azerbaijan owes $1 billion 69.600 million to international financial institutions for the loans received for the investment projects implemented in the country. The Foreign Economic Relations Department of...

Charter funds of banks up by $7.8m.
July 31, 2004... (From AssA-Irada) In July, the overall charter capital of all banks operating in Azerbaijan increased by 38.1 billion manats ($7.8m) as compared to June to make up 811.5bn manats ($165.3m). The average charter fund per bank made up 18.9...

E and Y REPORT REVEALED DIRTY DEALINGS AT GTB (E and Y review of key accounts of HFCL and Ketan Parekh group companies pointed to a nexus between top management and the two groups).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Global Trust Bank (GTB) had appointed Ernst and Young (E and Y) to conduct a special review of key accounts covering those belonging to group firms of HFCL and Ketan Parekh. The review was taken up in late...

AGENTS TO BOYCOTT LUFTHANSA (2,000 travel agents to suspend sales of Lufthansa tickets in protest against reduction in commission).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) About 2,000 travel agents in India have decided to stop the sales of Lufthansa tickets from 31 Jul 2004 to protest against the reduction in agent commission. It has been slashed to five percent from Sep 2004...

NRI INFLOWS NOT TO BE AFFECTED (CSFB rules against large outflows of FCNR funds as India's sovereign rating is unlikely to be downgraded).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) A number of policy changes may henceforth dissuade non- resident Indians (NRIs)from parking their funds in India. The huge dollar inflows from NRI deposits have contributed to the country's forex reserves...

Faust Pharmaceuticals requires another loan in 2004.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Die Pharmazeutische Industrie) French company Faust Pharmaceuticals in Strassburg specialises in discovery and development of new pharmaceuticals to treat diseases of the central nervous system. The...

Pierre Fabre builds new plant.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Die Pharmazeutische Industrie) French pharmaceuticals group Pierre Fabre in Castres (France) will build a new production facility with main focus on cancer drugs in Toulouse in 2005. The unit will...

Vivalis builds production facility.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Die Pharmazeutische Industrie) French biotechnology company Vivalis in Nantes plans to construct a production unit in Nantes for human vaccines and proteins for phase I and II of clinical trials. The...

FDA approvals. Xifaxan.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Die Pharmazeutische Industrie) The US Food and Drug Administration approved the pharmaceutical Xifaxan (rifaximin tablets 200mg) manufactured by Salix Pharmaceuticals. The drug is approved for patients...

FDA approvals. Sanctura.
July 31, 2004... (From Chemical Business NewsBase - Die Pharmazeutische Industrie) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the pharmaceutical Sanctura (trospiumchloride tablets) manufactured by Pliva dd. The drug is approved for hyperactive...

RASNA LTD (the Rs225-crore Rasna holds 93% share of the Rs300- crore soft drinks concentrate market).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Rasna Ltd, whose exports amounted to Rs50 crore during 2003-2004, plans on a major exports thrust during 2004-2005 and boost its exports by 30 percent. Towards this, the company is looking at some new...

KOTAK MAHINDRA MUTUAL LAUNCHES NEW DEBT SCHEME (Kotak Floater Long Term Scheme to invest 65%-100% in floating rate debt securities, money market instruments, other debt securities).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund has introduced a new open-ended debt scheme, Kotak Floater Long Term Scheme, on 30 Jul 2004. The investment pattern of the new scheme will be 65 percent-100 percent in floating...

`IRON DEFICIENCY COSTS INDIA Rs37,500 CRORE' (loss accounts for about 1.25% of the gross domestic product of the country).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) India is suffering a loss of Rs37,500 crore every year from economic loss due to lower productivity resulting from iron deficiency in the population. This loss accounts for about 1.25 percent of the...

ITC CREATES WAR CHEST FOR INVESTMENTS (expects investments in creating e-infrastructure to pay returns after three years).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) ITC Ltd expects its current investments in creating the e- infrastructure to start paying returns after three years. ITC's investment in e-infrastructure has been made to increase its e-choupal network...

IGF ASKS DETAILS ON GTB MERGER WITH OBC (asks SEBI for details of correspondence, recommendations and decisions on GTB-OBC merger).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Investors' Grievance Forum (IGF) has urged the Government of India, Reserve Bank of India and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to disclose the insider details on the merger of Global Trust...

MOTHER DAIRY INDIA LTD (plans to revamp its Rs165-crore Safal brand).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Safal brand of frozen vegetables of Mother Dairy India Ltd (MDIL) is a market leader in the frozen peas category with over 60 percent of the market share. The company plans to revamp its...

KYNDAL INDIA LTD (plans to introduce the White and Mackay Original Scotch whisky in India soon).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Kyndal India Ltd plans to soon introduce the White and Mackay Original Scotch whisky in India. The product will be bottled in Scotland and imported from the United Kingdom, to meet the growing needs of...

RADICO KHAITAN LTD (the Rs720-crore company has 4 bottling plants and it proposes to acquire 4 more in 3 years).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Radico Khaitan Ltd plans to acquire 2 more bottling plants in south India, to boost its capacity. Having already acquired a plant in Hyderabad, the company is looking around for a plant in Kerala and...

COCA-COLA INDIA (makes a profit of around Rs250 crore).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Coca-Cola India is set to re-do the structure and functions of its Indian operations, into the concentrate division and the bottling division. It is expected that soon Coca-Cola India could altogether stop...

DABUR FOODS (during 2003-2004, its total sales turnover was Rs86 crore).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Dabur Foods has identified beverages as a growth area and hopes to reach a turnover of Rs200 crore by 2006-2007. During 2003-2004, the company registered a profit of Rs1.46 crore. Dabur Foods had recently...

GUJARAT CO-OPERATIVE MILK MARKETING FEDERATION (to make Amul Kool the flagship brand for the range of chilled beverages that are to be introduced).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation or Amul proposes to make Amul Kool the flagship brand for the range of chilled beverages that are to be introduced soon. Amul, which has already...

ION EXCHANGE INDIA (introducing a new technology called `membrane bio reactor' near Mumbai to treat and recycle sewerage).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Ion Exchange India (IEI) is introducing a new technology called `membrane bio reactor' near Mumbai to treat and recycle sewerage. The company, which basically offers solutions for management of safe...

PEPSICO INDIA (forays into the less than 20% fruit pulp category with the launch of its mango nectar).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) PepsiCo India has planned to foray into the less than 20 percent fruit pulp category with the launch of its mango nectar. The company, which has planned to increase its juice product and also introduce...

UB GROUP (has axed 12 slow-moving liquor brands).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) UB group's spirits division has eliminated 12 slow-moving liquor brands. They include the White Magic vodka, 2-in-1 Lime, Centenary whisky, Red Czar vodka and Old Inn whisky. The company has introduced its...

RAPID GROWTH IN FRUIT JUICE SEGMENT (the fruit juice segment is likely to grow by 40% per annum in the next 5 years).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Indian fruit juice segment, which falls under the non-carbonated soft drinks (NCSD) category, is expected to grow at 40 percent a year in the next 5 years. Godrej Industries holds a 17-20 percent share...

WINE CONSUMPTION (over the last 10 years, international wines have grown by 30% and domestic wines have grown by 22%).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The consumption of wine in India until recently was 3.5 million litres, which is expected to go up. While consumption of domestic cheap wines make up for 1,50,000 cases per year, domestic wines of...

GROWTH OF BRANDED CURD (the curd market of India is nearly 20,000 tonnes per day).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The curd market of India is nearly 20,000 tonnes per day, with packaged curd representing 5 percent of the volume. The key operators in the market are aiming to expand their operations across cities. Amul,...

MANGO-THE KING OF FRUITS (Maharashtra exported 22,000-25,000 tonnes of Alphonso mangoes in the current season).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Maharashtra exported 22,000-25,000 tonnes of Alphonso mangoes in the current season, despite strict phyto-sanitary conditions of the European Union and low output of mangoes due to drought. Mangoes were...

CHOCOLATE SALES (during 2003 chocolate sales grew by 1.8% to Rs514 crore).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Many of the chocolate companies are finding it difficult to meet their sales targets, being affected by worm infestation controversy and increasing prices of the ingredients. With rising prices of milk and...

HOT BREW WAR (flavours from Pepsi-HLL include cardamom, diet cardamom, ginger and masala).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Coca-Cola, also known as Coke, and Pepsi are competing against each other in the Indian tea market. While Coke has already entered the market with its Georgia brand, Pepsi has now entered into a joint...

UNIFIED LAW FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY (along with a regulatory authority and a single-window system).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Government of India has recognised the food processing industry as sunrise industry. It is now thinking of a unified law along with a regulatory authority and a single-window system that would...

EXOTIC FRUITS EJECTED FROM INDIAN MARKETS (include melons from Australia and Thailand, apples, citrus and grapes from the European Union, Brazil and other countries).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Imports of many exotic fruits into India have been ordered to be stopped with immediate effect. This follows the implementation of the Plant Quarantine (Regulations of import into India) Order, 2003,...

NEW BREAD VARIANTS (Hindustan Lever Ltd and Britannia are the 2 largest operators in the Rs1,000-crore organised segment).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The key operators in the Indian bread industry have come out with various fortified atta to secure a larger share of the market. Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) and Britannia are the 2 largest operators in the...

BILL LIMITS COMED SEATS TO 25% (medical seats allotted before 15 Jul 2004 to students will remain valid).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The Government of Karnataka got passed in the State Legislative Assembly a Bill limiting the allotment of seats by the managements of engineering and medical colleges in the State to 25 percent. It has also...

E and Y REPORT HAD LONG EXPOSED GTB-HFCL NEXUS (had demonstrated the nexus between HFCL, Ketan Parekh Group and top officials of GTB).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Auditors and consultants Ernst and Young, which had carried out a review of the disbursals by Global Trust Bank (GTB) in 2001, had clearly demonstrated the nexus between Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd...

TROPICANA TROPICS: FLAVOUR OF THE SEASON (Pepsi's Tropicana Tropics Mango Nectar containing no preservatives comes in 200ml tetrapak priced at Rs12 and 500ml pack at Rs25).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Pepsi Foods India has entered into a new segment with the launch of Tropicana Tropics Mango Nectar. This product would boost the existing Tropicana categories-Tropicana Premium Gold and Tropicana Season's...

GODREJ NIMIN: IT'S ALL IN THE FAMILY (introduces Nimin, a new soap that has been positioned as a natural germkill).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has recently introduced Nimin, a new soap that has been positioned as `a natural germkill'. The soap, which is priced at Rs8 for a 75-gram (gm) bar and Rs13 for 125gm...

BRYLCREEM: FOR THE ADDED EDGE (launches a range of shaving products-shaving creams, shaving gels, shaving foams and after-shave lotions).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Brylcreem has launched a range of shaving products that are specially formulated to give you a smooth and effective shave and to leave your skin moisturised to give you a well- groomed look. The range of...

SHANTI AMLA: BACK TO THE ROOTS (holds 13% share of the Rs270-crore amla hair oil market in India).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Marico Industries' Shanti Amla hair oil holds 13 percent share of the Rs270-crore amla hair oil market in India. Since its introduction in 2001, the company has spent around Rs15 crore to advertise and...

PARRY'S CONFECTIONERY: BEGINNING ON A SWEET NOTE (gross sales rose 7% to Rs100 crore during 2003-2004).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Parry's Confectionery Ltd has reintroduced the Coffy Bite candy in a new international packaging. The company has also rolled out a Butterscotch deposit candy priced at Rs0.50 in the southern states, which...

MAXIMA WATCHES: TIME TO GROW UP (offers Aqua Collection, Gold Collection and Scuba Collection watches; turnover and profitability is growing at around 18-20%).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Maxima Watches from PA Time Industries (PATI) has rolled out a Rs10-crore expansion plan. In addition to launching a couple of new brands, PATI aims to set up around 100 franchisee outlets across the...

IN THE NAME OF LUXURY: SUPERB FROM SKODA AUTO INDIA (new car priced at Rs23.45 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Skoda Auto India (SIA) recently rolled out its sedan, Superb, in the Indian luxury car segment. During 2004-2005, the company targets to sell 500 units of the new car brand, which is priced at Rs23,45,000,...

A DRINK TO HEALTH: SOFIT FROM GODREJ INDUSTRIES (soymilk brand Sofit offered in plain, mango, apple and malt flavours; sofit promises new taste of health).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Godrej Industries' food division introduced its packaged soy milk brand, Sofit, in Mumbai, during Feb 2004, which has since sold 600-700 litres. The drink, which is available in 2,000 outlets in 11 metro...

ORIGINAL TITAN SPARES: TIME TO FIX THINGS (totally has 658 service centres in 324 towns).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Titan Industries has refurbished its after-sales function and unveiled the division's new identity. The identity features a new blue and white logo advertising Original Titan Spares. It has been designed to...

MOTHER DAIRY: NOW, FOR SOME CHILLING FACTS (Mother Dairy launches Chillz ice cream, a new range of bars and cones targeted at college going youth).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Mother Dairy has launched a ad new campaign for Chillz, a new sub-brand that was launched in 2003. According to the company's ad agency, Saatchi and Saatchi, while other dairy items and ice creams in the...

GODREJ AGROVET: CHICKEN VERSUS CHICKEN (Real Good Chicken is processed at the company's plants at Taloja and Bangalore; priced between Rs60-70 per kilogram).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Godrej Agrovet, part of the Godrej group of companies, recently launched a television commercial that was created by Mudra Communications to promote its Real Good Chicken (RCG) brand. The company is...

PRIYA FOOD PRODUCTS: A TASTE FOR PACE (signs up Indian fast bowler Ashish Nehra as its brand ambassador).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Priya Food Products, which has a range of youthful products including biscuits and cookies, has signed up the Indian fast bowler, Ashish Nehra, as its brand ambassador. The 50- crore company that has a...

RADIO MIRCHI: TAPPING INTO THE FOOD CHAIN (launches four-day campaign to promote breakfast show by joining hands with the dabbawallahs of Mumbai).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Radio Mirchi, Mumbai, launched a four-day campaign to promote its breakfast show, Hello Mumbai, by joining hands with the dabbawallahs of Mumbai. The promotional activity was specifically meant for...

TATA MOTORS ENTERS USED TRUCK BUSINESS (targets Rs50 crore used truck business in two years under Tata Preowned banner).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Tata Motors has entered the used truck business under the Tata Preowned banner. The company, which has forayed into the venture in select dealerships in the northern region, is reported to be targeting a...

ASHOK LEYLAND EXPECTS MARKED GROWTH IN EXPORTS THIS FISCAL (exports to grow to more than $100 million during 2004- 2005 following major demand in Iraq).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) Ashok Leyland expects its exports to grow to more than $100 million during 2004-2005, due to a major growth in demand from Iraq. The company, whose exports during 2003-2004 amounted to $60 million, is...

FDI CAP IN MUMBAI, DELHI AIRPORTS SCALED DOWN TO 49% (from 74% to protect the interests of the Indian investors).
July 31, 2004... (From India Business Insight) The new Government of India is allowing foreign investors to pick up only up to 49 percent stake in the joint ventures being set up for the upgrading and modernisation of the Delhi and Mumbai airports. The...