BMW to make MINI Countryman in Chennai

Chennai: BMW’s Chennai plant will soon become the first one outside Europe to manufacture the luxury car maker’s compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) the MINI Countryman.

Production of the compact SUV will start next month and it will start hitting the roads by the end of the year, said Robert Frittrang, managing director, BMW India. The move to expand the company’s international production network is in response to the growing demand for premium MINI cars, BMW said in a statement.

When the company starts production, MINI will be India’s first locally-manufactured premium small car. The firm expects significant growth over the medium- and long-term. According to the company, Chennai-manufactured MINI will fulfil the same quality standards that apply to BMW Group models worldwide. BMW also expects local production of MINI could improve its demand in India.

“It is a very good product for Indian road condition, with high ground clearance. It is also a car in which five persons can travel comfortably,” Frittrang told reporters on the sidelines of the convocation ceremony of Indo-German Training Centre, Chennai.

The locally-produced vehicle will be introduced in two diesel variants - MINI Cooper D Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman High. Another petrol variant, MINI One Countryman, will also be produced at Chennai. Since 2007, the company has invested around ^60 million in India.

The other petrol variants - MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper S Countryman High – will be imported in India as completely built-up units (CBUs).

The price of the vehicles range from Rs 26.60 lakh to Rs 37.50 lakh.

At present, the compact SUV is manufactured at Oxford in UK and in Austria.

India is the 100th market in the global MINI sales network and has become increasingly significant for the BMW Group since establishing its presence in India from 2007. From January 2012, MINI has continued to grow its presence in India and has established five exclusive outlets across Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

In March 2007, BMW India officially opened its production plant in Chennai. The existing facility in a 40-acre land in Mahindra World City, about 50 kms away from Chennai city, has a capacity to manufacture 11,000 units a year, in two shifts, said Frittrang.

At present, BMW’s Chennai plant produces BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW X1, and BMW X3. In 2013, the plant will also produce BMW 7 series and BMW 1 series.

Coca-Cola to set up Rs 600 crore plant near Dehradun

Dehradun: Uttarakhand government on Wednesday oversaw the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding between State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd (HCCBPL).

The MOU was signed to set up Rs 600 crore manufacturing plant in Dehradun's Vikas Nagar Tehsil. The manufacturing plant will be spread over 60 acres producing non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, juices, fruit-based drinks and packages of drinking water.

The MOU was signed between SIDCUL's managing director Rakesh Sharma and HCCBPL's executive director Shukla Wasan.

Chief minister Bahuguna was present at the event and said that the government has already allotted land for setting up the manufacturing plant. HCCBPL will invest Rs 6000 crore to establish the plant in two phases, he added.

Bahuguna further added that this deal will attract more business houses and mega companies to invest in state. He said that the government launched SIDCUL- phase 2 to attract investment for development of Uttarakhand and that several there is considerable interest in the state as the crime rate is low.

"We hope to attract more investment in state in the days to come," he said.

HCCBPL vice-president Patrick George handed over a check of Rs 1.60 crore as earnest money and processing charges to Bahuguna.

Essar Energy joins UN corporate responsibility project

Mumbai: Essar Energy has announced that it has become a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), which is a voluntary corporate responsibility initiative, with over 10,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders from over 130 countries.

The UNGC is also a strategic policy measure for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

The company, in a press release, said that it is committed to adopting a globally recognised policy framework, for the development, implementation and disclosure of environmental, social and governance policies and practices.

Cipla launches first biosimilar for rheumatic disorders

Mumbai: Drug maker Cipla has locally rolled out its first biosimilar, Etanercept, used to treat rheumatic disorders.

Formed through a partnership alliance, the drug sold under the Etacept brandname will be manufactured by China-based Shanghai CP Guojian Pharmaceutical Co and marketed by Cipla in India, a note from Cipla said.

Rheumatic disorders
The introduction of Etacept now signals Cipla’s entry into the biologics segment offering an option to the patients suffering from rheumatic disorders at a lower cost.

Rheumatic disorders are chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the joints, characterised by pain, redness, swelling and loss of function in several joints. It can lead to joint damage and deformities.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, this could lead to permanent disability and at times could lead to mortality. However, rheumatic disorders can be controlled by early diagnosis and treatment, the note explained.

Etacept is available as a powder to be given by subcutaneous injection, and is available with stockists across the country at Rs 6,150.

Cipla’s Medical Director Dr Jaideep Gogtay said: “The higher cost of biologics has been a major hindrance, limiting its affordability and accessibility to millions of patients. We believe that introducing Etacept at a lower cost (30 per cent lesser compared to the innovator) will enable access of this drug to a greater number of patients in India. This can be enhanced further if we consider the results of a recent study that showed in patients, who were successfully treated with Etanercept for six months, a 50 per cent reduced dose worked just as well as continuing the current dose.”

Anti-rheumatic drugs
At present, there are disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs which are considered to be the first line of treatment for rheumatic disorders. However, approximately 40 per cent of the patients are not controlled on these drugs.

In such cases, biologics like Etanercept play a significant role in controlling the disease activity and make a positive difference in the lives of these patients, the company said.

Inflammation, joint damage
Etacept contains Etanercept, a biologic produced by recombinant DNA technology. Etacept (Etanercept) binds to TNF-α, a cytokine that plays a very important role in inflammation and joint damage in rheumatic disorders. It helps in modifying the course of the disease and prevents further damage to the joints.

Etacept (Etanercept) is approved in the management of rheumatic disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Juvenile Idiopathic Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis, the company said.

Since its launch in 2006 in China by Shanghai CP Guojian Pharmaceutical Co, over 50,000 patients have been treated with Etanercept. Clinical efficacy and safety of the drug have also been well established in Indian patients, Cipa said.

What is rheumatic disorder?
Rheumatic disorders are chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the joints, characterised by pain, redness, swelling and loss of function in several joints.

It can lead to joint damage and deformities.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, this could lead to permanent disability and at times could lead to mortality.

However, rheumatic disorders can be controlled by early diagnosis and treatment, the company explained. At present, there are disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs which are considered to be the first line of treatment for the problem.

However, approximately 40 per cent of the patients are not on these drugs.

In such cases, biologics like Etanercept play a significant role in controlling the disease and make a positive difference in the lives of these patients.

Commodity-wise freight revenue by Railways goes up by 22.95 per cent during fiscal2012-13

New Delhi: The Railways have generated Rs. 84791.06 crore of revenue earnings from commodity-wise freight traffic during fiscal 2012-13 as compared to Rs. 68965.44 crore during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 22.95 per cent. Railways carried 1009.83 million tonnes of commodity-wise freight traffic during financial year 2012-13 as compared to 969.78 million tonnes carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 4.13 per cent.

Out of the total earnings of Rs. 7749.94 crore from commodity-wise freight traffic during the month of March 2013, Rs. 3608.30 crore came from transportation of 48.79 million tonnes of coal, followed by Rs. 738.58 crore from 10.35 million tonnes of iron ore for exports, steel plants and for other domestic user, Rs. 876.12 crore from 11.05 million tonnes of cement, Rs. 744.77 crore from 5.24 million tonnes of foodgrains, Rs. 409.49 crore from 3.55 million tonnes of petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), Rs. 506.98 crore from 3.37 million tonnes of Pig iron and finished steel from steel plants and other points, Rs. 313.09 crore from 3.10 million tonnes of fertilizers, Rs. 139.51 crore from 1.56 million tonnes of raw material for steel plants except iron ore, Rs. 393.70 crore from 3.85 million tonnes by container service and Rs. 630.04 crore from 7.46 million tonnes of other goods.

Steelcase opens manufacturing unit in India

Pune: Steelcase, a Michigan USA-based manufacturer of office furniture, has opened its first manufacturing facility in India. Located in Chakan, the new plant will employ approximately 100 people.

Steelcase sees the plant as a vital step in enhancing the services and logistics it provides to its growing Indian customer base.

Uli Gwinner, President, Steelcase Asia-Pacific, said: “We need to be where our customers are, so this is a critical long-term investment for Steelcase.”

Jeff Ge, Vice-President of Operations, Asia-Pacific, added that the new plant will produce a range of Steelcase products specifically for the Indian market.

“It signifies the importance that we place on servicing India, as part of our goal of strengthening Steelcase’s overall presence in Asia,” he added.

With the new plant, Steelcase aims to reduce delivery times and expand the range of products available to customers in India.

Honda's Rajasthan plant to roll out cars in 2014-15

Ahmedabad: Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) will roll out the first cars from its Rajasthan plant in the next financial year, 2014-15, a senior company official said on Tuesday.

HCIL will also launch five new models by 2015.

Honda’s plant at Tappugada, in Alwar district of Rajasthan, which has started making various components, will begin car production in the next financial year, said Shigeru Yamazaki, Senior Vice-President and Director, Marketing and Sales.

Rs 2,500-cr investment
HCIL has invested Rs 2,500 crore on this plant, spread over 450 acres. Its capacity will be 440 cars, or 120,000 units a year, the same as that of Honda’s other plant in Greater Noida, Yamazaki said.

The plant procures 80-90 per cent of its components from local vendors, and has begun exporting its products. Last year, it exported Honda Brio to South Africa.

He said Honda India, which sold 73,000 units last fiscal, expects to use the full capacity at its Greater Noida plant soon, given increased demand. In 2012-13, the company grew 35 per cent, a pace that it expects to sustain.

Yamazaki, who launched family sedan Honda Amaze here, said the company has introduced this diesel car for the first time in India.

Wider choice
So far, Honda has been selling diesel cars only in Europe. Amaze has been developed at the Honda R&D Asia Pacific Company Ltd, Bangkok (Thailand). India is the first country to launch Amaze with Honda’s latest i-DTEC diesel engine technology.

It has introduced the diesel variant to provide customers a wider choice. In India, 70 per cent of car market is for the diesel variant, which Honda did not have until it launched Amaze.

HCIL is increasing the number of its dealers from 150 to 162 across India this year to promote the sale of Amaze, whose typical buyers seem to be middle-income and middle-aged businessmen.

The company is now focusing on tier-2 and tier-3 towns and cities for prospective buyers.

Rs 1,000-cr desalination plant for Chennai

Chennai: A 150-million-litre-a-day desalination plant to convert sea water to drinking water is to come up adjacent to the Nemmeli desalination plant, announced the Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa in the Assembly today.

The additional capacity will come up at a cost of about Rs 1,000 crore on the 10.5-acre vacant plot next to the existing desalination plant which was formally inaugurated in February.

The plant, which is in operation, about 35 km South of Chennai on the East Coast Road, now supplies about 100 million litres of fresh water daily.

The additional capacity will supply drinking water to over 6.46 lakh residents in the suburbs to the south of Chennai which were added to the City Corporation limits.

A 200-million-litre-a-day desalination plant will also be established at Pattipulam to the south of Chennai with provision to expand to 400 million litres.

This unit will be set up within four years, she said.

The expanded portions of the city will also get over 225 km length of integrated roads at a cost of Rs 290 crore, 1.10 lakh energy efficient street lights at a cost of Rs 300 crore, and sewerage treatment plants at a cost of Rs 121 crore.

India's semiconductor consumption to grow over 20% this year: Gartner

Mumbai: In contrast with the global trend, India’s semiconductor consumption rose 7.4 per cent to touch $8 billion in 2012 from that a year ago.

Worldwide semiconductor revenues fell 2.6 per cent to touch $299.9 billion in 2012, according to a study by research and analysis firm Gartner.

“The worldwide semiconductor industry suffered serious disruption in 2012. Excess inventory in the supply chain was the key factor,” said Ganesh Ramamoorthy, research director at Gartner.

“High inventory levels impacted semiconductor consumption in India as well during 2012. However, a relatively better domestic economic climate and growth in consumer spending helped semiconductor consumption growth in India,” he added.

Of the three key electronic devices — mobile phones, PCs and LCD TVs, LCD TVssaw the biggest growth of nearly 45 per cent in terms of semiconductor consumption.

Demand for mobile phones grew 5.7 per cent and that of personal computers fell 0.3 per cent during 2012.

The three key electronic devices account for more than 70 per cent of India’s overall semiconductor consumption.

Consumption to rise
“With the global semiconductor industry poised for a rebound starting in the second quarter of 2013, we expect the semiconductor consumption in India to also grow. Semiconductor consumption in India will reach $9.6 billion in 2013, an increase of 20 per cent over 2012,” said Ramamoorthy.

“Mobile phones, PCs and LCD TVs will account for 74 per cent of India’s total semiconductor consumption in 2013,” he added.

India expected to export 7.5 MT of wheat by June 2013

New Delhi: Wheat exports from India is expected to touch a record high of 7.5 million tonnes (MT) in the current marketing year ending June 2013, on the back of record crop and larger carry over stocks, while many other exporting nations are expected to face tight supplies, according to a report by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Shipments from India remained lower in marketing year 2011-12, as wheat export was allowed via private trade only after lifting the ban on the same in September 2011, as per the market experts.

To reduce stocks built up due to record harvest, India is promoting export of government-held stocks. It has already allowed state-run firms to export 4.5 MT of wheat. Additionally, the Government permitted private traders to ship additional grain.

Wheat plantings in India are close to previous year’s levels and another bumper crop is in prospect, although forecast is slightly below the 2012 record (93.90 MT) because of limited rainfall in some important producing areas.

While, Russian Federation, European Union (EU), Australia are forecast to face tight supplies which will lead to reduced exports from these countries, larger exports by India will help in easing the market situation.