The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, January 09, 2008

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Ashok Leyland to unveil concept bus at Auto Expo
Chennai, Jan. 8 Ashok Leyland will be unveiling a concept intra-city bus at the Auto Expo. Christened iBUS, it was developed in 10 months by a Cross Functional Team (CFT) of 25 young engineers of the company. The semi-low floor ... More

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bajaj’s LCV to be rolled out by 2009
The light commercial vehicle segment that is already witnessing entry of a series of new players will also have Bajaj Auto competing in the same space by 2009. Bajaj Auto on Tuesday launched its LCV that will have a 3.5 tonne capacity, ... More

Bajaj car may exceed $3,000
When Renault decided to partner with Bajaj, the plan was to develop a new ultra low-cost car that will cost about $3,000. But, contrary to that statement, Bajaj today said that the company’s focus is not on the potential price of the car. ... More

UltraTech Cement unveils mobile concrete testing lab
Will offer free consultancy services in ascertaining quality More

PREFERENTIAL ALLOTMENTS
Promoters to hike stake in Aditya Birla Nuvo
The Aditya Birla group proposes to increase its stake in Aditya Birla Nuvo to 51 per cent through a preferential issue of shares to the promoters.Currently, the promoters hold a 39.07 per cent stake in the company.The company ... More

NEW BUSINESS
Simplex bags Maithon order
Simplex Infrastructures Ltd said on Tuesday it has bagged an order worth Rs 481 crore for the 1,050-MW Maithon Thermal Power Project from the joint venture company promoted by Tata Power and DVC. The project is scheduled for completion in ... More

AWARDS & HONOURS
SMS Pharma bags award
SMS Pharmaceuticals Ltd has bagged the Indo-US GCNC Award for adopting green chemistry mandates in the industry. The award was handed over to the Chairman and Managing Director of SMS Pharmaceuticals, Mr P. Ramesh Babu, in the Indo-US S&T ... More

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
M&M acquires Italian auto design co
Coimbatore, Jan. 8 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd has signed a binding agreement to acquire the business of G R Grafica Ricerca Design S.r.l (GRD), an Italian auto designing, body engineering and feasibility and styling company. With this ... More

NEW PROJECTS
Ford India entering small car segment
Plans Rs 2,000-cr investment More

Private equity players step up ‘green’ investments
New Delhi, Jan. 8 Private equity players and big-ticket investors are making a beeline to tap investment opportunities in ‘green projects’. IFC, the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group, on Tuesday announced it ... More

OVERSEAS INVESTMENTS
Reliance may bid for oil find in S. Asia
Reliance Industries Ltd may bid with local or foreign exploration companies to find oil in the South Asian region, said Mr P.M.S. Prasad, President and CEO of petroleum business of Reliance Industries Ltd, on Tuesday.Mr Prasad was ... More

ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
M&M pulls out of joint venture with Renault, Nissan
The company will focus on its existing plants More

MTAR Tech plans joint venture cos to tap new biz opportunities
Targets exports as a major growth segment More

British Bio ties up with Finnish co
More

M&M exit from joint venture: Benefits deferred
Mahindra and Mahindra’s official announcement that it is deferring investment in the three-way joint venture with Renault and Nissan at Chennai is unlikely to have a very significant impact on its immediate prospects as the project is ... More

VENTURE CAPITAL
New Enterprise invests in Deeya Energy
Bangalore, Jan. 8 New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a leading US-based venture capital firm, today announced an investment in Deeya Energy Inc, a clean energy technology company focused on developing and manufacturing novel energy storage ... More

OUTLOOK
Air India hopes to raise $400 m thru sale and lease back offers
New Delhi, Jan. 8 Air India hopes to raise more than $400 million from the sale-and-lease back of 10 aircraft in its fleet. The airline has sought sale-and-lease back offers from lessors and bankers for four Boeing 747-400 and six Airbus A-320 ... More

Kerala Govt in talks for BHEL-KEL joint venture
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 8 In a move that may end up in yet another partnership between a Kerala public sector undertaking and a central PSU, the State Government and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) are in talks for a joint venture between ... More

No plans to launch car in sub-800 cc: Maruti
India to play a greater role in Suzuki’s global operations More

Bajaj to focus on brands, profitability
New Delhi, Jan. 8 Bajaj Auto on Tuesday said that brands and profitability will drive its growth followed by volumes. Reacting to falling motorcycle sales, the Bajaj Auto Managing Director, Mr Rajiv Bajaj, said, “Bajaj is about ... More

Gokaldas plans more units
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