State transport undertakings are warming up to the multinationals despite premium pricing
The two partners have said they'd produce 150,000 vehicles as part of the phase-I plan from their existing facilities in the state, till the new factory goes on stream.
Chennai-based Ashok Leyland Ltd, the second largest truck maker in India, has inaugurated an integrated manufacturing facility at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. This unit, in which Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion) have been invested, is the company's seventh.
Auto makers, who enjoyed a record-breaking sales run over recent months, are now bracing themselves for upheaval, led primarily by changing government policies and rising inflationary pressures.
The micro engineering industries in Tamil Nadu have been affected by the ongoing global economic meltdown.
Chennai is home to global and Indian auto majors like BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Ashok Leyland, TVS Group, et cetera. It also has almost 35 per cent of India's share of auto ancillary units.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries
Managing director of Ashok Leyland R Seshasayee was elected CII president while Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Telecom became the vice president on Wednesday.
The country's biggest carmaker is now more valuable than the combined market cap of the three leading automobile companies in the country: Tata Motors (Rs 1,18,684 crore), M&M (Rs 86,336 crore) and Ashok Leyland (Rs 34,700 crore).
Automobile component manufacturers are rejoicing over a sudden 30-40 per cent spurt in demand in February. Analysts are, however, not entirely sure of the reason for this high growth; many are doubtful if it can be sustained, given the other gloomy signals. An analyst says, "Almost all car makers have either completely withdrawn or drastically reduced their promotional offers." Also, payment issues as far as vendors are concerned remains a problem.
The JV was supposed to get at least 45 per cent stake.
Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja group flagship company and a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles, on Friday said it would cut its proposed investment size and would undertake cost-cutting measures, including a 20 per cent reduction in wages, in view of the slowdown in the industry.Speaking to reporters, K Sridharan, chief financial officer, said the company's margin outlook is currently under pressure and it may continue like that till next month.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
Home-grown automotive players like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Bajaj Auto, Hero Honda, TVS Motors and Maruti Suzuki are augmenting the use of plastics in engine components in an ambitious effort to reduce dependence on key metals like steel and aluminium, all of which have witnessed stupendous rise of 35-50 per cent in the past 5 months.
'The August phenomenon of decline in sales occurs every year.' 'What they have done cleverly is, using the economic slowdown as an excuse, they want a package from the government to compensate the expenditure they will incur while converting BS4 to BS6.' 'That's why they are making a hue and cry.'
There are 230 million vehicles on the road, and counting. Bulk of these are under seven years old and once they get older, the industry estimates the requirement for spare parts and aftersales service to shoot up sharply.
Say lower duties could enhance demand.
Low-base effect to kick in, but higher raw material prices could spoil the show.
Ashok Leyland, which was producing vehicles all seven days in a week, had slashed production to three days at its all six manufacturing units in November 2008 in the wake of slackening demand. The company's decision to increase working days to five comes after it reported 33 per cent increase in the sales in February. Its sales in February stood at 3,245 units compared to 2,444 in January.
This move will make Dish TV, an Essel Group company, the first DTH operator to have installed their DTH services in consumer homes, cars, buses, aircraft, cruise liners and on trains. "Dish everywhere is our motto. We aim to provide our DTH services across all platforms, whether moving, flying or stationary," a senior Dish TV executive said. This move is likely to help the company market its services to the potential consumers more effectively.
Sales of commercial vehicles, which were on a decline for over a year, are showing signs of a recovery. Two out of the three CV makers reported an increase in sales last month.
Private players are increasingly looking at the defence market which is a promising multi billion-dollar arena.
ICICI Bank chief K V Kamath to be new CII vice president.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
A Rs 250-300 crore (Rs 2.5-3 billion) healthcare facility in Tamil Nadu with a capacity of 200-300 beds is being planned by the Hinduja Group of Companies.
Though things are going well for India, the unfinished agenda is still huge and needs to be addressed quickly.
The Confederation of Indian Industry has set up a Mission for Manufacturing Innovation to create "100 new billion-dollar companies over three years".
According to the plan, Volvo will buy used tippers, which are used in mining and construction, from its customers at an agreed price and refurbish them internally and externally, before reselling them to a new buyer with a six-month warranty.
Carlos Ghosn, the iconic CEO of Nissan Motors and Renault, is on a whistle-stop visit to India on Monday to finalise a joint venture and small-car blue-print with India's second-largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto. Renault, Nissan and M&M also have a three-way equity tie-up to make passenger vehicles in Chennai, for which the facility is yet to be built.
Buoyed by staggering sales of Tata's Ace, the one-tonne mini-truck launched mid-2005, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Leyland Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Piaggio and Hyundai
Mutual funds bought pharma, manufacturing, auto, and FMCG stocks in June.
A mere two-bedroom apartment - albeit quite spacious, covering 3,000 square (sq.) feet (ft) - will set you back 5.8 million. That's the asking price from the Indian-owned Hinduja Group, if you desire a nest in London Whitehall's iconic Old War Office (OWO). Its 1,100 rooms are now being converted into 85 residences and a first-ever hotel to be operated in Britain by Singapore's legendary Raffles Hotels chain. Gopichand Hinduja, co-chair of the conglomerate, said: "Every decision made on The OWO (as the building is fondly called) is underscored by our passion and respect for the heritage of the building and long-term commitment to London."
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the country's largest tractor company, has acquired the controlling stake in Punjab Tractors Ltd (PTL), the fourth largest tractor firm, outbidding Hinduja group firm Ashok Leyland.
Tata Motors is hot on Renault's heels in a drive to produce and distribute the world's most affordable car in the fast-growing India market.
Financing would not be an issue for the group that had business interests in global finance, telecommunications, film, oil and the automotive sector.
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