Caption: Syamal Gupta, chairman, TAML and director, Tata Sons hands over a set of products to Dr G Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO, at TAML's factory in Jigani, Bangalore 

In a leading development, Tata Advanced Materials Limited (TAML), a Tata Group company pioneering innovations in the area of composite materials, has announced plans to set up a facility in Jigani, Bangalore. The new facility will manufacture composite materials catering to the emerging needs of the global aerospace industry. This development comes in the wake of the successful completion of manufacture and supply of advanced composite components for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for over a period of three years. 

To mark the occasion and commemorate the continuing association of TAML with ISRO, Syamal Gupta, chairman, TAML and director, Tata Sons, handed over a set of products to Dr G Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO, at TAML's factory in Jigani, Bangalore. 

Leveraging its expertise evolved over the last 3 years to manufacture aerospace composite products, TAML is now looking at manufacturing composite products for the global aerospace industry. The company has recently been recommended for AS 9100 certification, which is a global quality benchmark. TAML has already recorded the first few export contracts with global companies and expects to emerge as a key player in this fast growing market.

Indian tyre major, CEAT, has announced that it is official OE Supplier to Global Automobiles for its two-wheelers. Kolkata-based Global Automobiles has just inaugurated a facility at Hooghly to manufacture 100cc, 125cc, and 150cc motorcycles. Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Xenitis Group, has a joint venture with Guangzhou Motors Company of China for the manufacture of the vehicles. Guangzhou Motors has provided technical support for setting up the assembly line, production process and service network, while the entire cost is being borne by the Xenitis Group.

Arnab Banerjee, Vice-President Marketing, CEAT Ltd. said, “It is a matter of pride to be associated with the Xenitis group. The group is a potential market leader in its areas of operation and together with our alliance we will definitely make a success of the two-wheeler project. Our unstinted support would always be with the company during the course of this project.”s."

Aurangabad-based Endurance Technologies, part of The Endurance Group, has announced that it has acquired two aluminium die-casting facilities viz. Nuova Renopress in Italy and Amann Druckguss in Germany. The company has also invested a stake in Front Fork manufacturing company Paioli Meccanica, with whom it has a technical collaboration. The total value of the overseas investments amounts to 46 million Euros. 

“The focus of our company being TPM, we are continuously striving to improve our productivity to be a cost & quality leader and therefore are looking at leveraging the elite customer base of our overseas subsidiaries with our low cost high quality manufacturing base in India. With the help of the above acquisitions, we are now direct or indirect suppliers to the major auto Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Europe”, said Anurang Jain, MD, The Endurance Group. 

The company’s focus on being close to its customers has paid off with the customer list continuously increasing. The company today has 18 plants in 5 geographical locations in India and 3 plants in Europe through its acquisitions. 

Jain added, “The company will continue to grow organically as well as inorganically and as such has targeted a global turnover of Rs.5000 crores for the year 2009-10. The company has always believed in ensuring that the growth is a profitable one and that it adds continuous value to its stake holders.”

In a significant step towards targeting specific markets, Tata Motors is expanding its strategic co-operation with Fiat for an industrial project outside India. Fiat would, under licence from Tata, build pick-up trucks at its plant in Córdoba, Argentina. The move follows a feasibility study started in July 2006. The first vehicles will roll off the Córdoba assembly lines in 2008, and annual production is slated at around 20,000 units. Total planned investment in the project is around US$ 80 million, according to a press release. 

The Fiat pick-up, powered by an FPT engine, will be styled and positioned differently from the Tata pick-up. It will be available in the following versions: 4x4, 4x2, double and single cab and powered by a JTD diesel 2.3 litres, 134 PS Euro IV engine, manufactured in Fiat Powertrain Technology's facility in Sete Lagoas, Brazil. 

The pick-up, based on the new-generation Tata pick-up truck, will be sold in South and Central America and select European markets through Fiat Automobiles' distribution and importer network. This will permit the Fiat brand to aggressively enter the medium pick-up sector, thanks to Tata Motors' specific know-how. 

"This agreement is a further step in the building of a large, focalised partnership with Tata," Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Group and of Fiat Group Automobiles said, "and will allow Fiat to enter a specific car segment with a very competitive product. We believe in a win-win know-how exchange with our Indian partner."

Tata Motors has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Iveco, a company of the Fiat Group (MoU) to explore possibilities of working together. According to a press release, the MoU would encompass a number of potential developments in engineering, manufacturing, sourcing and distribution of products, aggregates and components. 

In the first stage, the auto giants would set up a joint Steering Committee to determine the feasibility of co-operation, both in the short and over the long term. When found feasible, the two companies will enter into definitive agreements in the course of the coming months. 

In a statement Paolo Monferino, CEO of Iveco, said "The possible strategic co-operative agreement with Tata Motors represents a new step in our strategy leveraging on excellent partnerships of Fiat Group across the automotive value chain. We are devoting great efforts and resources to explore this cooperation opportunity, on our way to change and expand Iveco in the next years." 

The Managing Director of Tata Motors, Ravi Kant, said, "We are truly excited about the potential of the opportunities this cooperation offers, complementing each other's strengths in products and across markets."

Rajiv Bajaj MD, Bajaj Auto, at the launch of the 200 cc Pulsar DTS-i  in New Delhi

Bajaj Auto has extended its portfolio with the launch of the new 200 cc Pulsar DTS-i in New Delhi. The new Pulsar is equipped with an Oil cooler, which helps control engine oil temperatures at sustained high speeds and rpms, thus ensuring more stable engine oil viscosity. The 200cc DTS-i engine generates 18 Ps of power to provide riding excitement to performance hungry bikers. 

It’s also the first bike in India to feature both front and rear tubeless tyres, which besides offering superior stability are safer than conventional tube types. The new digital console is an advanced version of the latest Pulsar family. Apart from the digital odometer, digital speedo meter, digital fuel gauge and two digital trip meters, the console on the 200 cc Pulsar DTS-i has indicators for air filter condition, engine temperature, battery voltage and oil level, all of which contribute to enhancing rider info for trouble-free riding. 

Another first is the use of split seats for styling and comfort. The split grab rail complements the new rear chiseled looks. It is also the first Indian bike to have electric start as the sole means of engine cranking, dispensing with the kick lever. 

Priced at Rs.65,497 ex showroom, New Delhi, the bike would be available at Probiking showrooms at select locations across the country.

After the launch of the long wheelbase Indigo XL with a 1.4-litre common rail diesel (DICOR) engine, Tata Motors has extended the engine to the Indigo sedan and estate as well. The company also announced the launch of another two new models on its best- selling Indigo sedan and the Indigo Marina estate range with its new 1.4 litre DICOR diesel engine. 

The DICOR option will henceforth be available in the top end versions of the Indigo sedan and the Indigo Marina estate. The silent, 32-bit microprocessor based 1.4 litre, 70 PS engine with a high torque of 140 Nm offers the most contemporary diesel engine technology, featuring high pressure multiple injections, use of hydraulic and low friction mechanisms ensuring better combustion and more fuel efficiency. Tata Motors launched its first common rail diesel engine on the Tata Safari in 2005 as a 3-litre configuration and between the naturally aspirated, turbo-charged, turbo-charged intercooled and common rail options, offers the most diverse diesel engine range on any car and utility vehicle range in the country.

Bajaj Auto, India’s leading 2 & 3 wheeler manufacturer, has been honoured with “Award for Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) excellence - First category” by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) for its manufacturing plants. This award was adjudged in recognition and appreciation of efforts put in by its state of the art manufacturing facilities at Waluj and Chakan for last more than 3 years to meet the stringent award criterion set by JIPM. 

With this, Bajaj Auto, has become first integrated automobile company in India, to receive this award for all its manufacturing facilities. It’s Akurdi plant at Pune was certified for the same award in year 2005. 

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. DK Sharma GM (TPM) Bajaj Auto said “We are proud to have successfully challenged the TPM excellence award from JIPM for our manufacturing plants, as it is a testimony of our manufacturing capability, flexibility & most importantly, our customer focused approach.” Bajaj Auto had also recently won the Frost & Sullivan – Super Platinum Award for the manufacturing excellence for its Chakan plant.

To address the feelings of the auto industry, major industry players under the umbrella of SIAM got together to spread the message of “Diesel is Clean”. Utilisation of diesel has seen a period of turbulence during the last decade but the sale of diesel vehicle in India during the recent period is a strong indication of the acceptance of diesel vehicles as a fuel efficient and non-polluting vehicle. Adding to its other utilities, the cost of diesel, which is low, compared to that of petrol in most of the countries is a benefit that is difficult to ignore. The seminar addressing to the popular issues highlighted certain key issues like, “Contribution of Vehicles to Overall Air Pollution”, “Evolution of Diesel Technology” etc brought the awareness of “Changing Diesel Image in Developed Economies”. 

Delivering the inaugural address, Ravi Kant, Vice President, SIAM, remarked, “Today, it is essential to provide clean and cost-efficient source of fuel and diesel fits that bill perfectly. Contrary to belief that diesel may not be clean; the seminar will showcase the cleanliness and cost efficiency of diesel.” 

In his address, Falk Heinen, Environment & Transport, German EPA, said, “Diesel is fast emerging as clean source of fuel and Europe has embraced the diesel technology for its vehicle. Carrying this message forward we will see a rapid growth of diesel vehicles in the coming time in India as they provide more cost efficient and pollution free option ”.

Murli Deora, Union Petroleum Minister, filling Bio-diesel into the 100% Bio-diesel Scorpio CRDe, indigenously developed by M&M

Mahindra & Mahindra, in what is considered a breakthrough in Indian alternate fuel technology, unveiled the bio-diesel Scorpio and Bolero DI vehicles for 100% real world usage trials. The Scorpio with indigenously developed CRDE technology is, according to the company, the first Asian vehicle in its class to run on 100% bio-diesel. M&M also unveiled a 5% bio-diesel tractor along with the utility vehicles, another first in the country. 

The company spearheaded two projects for it Bio-Diesel Programme, one in conjunction with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and the other with Indian Oil Corporation’s R&D Centre and Lubrizol. The vehicles will be run in real world environment that will involve severe and demanding terrain including hot and cold weather operations at high altitudes. M&M set up its bio-diesel pilot plant in 2001, and has carried out extensive studies on traditional engines and vehicles and realised the need to develop vehicles for contemporary and fuel-efficient diesel engines like CRDe, meeting the world’s latest emission norms.

Tata Motors has signed an agreement with MDI of France for application in India of the letter’s path-breaking technology for engines powered by air. The MDI Group is headed by Mr. Guy Negre, who founded the company in the 1990s in pursuit of his dream to pioneer an engine using just compressed air as fuel – which may be the ultimate environment-friendly engine yet. 

Commenting on the agreement, Negre said, "MDI has for many years been engaged in developing environment-friendly engines. MDI is happy to conclude this agreement with Tata Motors and work together with this important and experienced industrial group to develop a new and cost-saving technology for various applications for the Indian market that meets with severe regulations for environmental protection. We are continuing the development with our own business concept of licensing car manufacturers in other parts of the world where the production is located close to the markets. We have also developed this new technology for other applications where cost competitiveness combined with respect for environmental questions has our priority".