Group A1-Newshounds- Source- Business line

Ford hopes to do a Figo with SUV EcoSport

(By Manjiri Durge)

• Ford India hopes its upcoming compact SUV EcoSport can repeat the success of Figo in the export markets.

• The American carmaker hit the sweet spot in India with the launch of its small car Figo. Ford hopes the EcoSport, which is expected to be launched soon in India, can be a bigger blockbuster.

• The compact SUV category has been doing well in India, despite the challenges in the overall industry. The EcoBoost engine comes with a three-cylinder petrol engine with turbo charger and direct injection and promises to match the performance of a 1.6-litre engine.

• EcoSport has already been launched in Brazil and unveiled in China. Ford’s upcoming plant in Sanand, Gujarat, will also be used as an export hub. It is expected to be operational by next year. Both the Chennai and Sanand plants will have a combined manufacturing capacity of 4.40 lakh cars and 6.10 lakh engines a year.

Get favourite restaurant fare at your rail coach

(By Ruchika Shrivastava)

·         Companies like New Delhi-based Travelkhana and Nashik-based Mera Food Choice (MFC), offer food from well-known restaurants in cities along the long distance travel route.

·         Food is delivered in the coach.  you pay only then.

·         Both Travelkhana and MFC have tied up with eateries across the country. Orders can be placed by dialling the call centre of the two companies or via their mobile/Internet apps.

·         Then, technology takes over: it validates the customer’s PNR (ticket) number and triangulates the train’s position by looking up the Railways’ train radar system.

·         The system then throws up the choice of food that can be made available at the nearest station.

·         Travelkhana was established in December 2011, , which has contracts with caterers in over 80 cities, has already delivered food to over 23,000 travellers.

·         Of the 3,000 mail-express trains that run daily, only 434 have an attached pantry car.

·         Just four months old, MFC has tie-ups with 104 restaurants mainly in Central India. Says founder Piyush Kasliwal: “

·         . In order to ensure quality, our agents conduct surprise checks from time-to-time.’’

·         The vegetarian thali, a standard item on the MFC network, is priced between Rs 120 and Rs 140.

·         What of treading-on-toes issues with the licensed vendors and the Railways own facilities?

·         “In many cases, our catering partners run high-end food plazas for IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) on railway premises. In cities where the caterers operate independently, not faced much of a problem, yet .Yet, Travelkhana has engaged lawyers for terms ‘contradictions’ in railway regulations.

·         MFC’s says he is not on a sticky wicket as long as supplies do not conflict with the interests of the Railway vendors (who generally provide cheaper meal options) contracted with the establishment

·         Analysis

1.      A very new market. Travel khana and MFC has created a blue ocean for other players.

2.      Only 454 out of 3000 daily trains have Pantry cars. Thus potential available

3.      Since consumer do not mind the high price the cost for company is also managed.

4.      Conflicts as if now is not emerged thus if conflicts are handled well then companies can go for high penetration and growth strategies

Suresh Raina launches Adidas’ new innovation ‘Energy Boost’

(By Balaji Kalyanaraman)

1. Suresh Raina,  along with Arun Bhardwaj, India’s first ultra-marathon runner, today launched Adidas’ new running shoe with built-in bounce, “The Energy Boost”
2. Launch took place at the footwear giant’s Sports Performance Centre in New Delhi
3. Some of the key features are  highest energy return, superior cushioning, optimal fit and temperature independence
4. Believed to be Adidas’ most advanced innovation till date
5. Efforts of 3 years of cutting edge research which finally culminated into the “Energy Boost”

Hindustan Motors sales rise in February

(By Anirudh Seshadri)

1.      Sales of C K Birla group company Hindustan Motors (HM) have increased during the month of February 2013.

2.      The company sold 826 units of passenger car and LCVs in the month as compared to 310 units in previous February

3.      In January 2013, the company sold 748 vehicles compared to a sale of 366 vehicles in January 2012.

4.      Uttam Bose, Managing director and CEO of HM said that the company was heading steadily towards a turnaround.

5.      HM posted a 147 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 20.36 crore in the quarter ending December 31, 2012, against a loss of Rs 42.81 crore for the corresponding period in the previous financial year.

6.      Mr.Bose that these achievments were a result of leveraging the strengths of brand loyalty and operational excellence.

7.      There has also been a steady and continuous growth in HM’s sales numbers due to cost efficient production and expansion of distribution and financing networks.