Jim Beam Brands breaks up with Radico Khaitan
New Delhi: Jim Beam Brands (JBB), an American liquor major and parent company of Whyte & Mackay India, is all set to end its alliance with its licensing and bottling partner Radico Khaitan. JBB is now reportedly planning to bring its international range of JBB products through JBB India.

Whyte & Mackay India, a 50:50 joint venture between Radico Khaitan and Whyte & Mackay was taken over by JBB in a worldwide acquisition and is now a distribution and marketing network for JBB.
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Tinplate to invest Rs 25 crore to expand production
Jamshedpur: The Tinplate Company of India Ltd (TCIL) has chalked out a plan to invest Rs 25 crore in balancing equipment to enhance production at its electrolytic tinplate plant (ETP). Mr. BL Raina, managing director of TCIL has said the company is trying to identify and address the bottlenecks at its facilities and raise the manufacturing capacity to 1.25 lakh tonne per annum (tpa) from the current notional level of 90,000 tpa. TCIL which saw a upturn in its performance in recent months is hoping to improve on its profitability in 2001-02.

The funds required for investment in balancing equipment to augment production is being generated from internal resources. TCIL already had a round of financial restructuring between September 1 1999 and September 30, 2000, involving conversion of its long-term loans of financial institutions (FIs) worth Rs 111 crore into 12.5 per cent non-cumulative optionally convertible preference shares.

The company has over the past one year, increased its domestic market-share from 16 per cent to 38 per cent.
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M&M’s Nashik unit strike ends
Mumbai: The strike at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.(M&M) automotive plant at Nashik has been called off following the signing off a new three-year wage agreement. The strike, which had started on March 4, 2001, has been called off with effect from Thursday. Mr. Alan Durante, M&M executive director and president has said that the new agreement would result in increased productivity of about 50 per cent and help meet the increased demand for hard top vehicles, such as Bolero and Mahindra Max, a multi-utility vehicle popular in rural areas.
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Merck declares global price war in Aids drugs
Washington: Merck & Co, a leading international pharmaceutical company has decided to get even with likes of Cipla and Hetero, the Indian generic drug companies offering some AIDS drugs, by cutting down its drug prices. Merck & Co has slashed the prices of two of its important AIDS-fighting drugs and other multinationals are also likely to follow the suit, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Merck has said it will offer the new prices not only in South Africa but also in other poor countries, which it has not yet identified. Cipla has invited the ire of several international pharmaceutical firms by selling its anti-AIDS drugs to third world governments at $350 compared with the multinationals’ price of $10,000-15,000.
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RPG’s new retailing business plans put on hold
Mumbai: The RPG group has suspended its proposed foray into the tyres, batteries and accessories (TBA) retailing business in a bid to focus on its existing retail businesses. The TBA retail business was conceived as one-stop shop for car care - tyres, batteries and a host of other car accessories. The group, which is in the process of upgrading the dealership network of Ceat Tyres, through the Ceat Shoppe had conceived the TBA business as essentially an extension, which besides tyres would also sell other autocare parts. The group already has three supermarket chains - Foodworld, Musicworld and Health & Glow, besides being in the process of setting up Cash & Curry at Hyderabad.
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Buddy Davis to foray into UK fashion markets
New Delhi: Buddy Davis, a leisurewear brand from the house of Bhilwaras is planning to foray into UK fashion ware market. An exclusive Buddy Davis store would be started at Skipton in Northern England, the first Indian brand to do so in the UK.
The Bhilwaras have tied up with designer Michael Moss’s company, Preview 55, to distribute the brand across England.

Buddy Davis garments will be manufactured in India and exported to the UK where it will be kept in the company owned warehouse before being distributed by Preview 55.
With an entire range of woven and knitted garments, Buddy Davis will start selling in multi-brand stores across United Kingdom from March 23. Casual wear like Polo T-shirts, trousers, cotton pullovers, fleece jackets, stretch pants, shirts for both men and women will be priced between 10 and 70.
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McDonald to add 15 outlets in 2001
New Delhi: McDonalds, the American fast food chain has said that it would achieve break-even in 2003 in its Indian operations and plans to open 15 more restaurant this year as part of its expansion plans. The company has earmarked Rs 45 crore fresh investment in expansion of outlets to 42 from the current level of 15. The company is opening its second outlet in Jaipur soon while making its debut in Bangalore.

The company also has said that it plans to keep 1 per cent of its sales revenue for community development programmes like road, bus and fire safety. As part of this plan, the company will put up 140 shows in various schools in Delhi with its legendary icon "Ronald" to spread the message of safety and youthful experience. McDonald to undertake such shows in 250 schools in Delhi.

The company has earmarked over Rs 20 crore for its advertising this year.
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