Six Indian telco companies on BusinessWeek's Top-100
Chennai: Six Indian companies figure in the 2007 Information Technology 100 list, which is BusinessWeek's ranking of the top 100 global technology performers. Bharti Airtel, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, Satyam Computer Services and HCL Technologies are the those mentioned in the list.

US-based, Cognizant Technology Solutions, which has most of its development centres in India, is also in the list. This year cable companies that expanded into telecom were also included, BusinessWeek says on its Web site.

The list includes companies operating in Web retail, telecom, wireless, and technology product and software services.

Bharti was the top ranking Indian company in the list, but dropped to 14th this year from the 10th place last year. Satyam dropped to 73, from 48 last year, while Infosys, TCS and Wipro have moved up. HCL is the new entrant on the list this year.

TCS has moved to 23rd position, up from 34th last year; Infosys has jumped 12 places, to 30th, and Wipro eight places ahead to 49. Cognizant was ranked this year at 70, up from 84th position last year, says the report. The report will be published in the July 2 issue of BusinessWeek.
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Volvo India to double production capacity in face of growing demand
Bangalore: Volvo India intends to double capacity to 2,500 trucks and buses in order to meet growing demand in the domestic and export market. The demand for trucks grew faster with the company expecting an increase by 10 to 15 per cent this year.

Last year, it sold 650 trucks and 300 buses in the domestic market.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday on delivery of 200th FM 400 tipper truck to VPR &Co, Eric Leblanc, managing director, Volvo India Pvt Ltd, said Volvo expects the demand for buses to pick up with huge investments on road infrastructure creating large potential.

Volvo has also pegged its truck export target to 1,000, from the current figure of 300, targeting new markets such as Indonesia, Myanmar and Algeria, and even China.

Leblanc also said component sourcing from India for its global production centres had increased to 90 million this year from 75 million.
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TCS set to increase capex by 55%, to Rs1,800-cr
Mumbai: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has set a higher capital expenditure of Rs1,800 crore, for fiscal 2007-08, against Rs1,165 crore last year, an increase of 55 per cent. This is a near doubling, from Rs950 crore, over 2005-06.

According to company officials, Rs1,300 crore will go as investments in physical infrastructure, such as buildings and real estate, while Rs500 crore will be used for enhancing technology.

"TCS is currently in an aggressive growth phase. We have increased our investments substantially this year in order to ensure smooth collaboration among TCS' centers across the globe and to deliver certainty to our clients," said the spokesperson.

The Mumbai-based TCS, which is targeting a revenue base of $10 billion by 2010, employs about 89,000 professionals in 47 countries worldwide.

TCS has 71 overseas delivery centres and 41 centres in India.

For the fiscal 2006-07, TCS had spent Rs800 crore on physical infrastructure and around Rs365 crore on technology.
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ACC in sustainable building project
Mumbai: ACC has extended financial support to the construction of what it says may turn out to be the most exemplary sustainable building on the Indian subcontinent.

The building, based in New Delhi, will house the headquarters of Development Alternatives, a reputed non-government organisation. Providing spaces for offices, training, conferences and technical research, the structure is being built by local workers using chiefly local materials that embody little energy.

Refined passive and evaporation systems keep the building cool with minimum energy consumption, even in the hot climate. The building is also very user friendly - and its pioneering technologies can easily be adopted in other locations. With notable technical, environmental, social and cultural merit, the building will come to serve as a laboratory and testimonial for sustainable construction in tropical and subtropical zones.

Development Alternatives, respected as a center for excellence in sustainable habitat, promotes commercially viable, environmentally friendly technologies and helps predominantly poor people to create sustainable habitats themselves.

Dr Ashok Khosla, a leading global expert in the environment and sustainable development, founded this NGO. The architect of the project is Ashok B. Lall, principal of a leading architectural firm in New Delhi and Dean of Studies at the TVB School of Habitat Studies.

Paul Hugentobler, deputy chairman, ACC, and Holcim executive committee member, explained, "Holcim, ACC and Development Alternatives pursue similar goals. The promotion of a sustainable society is for us more than lip service; on all continents Holcim seeks partnerships with organisations that concretely contribute to sustainable improvement of livelihoods and habitats.

"We are looking forward to a long-term partnership with Development Alternatives and other like minded organizations that will enable Holcim and ACC to take an active lead within the Indian cement industry in establishing solutions for improved rural livelihoods," Hugentobler added.
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Silver Lion for Grey Worldwide at Cannes
Chennai: Grey Worldwide India has bagged the silver lion in the print category at Cannes, for a campaign done for TCI Honeymoon packages.

According to an official statement, the element of the campaign depicts a bride's hands decorated with mehendi (henna art), which is interwoven artistically into tourist attractions from three destinations on the palms of the bride.

Venice, Australia and Hawaii are the three destinations that have been featured, with each having one creative dedicated to it. The creative minds behind the campaign are Priya S. and Payal Juthani of Grey India.

The statement quoting Nirvik Singh, president, South-East Asia, Grey Group, said: "Grey was up against stiff competition and I'm delighted with this achievement. This is just the beginning and there will be many more to follow."
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