Tektronix unveils `Phaser-360': Tektronix, a $2 billion US corporation and a leading player in the world colour printer market, has launched its highly advanced Phaser 360 colour printer in India. The printer has been launched in Europe and the US also, according to the company officials. Tektronix also announced a 35 per cent reduction in the price of its earlier model, the Phaser 350, which will now be sold at Rs 170,000. At 63 per cent, the market for laser colour printers in India has been growing faster than the global average of 40 per cent, Tektronix vice-president Robert Stewart said while launching the printer in Delhi on Thursday.Sree Parijatha Tiles to set up plant: Sree Parijatha Tiles is setting up a manufacturing facility at Nelamangala near Bangalore to produce cement blocks. The company will introduce the latest technology to make "interlocking pavers" at the plant. The proposed facility with an investment of Rs 1 crore is likely to be operational by July 1998. This will bethe company's third unit in Karnataka. It has tile manufacturing plants in Yeshwanthpur and Peenya Industrial Estate, according to Sree Parijatha Tiles managing partner J Ramesh. The company has imported the latest mosaic tile manufacturing plant from Italy to meet the increased demand from local customers, he said.
KLM Royal Dutch, Northwest Airlines go smoke-free: Alliance partners KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest Airlines have announced that they would adopt a smoke-free policy on all their flights worldwide. At present, 85 per cent of KLM's flights and 97 per cent of Northwest's flights are smoke-free. Beginning from March 29, KLM will ban smoking on all its flights between Amsterdam and destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the middle east and Asia (except Japan). The Northwest Airlines expansion of smoke-free flights will be effective from April 1. They would eliminate smoking on all flights within Asia and on service between Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka) andHawaii, Guam and Saipan, a release said.
Hotel Imperial bags award: Hotel Imperial, a leading five star hotel in Delhi, has been given an excellence award for services by the department of tourism, government of India. The hotel has reported a high occupancy rate of 85 per cent, executive director, Jasdev Singh said. "Considering this, we have also decided to add 125 rooms," he said, adding that a 24-hour business centre and coffee shop, two restaurants and conference facilities for up to 500 people is also planned. The customer profile of the hotel dominates top-end Europen visitors, he said.
NTPC to scout for R&M venture partner: State owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will float bids next week for a partner for its proposed renovation and modernisation (R&M) company. "We are going for international bids by first week of february for the new joint venture company. NTPC board has already cleared the proposal," chairman and managing director of over Rs 10,000 crore powerutility Rajendra Singh said.
`Multinationals underestimate Indian brands': Multinationals entering India underestimate the power of local brands and overestimate their products' appeal, a leading management consultant has said. "Many multinationals make mistakes while entering India. Their expectation of swamping the market like in other countries is the main reason for their poor performance so far,"' vice-president of AT Kearney, Michael F Moriarty said. Brands like Britannia, Nirma and Arvind have very strong brand equity in the Indian market.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
