Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) plans to export its small car `Santro' after the car successfully clearaed two international road tests. Santro, to be launched in India shortly, had cleared the two road tests under the specifications of `VDA', the German Association of Automobile Industry, company executive director JH Kim said. Now that the 999cc Santro has cleared the tests, the company plans to export the car from its Chennai manufacturing facility, which is the only manufacturing base for Santro in the world, Kim said.

Northwest Airlines to restart operations:

Northwest Airlines has started the process to restart its operations around the world after the end of the strike called by its pilots. The start-up will be done in stages over nine days, with 25 per cent of Northwest flights operating by September 16, 1998. Flights out of India resume from September 19, 1998 onwards when the NWA flight will depart from New Delhi followed by the NWA flight fromMumbai on September 20.

Alcoholic beverage body incorporated under Companies Act:

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), which has been operating for the past two years, has been incorporated under the Companies Act. The New Delhi-based confederation has been formed to protect and promote the interests of the alchoholic beverages industry. The CIABC elected UB group president Vijay Rekhi as its chairman.

Elcina president:

Solid State Systems director Jawad Basith has been elected president of Electronic Component Industries Association (Elcina) for 1998-99. He succeeds Inderdeep Singh, who stepped down after the annual general body meeting held recently at Bangalore. Elcina has also elected JCT Electronics vice president (marketing) Raj Kapur as its vice-president for a similar term. Basith was till recently the vice-president of the electronics components association.

Samsung bags prize:

Samsung India Electronics has been awarded the first prize inthe Quality Circle Convention, Delhi Chapter, organised by the Quality Circle Federation of India (OCFI). The QC convention, Delhi Chapter, presided over by Munjal Showa chairman and managing director Yogesh Munjal, drew particiation from 42 quality circles from various industry sectors such as automobiles, engineering, process, pure services, support and manufacturing.

SAP user conference:

SAP, the global provider of integrated end-to-end business application solutions, will stage the Asia Pacific leg of its Sapphire user conference at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Australia, from November 8 to November 11. A major theme at Sapphire '98 Melbourne will be `TeamSAP,' an initiative which brings together people, processes and products from SAP and its business partners to enable customers to realise quickly the business benefits of SAP R/3 implementations to gain a competitive advantage in the market place. Sapphire '98 Melbourne will also provide a valuable forum for discussions on how best tooptimise business performance in the light of regional and global economic uncertainty and rapid changes in the business environment.

JP Foundaries certification:

The Belagum-based JP Foundries has received the ISO 9002 certification from TUV Bayern, Mumbai. The company produces graded, small batch, quality iron castings. It produces castings for compressors, diesel engines, printing machines, machine tools valves in the weight range of 100g to 250 kgs by sand and shell sand process.

20% subsidy for infotech units in Kerala

The Kerala government has enhanced the investment subsidy for infotech units in the state to 20 per cent. The maximum amount to be offered has been fixed at Rs 25 lakh. State industries minister Suseela Gopalan said this was the highest incentive being offered to the software industry in the country. The department will also provide 50 per cent incentive for installation of captive power generation sets in I-T units with the maximum amount being Rs 10lakh.

Nitrochem lubricants bullish on India:

Nitrochem Lubricants Private Ltd, an associate of the US-based Champion Lubricants, is hopeful of garnering 18 per cent to 20 per cent of the Indian lubricants markets by 2000, Nitrochem Inc director Norman Sandhu said. "The Indian market for environment friendly lubricants will be worth Rs 1000 crore by 2000, and we are confident of achieving nearly 20 per cent of the total market,"he said. The slowdown and recessionary trends in the economy suited the company's interests as Nitrochem Lubircants will supplement efforts of various company's to cut costs and increase efficiency, he said.

Longman dictionaries to be launched:

Addison Wesley Longman and the British Council will launch the Longman range of dictionaries across the country later this month. Addison will bring to india reprints of six Longaman dictionaries viz the Dictionary of Contemporary English (hardback and paperback), Dictionary of Common Errors, Essential Activator, ActiveStudy Dictionary of English, New Junior English Dictionary and New Pocket English Dictionary. The dictionaries will be priced between Rs 475 and Rs 50.

Graviera Suiting unveils stain resistant fabric

Graviera Suiting, a brand from the Bhiwani Textile Mills Stable, has introduced the `Wonder Wash Fabric,' and the `Perfect Feel Finish Fabric' in the domestic market. The first is a stain resistant fabric requires no detergent during washing. The company has developed the fabric with the help of a specially developed chemical - S3. After being treated in the in the special chemical, the fabric can be cleaned by warm water alone, further the frequency of washing too is reduced considerably. While the Perfect Feel Finish Fabric, is a highly sensitive and soft fabric with high shrinkage and high density moisture permeability.

Capital Foods ware:

Capital Foods Ltd has launched Smith & Jones, the international food ingredients brand in the country. The products being introduced are Ginger Paste,Garlic Paste and Ginger-Garlic Paste. Packaged in transparent glass jars, the products are priced at Rs 21 for 200g.

EasyCall ties up with SkyPak centers:

EasyCall, the paging services company has tied up with express company SkyPak to provide quick and easy cheque payment and depositing facilities. The facility has been made available across 49 locations in the city. The company also plans to expand the service to 25 other cities across the country soon.

Century Plyboards new offering:

The Calcutta-based Century Plyboards India Ltd has developed `borer proof' PF plywood for the first time in the domestic market. Borers, like termites are destructive pests. The new product offering from Century Plyboards uses a patented chemical technology from the USA, to keep borers at bay. The product is also secured against, boiling water, warping and termites, and is tropicalised to suit Indian conditions.

Searle launches plant rejuvenator:

Searle India Ltd's agro-chemicals division haslaunched RaPiGro, a biological plant rejuvenator that stimulates yield and crop quality. The product is a result of the technical tie up Searle has with Cytozyme Laboratories of USA. RaPiGro is one among various biological products based on Cytozyme Laboratories technology and trials and are useful for crops such as rice, cotton, vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants and tea plantations.