11Oct -17 Oct,2010

Nirma's strategy fails to breathe new life into

pharma biz
Nirma had acquired the ailing business of Core
Healthcare ,an Ahmedabad-based manufacturer of IV
fluids (parenteral), in 2006, for 300 crore, to enter the
pharma sector
Nirma is seventh largest soda-ash maker in the world,
diversified into real estate, cement and packaging
Nirma tried to cut prices in IV fluids (parenteral) drug
segment, a strategy it adopted to challenge
multinationals like HLL and P&G in the detergents space.
However, the strategy did not work in a drug segment
that often deals with critical care treatment where quality
and not price is a premium
Dabur completes acquisition of Turkey's Hobi
Kozmetik Group
Dabur has made acquisition of Rs 324 crore of Turkey-
based personal care products maker Hobi Kozmetik Group
Hobi Group firms which include Hobi Kozmetik, Zeki
Plastik and Ra Pazarlama become a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Dabur International
Hobi Kozmetik is a leading manufacturer of personal care
products in Turkey. It sells a range of hair care and skin
care products under the 'Hobby' and 'New Era' brands
across 35 countries, including the Middle East and North
Africa
the acquisition of Hobi Group will provide a platform to
establish its base in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries and Middle East and North African (MENA)
region, which has been the core markets for Dabur
Sony unveils TVs with Google's Web-surfing
system
Sony's lineup of sleek televisions boasting Google's Web-
surfing system will go on sale this week. The debut will test
how much consumers are willing to pay to combine access
to the entire Internet with their regular TV programming.
The high-definition sets unveiled Tuesday have LCD
screens ranging from 24 inches to 46 inches. Prices range
from $600 to $1,400. Sony Corp.'s online store will begin
selling the TV sets Saturday and they should be available in
Best Buy Co.'s U.S. stores by early next week.
Sony's price for its Google TV sets is $200 to $400 higher
than comparable TVs without the highly touted software, a
differential that threatens to dampen demand at a time
when the still-shaky economy is causing more households
to pinch their pennies.
Hyundai launches luxury SUV Santa Fe
 Hyundai Motor India, country's second largest car manufacturer after Maruti
Suzuki, has launched its luxury SUV Santa Fe, priced between Rs 20.95 lakh- Rs
22.95 lakh. The company aims at selling 600 to 800 units a year
 In India Santa Fe will be imported as completely built units (CBU) from South
Korea
 The SUV will be available with 2.2 L engine and six speed manual transmission,
with an option of 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive. As per the company, this diesel
vehicle has mileage of 14.66 km per litre. 
 Speaking at the launch, MD and CEO, HMIL H W Park said, "Globally, Santa Fe
has already sold over 20 lakh units since its launch in June 2000 and we are
confident that in India, Santa Fe will give us a competitive edge in the SUV
segment..." 
 With the launch of the second generation Santa Fe, Hyundai aims to grab a
bigger share of the highly competitive SUV segment in the country. 
 HMIL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea
and is the largest passenger car exporter and second largest car manufacturer in
India. With this launch, HMIL now has seven models in the country, which
includes the popular i10, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Santro Xing/Atos,  Hyundai
i20, Hyundai Sonata Transform, Hyundai Verna Transform
Toyota ropes in AR Rahman as brand ambassador
for Etios
 Toyota Kirloskar Motor signed up two-time Oscar winner A R Rahman as its
brand ambassador for its upcoming small car 'Etios', which will be launched in
the country in December. 
 The car has been been specifically developed for the Indian market and the
company is investing Rs 3,200 crore at its second plant in Bangalore to produce
its units. 
 Commenting on the signing up of Rahman, TKM Managing Director Hiroshi
Nakagawa said: "There is a very strong connect between the product and its
brand ambassador, with both being, 'global', 'innovative', 'reliable', and a 'class-
above quality'.“ 
 On his association with Toyota, Rahman said: "I believe real quality is created
when skill meets dedication, when insight meets inspiration, when passion
meets perfection. This is why I am happy to be associated with Toyota. The same
values drive Toyota in whatever they do." 
 TKM is betting big in the Etios, as it sets itself up to enter the mass volume
segment in India and is aiming for sales of 70,000 units in the first year. 
 The company is eyeing about 10 per cent share of the Indian passenger car
segment by 2015, which is currently approaching the two million units per year
mark.
Indian filmmakers bag Green Oscars
 LONDON: Indian filmmakers bagged two awards at the Bristol-based
Wildscreen Festival, which showcases the best of wildlife and environment films
produced across the globe. 
 Better known as the Panda Awards or the Green Oscars, the two Indian winning
entries were Mysore-based duo Krupakar-Senani's 'The Pack: Episode 5' in the
Animal Behaviour category and Rita Banerji and Shilpi Sharma's 'The Wild Meat
Trail' in the category to promote filmmakers from developing countries. 
 The Wildscreen awards received 446 entries this year, of which 67 were
shortlisted for the final. 
 'The Wild Meat Trail' portrays community and individual hunting practices in
different parts of North-East India, tracking the complex transition of these
utility and ritual-based hunting traditions into an increasingly commercial
activity geared to generate cash. 
 The film also traces the journey of an individual, Tarang, who is trying to bring
in workable ideas of conservation and sustainability to his village and the Nyishi
community of Arunachal Pradesh.
 Producers say that the film was made to draw attention to the rapidly declining
wildlife population in the North-East and the possible ways to bring positive
change through community-led conservation. 
 Another Indian film that made the short list was Bangalore-based filmmaker
Sandesh Kadur's 'North-Eastern Diaries: Seeking Wildlife in the Eastern
Himalayas'.