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Showing posts from September, 2009

Navabharat buys Zambia mines stake

Hyderabad: Yet another Indian firm is rushing into Africa. Hyderabad-based Nava Bharat Ventures Ltd (NBVL) (Ashok Devineni, Chairman) is to spend a little over half a billion dollars to acquire a controlling stake in a government firm in Zambia that owns the largest coal mine in the country. As part of the deal, NBVL will also have to set up a power plant and invest fresh money in the mine. Though primarily conceived as a transaction that will earn the company more revenue by operating a mine and generating power abroad, it’s also an opportunity for NBVL to expand its global reach and earn additional revenue by selling surplus coal from this mine in adjoining markets. The second global acquisition by NBVL, caution analysts, may prove to be tricky since it will also have to deal with labour problems and salary arrears. The company won against rivals that included Vedanta Resources Plc, South Africa’s Londoloza Resources Corp., Borneo Mining SA, London-based Aldwych International Ltd an

Natco launches generic version of Tamiflu across India

Natco Pharma Limited has launched first retail medication Natflu in the form of capsule to cure swine flu. This medicine will be available against medical prescription at chemist across India. "Natco Pharma has launched Natflu capsules (generic version of Tamiflu - Oseltamivir) the first cure for swine flu to be available against medical prescription at chemists across India," announced V C Nannapaneni, chairman & managing director. Globally, this drug is approved both in treatment and prevention of swine flu. Natflu is being launched all over India by Natco but since Maharashtra and Karnataka are the states where maximum Swine Flu deaths have been reported, these two states are the immediate focus areas. The company is ready with 1,25,000 doses and can meet any expectation depending on the seriousness of the Swine Flu situation. The medicine, whose maximum retail price is fixed at Rs 480 for a bottle of 10 capsules, is available in all Schedule X pharmacies. Natco is wo

Galla Foods enters the beverage market of India

The Chittoor based Galla Foods (Jay Galla Managing Director) has entered the popular fruit drinks segment with the launch of Galla Fruit Drinks in two flavours - Classical Mango and an exotic blend of Apple-Litchi, targeting young consumers SEC (socio-economic classes) A & B in the local markets who prefer their juices on-the-go but are unwilling to compromise on the taste and health parameters. The launch is timed for the mini summer season building up to the festival season and would be available both in traditional kirana stores and MTO's (modern trade outlet) across South India. The category-first 275 ml pet bottle with the distinctive wide mouth and grip-handy neck brings alive the long chilled drink experience straight from the bottle. The 275 ml. mango pack retails at Rs12 and the 550 ml. at Rs 22 while the apple-litchi is priced at Rs13 and Rs 24 respectively. Branded fruit juices consumed primarily as thirst quenchers with fruit pulp content up to 20% are classified

Indonesian company MEC keen on trading coal for equity in power projects

Mumbai, Sept. 11: The large-size power projects announced by various Indian companies seem to have prompted a standalone Indonesian coal miner to come knocking on their doors. Middle East Coal (MEC), a joint venture between Trimex Group (Prasad Koneru, Chairman and MD) and the UAE Government-owned RAK Minerals and Metals Investment, has initiated talks with these players to swap equity for coal. The company assures coal supply at $35-$40 a tonne for 15 years. Currently, coal prices are around $50-$55 a tonne. MEC is developing a coal mine at East Kalimantan in Indonesia with proven reserves of two billion tonnes at an investment of $1 billion. Mr Madhu Koneru, Executive Vice-Chairman, MEC , said production would begin with two million tonnes by the middle of next year and would be ramped up to 15 million tonnes by November 2011. “We have floated a tender of $1 billion to develop a coal jetty and rail link of 130 km to transport the coal from the mine. With such huge inve

PMS Prasad awarded 'Energy Executive of the Year' 2008

Reliance Industries Executive Director PMS Prasad has been awarded the 'Energy Executive of the Year' 2008 award, instituted by the London-based renowned energy journal Petroleum Economist. "Prasad was recognised for leading the development of Reliance Industries move from a refining and petrochemicals group into a successful, vertically diversified E&P (Exploration & Production) business," RIL said in a statement. "Under his leadership, RIL commissioned India's first ...deep water oil production facility in a record time of about two years from discovery, and more recently in April 2009, successfully commissioned the world's largest deep-water gas production facilities in a record time of about six and half years from discovery," Petroleum Economist said as part of the nomination. The award comes as a recognition of the leadership role which Prasad played in bringing India's largest gas field to production within seven years from disc