Press Release

Outokumpu commended for climate change disclosure

2010-10-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

OUTOKUMPU'A' : Outokumpu commended for climate change disclosure

New Delhi October 23, 2010 Outokumpu has been commended by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which represents 534 institutional investors with $64 trillion in assets under management, for its approach to climate change disclosure.

For the second time Outokumpu is featured in CDP's "Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index." This index, a key component of CDP's annual Nordic 200 Report, highlights the constituent companies within the Nordic stock exchanges, which have displayed the most professional approach to corporate governance in respect of climate change disclosure practices. Companies are scored on their climate change disclosure and high scores indicate good internal data management and understanding of climate change related issues affecting the company. Outokumpu was given a score of 86/100.

The index, compiled by Jönköpings International Business School (Jibs) on behalf of CDP provides an evaluation tool for institutional investors. In 2010, it comprises 20 constituents of the Nordic 200 Index based on analysis of the responses to CDP's 2010 questionnaire, which focused on greenhouse gas emissions, emissions reduction targets and risks and opportunities associated with climate change.

"Inclusion in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index is a welcome recognition for our corporate governance in respect of climate change. We take seriously these issues and want to do our share in the shift towards a low-carbon society - especially by focusing on energy efficiency," said Juha Rantanen, CEO of Outokumpu Oyj.

Paul Dickinson, Chief Executive of the Carbon Disclosure Project, commented: "The Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index recognizes companies that demonstrate good internal data management practices for understanding greenhouse gas emissions, including energy use. Companies that make this index have also demonstrated clear consideration of how climate change is and will impact their business. As companies' understanding of climate change issues grows, they are better placed to take positive action to manage and mitigate its risks."

The Nordic 200 Report including names of companies featured in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index can be found at www.cdproject.net:http://www.cdproject.net/.

For more information please contact: Yatinder Pal Singh SuriCountry HeadOutokumpu India Private Limited609-612 , Hemkunt TowerNehru PlaceNew Delhi - 110019. INDIATel : +91 11 46518440, 41Fax : +91 11 46518439Dir : +91 11 46518444Mob : +91 98181 20952www.outokumpu.com

OUTOKUMPU OYJ

Outokumpu is a global leader in stainless steel with the vision to be the undisputed number one. Customers in a wide range of industries use our stainless steel and services worldwide. Being fully recyclable, maintenance-free, as well as very strong and durable material, stainless steel is one of the key building blocks for sustainable future. Outokumpu employs some 7 500 people in more than 30 countries. The Group's head office is located in Espoo, Finland. Outokumpu is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. www.outokumpu.com:http://www.outokumpu.com/

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organization holding the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world. Thousands of organizations across the world's largest economies now measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies through CDP, in order that they can set reduction targets and make performance improvements. This data is gathered on behalf of 534 institutional investors, with combined assets under management in excess of $64 trillion, as well as purchasing organizations and government bodies and made available for integration into business and policy decision making. www.cdproject.net:http://www.cdproject.net/

700 Consulting engineers to attend FIDIC 2010 in New Delhi from September 19

2010-09-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC)Consulting Engineers Association of India
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi; 19 - 22 September 2010 contact V.K.Arora 9811153833
PRESS RELEASE

700 CONSULTING ENGINEERS TO ATTEND FIDIC 2010 CONFERENCE BEING HELD IN INDIA FOR THE FIRST TIME

UNION STEEL MINISTER VIRBHADRA SINGH TO INAUGURATE THE CONFERENCE WITH THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE “MANAGING INNOVATION - THE WAY FORWARD”

New Delhi September 17, 2010 About 700 global experts representing consulting engineering industry, architects, various government departments, infrastructure companies and funding agencies will take part in the Four day International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC 2010) to begin from September 19-22, 2010, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi .

Union Minister of Steel Virbhadra Singh will inaugurate the conference .

FIDIC, the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (the acronym stands for the French version of the name) represents globally the consulting engineering industry which helps in field of Land Surveys of Highway & Bridges, Hydroelectric projects, Irrigation projects, Defence , gas and power projects, industrial projects, Public health, Project Management, Highway Geometric Designs, Design of Bridges & Culverts. As such, the Federation promotes the business interest of firms supplying technology-based intellectual services for the construction related industry. Founded in 1913, FIDIC today has some 1 million professionals as members worldwide.

FIDIC contract form is widely used world wide for construction contracts and undertakings and is an internationally accepted document as "General Conditions of Contract (GCC)". All World bank funded construction projects as well as other international funding agencies are based on FIDIC drafted contract conditions. Even in India NHAI and other World bank and ADB bank contracts use FIDIC conditions .
“The global experts from more than 70 countries attending the Conference with the theme “Managing Innovation - The Way Forward” will address and explore the role of consulting engineers in the delivery of sustainable solutions to global challenges related to climate change, increasing demand for energy, investment in infrastructure in emerging economies and mass urbanization. The international speakers will also discuss and debate how to manage innovations in the way consultancy services are provided worldwide,”, said Mr K K Kapila, Chairman, Consulting Engineers Association of India (CEAI).

“Plenary sessions, business seminars and workshops over three days will address how the consulting engineering industry is responding to the need for innovation: how organizations are handling the consequences of innovation, and the tools being developed to ensure that innovation is managed correctly at all levels; from the project level, through to firms and organizations, up to the industry level and society as a whole.” He added.

“The major speakers at the conference will be Mr Gregs Thomopulos, President, FIDIC, Mr A K Purwaha, CMD, EIL, Mr Rakesh Chopra, Member Railway Board, Mr Chris Cole, CEO, WSP, Harrie Noy, CEO, Arcadis, Netherlands, Peter J. Kahn, V.P., Poyry, Mr B K Chugh, DG (Works), CPWD, Mr Geoff French, CEO, Scott Wilson, UK, and incoming President of FIDIC and several other outstanding experts. They will deliberate upon how consulting engineers and their partners are responding to the need for innovation,” Mr Kapila added.

”The other subjects that will be discussed will include Drivers of Innovation, Latest in Project Finance, Challenges of Climate Change, Framework for Project Innovation, Development with Sustainability. The main aim of the Conference is to identify and plan actions needed to position the consultancy and engineering industry as leaders to provide viable and effective solutions to make the world a better living place” Mr Kapila said .

Media Relations contact V.K.Arora 9811153833

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Compensation from Del monte india

2008-12-21T18:13:00.001-08:00

BATAVARAPALLI VILLAGE SUFFERERS ASSOCIATION
Batavarapalli Village, PO Bellathur, Hosur Taluka, Krishnagiri District 635103 (Tamil Nadu)
Contact Villager Muniraj 09790260859

PRESS RELEASE

SMALL TAMIL NADU VILLAGERS PETITION LOSS OF ECOLOGY AUTHORITY FOR COMENSATION FROM DELMONTE, SINGAPORE AND BHARTI DELMONTE, INDIA

Chennai , December 21, 2008 Residents of Batavarapalli, a small village in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu near Bangalore have petitioned the Loss of Ecology Authority of Tamil Nadu for compensation from global processed food giant Del Monte India , a subsidiary of Del Monte Singapore and Bharti Del Monte India , a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises (formerly known Field Fresh foods) and Del Monte India due to environment related problems affecting the villagers of the area.

Del Monte India Food and Vegetables Del Monte is an iconic American brand and is licensed to various companies worldwide, including Del Monte Pacific, headquartered in Singapore.The Singapore based company has an equity association with Sunil Mittal's Bharti group and currently operate in India through this company and their subsidiary.

They have a Mango pulp processing unit in Batavarapalli village, in Tamil Nadu and 50 kilometers from Bangalore, and are working towards introducing the Del Monte brands in India through Bharti Del Monte. This unit catered to Wal Mart ad other chains world wide.

The village of Batavarapalli in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu has instituted a case on June 8 against Del Monte and Bharti Del Monte for damage to the environment by operating their factory under the Environment Protection Act. Ground water in and around the village has been contaminated.

The case was admitted and a team from the Loss of Ecology Authority, the district administration and state Pollution Control Board have carried out inspection of this complaint at the village. The investigation was led by Dr Jairaj, Asst. Commissioner of the Ecology Authority. Del Monte India/Bharti Del Monte has closed the operations of their factory, after complaint was made to the state Pollution Control Board in September 2007. The Pollution Control Board had directed Del Monte to carry out rectifications. Instead, they have suspended operations early this year and terminated the services of its employees at the factory.

The villagers including farmers and producers have been demanding compensation from DelMonte at Batavarapalli, as it has already been established by the Loss of ecology Authority .

Del Monte Pacific has been recently involved in major controversies in marketing in unlicensed regions and having a consignment of endosulfan sunk in Phillipines, and not taking responsibility for its spillage in the seas. There has now been a call by many environmentalist activists worldwide to ban Del Monte products for using an insecticide banned in many parts of the world

Contacts Sumarleki Amjah, Del Monte Singapore, 006591545871 Shankar Rao, Production Manager, Del Monte,09750466104 Contact Villager Muniraj 09790260859 Sidharth Mukherjee 09811836490 and dr jai Raj, Asst Commissioner Ecology Authority 09840403356

Attached the copy of petition
PETITION IN THE LOSS OF ECOLOGY AUTHORITY , CHENNAI
June 8, 2008

Petition demanding compensation and restoration of ecology to our village, Batavarapalli, submitted by farmers and residents & Sunblossom Florals Ltd., Hosur Taluka, Tamil Nadu 635103 to Hon’ble Justice, Loss of Ecology Authority, Chennai
In a case of abuse to the environment by a multinational corporation – the Singapore based Del Monte Pacific Group( through their subsidiary Del Monte India Pvt. Ltd.), a small village in Tamil Nadu, Batavarapalli, has been left with the legacy of contaminated soil and reserves of saline water. Untreated effluents have been discharged from their fruit processing plant for the last six years. Today, this factory has been permanently closed after complaint was made to the Pollution Control authorities. Del Monte, besides their fruit processing plant in India, also has a joint venture with the Bharti Group – Bharti Del Monte Ltd. The tie up between the two groups was announced on 29 September 2007. The Bharti Group, and M/s Del Monte Pacific, have equal representation at the Board level of Bharti Del Monte, through Mr Sunil Mittal, Mr Rakesh Mittal, Mr Rolando Gapud and Mr Joselito Campos, the last two executives also being the Chairman and Executive Director of Del Monte Singapore. It is unlikely that any action at Batavarapalli taken by Del Monte Pacific is not in the knowledge of Bharti Del Monte Ltd.
Del Monte having ‘abandoned’ their operations at Batavarapalli village, are scouting around to find a buyer for the closed processing unit. The company has mandated M/s Atis Woods Projects Ltd, 43 The Estate, 121 Dickenson Centre, Bengaluru (Mr A Bhaskar, telephone number 080 40508880 ) to dispose off this unit. Even while the investigations are on by the Hon’ble Loss of Ecology Authority.
Attempts were made over the last few years by the village people to meet with Del Monte factory’s management and complain about the discharge of effluents. Ultimately, not having succeeded, a complaint was made to the state Pollution Control Board on July 17 2007,and finally leading to Petition to the Hon’ble Justice, Loss of Ecology Authority, Chennai on June 8 2008. Hearings and submissions are in progress. The Authority has visited the location on August 20 2008 for Enquiry and on-spot inspection
The employment potential with two factories closed is one aspect of the problem. More critical is the contamination of ground water – now described as saline quality, and its impact on the local environment and populace. Neither Del Monte nor Bharti Del Monte is willing to take any responsibility for this. Closure of factory by them is their answer to charges of environment damage
Del Monte Pacific has an international record of environment abuse – discharge of their consignment of endosulfan (banned in most countries including India) in the waters off Philippines, June 21 2008, and as the videos would show, takeover of land of small farmers by force for their plantations. There is also a $100 million law suit pending against them by another Del Monte company/licensee, for marketing their products in territories not under their mandate.
I have an interest in this matter, not just as a public relations and communications consultant, but also as a promoter of a project which got located at this village. Our support to the Public Petition is keeping into account our presence in the village for a decade, the employment of local populace, mostly women and the negative impact of Del Monte’s operations on the local environment
The local farmers of the village are signatories to the Petition, pleading for restoration of ecology at Batavarapalli. A part of the Petition has been prepared with information obtained through provisions of Right to Information Act with State Pollution Control Board. PCB have been prompt
Our effort to sensitize you is arising from the impunity with which the Respondents have treated this issue so far. As members of the food processing industry, Del Monte and the Bharti Group, have so far have shown no signs of acceptance of responsibility to the damage to environment they have done, and against helpless villagers, who are up against systems and procedures difficult for them to comprehend or adopt. Instead, a mandate has now been issued by them to sell off this factory

Compensation from Del monte india

2008-12-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

EUPHORIA IN CONGRESS OVER EASY SAILING IN LOKSABHA VANISHING

2008-07-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

EUPHORIA IN CONGRESS OVER EASY SAILING IN LOKSABHA VANISHING

Euphoria in Congress to sail through easily in the Lok Sabha on the trust vote is evaporating fast as the D-day comes closer. Congress President holding daily review meetings with the party leaders engagedin wooing individual MPs and smaller parties was quite upset over a senior leader pointing out that UPA's own number is dwindling faster than swelling from the new support gained.The UPA government's own strength in the 543-seat Lok Sabha is 226. The Congress managers have, however, put a question mark on 15 and they now admit that five more votes may have to be deducted if the presiding officer does not allow voting by the jailed MPs.PMK, led by Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss, on Wednesday virtually put the Prime Minister on notice, not to count its six votes unless he pressurises Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to setfree one of its MLA, Guru. The Tamil Nadu politics watchers say this is only a prelude to PMK drifting away to AIADMK of J Jayalalithaa.The same may happen with MDMK whose boss Vaiko has already announced to vote against the government in his run up to tying up with Jayalalithaa. He has four MPs in the Lok Sabha, but two of them have rebelled. These rebels have declared to vote for the government. So, Vaiko will be able to reduce the UPA strength by just two votes.The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Sibu Soren is also keeping the government on tenterhooks. He has five votes. Though his party is still a constituent of the UPA, he is threatening to walk out andalign with the BJP. He is negotiating simultaneously with both Congress and BJP. From Congress, he wants back the minister's post that was snatched away from him on a court sentencing him for murderof his secretary. He is bargaining with BJP to give him support to become the Jharkhand chief minister.Two others from the Congress camp whom the Congress review meeting on Wednesday ruled out to give support are suspended Haryana MP Kuldeep Bishnoi and 75-year old rebel Assam MP A F Golam Osmani. The party managers were told to explore if they abstain from voting to lessen the damage that will be caused if they vote against the confidence motion.If all these doubtful MPs are taken into account, the UPA's real strength on the D-day would slump from 226 to 211 and further drop to 206 if five jailed MPs are not allowed to vote. This will leave a widegap of 66 for the magic number to win the confidence vote.Those privy to the goings-on in 10 Janpath admit that the support gained from the Samajwadi Party and one mustered by pursuing smaller parties and individual MPs can not cover up this deficit. They,however, insist that the actual deficit, after counting all the support mustered todate, is just 12 votes. The party is cent per cent confident at this juncture to get 260 votes, they asserted.The Samajwadi Party has 39 MPs, but it has now dawned on the Congress that its leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh cannot deliver all 39 votes. Two of its parliamentarians have already revolted anddeclared to vote against the government while some more may fall to the poaching by Bahujan Samaj Party, taking advantage of being in power in Uttar Pradesh.The Congress managers are, however, still hoping to scrape through. They are counting on the last minute decision by some of the parties in the Opposition to abstain as that would bring down the magic numberfor winning the vote and the UPA government will be in the advantageous position.As regards the smaller parties that these managers have been contracting, Janata Dal(S) MP Veerendra Kumar has already announced that he would vote against the government, leaving two other JanataDal(S) votes that will be decided by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda only by Sunday. The Telengana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) having three votes, including one rebel, is demanding a Cabinet resolution by Friday for creation of a separate Telengana state carved out of Andhra Pradesh. Former Union Minister Ajit Singh, heading the 3-MP Rashtriya Lok Dal has pressed for a ministerial berth as a bargain to vote for the government. Even the one-MP parties are putting own demands in the bargain, the Congress sources said.Some of the top Congress leaders, including Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and hospitalised Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, are still working on the Communists to persuade them not to bring down the government. They became active after the 95-year old CPI-M patriarch Jyoti Basu remarked that it would be a bad day for the left to be seen voting with the communal BJP to bring down the government.Though the Left parties have not yet shown any inclination for any kind of compromise as seen from the anti-government campaign it has launched since Monday, some of the CPI-M leaders in West Bengal havestarted criticising their party leadership for hobnobbing with the BJP after Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee chose to toe Jyoti Basu's line and opposed voting with the BJP.The 2-day central committee of the CPI(M) is meeting here from Saturday and there should be no surprise if General Secretary Prakash Karat, who has otherwise a majority in the politburo, is pulled up anda decision is taken that can become a saving grace for the ruling UPA.Ranged against the UPA are the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Left parties, Bahujan Samaj Party and the third front of UNPA. As of now the NDA is holding together, dashing the Congresshopes that the Akali Dal may be forced by the Sikh organisations in Punjab not to bring down a government led by a Sikh. Also dashed were hopes from Shiv Sena stating at one point that it supports the nuclear deal as it has too gone on record that its MPs would vote against the government.The trust vote has certainly triggered a dramatic re-alignment in Indian politics. For the first time ever, the left, practitioners of class politics, will join forces with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), whichbelieves in caste-based mobilisation. More ironic will be its joining hands with the BJP to bring down the government. Even the Congress-SP camaraderie is nothing more than a marriage of convenience, though itmay help them in Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Mekaster becomes Industry Partner to NAM S & T

2008-05-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Press Release

NAM S&T CENTRE SELECTS MEKASTER GROUP AS ITS FIRST EVER PRIVATE INDUSTRY NETWORK MEMBER

New Delhi May 23, 2008 The Centre for Science & Technology of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre) has selected Mekaster , a private industrial unit as its network member for promoting Science & Technology for the first time.

NAM S &T centre was set up in 1989 as an inter-governmental organization in pursuance of the decisions taken at various Summits of the Heads of State or Government of the Non-aligned Movement countries. Forty one developing countries represented by their government departments / ministries and agencies dealing with science and technology have so far joined the Centre as its member.

Mekaster group headed by its Chairman V.M. Trehan has been playing major role in the development and propagating the cause of Science and Technology in the country.

Its Chairman V.M. Trehan was recently awarded the coveted Presidential Gold Medal award by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) . It was presented to him by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh at ISCA inaugural function held at Vishkhapatnam

Mekaster which has been working for excellence since its inception in 1971, was the first to usher in the Digital Switching Technology in the country. Mekaster was also instrumental in setting up of the National Telematics Forum (NTF), which played a major role in formulation of the National Telecom Policy. Through the present forum of NAM, Mekaster would play a pro-active role for promotion of self reliance amongst the developing countries; as well as South-South collaboration amongst the priority areas of the center, forming Public - Private Partnership in area like National Disaster Management, Construction Engineering, Information and Communication Technology as well as Alternative Energy Sources.
NAM S&T Industry Network
NAM S&T network provides opportunity to its members to offer consultancy or undertake joint projects on transfer of technology, technical assistance, manpower development and capacity building in specific areas on bilateral or multilateral basis with other member organizations or countries. The Network members also get preference in holding international scientific events in collaboration with the Centre.
For further enquiries please contact:
Prof. Dr. Arun P. Kulshreshtha,
Director,
Centre for Science & Technology of Non-Aligned and other Developing Countries,
Zone - 6, IInd Floor, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road,
NEW DELHI - 110 003 (INDIA)
Ph.: (+91)(11) 24645134 / 24644974
E-mail: namstct@gmail.com

BUILDERS AND ARCHITECTS SHOULD FOCUS ON “SAFE AND SMART” HIGH RISE BUILDINGS AND WORK ON REDUCING COST OF HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION - S.JAIPAL REDDY

2008-05-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

BUILDERS AND ARCHITECTS SHOULD FOCUS ON “SAFE AND SMART” HIGH RISE BUILDINGS AND WORK ON REDUCING COST OF HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION - S.JAIPAL REDDY

New Delhi May 8, 2008 Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy today urged the construction industry to focus on futuristic ‘Safe and smart’ high rise buildings as need for construction of high rise buildings in metro cities will increase due to soaring land prices and growing global trend for accommodating various activities under one roof.

Minister while inaugurating the three day National seminar on ‘Recent Trends in High Rise Buildings’ organised by the Indian Builders Congress (IBC) said “ the construction industry should use latest green technologies, including environment friendly building materials, high tech sensors for conserving energy and water, and water recycling and ample parking and open spaces while construction of safe and smart high rise buildings”.

“High rise buildings for residential purposes is being seen as a major answer to urban housing problem not only in four metropolitan cities but also in other cities like Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar, Agra and Jaipur. But how far this is tenable, in the context of conditions prevailing in our country must be studied in depth before adopting high rise buildings” Mr Reddy said .

“ For structural and social safety in high rise buildings as well as providing essential services such as lifts, elevators, fire safety devices, the initial investment of capital is very high followed by heavy recurring costs for maintenance. The building experts should find ways and means to reduce both the construction as well as maintenance cost in high rise buildings” the minister added.

"Migration of the people to the Urban Areas is on constant increase due to enhanced employment opportunities . This has resulted in increase in land cost and desire of the people to reside near the heart of towns are some of the various factors which have given rise to construction of high-rise buildings. High rise development has come in vogue not only in mega cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai but also in large towns like Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar, Bangalore and Hyderabad" said Mr M Ramachandran, Secretary, Urban Dvelopment, whichle speaking on the occasion.

“About 400 consulting engineers, architects, developers, project managers from the public sector as well as private firms from the construction industry Professionals of Government Departments, Housing Boards, Development Authorities, State PWDs Teaching and Trainings Institutes are taking parting the three day seminar to discuss the design, construction and maintenance of high rise buildings” said Mr K.K.Kapila, President, Indian Builders Congress .

" The delegates attending the seminar will be discussing the latest design and construction technologies of high-rise buildings which is very complicated the common services such as electric supply, water supply, sewage disposal, solid waste disposal, fire fighting etc have also to be dealt with in an appropriate manner.’Mr kapila said

NATIONAL HIGHWAY USERS OPPOSE LEVY OF ANY FURTHER TOLL ON DELHI- AMRITSAR AND DELHI- CHA

2008-03-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

National Highway Users Association (NHUA) , the apex body of motor vehicle users on various National Highways in the country has strongly opposed introduction of new toll on Delhi –Amritsar National Highway , Ambala-Chandigarh highway and state highways in Punjab.

“ The proposed introduction of new plazas for collecting toll at Panipat and Phagwara on Delhi-Amritsar Highway and one at Ambala-Zirakpur highway linking Chandigarh and Himachal will further burden the commonman on these road stretches. A man traveling in a car on the 100 Km stretch from Ambala to Ludhiana is presently paying Rs 110 toll, which turns out to be more than Rs one per KM” said Varinder Arora, secretary, NHUA.

“The toll of Rs one per Km being charged on this stretch is already illegal and double than 50 paise per km the National toll fee fixed by the central government for car/jeep/van. The rates for commercial vehicles are hire. Similarly a Highway user between Delhi and Chandigarh is already paying about Rs 87, after introduction of toll collection plazas at Panipat and Zirakpur, the commutes will have to shell out Rs 187 for distance of 250 Km between Delhi and Chandigarh. This will be higher than the national rates fixed by the government” he added.

“The cost of travelling between Delhi and Amritsar is also likely to double. At present, one has to pay Rs 210 for the 450-kilometre drive from Delhi to Amritsar. With the addition of four toll plazas, this amount is likely to go up to Rs 410. There are three existing toll plazas at Karnal, Shambu and Dauraha. The new toll plazas will be at the Panipat flyover, in Phagwara, Kartarpur and Jandialaguru” said Mr P.K.Khurana , Convenor NHUI.

“ The introduction of multiple toll barriers, apart from financially burdening the commuters will further increase the traveling time, thus totally eliminating the benefit of using higway. The parliamentary standing committee on transport in its recommendations on various times has demanded rationalization of toll on roads as the commuters are already paying road tax and cess on fuel for development of roads“ Mr Khurana added.

"The Committee has recommended that persons travelling on smaller stretches of the National Highways where toll is being collected should be charged a lower amount than the persons using the entire length of that National Highway," he added.

“ The planned introduction of smart cards on these toll plazas on the lines of Europe, does not stand ground in India as most of the users of these highways are not frequent travelers. More over world over non toll alternate routes are also offered to commuters, while here once has no alternative than using the toll highway. A person traveling from Panipat to Kurukshetra will have to shell out Rs 140 for distance of 80 Km for one side” Said Mr Atul goyal a regular commuter.

“The road condition between Delhi and Panipat is pathetic and is taking about three hours fro 90 km stretch. It takes about 6-7 hours for reaching Chandigarh from Delhi. A distance which was covered in maximum 4-5 hours . Most of the time entire stretch is under repairs” he added

“NHUA has already written to the Union Transport Minister opposing any new toll plazas and incorporating recommendations of Parliamentary committee. The association will resort to agitation if the new tolls are introduced and costs not rationalized” Mr Arora said.

JEWELLERY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (JPDC) TO INTROUDCE ITS NEW SPECIALISED THREE YEAR DIPLOMA COURSE IN JEWELLERY MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SOON

2008-02-21T20:25:00.000-08:00

New Delhi February 22, 2008 Jewellery Product Development Centre (JPDC) New Delhi, set up by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body of exporters from the country under the Ministry of Commerce plans to add new three year diploma course in “Jewellery Design manufacturing Technology for the first time for the benefit of Jewellery exporters in the North India.

“The new three year diploma with approval from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will include manufacturing training with latest technologies including Computer Aided Design (CAD) Designing. This all is aimed to supply the required professionally trained executives and workforce the jewellery industry seeks. Ultimately to multiply the employment in the sector and to testify its commitment to provide highest level of professional training” said Mr Rajesh Khanna, Regional Chaiman , GJEPC, Northern Region.

“To justify its reputation JPDC is planning to introduce Rhino Software for the second course on Computer Aided Design on Jewellery, to extent jewellery design diploma to one year A MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with – “Zeichenakademie, Hanau” – one of the most reputed German Jewellery Institute will be signed shortly. ” Mr Khanna added

“JPDC was set up in the year 1986 to develop new designs and to provide training in modern jewellery making as per the industry’s needs both in India and abroad. JPDC has secured ISO 9001-2000 certification in recognisation of the institutes compliance to the quality system as per norms specified by the ISO Registration Authority It’s students have been meeting the need of the jewellery exporting industry” said Mr S.P.Bansal convenor, Technical and Educational committee of GJEPC.

“Some of the other courses that are being run presently at the JPDC include
Jewellery Design Foundation Course Duration: 8 Weeks
Industry Oriented Design Course Duration: 8 Weeks
Jewel CAD Course Duration: 4 Weeks
History of Jewellery Design Course Duration: 4 Weeks
Jewellery Design Diploma Duration: 6 Months
Jewellery Technology Expert Diploma Duration: 1 ½ Years

“The center is equipped with modern machines, test jigs and other equipments has been set up to train Indian artisans and students to cater to the specific requirements of Indian gems and jewellery export trade and develop products and designs as per international demand” said Mr Bansal,.

“JPDC has been adding courses to meet the global market’s futuristic expectations as per international standards It is equipped with highly trained and capable staff, ” said Mr Thomas Beil, well known German Jewellery design expert , who is presently heading the JPDC.
“The Centre besides identifying and conducting the courses has also taken up teachers training programme for the future requirement of the trainers/teachers. At present most of the private jewellery design centres in Delhi are being run by students from JPDC” Mr Beil added.
“The new Jewellery manufacturing and design courses added are part of the JPDC expansion project. With increasing exports from India to todays quality conscious international markets, the gems and jewellery industry needs new designs and global quality, the expansion project of the JPDC will not only help in developing jewellery for exporters but also bring new technology closer to the industry, which not only promises to produce a quality necessary for export markets, but also cut costs, giving the industry much needed competitive edge” said Dr Rajender Bhola, co-convenor, JPDC

They have also helped in boosting exports of gems and jewellery export from country which is more than US$17159.06 million.

IGI
Indian Gemmological Institute (IGI), Delhi is another project of the GJEPC situated in Jhandewalan, New Delhi. Set up in 1978. Objective of IGI is to impart education in Gemmology and to provide Gem Testing services to the Gem and Jewellery trade and industry, considering the necessity of scientific study of gem and their properties with help of proper instruments and gadgets to ascertain their quality, origin, genuinity etc.
Keeping in view the objective, IGI Delhi has been offering the following courses in Gemmology:
Courses Duration
Gemstone Identification Duration: 3 ½ months
Diamond and Diamond Grading Duration: 2 ½ months
Diploma in Gemmology & Diamond Grading Duration: 6 months
Gem Testing Laboratory
GTL is well-equipped lab with latest equipments and gadget. It is the oldest laboratory of its kind in Delhi. Main activity of the lab is to test and certify the gem stone. Since inception laboratory has tested and certified 55000 specimens. The laboratory is regularly visited by exporters, jewellers, foreigners and general public who get the gemstone tested for its genuinity.

So far these two projects have trained around 6000 candidates who have been either absorbed by gem & jewellery industry or have been associated with the gem & jewellery trade & industry thus contributing towards the growth of the exports in this field.

HUMBER COLLEGE OFFERS UNDERGRADUATE BACHELOR DEGREES TO INDIANS

2008-01-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, Jan 21 Canada-based Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning today announced its five new four-year specialized business degrees in the fields of International Business, Tourism Management, Fashion Management, Human Resources Management, and e-Business Marketing starting from October 2008 for the Indian students.

Humber claims to offer innovative, career-focused learning opportunities. It provides over 350 programs including: bachelor's degree, diploma, certificate, apprenticeship and postgraduate programs.
Humber has 17,000 full-time and 55,000 part-time learners, as well as more than 15,000 employees in custom corporate training on its role. It has partnerships with employers, as well as transfer agreements with 45 universities and colleges that could help students to build a foundation for lifelong success.
''Canada is opening its doors to international students and Humber College offers them the opportunity to become successful professionals, whether they choose to apply their skills in Canada or anywhere in the world'', Ms Wendy Gallegos, International Recruitment Officer, Humber College, said .
.The institute claims to have most positive results as over 90 per cent of their students find employment within six months of graduating. It has two campuses in Toronto, with over 750 international students from more than 75 countries .
Humber ranks among the top 12 institutes of North America and Canada. The first two years of study are built on the platform of a solid business education offering courses in marketing, accounting, economics and law. And during the third and fourth year of thebachelor degree, students work toward a specialization by gaining practical skills through applied projects linked to business, real companies and industry, she said and added that each degree also offers one full semester of paid work placement which is valued ashands-on experience by employers.
She named companies where Humber College students found placements in Toronto which include: Nestle, Hewlett-Packard, Nike, Air Canada Vacations, American Express, Hilton Hotels, Holt Renfrew, Rogers Communications, Xerox, Apple Canada, Microsoft Canada, and Electronic Data Systems, amongst many others.
Indian students who enroll in any of these five specialized bachelor degrees, would have access to Entrance Scholarships based on academic performance, she advised. The bachelor's degrees are offered at its Lakeshore campus, located on the shores of Lake Ontario, in the booming city of Toronto.
The institute has a tie-up with Chandigarh-based Canam Consultants, a registered member of Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants,to assist students with career counseling, admissions processing, and Canadian student visa guidance inIndia anFor Indian students interested in applying to these degrees,please visit the website: www.makeyourmovetocanada.com and alsoat: www.international.humber.ca

Ms Ganga D Dandapani

Mob: 9312601937d in Kuwait

“SPACE4BRANDS” LAUNCHED TO PROMOTE BRANDS AND PRODUCTS

2008-01-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

NEW AVENUES AND ENVIRONMENT BRANDING TO BE THE FOCUS AREA.

New Delhi A team of marketing specialists have joined hands launched a new unique venture ‘space4brands’ to meet the growing demand from brands for the creation of a sophisticated buying service for promotional space in across a variety of venues.

“Our exclusive sites include shopping malls, leisure venues, exhibition venues, golf clubs, universities, schools and fitness clubs. Whatever your business we will have the right space for the product manufacturer or brand launcher. We will match and provide right venues to the ever demanding clients” said Rahul Suri , one of the founders for Space4brands’
.
“We as experts in brand space selling have already tied up with some property groups, transport authorities and logistic providers , autorikshaw and taxi unions for promotional sale sites” said Suri.

“Malls and other real estate ventures are world wide becoming major branding venues . More over, most of the malls and real estate owners prefer to outsource their common free space for the purposes of third party brand promotions. The sales and management of these sites is also outsourced” added suri

“ We estimate that each year, brand-owners spend more than Rs 2000 crore on hiring promotional spaces in order to sell, sample or simply promote their products and brands . Our service will save significant time, whilst increasing profits of the companies as we will be Create a profile of venues all over the country in the brand marketplace” added suri.

“Outsourced management of the whole sales process; from sourcing leads through to managing all the administration for each booking (licence agreements, insurance checks, invoicing and credit control) will be our punch line” he added.

Furthermore, property owners in most of the new malls were finding it increasingly difficult to place values on their promotional spaces when approached by agencies and brands. Space4brands will now provide the bridge between buyer and seller. Our sophisticated valuation tool will ensure a fair valuation for both brands and property owners

“We will also be promoting environment branding, which is becoming a major concept world wide. Along with this we will be organizing brand alliance opportunities in malls, theatres, gyms, exhibition halls, educational institutes major landmarks, B2B venues and even nursery schools”

Space4brands has already tied up with major mall and retail chains for space bookings.
Further info@space4brands.comVoice:09811664662/09212044001

REL investors ask SEBI to stop Reliance Power IPO

2008-01-03T04:14:00.000-08:00

REL INVESTORS ALLEGE THAT RELIANCE POWER TRYING TO RUSH WITH IPO BY MODIFYING ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TERMS IN ORDER TO AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY .

URGE SEBI AND SAT NOT TO ALLOW THE IPO WITHOUT GOING INTO CONCERNS RAISED BY REL INVESTORS

Mumbai /Delhi December 3, 2007 Reliance Energy Limited (REL) Investor’s Forum along with Rajkot Saher/Grahak Suraksha Mandal in a letter written to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have demanded immediate holding of the proposed IPO of Reliance Power limited without going into concerns raised by the investors .

REL investors forum in the letter has alleged that SEBI has cleared the issue in haste without addressing concerns of Reliance Energy investors.

The investors alleged “the Discounts being announced by Reliance Power through media to retail investor is only a gimmick. High premium being charged from public who are being hoodwinked with a facility to pay in instalments. Promoters enriching themselves with shares issued at cheap price of Rs 10 per share” Said Prakash Krishnan of the forum.

SEBI should not allow the IPO to go ahead without studying the verdict of Securities Appellate Tribunal and courts. Public should not suffer.

Poor corporate governance already affecting power sector especially in Delhi under BSES Rajdhani and Yamuna. Consumers suffering due to high tariffs and erratic supply. Even UPa chairperson Sonia Gandhi has written to Delhi Government on power issues .

Delhi Power Minister Dr A.K.walia during the recently held session of Delhi government had admitted the problems and harassment being faced by Delhiites under BSES.

VIA to showcase 'small is beutiful' devices at CES

2008-01-03T04:10:00.000-08:00

New Delhi January 3, 2008 – Chipmaker VIA Technologies today announced its participation in the annual Lunch@Piero's press event, to be held during Consumer Electronic Show ( in Las Vegas on January 7th and 8th. Attendees at Lunch@Piero’s will be able to see a host of high performance ultra mobile devices (UMDs), eco-friendly PCs, and power efficient embedded systems all made possible through VIA's extensive expertise in platform miniaturization and designed for a new digital world where Small is Beautiful.

Leading edge partner systems being demonstrated at this event include UMDs from OQO, WiBrain, TabletKiosk, Packard Bell and Solpi, as well as VIA’s own popular mini-note reference design, the VIA NanoBook. There’ll also be innovative new takes on the PC in the form of the award-winning Zonbu Mini, and the ultra thin, fanless vmpc vm7700 together with the eagerly anticipated MTube – a groundbreaking five-ounce Internet Media Player (IMP) developed by the Taiwan Government's Science and Technology Advisory Group and based on the new VIA Mobile-ITX motherboard.

Additionally, VIA will demo both its Nano-ITX and Pico-ITX motherboards, including the hugely popular ARTiGO Builder Kit, based on the Pico-ITX PX board. To showcase some of the possibilities these new small form factor boards provide, two case-mods by Jeffrey Stephenson, one using the Nano-ITX, the other the Pico-ITX, will be on display. Rounding out the demos are exciting digital signage systems from Danoo and a remarkable in-car PC system from CTT.

“VIA’s “Small is Beautiful” technology design strategy of shrinking the form factor and power draw of the x86 platform has resulted in some amazing new products and device categories,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Lunch@Piero’s gives the press an opportunity to view these devices first-hand, and offers a glimpse into the future of PC, ultra mobile and embedded computing technology.”

More information on the Lunch@Piero’s event can be found on the VIA website at: http://www.via.com.tw/en/company/events/ces2008/index.jsp

About Lunch@Piero’sFor the past 22 years, Lunch@ events organized by Pat Meier Associates have brought innovative technology companies and typically more than 300 reporters and industry pundits together for a fine productive working lunch, resulting in print and broadcast coverage that has reached around the world.
For more information please go to www.lunchat.com

VIA Green Computing initiative

2007-12-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

VIA Technologies Green Computing initiatives
New Delhi December 26, 2007 VIA Technologies, a company that provides motherboard chipsets, CPUs, and other computer hardware, introduced its initiative for "green computing" in 2001. With this green vision, the company has been focusing on power efficiency throughout the design and manufacturing process of its products. Its environmentally friendly products are manufactured using a range of clean-computing strategies, and the company is striving to educate markets on the benefits of green computing for the sake of the environment, as well as productivity and overall user experience.
Carbon-free computing
One of the VIA Technologies’ ideas is to reduce the "carbon footprint" of users — the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide (CO2). Greenhouse gases naturally blanket the Earth and are responsible for its more or less stable temperature. An increase in the concentration of the main greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons — is believed to be responsible for Earth's increasing temperature, which could lead to severe floods and droughts, rising sea levels, and other environmental effects, affecting both life and the world's economy. After the 1997 Kyoto Protocol for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the world has finally taken the first step in reducing emissions. The emissions are mainly a result of fossil-fuel-burning power plants. (In the United States, such electricity generation is responsible for 38 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.)
VIA aims to offer the world's first PC products certified carbon free, taking responsibility for the amounts of CO2 they emit. The company works with environmental experts to calculate the electricity used by the device over its lifetime, generally three years. From this data, one can conclude how much carbon dioxide the device will emit into the atmosphere during its operation. This estimate will serve as an indicator, and the company will pay regional organizations for the “sequestering,” or offsetting, of the emissions. Offsetting carbon dioxide can be achieved in different ways. One way is to plant trees that absorb CO2 as they grow, in the region in which the processors were purchased. The necessary amount of trees per processor is represented by VIA's TreeMark rating system.
In addition, VIA promotes the use of such alternative energy sources as solar power, so power plants wouldn't need to burn as much fossil fuels, reducing the amount of energy used. Wetlands also provide a great service in sequestering some of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Although they make up only 4 to 6 percent of the Earth's landmass, wetlands are capable of absorbing 20 to 25 percent of the atmospheric carbon dioxide. VIA is working closely with organizations responsible for preserving wetlands and other natural habitats, and others who support extensive recycling programs for ICT equipment. The amount paid to these organizations will be represented by a proportion of the carbon-free product’s price. Carbon-emissions control has been a key issue for many companies who have expressed a firm commitment to sustainability. Dell is a good example of a company with a green image, known for its free worldwide product-recycling program. Dell’s Plant a Tree for Me project allows customers to offset their carbon emissions by paying an extra $2 to $4, depending on the product purchased. AMD, a global microprocessor manufacturer, is also working toward reducing energy consumption in its products, cutting back on hazardous waste and reducing its eco-impact. The company’s use of silicon-on-insulator (SOI)

china unicom & VIA technologies CDMA chip agreement

2007-12-19T03:35:00.000-08:00

VIA Technologies
V.K.Arora 09811153833

PRESS RELEASE

CHINA UNICOM SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH VIA TECHNOLOGIES FOR CDMA HANDSET DEVELOPMENT

New Delhi December 19. China Unicom signed a collaboration agreement with Taiwan's chip maker VIA Technologies Inc. yesterday in Beijing regarding the development of CDMA handsets, China Unicom announced today.

China Unicom the world’s largest CDMA operator said that the two companies will "leverage each other's technologies and resources", but did not reveal any more details about the partnership.

Jin Lei, public relations manager of handset manufacturer Dopod China, told Interfax that Dopod has used chips from VIA Telecom, a subsidiary of VIA Technologies, in two CDMA handsets that Dopod and China Unicom released yesterday.

"Dopod yesterday released two low-cost CDMA handsets under the new brand name 'Vivie'. Previously, Dopod provided high-end smartphones primarily to China Mobile," Jin said.

The deal between China Unicom and VIA Technologies breaks Qualcomm's monopoly in supplying CDMA chips to China Unicom and promises to lower chip costs. Qualcomm is a major CDMA chipset supplier that owns patents for CDMA-related technologies.

"We can't address specific decisions made by other companies, but we are pleased any time CDMA technology is used in mobile communication and mobile devices, as this further validates the success of CDMA," Qualcomm told Interfax.

VIA Telecom was created in April 2002 when VIA Technologies bought the CDMA wireless division of LSI Logic. In June 2003, LSI Logic's CDMA license agreement with Qualcomm was transferred to VIA Telecom.

VIA Telecom is based in San Diego, California, and is focused on developing baseband processors for the CDMA2000 standard.
China Unicom is the smaller of two mobile operators in China. It operates both CDMA and GSM mobile services. China Unicom is the world's largest CDMA operator with approximately 40.5 million CDMA subscribers.

SERVICES INTERNATIONAL IN EXPANSION MODE

2007-12-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, December 10, 2007 Riding on the ongoing boom in travel and tourism, Services International is planning big expansion of its business to capture a larger slice of the travel market.

The Delhi-based company is focusing specially on online businesses in view of the better margins and lower overheads in this segment. Services International now receives around 4,878,532 hits per month and the pages visited stands at 543,786. Number of visits stood at 254,273 and number of unique visitors was 189,126.

Services International markets its facilities through 425 working domains and it plans to increase the scope of 750 domains. The increase in online presence will provide the company more online business.

The profitability of the company is strong since online business accounts for 40% of the revenue generated by the company through inbound traffic. Services International has strong business ties with Spain and a large number of tourists from the country book their tours to India thorough the company. We are establishing ourselves in other countries where Spanish is spoken, said Mr Vinay Maheshway, director at Services. In view of the specialisation, profitability potential is strong.

Services International has been in the travel business for three decades and it is run by a team of professionals. For its expansion, the company is now in touch with serious players based overseas for a collaboration or joint venture. The company plans to scale up its revenue in a big way next financial year so that it has a larger presence in the booming Indian market for travel packages.

Contacts: Mr Vinay Maheshway 91-011-2586 2636, 9811025962.
V.K.Arora 09811153833

VIA Launches ARTiGO Builder Kit for the Pico-ITX

2007-12-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

VIA ARTiGO A1000 Builder Kit is the first mainstream oriented DIY kit for the VIA Pico-ITX form factor, allowing enthusiasts to build their own tiny PC
New Delhi 10 December 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of x86 silicon and platform solutions, today launched VIA ARTiGO, a DIY builder kit for enthusiasts wanting to build an ultra compact personal computer. Designed by the creators of the Pico-ITX form factor, the VIA ARTiGO Builder Kit offers consumers a more sophisticated DIY experience.

Imagine a complete x86 computer in the palm of your hand – a sleek black x86 system that can handle the day-to-day rigors of modern computing with a full complement of multimedia features. Weighing about 520g (less than 1.2lbs) and measuring a mere 15cm x 11cm x 4cm high (5.9” x 4.3” x 1.8”), the VIA ARTiGO is about half the size of a regular desktop optical drive and can even be installed inside the drive bay of a regular desktop PC.

Available from leading online and IT stores in the US and the UK, the VIA ARTiGO kit contains a VIA EPIA PX10000 Pico-ITX board, chassis, power adapter and all essential accessories, making it the ideal holiday gift for PC enthusiasts. The powerboard has been specially designed to support the remarkably low power draw, with a complete system consuming around 15 watts in idle, while the mainboard itself consumes a maximum of only 20 watts under full load.

The VIA ARTiGO package also supplies all the cabling and port accessories the DIY builder needs. Moreover, the system is customizable – simply add your choice of system memory and hard drive and you’re ready to install your choice of operating system.

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to the launch of the Pico-ITX boards from end-users and the embedded industry alike, so we are delighted to now make it easy for enthusiasts to build their own ultra small personal computer,” said Daniel Wu, Assistant Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA ARTiGO Builder Kit truly leverages the remarkable energy efficiency and power-performance-size ratio of the Pico-ITX form factor, and further cements VIA’s position as a leading innovator in the x86 space”.

An overview and how-to video on the VIA ARTiGO Builder Kit can be seen on the TechnoVoyance website at:
http://www.technovoyance.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=1

About the VIA ARTiGO A1000 Pico-ITX Builder Kit
Inside this DIY builder’s package you’ll find one VIA EPIA PX10000 Pico-ITX board, one VIA PWB-N550 power board, an Ultra-ATA cable, PS/2 cable, COM port, DVI cables and a driver CD. Also included is the tiny black chassis with assembly accessories, a 60-watt power adapter, power cord and easy assembly instruction manual. The VIA ARTiGO chassis measures 15cm x 11cm x 4cm (5.9” x 4.3” x 1.8”).

Broadband networking is seamless through the 10/100 Fast Ethernet port, and display output through the VGA port also at the rear supports all regular monitors. Peripheral connectivity, including for the latest keyboards and mice, is made simple through four USB2.0 ports at the front of the chassis, along with two audio jacks for easy access to plug in headphones and microphone.

Powered by the 1GHz VIA C7 processor and supporting up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SO-DIMM system memory, the VIA EPIA PX mainboard is based on the single-chip VIA VX700 system media processor, boasting the VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP 3D/2D graphics core, MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9 hardware decoding acceleration and display flexibility. The onboard VIA VT1708A HD audio codec also contributes a rich entertainment experience.

Further details and specifications are available at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/artigo/

VIA ARTiGO Pricing and Availability
The VIA ARTiGO Builder Kit will be available from December 14th 2007 in the US from Avnet, EPROM Computer Systems, Fry's Electronics, Logic Supply and Ma Lab / Ewiz with a recommended retail price of US$300, and from two UK online retail sites: LinITX.com and Mini-ITX.com. For further details, please contact your local VIA sales representative or send an email to: embedded@via.com.tw.

Outokumpu India plans

2007-12-07T05:42:00.000-08:00

Outokumpu – Finnish Stainless Steel Manufacturer to focus on construction and for Pulp and Paper Applications in India
New Delhi December 7, 2007 Finland-based world's foremost stainless steel producer Outokumpu which has recently opened its sales office in India plans to focus on Architecture, Building and Construction (AB&C) and pulp and paper industry both emerging market segments in India.
Outokumpu, with a turnover of Euro five billion, (Rs 35,000 crore) specializes in manufacture of quality stainless steel for infrastructure, chemical, transport , food processing, and construction industries.based world leader in stainless steel.
Outokumpu in India has taken active participation in the ongoing paper and pulp machinery exhibition ‘Paperex’ (December 7-9, 2007) in Pragati Maidan, Delhi.
Outokumpu also supplies the pulp and paper industry on every continent with the materials, expertise and support required to build more cost-efficient plants. This focus has led to long-term partnerships (over 60 years in some cases) with many of the world’s leading suppliers to the pulp and papermaking businesses.
“Our customers expect a great deal of us. They expect us to be right on the cutting edge – all the time. They expect us to be responsible and farsighted corporate citizens, providing materials that are not only tough enough to handle punishing conditions, but also resistant enough to meet increasingly stringent environmental legislation. That’s why we have refined our duplex grades over many years. Today, we offer a broad spectrum of grades to meet varying corrosive environments” said Y.P.S Suri, India Head, Outokumpu.
" Outokumpu is all set bring stainless steel in every body's life of Indians through its full range of products and services including technical customer service to the Indian market. The company is in touch with Indian railways for use of steel in coaches, petro an food insustry as well as Delhi government for construction of Stainless steel bus stands and steel furniture , keeping in view the forthcoming Common wealth games" , Mr Suri added

“Our plants, mainly situated in Finland, Sweden, Britain and the U.S., produce a wide range of stainless steel products including hot and cold rolled coil, sheet and plate, precision strip as well as tubular and long products. Our products are available in various dimensions, grades and surface finishes: he added.
Outokumpu produces part of its raw material in its own chromium mine and ferrochrome facility. Outokumpu operates in some 30 countries and employs 11 000 people.
Yatinder Pal Singh Suri
Country Head
OUTOKUMPU India Pvt Ltd
Mobile 09818120952

education summit at california

2007-12-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

VIA Demos Eco-Friendly Education at Green California Schools Summit

Innovative computing systems from HP, Devon IT, Zonbu, TabletKiosk and more lead the way in IT-savvy, environment-conscious education

New Delhi 6 December 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of power efficient PC platforms, today showcased a range of contemporary computing systems for the education market at the Green California Schools Summit, being held from December 4-6 at the Pasadena Conference Center in Pasadena, California.

With California at the leading edge of the green movement, the Green California Schools Summit will focus on the strategies, technologies and services that will ensure that schools can focus on eco-sustainability and provide a healthful learning environment for students. At booth 410, VIA will demonstrate client/server, desktop, notebook and ultra mobile partner systems that combine performance and affordability with industry-leading power economy.

Efficient computing with VIA’s pioneering processor platforms not only lowers electricity bills compared to traditional PC platforms, it significantly reduces computer-generated ambient heat, making the school environment quieter and more comfortable as well as cheaper to keep cool. It also extends the lifespan of internal components for greater system reliability, and as much as doubles battery life in mobile devices for practical education application. Of course, lower power consumption also eases demand on the current fossil fuel-burning power generation infrastructure, thereby reducing climate-warming carbon emissions.

“Power grids across the globe, and particularly in California, are under increasing strain as our need for electricity continues to grow,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “We see the Green California Schools Summit as a great opportunity to show some of the most important institutions in the country that there are real, affordable products that help manage the power problem and fully meet their next-generation education needs.”

Innovative, Efficient Computing for Schools
Perfectly suited to classroom-based teaching and with measurable benefits in manageability, security, reliability, scalability and lower electricity bills, thin clients from both Devon IT and HP will be on display at the summit. Around 50% of the thin client market is powered by VIA, with the power saving VIA Eden and VIA C7 processors specially designed for ultra compact, quiet systems with no moving parts, allowing for enhanced client performance. The VIA booth will also showcase the EPEAT Gold award-winning Zonbu PC, which delivers all the power of a traditional desktop computer but uses a fraction of the energy: an average of just 12 watts.

Additionally, see how Ultra Mobile Devices (UMDs), like the Samsung Q1b and TabletKiosk eo v7110, are being used to great effect in educational settings. VIA is a clear leader in the ultra mobile space, with over 30 partner products in the market and many more exciting designs on the way. The extreme energy efficiency of the VIA C7-M ULV processor, specially designed for ultra mobile handheld PCs, extends battery life to as much as double that of devices based on competitor platforms.

The VIA C7-D Processor and Carbon Free Computing
Traditional desktop PCs are still highly relevant in educational as well as office settings, but VIA has pioneered a green approach to this market too. With an average operating power of just 2 watts and an absolute maximum of 20 watts, VIA’s flagship desktop processor, the VIA C7-D, is designed to cater to a new breed of computer users interested in limiting their impact on the environment. Working with environmental experts, VIA calculated the electricity used by the VIA C7-D processor, and from that determined how much carbon dioxide will be produced as a result of electricity provided by power plants burning fossil fuels, and is working with regional organizations to offset that carbon dioxide.

Offsetting the carbon dioxide created through use of the C7-D processor is done through regional projects which fall into three broad categories:

· Reforestation: Planting trees that absorb (sequester) carbon dioxide as they grow, in different areas around the world
· Alternative Energy: By implementing projects utilizing alternative energy such as solar power, power plants don't need to burn as much fossil fuel, thereby reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment
· Environmental Conservation: Projects aimed at protecting our environment through donations to recognized, reputable groups that work to preserve carbon-absorbing wetlands and other necessary ecosystems

“Since the introduction of our first processor in 2001, VIA has led the industry in the design of energy-efficient x86 platforms and has enabled new generations of low power computing devices,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “By offsetting the CO2 from what is already a very power efficient component, we hope to provide a sustainable computing solution by which governments, schools, enterprise and consumers can effectively reduce their carbon footprints.”

VIA’s most recent investment is in a 30.4MW wind farm in Turkey: Anemon Enerji. The new construction consists of a grid connecting 38 wind turbines and has anticipated electricity output of 108,000 MWh per year, which is expected to reduce the equivalent of 74,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. In the absence of income generated from investments such as that from VIA, operation of the wind farm and resulting environmental benefits, would be unachievable.

Anemon Enerji has been certified by The Gold Standard, a certification scheme that recognizes the best projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI) and voluntary offset markets. Over 49 non governmental organizations, including Greenpeace, REEEP, and WWF International, endorse the Gold Standard method.

VIA has also invested in reforestation projects in the UK, and established several solar powered ICT centers around the globe, such as in Ulutogia, Samoa and Bourem Inaly, Mali. These projects not only benefit the environment by reducing the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, but serve the local communities with access to information, going some way towards bridging the information divide that exists in developing nations.

For more on VIA’s carbon free projects, please see the Green Computing Initiative pages on the VIA website: http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/greencomputing/.

Additionally, a video explaining the concept behind the carbon free VIA C7-D desktop processor can be found at The Green Lounge, a VIA website dedicated to green computing that looks at all the latest news in this fast-growing area, along with images of the Anemon Enerji Wind Farm in the Gallery section.
http://www.thegreenlounge.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=1

About VIA Technologies, Inc.
VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

VIA PR Contact

International:
Richard Brown
Phone:
(886)-2-2218-5452 #6201
Fax:
(886)-2-2218-5453
Email:
RIBrown@via.com.tw

Note to reporters, editors and writers: VIA is written in ALL CAPS.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

green motherboards from VIA

2007-12-02T02:21:00.000-08:00

VIA'S LAUNCHES ITS ENERGY-EFFICIENCY GREEN MOTHERBOARDS

New Delhi- December 2, 2007 Chipset and motherboard designer VIA Technologies has announced its latest PC2500 and PC3500 motherboards. These are very energy-efficient and VIA makes the world's smallest and most energy-efficient X86 platforms for personal computers .

VIA makes X86 processing chips, which are focussed on energy-efficiency rather than chasing higher clock rates and/or all-out performance. Because of this it has also focussed on small size and, as well as making desktop PC mainboards, it has ones for laptops, Nano-ITX board for mini-laptops, Pico-ITX for hand-held PDA/PC form-factor devices and a new Mobile-ITX board for mobile phones combining hand-held PC and phone functionality.

VIA's green credentials come from this and also from it purchasing carbon offsets to try and remove carbon from the atmosphere equivalent to that released from power plants providing the electricity its products need. VIA only deals in offsets certified by The Gold Standard, a scheme endorsed by Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund and over 45 other non-governmental organisations. VIA says its CD-7 is the first carbon-free processor because of this. Its low power draw products means that solar power is become practicable as an energy supply source for them.

The pc3500 mainboard offers the lowest power consumption for Windows Vista PCs; a complete VIA pc3500-based PC draws 50 percent less than the Energy Star 4.0 requirements specify. According to VIA's corporate marketing VP, Richard Brown, Intel's Low Power CPU for Vista draws around 60 watts. A complete PC using this would draw around 100 watts. A PC built around VIA's pc3500 would draw about 60 watts, 40 percent less.

The Energy Star 4.0 requirement is for a PC in idle mode to draw less than 50 watts. Such a VIA-based PC would draw about 23 watts. Even when very busy with, for example, DVD playback, it would only draw around 34 watts. Running a Vista performance test it would draw about 50 watts. In comparison a Pentium 4-type mid-range PC would draw around 250 watts; five times more.

Brown thinks that thin client use will expand: "Globally every one will have to digitise. The standard PC model is not well-suited for this, having size, power-draw and waste issues." Several OEMs, such as HP, use VIA products in their thin client products.

The new Pc-1 motherboards have already been launched and are available in the UK market.They have already got wide industry support

website: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/c7-d/partner_products.jsp

Taiwan UMPC

2007-11-26T21:38:00.000-08:00

VIA Technologies
Taiwan Develops powerful UMPC using VIA Processor for WiMax
New Delhi November 27, 2007 Taiwan has developed a powerful ultramobile PC that can fit in your hand, complete with a speedy 1GHz microprocessor on board.
New Delhi November 26, 2007 Taiwan has developed a powerful ultramobile PC that can fit in your hand, complete with a speedy 1GHz microprocessor made by VIA Technologies on board.
The aim of the device is to take advantage of all the Internet has to offer via a WiMax wireless broadband network currently in the works on the island and in several other countries around the world, including the U.S.
That's why a few government-funded research groups in Taiwan teamed up to develop a small handheld device with the power of a laptop PC able to handle Internet video, networking and downloading available on WiMax networks.
The MTube, as the device is called, carries a 1GHz microprocessor made by Via Technologies Inc., an x86-based processor able to use software meant for PCs. But the MTube weighs only 150 grams and has a 2.8-inch screen, so it's small enough to fit in person's pocket. It can store 8G bytes of songs, photos and other data and runs on a Linux OS.
Development of the MTube, which is made solely from parts manufactured in Taiwan, is aimed at promoting Taiwanese made goods, as well as developing more devices and applications for WiMax wireless Internet broadband services.
Taiwan is positioning itself to be one of the fastest adopters of WiMax connectivity outside of North America through its M Taiwan initiative. Officials see the technology as a good way to spread broadband Internet access throughout the island, which includes remote mountain villages and sparsely populated outlying islands.
Last month, the Taiwan government added several multinationals to a growing list of WiMax wireless broadband technology partners, including Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks and Sprint Nextel. The partnerships are intended to encourage foreign companies to build WiMax research and development centers in Taiwan and look to Taiwanese companies for parts and contract manufacturing work.
Intel was an early champion of WiMax as a replacement for the Wi-Fi wireless networking standard, used for Internet access in coffee shops, airports and other places in much of the developed world. The chip giant has already signed a similar agreement with Taiwan and is working with Taiwanese computer parts makers to ready the technology for inclusion in laptop PCs next year.

green computing

2007-11-25T17:38:00.000-08:00

VIA Technologies Green Computing
VIA Technologies, a Taiwanese company that manufactures motherboard chipsets, CPUs, and other computer hardware, introduced its initiative for "green computing" in 2001. With this green vision, the company has been focusing on power efficiency throughout the design and manufacturing process of its products. Its environmentally friendly products are manufactured using a range of clean-computing strategies, and the company is striving to educate markets on the benefits of green computing for the sake of the environment, as well as productivity and overall user experience.
Carbon-free computing

Carbon-free computing (Credit: VIA)One of the VIA Technologies’ ideas is to reduce the "carbon footprint" of users — the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide (CO2). Greenhouse gases naturally blanket the Earth and are responsible for its more or less stable temperature. An increase in the concentration of the main greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons — is believed to be responsible for Earth's increasing temperature, which could lead to severe floods and droughts, rising sea levels, and other environmental effects, affecting both life and the world's economy. After the 1997 Kyoto Protocol for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the world has finally taken the first step in reducing emissions. The emissions are mainly a result of fossil-fuel-burning power plants. (In the United States, such electricity generation is responsible for 38 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.)VIA aims to offer the world's first PC products certified carbon free, taking responsibility for the amounts of CO2 they emit. The company works with environmental experts to calculate the electricity used by the device over its lifetime, generally three years. From this data, one can conclude how much carbon dioxide the device will emit into the atmosphere during its operation. This estimate will serve as an indicator, and the company will pay regional organizations for the “sequestering,” or offsetting, of the emissions. Offsetting carbon dioxide can be achieved in different ways. One way is to plant trees that absorb CO2 as they grow, in the region in which the processors were purchased. The necessary amount of trees per processor is represented by VIA's TreeMark rating system.
In addition, VIA promotes the use of such alternative energy sources as solar power, so power plants wouldn't need to burn as much fossil fuels, reducing the amount of energy used. Wetlands also provide a great service in sequestering some of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Although they make up only 4 to 6 percent of the Earth's landmass, wetlands are capable of absorbing 20 to 25 percent of the atmospheric carbon dioxide. VIA is working closely with organizations responsible for preserving wetlands and other natural habitats, and others who support extensive recycling programs for ICT equipment. The amount paid to these organizations will be represented by a proportion of the carbon-free product’s price.
Carbon-emissions control has been a key issue for many companies who have expressed a firm commitment to sustainability. Dell is a good example of a company with a green image, known for its free worldwide product-recycling program. Dell’s Plant a Tree for Me project allows customers to offset their carbon emissions by paying an extra $2 to $4, depending on the product purchased. AMD, a global microprocessor manufacturer, is also working toward reducing energy consumption in its products, cutting back on hazardous waste and reducing its eco-impact. The company’s use of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology in its manufacturing, and strained silicon capping films on transistors (known as “dual stress liner” technology), have contributed to reduced power consumption in its products.
Solar Computing

Solar powered computingAmid the international race toward alternative-energy sources, VIA is setting its eyes on the sun, and the company's Solar Computing initiative is a significant part of its green-computing projects. For that purpose, VIA partnered with Motech Industries, one of the largest producers of solar cells worldwide. Solar cells fit VIA's power-efficient silicon, platform, and system technologies and enable the company to develop fully solar-powered devices that are nonpolluting, silent, and highly reliable. Solar cells require very little maintenance throughout their lifetime, and once initial installation costs are covered, they provide energy at virtually no cost. Worldwide production of solar cells has increased rapidly over the last few years; and as more governments begin to recognize the benefits of solar power, and the development of photovoltaic technologies goes on, costs are expected to continue to decline. As part of VIA's “pc-1” initiative, the company established the first-ever solar-powered cyber community center in the South Pacific, powered entirely by solar technology

video links

2007-11-19T03:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.technovoyance.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=1
http://www.technovoyance.com/
http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20071115PD222.html

VIA Announces Ultra Thin VESA Mounted PC for Instant Display Systems

2007-11-04T02:12:00.001-08:00

The VIA vmpc vm7700, a unique approach to digital signage and media display, converts any standard LCD monitor into a full x86 PC in minutes

Taipei, Taiwan, 8 October 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading developer of x86 silicon and platform solutions, today announced the new VIA vm7700 VESA mounted PC (vmpc) that turns a standard display panel into a fully functional PC for signage, kiosk and other intelligent display applications, providing a radically superior space management, cost effective and flexible alternative to traditional panel PCs.

From small desktop LCD monitors to larger flat panel displays, the VIA vmpc vm7700 leverages the industry-standard Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) 10cm x 10cm mounting specification for simple attachment behind the customer’s screen of choice, and offers considerable cost savings when upgrading or replacing screens. Through-chassis mounting allows the VIA vm7700 to be secured behind a flat screen display in seconds, or firmly mounted on walls or under desks, while dual-view support extends display utility.

Fanless configurations based on a 1.0GHz VIA C7 or 1.5GHz VIA Eden ULV processor and the ultra low power VIA CX700M2 system media processor enable the VIA vm7700 to deliver a solution packed with rich multimedia features within a maximum power of only 12 watts and a low 45ºC thermal envelope – essential for display-mounted systems.

Housed within a durable, ultra-thin and sleek black 26mm x 180mm x 298mm chassis, the VIA vm700 provides the answer for a wide spectrum of intelligent display applications, such as state-of-the-art casino gaming, home automation, information kiosks, timetable boards, advertising and more, as well as a discreet system for space-constrained locations.

“The VIA vm7700 VESA-mounted PC is a revolutionary concept that delivers an efficient, cost-effective method of delivering x86 technology simply and discreetly,” said Daniel Wu, Assistant Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “With its robust multimedia performance and inherent display flexibility, the vm7700 offers a strong alternative to panel PCs.”

A short video on the VIA vmpc vm7700 may be seen at the Technovoyance website at:
http://www.technovoyance.com/........., while more details on the system may be found on the VIA website at: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/vm7700/.

About the VIA vm7700 VESA-mounted PC
Available with either the 1.0GHz VIA C7 or 1.5GHz VIA Eden ULV processors, the VIA vmpc vm7700 supports up to 1GB of power efficient DDR2 system memory, a 2.5” HDD or DOM interface, four USB ports and a COM port as standard. Networking is taken care of with a VIA Gigabit Ethernet port and optional Wireless IEEE 802.11b/g module. The completely fanless vm7700 mounted PC also has DVI-D, D-Sub and S-Video TV-out interfaces with native dual-view configurations. System management options include Wake-on-Lan, ACPI support, Power Failure Recovery and Watch Dog Timer features.

Featuring the VIA CX700M2 system media processor - an all-in-one digital media IGP chipset that integrates premium graphics, audio, storage, memory and HDTV support in a single power-efficient chip - the VIA vm7700 has visual prowess and versatility in abundance. Featuring the VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP graphics core with MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9 hardware acceleration, dual-view across both DVI and VGA sockets, the VIA vm7700 is a robust video platform that won’t compromise system stability.

The VIA vm7700 is designed to fit displays with the 100mm x 100mm VESA mounting specification; however, adaptors are widely available for more compact screens with the other VESA mounting specification sizes.

The VIA vm7700 is compatible with all leading embedded and desktop operating systems, including Microsoft Windows XP, XPe and CE, and Linux.

VIA vmpc vm7700 Pricing and Availability
The VIA vmpc vm7700 is available now for project customers; for pricing and more details, please contact your local VIA sales representative or send an email to:
embedded@via.com.tw

About VIA Technologies, Inc.
VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

VIA PR Contact

International:
VK Arora
Phone:
+91-981-115-3833
Fax:

Email:
varinderkarora@gmail.com

Note to reporters, editors and writers: VIA is written in ALL CAPS.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Test

2007-11-04T01:21:00.000-07:00

test