Archive: May 15, 2023

5th Edition of The Real Woman Awards 2023 Recognizes Power Women of Construction Industry

May 15, 2023: The Real Woman Awards 2023 was concluded, honoring the accomplishments of 28 exceptional women entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the construction industry. The event, held at the luxurious Hotel Royal Orchid, Golf Avenue in Bangalore, showcased the inspiring achievements of these trailblazing women in a field that has long been dominated by men.

The construction industry has witnessed a significant increase in women’s participation in recent years. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, women now make up around 10% of the construction workforce, with more women taking on leadership roles in various sub-sectors, and some of this growth is to the credit of this amazing initiative of recognizing the contribution of Women Entrepreneurs of the Industry. The 5th edition of “The Real Woman Awards” aimed to acknowledge and promote these achievements, encouraging more women to join the construction sector and contribute to its growth.

The gala event welcomed distinguished guests of honor, Ms. Hemamalini Uppoor, VP, Tata Realty; Ms. Shibanee Sagar, Co-Founder – Total Environment; and Ms. Mamata Rao, Dean, NID-Bengaluru. Their presence emphasized the importance of mentorship and leadership in supporting women’s career advancement in the construction industry.

Mr. Dinesh Aggarwal, CEO, RR Kabel Ltd, and Ms. Anjan Mukherjee, Commercial National Head, Lutron India, delivered thought-provoking presentations, highlighting the need for greater gender diversity in all business segments and the value it brings to the industry.

The 28 awardees, selected by a well-appointed jury, for their outstanding achievements across various construction-related fields, were celebrated as role models for the next generation of female construction professionals. This recognition not only honored their accomplishments but also served as a platform for networking and collaboration among women entrepreneurs in the construction sector.

In a world where women still face significant barriers to entry and advancement in traditionally male-dominated industries, the 5th annual Real Woman Awards 2023 provided a stage for these trailblazers to showcase their success and inspire others. By honoring their hard work, determination, and innovation, the event aims to foster a more inclusive and diverse construction industry that benefits everyone.

This initiative is the brain child of Ms. Sheetal Bhilkar of UBSC, a reknowned MEP consulting company from Mumbai and serial entrepreneur Mr. Vijay Dalwani of Harmony Events.

Marquez shows his speed and fights for podium in 1000th Grand Prix

France, May 15, 2023: The Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez starred in a thrilling French GP, battling until the very end for the podium and showing the #93 is well and truly back. For Joan Mir, small mistakes ended a race with huge potential after a strong start.

Saturday’s electric atmosphere was only amplified as a record-breaking crowd of over 116,000 descended on the Le Mans circuit for race day. These fans would not leave disappointed as the most thrilling race of the year quickly erupted – Marc Marquez playing a leading role as he fought with his characteristic determination for every place on his return to the grid.

From second on the grid, the #93 immediately put himself into contention for the lead as he battled with Jack Miller in the opening laps. The pair continually traded places and fought fiercely as other riders loomed in the background. Marquez was briefly pushed out of podium contention as he and Bezzecchi ran wide, but quickly found his way back into the top three. As drama unfolded behind him, Marquez turned his attentions to Jorge Martin and the top three.

The pair began another awe-inspiring battle in the second half of the race as Marquez slid his Honda RC213V around the French circuit, defending second place in spectacular style. A moment coming out of Turn 6 would put the eight-time World Champion on the wrong line into Turn 7, resulting in a fall. Walking away unharmed, Marquez was disappointed not to walk away with a reward for the weekend’s work but content with the performance he produced.

Joan Mir had a lightning start to the 27-lap French GP and found himself in 11th on the first lap. Battling with home-heroes Zarco and Quartararo, he and the Repsol Honda Team machine were showing well in the opening laps and closing in on the top ten. Unfortunately, a mistake a few laps later dropped the #36 back and outside the points before a crash ended his race. Despite this, Mir leaves France with a positive feeling after a setup change saw him greatly improve his race pace.

Marc Marquez (DNF)

“I am really happy with the race today; I was able to ride like I rode a long time ago and I was really able to enjoy being on the bike. Unfortunately, the final result is not what we wanted, but I spent the whole race fighting and pushing the limit. We have had a really busy weekend doing a lot of work and a podium would have been a great reward, especially for my team who have continued to work at their maximum. We still need to find a bit more to fight like this every weekend. In terms of the crash, I fell at Turn 7 but it started at Turn 6 when I had a lot of shaking and I didn’t arrive with the perfect line. I think we had a real MotoGP race today; it was a great show for all the fans who came here this weekend.”

Joan Mir (DNF)

“I made a really good start to the race and I was able to ride comfortably in the opening laps. When you are battling with the top ten and in a big group, there’s a really big slipstream effect and it becomes harder to stop the bike. I stood the bike up to avoid hitting Aleix and this is where the mistake came from and I lost the group. Then I tried some different things with the bike and I unfortunately fell. But I was able to ride in low 32s, this is really important and the thing that we have to focus on. We take these positives, study everything well and prepare for the next race.”

MotoGP 2023 Round 5 – French Grand Prix Results

Rider standings

AMI Organics reports 30% Revenue growth backed with healthy EBITDA and PAT margin

Surat, May 15^th, 2023: Ami Organics Limited (AMI) (BSE: 543349, NSE: AMIORG) today reported financial results for the Quarter and Year ended March 31^st, 2023.

Consolidated Financial Results – Q4 & FY23

Commenting on results, Mr. Naresh Patel, Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Ami Organics Limited, said: “The financial year 2023 has been very challenging on all fronts and I am happy that we have been able to deliver robust growth despite these challenges. Our full year total revenue grew by 19% YoY to Rs. 621cr. This was driven by Advance Pharmaceutical Intermediates business which grew strongly by 22% YoY.

We have used this challenging year to create various growth drivers for the coming years. One of the first initiatives was our electrolyte additives which have been approved by six clients and some of them have released plant scale trial orders. We are also expecting commercial orders from a few customers during the current quarter. Next initiative was to enter into long term exclusive contracts with customers and we have been able to sign some these contracts with some of our big customers. Third initiative was to expand product base for our specialty division with focus on products having high entry barriers. We have developed exciting product pipeline here and products are at different stages of validation and approvals. Some of these products are very big and I will update you on these once they reach certain milestones.

I am also pleased to share the acquisition of 55% stake in Baba Fine Chemicals (BFC), a leading speciality chemicals company supplying products to the semiconductor industry. BFC has very niche products with high entry barriers, and we are excited to work with them and help them ramp-up their products at higher volumes.

Overall, I remain confident of continuing the strong growth momentum in FY24.”

Key Results Highlights (Q4 FY23 Consolidated):

ü  Revenue from operations for Q4FY23 grew by 29.8% YoY to Rs. 1,864 mn; Sequentially    revenue grew by 22.3%

The Gross margin for the quarter was at 43.6% as compared to 44.1% in Q4FY22 and 46% in Q3FY23. Lower gross margin was due to remaining high-cost inventory which has been completely consumed in Q4 FY23.

EBITDA for the quarter came at Rs. 408 mn up 58.3% YoY compared to Rs. 258 mn in Q4FY22 and up 32.6% on a sequential basis. EBITDA margin for the quarter was at 21.9% as compared to 18% in Q4FY22 and 20.2% in Q3FY23. EBITDA margins improvement continues as per the guidance with EBITDA margin expanding by 380 bps from Q1FY23 to Q4FY23  PBT for the quarter was at Rs. 366 mn up 64.5% on YoY basis; Sequentially PBT grew by

23.9%.

PAT for the quarter was at Rs. 272 mn up 27.6% on YoY basis; Sequentially PAT grew by 21.9%. PAT margin for the quarter was at 14.6% as compared to 14.8% in Q4FY22 and 14.6% in Q3FY23.

Key Results Highlights (FY23 Consolidated):

Revenue from operations for FY23 grew by 18.6% YoY to Rs. 6,167 mn.

Gross margin for the year were at 46.3% as compared to 47.5% in FY22.

EBITDA for the year came at Rs. 1,227 mn up 16.6% YoY compared to Rs. 1,052 mn in FY22.

EBITDA margin for the year remain flat at 19.9% as compared to 20.2% in FY22. Adjusted EBITDA margin is at 20.5% adjusting for the impact of one-off items like loss on insurance claim receivable and loss on sale of assets.

 PAT for the year was at Rs.833 mn up 15.8% on YoY basis. PAT margin for the year was at 13.5%

Cash Flow from Operations at Rs. 655 mn as compared to Rs. -119 mn in FY22.

Key Business highlights:

Export at 59%; domestic business at 41% (FY23)

Advance Pharmaceutical Intermediates:

Expanded scope of Fermion contract to add more advance intermediates for the same API resulting in multi fold increase in contract value.

Added ~40 New Customers during the year

Specialty Chemicals: Added ~20 new customers during the year

Electrolyte additives update:

Electrolyte samples approved at plant trial scale by 6 customers.

Received commercial trial order from more customers.

Expecting to receive a commercial order during Q1FY24.

Developed two new products: One Liquid electrolyte additive to increase electrocapacity of Li batteries and one for Solid battery.  Baba Fine Chemicals: Board of Directors have approved acquisition of 55% stake in Baba Fine Chemicals through mix of equity and cash consideration.

 Solar Energy: Started planning to set up 4.5 MW solar power plant in Gujarat.

Louis Burger launches their Nashville inspired Flaming Hot Edition Menu in Hyderabad

Hyderabad 15th May: Louis Burger is proud to announce the release of five new editions of items called “Flaming Hot”. This edition is inspired by the authentic cooking style followed in Nashville, USA. They have a whole new variety of items such as the Flaming Hot Cottage Cheese Burger, Flaming Hot Chicken Burger, Flamin Hot Fries, Flaming Hot Chicken Wings, and Chicken Tenders.

Louis Burger has officially launched its newest additions in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai now in Hyderabad! These new Nashville-inspired recipes have received great reviews from customers so far. The secret of these tasty burgers is the patty dipped in their incredible Hot Sauce. The “Flaming Hot” Edition is a perfect curation for the Indian palette that incorporates rich flavors with spice. These are now available on Swiggy & Zomato platforms.

Birla Carbon receives ISCC PLUS certification for its manufacturing plant in Italy

Mumbai, India and Marietta, USA – May 15, 2023: Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon black solutions, has recently received the ISCC PLUS certification for its plant in Italy. The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is a voluntary scheme that is applicable for the bioeconomy and circular economy for various sectors. All kinds of biomass, waste and residues, non-biological renewables, and recycled carbon materials can be certified under ISCC PLUS.

Description automatically generated with medium confidence this globally recognized certification is in line with Birla Carbon’s aspiration to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the successful introduction of ContinuaTM Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM).

Sharing his thoughts on the achievement, Dr. Santrupt Misra, Group Director, Birla Carbon; Director, Chemicals & Director, Group H.R., Aditya Birla Group, said, “With an increase in interest and demand from customers for sustainable products, this first ISCC PLUS certification for Birla Carbon, gives us an opportunity to support our customers better and more particularly through our Continua™ product line.” He further added, “Aditya Birla Group’s focus on sustainability and circularity and its work toward a net zero carbon emissions world is made real through Birla Carbon’s dedication in providing advanced products to the industry, further fulfilling our commitment to sustainability and circularity.”

Commenting on this recognition, John Loudermilk, Chief Executive Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “This ISCC PLUS certification for our plant in Italy, supports the principles of environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable production, beginning with our Continua™ Sustainable Carbonaceous Material. It is our intention to adopt this important certification at all our manufacturing locations in the near future.” He further added, “Sustainability has always been core to who we are as a leader in our industry. Our sustainability efforts already led us to achieve the ‘Platinum’ rating by EcoVadis for sustainable business practices, and now, with the ISCC PLUS certification, we are well positioned to supply recognized sustainable materials to our customers globally.”

From a stakeholder standpoint, ISCC PLUS is a reliable system that helps identify companies that provide sustainable and circular raw materials.

Flipkart and Simplydesi host orientation workshop for over 1000 Rural Women Artisans and SHGs in Maharashtra

Nagpur, Maharashtra – May 15, 2023: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, yesterday conducted an orientation workshop in collaboration with Simplydesi, a Flipkart Samarth partner, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The aim of this workshop was to provide skill development and knowledge-sharing opportunities to local artisans and SHGs, which would enable them to leverage the Flipkart marketplace to drive their business growth online. The event was graced by Ms. Madhubala, Co-Founder, of Simplydesi, Shri Dinanath Thakur, President, Saharkar Bharti Mr. Swanpnil Joshi, Television Artist and Mr. Rajneesh Kumar, SVP & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group.

The workshop organized in Nagpur endeavored to empower rural women artisans and SHGs to help them grow their businesses online. With a strong emphasis on providing comprehensive knowledge of Flipkart marketplace offerings, the workshop covered several important aspects, including product listing and ways to conduct business effectively online. The workshop was attended by over 1000 rural women artisans and SHGs. To date, Flipkart has successfully trained and provided national market access to over 50,000 sellers from the state and over 100 sellers who fall under the Flipkart Samarth program, which includes individual artisans, NGOs, and SHGs as a part of the National Urban Livelihood Mission. This initiative has helped local artisans and rural women-led enterprises who benefit from the vibrant e-commerce marketplace to unlock new growth opportunities for their businesses.

Commenting on the event’s success, Mr. Rajneesh Kumar, SVP & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “Flipkart is committed to supporting and creating value for artisans, MSMEs, SHGs, and women-led enterprises across India. We are thrilled with the encouraging response to today’s workshop. Through Flipkart Samarth, we aim to continue providing them with the knowledge, the tools, and the national market access they need to grow their businesses.”

Ms. Madhubala Ji, Co-Founder, of Simplydesi, said, “At Simplydesi, we are dedicated to bringing the offerings of India’s cottage industries to a wider audience. The partnership with Flipkart has helped us empower local rural women artisans and self-help groups with the knowledge and resources to understand the fast-growing e-commerce industry and leverage it for business growth. We believe that by organizing such workshops, we can help them reach their full potential and showcase their unique and diverse offerings to the customers in India.”

Flipkart Samarth aims to create meaningful opportunities that empower millions of artisans, weavers, and micro-entrepreneurs across 28 states and help them achieve financial independence. The program is dedicated to helping underprivileged sections of society and supporting organizations that are committed to societal good. Since its launch in 2019, Flipkart Samarth has enabled pan-India market access for lakhs of ambitious entrepreneurs. Today the program supports and benefits over 1.5 million livelihoods across the country. Samarth has grown its seller entity base by 300% over the last year alone and has helped Samarth beneficiaries grow their businesses by as much as 300%. This has been enabled through multiple strategic engagements with the State and Central ministries, departments, and entities across India like the Ministry of Rural Development; Department of MSME Uttar Pradesh; Department of Industries Jharkhand, Uttarakhand; Industry of Commerce Department, Assam; Tamil Nadu MSME Department; and the Jammu & Kashmir Trade Promotion Organization.

Flipkart’s continuing efforts to bring more MSMEs into the e-commerce fold are aligned with the Indian government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision. Flipkart aims to uplift and transform the livelihoods of local seller communities by providing them with access to over 450 million customers across the nation on its platform.

World of Winners Ticket Offers campaign sponsored by Hong Kong International Airport

15 May 2023: As part of the “World of Winners” campaign sponsored by Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) that will give away 500,000 free tickets to global visitors, Cathay Pacific will be offering residents across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 5,590 round-trip air tickets to Hong Kong. The initiative is in support of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s (HKTB’s) “Hello Hong Kong” campaign to welcome tourists back to the city, now that travel restrictions are well behind us.

The campaign will be launched simultaneously in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and UAE on the same day, 22 May 2023.

Hong Kong’s Biggest Welcome to the World

The “Hello Hong Kong” promotional campaign is being rolled out worldwide to send the positive message that Hong Kong is back with a signature and new exciting experiences awaiting visitors.

An array of enticing welcoming offers from over 16,000 outlets across the city have been put together by the HKTB and the tourism and hospitality sectors to welcome back visitors. Among which, at the initial stage, at least 1 million “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers will be on offer, covering a complimentary welcome drink at participating bars, restaurants, and hotels, or a cash voucher to be redeemed in the transportation, culinary and retail sectors, as well as attractions.

“World of Winners” Ticket Offers

To join the campaign, participants must be Cathay members. They may sign up for a free membership on Cathay Pacific’s website. During the campaign period, members must visit Cathay Pacific’s campaign website, sign in using their Cathay membership details, and register for the lucky draw.

Each member may submit one entry only. The winners will be announced on the campaign website, and they will receive an email with details on how to redeem their prizes.

Rakesh Raicar, Cathay Pacific’s Regional General Manager for South Asia, Middle East, and Africa, says: “As a leading airline in the region, we are proud to welcome visitors to experience the very best of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has something for everyone – cultural immersion for solo travellers, the best theme parks for families, and an effervescent nightlife for groups of friends. All of this is supported by excellent airport facilities and infrastructure making the travel experience seamless. Through this campaign, we hope our customers will get an exciting chance to hop onto our flights and immerse themselves in the vibrant culture and varied experiences Hong Kong has to offer.”

Puneet Kumar, Director, of South Asia and Middle East of Hong Kong Tourism Board said: “We are thrilled to welcome our visitors from around the world to enjoy all the new and refreshed experiences around our incredible city. Visitors will be delighted to rediscover Hong Kong’s unique local culture, international culinary scene, immersive experiences, and urban metropolis enveloped in beautiful natural landscapes such as beaches, islands, mountains, and hiking trails.”

Vivian Cheung, Chief Operation Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), said: “As part of the relief package for Hong Kong’s aviation industry during the pandemic, AAHK provided liquidity support to the home-based carriers in 2020 by sponsoring air tickets in advance. The air tickets will be used to promote traffic recovery when the pandemic subsides. Hong Kong has opened up and we are eager to welcome visitors from different parts of the world. Various new services and facilities are ready at HKIA and we are looking forward to providing passengers a brand new airport experience.”