Mahindra and Mahindra, part of the $6.7-billion Mahindra group, has
recorded a 21.6% year-on-year increase in its three-wheeler and utility
vehicle sales in February 2009.

The Indian auto major sold 18,135 units during the last month, as against 14,909 units in the same period last year (Feb 2008).

The company recorded a 17% sales growth its utility vehicle segment,
which includes M&M’s Bolero, Scorpio and Xylo range of vehicles.

Under this section, M&M sold 14,720 units in Feb 2009 as compared to 12,562 during last February (2008).

Menon and Menon Ltd gets the Laxmanrao Kirloskar Best Foundry of the Year Award

Menon and Menon Ltd, a city-based company, has won the Laxmanrao Kirloskar Best Foundry of the Year Award from the Institute of Indian Foundrymen for 2008.

Company general manager (foundry) Ramesh Sabnis received the award at a function in Kolkata on February 13.

The company had won the award in 1998 also. Various criteria were considered for the award including the best practices and excellence in production, productivity, energy saving, quality systems, HRD promotion, export promotion and innovative techniques used on the shop floor.

Yahoo! India R&D will continue to be a critical element in Yahoo! Inc.’s global plans and will grow in the coming days, Pranesh Anthapur, vice president and chief operating officer sought to stress on Tuesday. In fact the research unit of the Web technologies giant will soon add a new 1200 seat facility in the city, he added.

Yahoo India R&D has 120 vacancies, a significant number of them at senior levels, which it is seeking to fill up in due course, he said responding to a report in these columns on Monday on the impact of a global restructuring by Yahoo last week.

Mumbai-based generic drug maker Piramal Healthcare Limited has completed its previously announced acquisition of Minrad International, a provider of generic inhalation anesthetics.

It may be noted that US-based Minrad had approved the deal at the special meeting of stock holders held on February 27.

Under the arrangement, holders of Minrad common stock will receive, in exchange for their shares, cash amount of US$0.12 per share.

NYSE-listed Emerson has notified that it’s wholly owned subsidiary Aegir Norge Holding AS has reached an agreement with Roxar ASA to launch a voluntary offer for 100 percent of Roxar's shares.

Under the arrangement, Emerson will offer NOK 5.20 (approximately $ 0.735) per share in cash, which represents approximately NOK 1,266 million (approximately $ 179 million), for the total share capital of Roxar.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) and MAS Aerospace Engineering (MAE), a fully-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, has penned down an agreement to form a 50:50 joint venture christened MAS-GMR Aerospace Engineering Company to develop a MRO facility in Hyderabad.

The facility, with an investment of Rs 400-crore, would come up on 25 acres in two phases at the GMR Aerospace Park, situated near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.