DataWind to set up mobile plant in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Canada-based low-cost mobile device maker DataWind on Thursday signed an MoU with the Telangana government to set up its manufacturing unit near Hyderabad international airport, with an initial investment of Rs 100 crore. DataWind facility is expected to start the production within 90 days and generate 500 jobs in the first phase.

“This facility will have an initial capacity to produce 5,000 units a day and about 20 lakh a year. The initial 500 jobs would be provided within first 2-3 months,” said Suneet Singh Tuli, president and CEO, DataWind. “At this facility, we will produce tablets, smartphones, and networks... Over time, we will also set up touch panel manufacturing facility so that we are vertically integrating the components that we manufacture,” he explained.

City becomes Toshiba’s transmission biz hub:

As India tries to reduce transmission and distribution losses, Japa-nese power major Tos-hiba said it has invested nearly Rs 200 crore to ramp up the capacity of power equipment factory here. “We have boosted production capacity for transformers up by 50 per cent, and established a new line for production of “new technology” switc-hgears like gas insulated switchgears and solid insulated switch-gears. The expansion will allow TTDI to meet growing demand in India and globally,” said Dr Katsutoshi Toda, chairman of Toshiba Transmission and Distribution Systems India, here on Thursday.

Toshiba currently manufactures small, medium and Extra High Voltage transformers. It will use the new line to start production of Ultra High Voltage transformers up to 1200kV, and will also improve manufacturing and operating efficiency of distribution transformers. Expressing its commitment to Make-in-India campaign, Dr Toda said the plant, which is spread across 130 acres at Rudraram village on the outskrits of Hyderabad, will be the focal point of Toshiba’s expansion in power transmission business in India. Currently, one-thirds of its sales come from exports.