The tsunami and 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan recently have triggered the worst crisis ever recorded in the history of the country. The natural disaster is estimated to have killed more than 18,000 people, and has also resulted in the closure of 11 out of the total 54 nuclear plants in the country.
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General Motors Company, or GM, has announced that it will offer a liquefied petroleum gas option for the 2012 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway 3500 and 4500 vans. This new offering enables businesses to choose from 2,604 LPG fueling stations across US. (more…)

Five companies account for approximately 80% of total global vaccine sales: Sanofi Pasteur, Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Novartis. The key reason for this oligopoly is the high barrier to entry for smaller players, which usually have limited manufacturing capacity, and may also lack the resources and the distribution networks required for vaccine development. (more…)

Volkswagen of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, has reported sales of 20,189 units in November 2010, an increase of 24.2%, compared to 16,25 units in November 2009. (more…)

BMI View: The signing of nuclear reactor construction agreements with Russia and Japan highlights Vietnam’s serious intentions to employ nuclear energy as a means to resolve its chronic electricity shortages. Despite a number of downside risks throughout the project phase, we believe that current electricity needs will outweigh these risks and the project will proceed. (more…)

Harley-Davidson, Inc., a US-based motorcycle manufacturer, has reported a net income of $88.83 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended September 26, 2010, compared to $26.48 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended September 27, 2009. (more…)

A consortium led by South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and Japan’s Sumitomo has been awarded the contract for engineering, construction and procurement of the Shuwaihat 3 electric power plant in Abu Dhabi. The competition of five major global consortia and companies for this project in the light of current global economy supports BMI’s view that the independent power project (IPP) model remains highly attractive for foreign investors, in the United Arab Emirates but also in the Gulf region as a whole. (more…)

Toyota Motor and its subsidiaries, Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, have announced that their worldwide vehicle production in July 2010 increased 10.7% to 714,426 units, compared to July 2009.
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Maximising return on investment through product life cycle management
14th – 15th September 2010, BSG Conference Centre, London, UK

Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies are under severe pressure to improve product pipelines, accelerate time to market, and improve margins on existing products, while maintaining strict adherence to quality principles and regulatory requirements. It is imperative that pharmaceutical and biotech companies address these business challenges to stay competitive, increase revenue, enhance profit, and reduce the risk of noncompliance.
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BMW is to use carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic to manufacture the body of its forthcoming Megacity electric car. The material is expected to reduce the car’s weight by 250-350kg, thereby significantly increasing its driving range, which was previously a major resistor to the uptake of electric/hybrid cars. This should lead to a rise in adoption rates, especially in the luxury segment.
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