| Tata Consultancy Services announced at a press conference that have signed a strategic initiative with Ducati. While no real details were forthcoming, TCS will help Ducati streamline operations by implementing a SAP-based ERP system that will initially aim at logistics. TCS and Ducati both refused to reveal any further details, incuding whether TCS will be a brand on Ducatis racebikes, or whether in time, TCS will be part of the software team that works on the programming that goes into the various digital modules on the motorcycle, like Ducati's Traction Control System. The deal is, however, a multi-year, multimillion dollar deal. Commenting on other topics, Ducati CEO and President Gabriele Del Torchio said that the India is already an important part of their business. Ducati is already sourcing parts from Indian companies, though the names themselves are confidential. Further, he said that while the world's second largest motorcycle market will remain mobility oriented for decades to come (as in will continue to buy motorcycles as an efficient mode of transport), leisure and fun oriented motorcyclists will be represented in significant enough numbers to make this a market that Ducati intends to focus on. He says the big leap will come in five years time, he hopes. Ducati had earlier launched bikes in India, and the first Ducati dealership will open in March-end or April 2009 in Mumbai. The new 1198 in the pic, will become available in India shortly after that. Cristiano Silei, VP Sales of Ducati said that the company is first focussing on being able to invite customers into the Ducati family by offering them the motorcycles plus all of the usual service and parts services that Ducatisti all over the world enjoy, before focussing on actual product lines. At launch, Ducati had made available the entire product line-up. Del Torchio added that since Ducati intended to remain focussed on being a niche manufacturer of big, sporty motorcycles, they won't consider an assembly operation in India in the near future, and prices are unlikely to come down anytime soon. The current range of Ducatis are set approximately from Rs 14 lakh for a Monster 969 to Rs 48 lakhs for a 1098R. Here's the press release Tata Consultancy Services named Technology Partner of Ducati Motor Holding, SpA New Delhi, India, 20 January 2009: *Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: TCS.BO, NSE: TCS.NS), a leading IT services, business solutions and outsourcing firm, announced that it has been named Technology Partner of Ducati Motor Holding Spa, the leading manufacturer of motorbikes and superbikes based out of Bologna, Italy. |
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| Ducati Torchio 1098 1198 SAP IT ERP TCS Consultancy Tata |
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