Johnson Matthey to kick off operations: The UK-based pounds 3.1-billion catalyst manufacturer Johnson Matthey Services will begin operations at its Okhla plant, near Delhi, by the end of the year. The plant, set up as a pound 1-billion project, will manufacture metallising catalysts for four, three and twowheelers. The Okhla plant will have capacities to manufacture 50,000 catalysts for four-wheelers and 1.5 million for two- and three-wheelers per shift annually. The market for catalysts will grow rapidly with the addition, next month, of another 40 cities mandating the use of catalytic converters, to reduce auto emission.

Srinivas Fine Arts bid to push stationery brand: Srinivas Fine Arts Ltd, in a bid to push its Nightingale brand stationery across the country, is setting up more distributor and retail outlets, Nightingale International (P) Ltd director R Pramod Kumar said. Kumar said the company has four depots and 2,000 retailers throughout the country, which will rise to 5,000. Nightingale, whose product portfolio includes diaries, notebooks, calendars, the Disney range and gift stationery, is targetting the gift segment although its fastest moving products are exercise books. The entire expansion is likely to involve an investment of about Rs 4 crore.

Bangalore IT-Com 98 from November1: The Karnataka government, in a bid to promote the state capital in the field of information technology globally, will organise `Bangalore IT-Com 98' from November 1 to November 5 at Bangalore. "Organised by the Wisitex Foundation and the Karnataka government, the event will bring together the world of information technology at a single location.

Shiv Super Gas begins operations in Maharashtra: The Rs 77,000-rore Shiv Super Gas, owned by Dutch multinational Super Gas, will supply liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. Super Gas director Ulrich Thierry said the supply for Maharashtra will begin from Friday. As a long term commitment to the LPG/propane market, Super Gas was in the process of investing Rs 1,800 crore to set up a complete integrated infrastructure with four import terminals and 35 filling plants across the country.

Hindustan Syringes targets 40% sales growth: Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd (HMD) plans to increase itssales by 40 per cent in the next two years by expanding its manufacturing base and introducing value-added products for exports to developed countries. "We are targeting 40 per cent sales growth over the next two years in order to become a Rs 100-crore company by the year 2000," company director Rajiv Nath said.

Danish hotel group keen to invest in Karnataka: The Casino group of hotels, Denmark, has evinced interest in setting up hotels and providing infrastructural facilities at the tourist spots of Hampi, Jog Falls and Srirangapatna in Karnataka. This was disclosed during a meeting between state chief minister JH Patel, who is on a tour of European countries, and Hans Skovchristensen, head of the Confederation of Danish Industries.