Date:15/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021556192100.htm

Business

Eureka Forbes ties up with IIT professors

K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI: Eureka Forbes has tied up with some professors of IIT, Chennai, to form a company to explore possibilities in the nanotechnology sector to make products useful to the people.

This was stated by Suresh Goklaney, vice-chairman and managing director of Eureka Forbes here on Wednesday. He said the joint company would evolve new products.

V. Mathialagan, associate vice-president, said professors had provided the know-how to make drinking water pesticides free. The impetus came because of the large incidence of Endosulfan pollution in Kasaragod district. Water purifiers using this technology have been launched in the market.

Eureka Forbes, started in 1982, which depended on technology provided by Sweden for making vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, has grown into a Rs.800-crore company employing nearly 8000 people, they pointed out.

The company is the largest direct selling organisation and has been considered as one among the most admired consumer durable companies in the country.

The company has also drawn up plans for diversification to manufacture products aimed at ‘smart homes/safe homes’ employing the state of the art technologies.

A Rs.17-crore factory at Dehra Dun is engaged in making eco-friendly products, they added.