In a significant step toward market entry in India, Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) today signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Coffee Limited, one of the regions leading providers of premiumarabicacoffee beans. The MoU will create avenues of collaboration between the two companies for sourcing and roasting high-quality green coffee beans in Tata Coffees Coorg, India facility. In addition, Tata and Starbucks will jointly explore the development of Starbucks retail stores in associated retail outlets and hotels.AB Volvo has signed an agreement with the Chinese vehicle manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited (DFG) to acquire 45% of a new subsidiary of DFG, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles (DFCV), which will include the major part of DFGs medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles business. At completion of the transaction, the Volvo Group will become the worlds largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks. - See more at: http://news.volvogroup.com/2013/01/26/volvo-in-strategic-alliance-with-chinese-company-dongfeng-motor-group/#sthash.XrYyRwLX.dpuf Home> News> Fiat> Fiat and Chrysler Announce Strategic Alliance - Car NewsShopping ToolsAdvertisement

CAR NEWSarrow VIEW PHOTOS (71) | COMMENTS (1)Fiat and Chrysler Announce Strategic AllianceFiat S.p.A. and Chrysler LLC (backed by its majority stakeholder Cerberus Capital Management) today announced an alliance that will see the two automakers share vehicle platforms, distribution channels, and technology. Fiat will take a 35-percent stake in Chrysler, although no money will change hands, as Chrysler gives up a chunk of itself in return for viable future product development. (Chryslers been broke for long enough that virtually all meaningful product development has been halted for some time.) The current agreement is nonbinding but should become a finalized partnership by April, according to Chrysler.Israeli chipmaker TowerJazz (TSEM.TA) on Tuesday kicked off its joint venture with Panasonic Corp (6752.T), which it expects will increase its revenue by $400 million a year.TowerJazz (TSEM.O) holds 51 percent of the joint venture, which will manufacture Panasonic'ssemiconductorsfor cars and other products.Panasonic, which is wrapping up a multi-billion-dollar restructuring, will transfer three factories in centralJapanto the joint venture and is committed to acquiring its products from the joint venture for at least five years.TowerJazz said it will close its plant in Nishiwaki that it bought from Micron Technology (MU.O) in 2011, reducing its annual fixed costs by $130 million. It will keep on about 100 of the 800 employees at the plant and has retained a Japanese outplacement firm to help find employment for the remaining workers, Chief Executive Russell Ellwanger told Reuters.He said the loss-making company is targeting net profit under generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP) by the fourth quarter of 2014. Its net loss in the fourth quarter of 2013 reached $29.8 million.Shares in TowerJazz, a maker of chips for smartphones, battery chargers and AC/DC adapters, were up 4.6 percent to 32.33 shekels in late morning trade in Tel Aviv."We have already brought multiple customers into the joint venture and this is all incrementalbusinessfor TowerJazz," Ellwanger said.The joint venture will enable TowerJazz to achieve annual revenue of $1 billion by 2015, Ellwanger said."This is a real break-through opportunity for TowerJazz. The company going forward will not be as we saw it before; we have the opportunity for a different scale," Chairman Amir Elstein said.TowerJazz issued to Panasonic 870,454 shares worth about $7.5 million, giving Panasonic a 1.8 percent stake in TowerJazz. is enhanced by the fact that both companies are the leaders in their industry. Coca-Cola is McDonalds largest supplier, and McDonalds is Coca-Colas largest customerExamples of successful customer-supplier partnerships include those between Baxter Healthcare Corporation and American Hospital Supply Corporation or between Toyota and its first-tier suppliers.2Nike doesnt manufacture the footwear sold under its brand name. Instead, the production is outsourced allowing the company to focus on design innovation.