Quickbites

Thai brand gives up on Marlboro imageThailand's state-run tobacco monopoly has pulled the plug on its premium quot;Marblequot; brand cigar...

Thai brand gives up on Marlboro image

Thailand8217;s state-run tobacco monopoly has pulled the plug on its premium quot;Marblequot; brand cigarettes following concerns it may have violated Intellectual property rights, a report said. The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly TTM will withdraw its new quot;Marblequot; brand amid concerns that its packaging is too similar to that of US-based Philip Morris8217; quot;Marlboroquot; brand, the Bangkok Post reported. Officials from the company said they had been warned of the striking similarity by Thailand8217;s Intellectual Property Department, and had chosen to withdraw the brand In a pre-emptive move to avoid legal action. quot;We decided to withdraw the brand from the market though no legal move has been made by any foreign tobacco firm,quot; the tobacco company8217;s deputy managing director, Suchon Watanapongvanich, said. The local cigarette brand, with red and white packaging and distinctive lettering similar to the quot;Marlboroquot; brand, was launched in November last year with 19 million packets distributed,the report said. quot;TTM has no intention to copy this international brand, all we want is to producE a premium grade American blend cigarette brand with attractive packaging. We like the red color,quot; Suchon said.

Mitsubishi to halt microchip assembly

Japan8217;s Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is to halt microchip assembly in Europe by June, dismissing 150 staff, a company spokesman said. Mitsubishi Semiconductor Europe in Germany, the Japanese electric machinery maker8217;s sole semiconductor unit in Europe, has already informed its employees of the de cision, the spokesman said. The move is in line with the reorganisation of Mitsubishi8217;s offshore microchip activities, he said. The German firm assembled 1.5 million units a month. Mitsubishi has decided to retreat from producing wafers in the United States.

Kia Motors says no to Samsung

South Korea8217;s ailing Kia Motors Corp struck back at Samsung business group, urging it to fold up its infant automaking business for the sake of the country8217;s economicsurvival. In a report published on Friday, the Kia Economic Institute said the country8217;s auto industry would be quot;doomedquot; if Samsung Motors Inc. turns competition in passenger-car manufacturing into a four-party struggle. Referring to Samsung8217;s undeclared bid to take over Kia Motors, the institute said Samsung8217;s acquisition of Kia Motors would end up keeping afloat Samsung Motors which it said should be let go, calling it a quot;marginal firm.quot;

quot;The merged company of Kia Motors and Samsung Motors would become insolvent due to Samsung8217;s excessive investment cost and debts,quot; the report said. quot;It would also run counter to the new government8217;s policy to support corporate restructuring around core business,quot; it said. The report came as the giant Samsung group is reportedly gearing up to openly enter the fray to take over Kia Motors after rival Hyundai Group staked its claim. Kia also reacted negatively to Hyundai8217;s takeover bid.