Birla shuts factory until year’s end

The Indo-Asia News Service reports that sluggish market conditions have prompted India’s Birla Tyres to temporarily stop operations at its Orissa state factory. The plant will remain closed until 31 December, an anonymous senior plant official told IANS. He added that Birla has stocks of almost 100,000 tyres that it is unable to sell. The company has reportedly stopped production for at least one week in every month since May due to low demand.