Friday, September 12, 2008: Wipro Infotech has launched its new manufacturing unit at Kotdwar in Uttarakhand. The new Wipro unit shall manufacture servers, storage, notebooks, desktops and allied IT electronics. This facility has been specifically set up to facilitate operations to cater to customers in northern parts of the country. The unit has a manufacturing capacity of approximately 1,000 machines a day.
The project was initiated on 9 January 2007 and completed on 9 September 2008. This new facility is geared to ramp up to generate direct and indirect employment for skilled labour in the region.
While launching the new Wipro unit, Anand Sankaran, chief executive, Wipro Infotech, said, “The addition of the second facility in Kotdwar is another expression of our commitment towards Wipro’s computing business which has shown robust growth over the years. As the subcontinent reaps the benefit of being one of the fastest growing economies, we felt the need to equip ourselves with enhanced world class manufacturing and delivery capabilities.”
Situated at the foothills of the Himalayas, 255 kms from Delhi, the plant is spread over 5.8 acres of land and built over an area of 75,000 sq. ft. Some of the key capabilities of this manufacturing unit are: fully automated production lines designed on LEAN manufacturing practice applying Six Sigma principles; product engineering and R&D labs for continuous innovation in products and processes; and green facility with water harvesting, green belt, low energy consumption and negligible environment emissions.
Added Ashok Tripathy, business head, personal computing division, Wipro, said, “This facility, in addition to our existing unit in Pondicherry, will further Wipro’s expansion plans of cutting-edge indigenous-products and services. This manufacturing unit strategically located at the foothills of Himalayas signifies conjugation of ecology and technology. The Wipro unit is a green facility manufacturing 100 per cent RoHS-compliant products in line with our commitment to ecological sustainability.”
Saturday, September 13, 2008
TCS Signs Multi-Year Pact With Chrysler
India’s largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed up a multi-year agreement worth $120 million with US automaker Chrysler to offer up a complete range of IT services.
Under the deal, TCS will deliver application, maintenance and support services to Chrysler. The IT services initiative will cover a part of the functional areas within Chrysler including sales and marketing and shared services.
N Chandrasekaran, the executive director and chief operating officer of TCS said, “This partnership is a testament to TCS’ competencies and capabilities, which continues to help its customers in business transformation by providing innovative IT services scalable to their needs.”
TCS and its divisions offer various information technology (IT) and consultancy services, and software solutions throughout the world. The company provides services to lots of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and tier-I companies in North America, Europe and Japan.
The automotive industry accounted for 15.1% of TCS' full-year 2007 global revenues, which stood at $4.3 billion.
Recently, TCS reveals its investment plan of Rs 750 crore in Hyderabad for infrastructure facilities.
The company has also decided to invest THB 32 million in Thailand for software production and development.
Under the deal, TCS will deliver application, maintenance and support services to Chrysler. The IT services initiative will cover a part of the functional areas within Chrysler including sales and marketing and shared services.
N Chandrasekaran, the executive director and chief operating officer of TCS said, “This partnership is a testament to TCS’ competencies and capabilities, which continues to help its customers in business transformation by providing innovative IT services scalable to their needs.”
TCS and its divisions offer various information technology (IT) and consultancy services, and software solutions throughout the world. The company provides services to lots of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and tier-I companies in North America, Europe and Japan.
The automotive industry accounted for 15.1% of TCS' full-year 2007 global revenues, which stood at $4.3 billion.
Recently, TCS reveals its investment plan of Rs 750 crore in Hyderabad for infrastructure facilities.
The company has also decided to invest THB 32 million in Thailand for software production and development.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Yahoo To Shut Down Social Network
The experiment seems to be over for Yahoo. Yahoo has decided to shut its one year old social networking site. No reason has been given by Yahoo for dissolving social networking site Mash. The company sent emails to its subscribers regarding the decision and wrote that it was grateful for its subscribers, and informed its users that they would not be able to see their profile after September 29, 2008.
Initially, Yahoo Mash was touted as competitor of Facebook, not only for same segment services, but for its features similar to Facebook. However, trade analysts opine that it is not unprecedented in Yahoo's history. Earlier too, the company has shut its experimental social network sites like 'Mixd' within some months of inception. Similar was the fate of Yahoo 360, another social network site.
Initially, Yahoo Mash was touted as competitor of Facebook, not only for same segment services, but for its features similar to Facebook. However, trade analysts opine that it is not unprecedented in Yahoo's history. Earlier too, the company has shut its experimental social network sites like 'Mixd' within some months of inception. Similar was the fate of Yahoo 360, another social network site.
Oracle Gets New CFO
Oracle appointed 52 year old Jeff Epstein as Executive Vice President and CFO of the company. He will report to Co-President Safra Catz, who had held the finance post for three years. Interestingly, two CFOs quit Oracle within a year. Before joining Oracle as CFO, Jeff had worked as CFO of Oberon Media which is a private Internet game technology provider and publisher. Also, he has worked with DoubleClick, King World Productions and ADVO.
This Redwood City, California-based company recently faced successive resignations from CFOs. Earlier, in November 2005 Greg Maffei, a former Microsoft Corp executive resigned unexpectedly within five months after joining the software maker. According to a trade analyst, the change would not make too much sense since Safra Catz will continue to have control on finance department.
This Redwood City, California-based company recently faced successive resignations from CFOs. Earlier, in November 2005 Greg Maffei, a former Microsoft Corp executive resigned unexpectedly within five months after joining the software maker. According to a trade analyst, the change would not make too much sense since Safra Catz will continue to have control on finance department.
HCL Technologies Acquires U.S. Firm Control Point Solutions
ndia’s 4th largest leading global IT services companies, HCL Technologies has declared that it has signed a deal to completely acquire Control Point Solutions (CPS) of the United States. The CPS happens to be the leader in providing voice, data and wireless telecommunications expense management (TEM) services.
The Control Point Solutions is a private company and a prominent name in the TEM segment serving both enterprises and carriers across industry verticals. The Indian firm gets four delivery centres in the U.S. with over 200 employees under this deal. These professionals will be all trained and equipped with the necessary knowledge and expertise. The US firm is being bought away at an enterprise valuation of $20.8 million.
The Control Point Solutions is a private company and a prominent name in the TEM segment serving both enterprises and carriers across industry verticals. The Indian firm gets four delivery centres in the U.S. with over 200 employees under this deal. These professionals will be all trained and equipped with the necessary knowledge and expertise. The US firm is being bought away at an enterprise valuation of $20.8 million.
TCS Bags 5-Year Singapore Airlines Cargo Deal
India's leading software exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has won a five-year contract from Singapore Airlines Cargo (SIA). SIA Cargo, factually, is fourth largest cargo airlines in the world in terms of weight carrying. However, the size of the deal has not been disclosed. It is believed that the deal may be worth over 100 million dollars.
Girija Pandey, Executive Vice-President and Regional Director (TCS Asia Pacific), said that Singapore Airlines and TCS have always enjoyed a long lasting relationship which can be termed more as a partnership in progress rather than a customer-service provider relationship. Admittedly, in the year 2004, SIA had outsourced its back-office revenue A/C processes to the TCS.
Reports published in media show the deal another achievement in terms of outsourcing. According to them the top Indian outsourcing companies Infosys, Wipro and TCS are more frequently being invited to bid for large deals now. These Indian firms now are increasingly competing against other top players in the world such as IBM, Accenture and EDS for mammoth deals globally.
Girija Pandey, Executive Vice-President and Regional Director (TCS Asia Pacific), said that Singapore Airlines and TCS have always enjoyed a long lasting relationship which can be termed more as a partnership in progress rather than a customer-service provider relationship. Admittedly, in the year 2004, SIA had outsourced its back-office revenue A/C processes to the TCS.
Reports published in media show the deal another achievement in terms of outsourcing. According to them the top Indian outsourcing companies Infosys, Wipro and TCS are more frequently being invited to bid for large deals now. These Indian firms now are increasingly competing against other top players in the world such as IBM, Accenture and EDS for mammoth deals globally.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Rolta set to acquire Chicago IT firm for up to $50 million
MUMBAI: Mid-size IT and engineering services firm Rolta is close to acquiring a Chicago-based software firm. The deal size is expected to be around $40-50 million. Although the identity of the target company could not be ascertained, sources said the acquisition was in the area of business intelligence software. An announcement to this effect is likely to made in the next few days, they said.
When contacted, Rolta's chairman and managing director K K Singh said the company continued to evaluate acquisitions that were strategic to its business, but declined to comment on whether it had closed an acquisition deal with a Chicago-based IT firm.
"We are exploring a number of opportunities. But there is nothing to announce," he said.
However, a market analyst said an acquisition could be round the corner. "I won't be very surprised if they announce another acquisition. They had raised about $150 million through FCCBs about one-and-a-half year ago, specifically for the purpose of acquisitions," said the analyst who did not want to be named.
"Rolta has primarily been in GIS (geographic information systems) technologies. The acquisitions will broadbase its customers. The TUSC acquisition was high-end — two of the founders of TUSC sit on the Oracle's strategy committee," he added. GIS technologies currently contribute around 50% of its revenues, while IT services contribute around 20%.
Business intelligence software helps organisations mine information from databases and provides value-addition using statistical and analytical tools to help intelligent decision-making.
Companies that offer business intelligence software consulting typically operate at the premium end of the business. Satyam Computer Services had acquired Bridge Strategy, a Chicago-based firm operating in a similar business, in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal for $35 million.
"Satyam had acquired around 30-40 consultants through Bridge. The Rolta deal will be larger with around 80 consultants," the source said.
In May, ET had reported that Rolta was looking for potential acquisitions in the area of business intelligence to complement its earlier acquisition of Broech Corporation. Broech, which is also based in Chicago, is well-known under the brand name TUSC, as an IT firm specialising in ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications and Oracle database technologies. The Broech acquisition, made earlier this year, was for around $45 million.
When contacted, Rolta's chairman and managing director K K Singh said the company continued to evaluate acquisitions that were strategic to its business, but declined to comment on whether it had closed an acquisition deal with a Chicago-based IT firm.
"We are exploring a number of opportunities. But there is nothing to announce," he said.
However, a market analyst said an acquisition could be round the corner. "I won't be very surprised if they announce another acquisition. They had raised about $150 million through FCCBs about one-and-a-half year ago, specifically for the purpose of acquisitions," said the analyst who did not want to be named.
"Rolta has primarily been in GIS (geographic information systems) technologies. The acquisitions will broadbase its customers. The TUSC acquisition was high-end — two of the founders of TUSC sit on the Oracle's strategy committee," he added. GIS technologies currently contribute around 50% of its revenues, while IT services contribute around 20%.
Business intelligence software helps organisations mine information from databases and provides value-addition using statistical and analytical tools to help intelligent decision-making.
Companies that offer business intelligence software consulting typically operate at the premium end of the business. Satyam Computer Services had acquired Bridge Strategy, a Chicago-based firm operating in a similar business, in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal for $35 million.
"Satyam had acquired around 30-40 consultants through Bridge. The Rolta deal will be larger with around 80 consultants," the source said.
In May, ET had reported that Rolta was looking for potential acquisitions in the area of business intelligence to complement its earlier acquisition of Broech Corporation. Broech, which is also based in Chicago, is well-known under the brand name TUSC, as an IT firm specialising in ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications and Oracle database technologies. The Broech acquisition, made earlier this year, was for around $45 million.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)