BANGALORE, INDIA: The Paris-based Lectra, a provider of solution that automate, streamline and accelerate product design, development and manufacturing processes for the soft goods industries, said it has opened a sales subsidiary in India to grow its business.

Robert Agnes, President of Lectra Asis-Pacific, said the India subsidiary would employ 20 people. However, Magnun Solutions Pvt Ltd that has represented Lectra in India for over 10 years, would continue to be its partner.

The company wants to follow a mixed distribution model, Agnes said. The combined strength would be about 100 people, the company said. Agnes said India accounts for about 2-3 per cent of total revenue. The company hopes to treble its business in India over the next three years, he added.

In India, Lectra would focus on the apparel, footwear and fashion accessories market, the automotive (seats and interior) market, and the furniture market, the company said. The automotive (seats and interior) market in India is between $10 million and $15 million, as is the market for cutting room solution in garment industry.

Regarding the R&D facility, L.J. Prashanth, managing director of Lectra India said, "Since we already have a large set up of 400 engineers based in Paris, we have no intension of starting a development centre in India. However, as our customer base grows, we will set up our international call centre based in Bangalore over the next three years."