BANGALORE: Canadian software maker Pivotal Corp has set up a development and support centre in Bangalore, where it plans to employ up to 200 people by the end of next year, a senior official said. "Virtually, all of our competitors have already moved, or (are) in the process of moving a part of their research and development operations offshore," Jesper Andersen, Executive Vice-President of products at the Vancouver-based firm, told Reuters by e-mail.

"So from a competitive perspective this is an important element of our corporate growth strategy," he said. Anderson did not disclose financial details. Pivotal joins a growing number of global firms in setting up similar centres in India, taking advantage of the nation's vast pool of low-cost, English-speaking software workforce.

Pivotal, which makes software that enables companies to analyze customer needs, will use its Bangalore facility for research and development and technical and sales support.

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