Nokia Siemens gets new India facility

ORAGADAM (CHENNAI), INDIA: To support India's rapid growth in mobile subscribers, Nokia Siemens Networks has inaugurated a new facility for the manufacture and distribution of mobile communications infrastructure at Oragadam near Chennai.

Over the next three years, the company plans to invest Rs 300 crore (approximately USD 70 million, or EUR 45 million) in the facility and to

generate 400 new jobs.

Simon Beresford Wylie, CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks, hosted the inauguration, which was conducted by K M Karunanidhi, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Thiru A Raja, Minister of Telecom, Government of India.

"Our operations in India are a prime example of where we feel we can build on our existing leadership with prudent, customer focused investment," said Beresford-Wylie. "With its proximity to the local market improving our responsiveness and reducing the carbon footprint of new network deployments, this additional facility epitomizes our global strategy to build a responsible, customer focused business."

Hon. Dr. KM Karunanidhi said: "It gives us immense pleasure to welcome Nokia Siemens Networks to the state of Tamil Nadu. The company is not only creating more opportunities for local talent, but also strengthening Oragadam's position as a globally viable manufacturing hub, which is our mission."

Thiru A Raja added: "We would like to congratulate Nokia Siemens Networks on the inauguration of its new facility. This is an important development in more ways than one: the significant investment is another sign that India's position in the global ICT industry is strengthening, and it provides an indication to the next wave of growth driven by the increased domestic consumption of ICT services."

The new Oragadam facility will manufacture Nokia Siemens Networks mobile Base Station Controllers, Nokia Siemens Networks Flexi EDGE BTS, Microwave Radio and Access line-card products, as well as other telecom equipment. The first deliveries of Radio Access products manufactured and distributed from the site to customers in India are planned for later this month.

Nokia Siemens Networks is the leading provider of telecommunication network solutions in India. More than 175 million subscribers across India use services powered by Nokia Siemens Networks. Besides the new manufacturing facility, the company's operations in India include a global services hub, sales and marketing offices in Delhi NCR, a manufacturing facility in Kolkata for producing fixed network equipment, a development centre in Bangalore and a Global Networks Solution Centre in Chennai. With a workforce of more than 8000, Nokia Siemens Networks has a presence in more than 200 locations in India, and measured in terms of revenue, is one of the country's top 30 enterprises.