Birlasoft to open Bangalore, Noida centers

NEW DELHI: The C K Birla Group-owned software company, Birlasoft, plans to add new facilities in Noida and Bangalore. According to the company, this will lead to an increase in its manpower from the existing 2,400 to 3,600.



According to Birlasoft CEO Kamal Mansharamani, the Bangalore development center will be opened in August 2005 and the Noida center will be launched in December 2005. The two centers will cost the company around $15 million. Birlasoft is already running two centers in Noida, and one each in Chennai and Australia.



Mansharamani added that the expansion had become necessary as Birlasoft was focusing a lot on offshore activity. The company has featured annual growth of 28 percent during the last three years. "We will be a quarter billion dollar ($250 million) company by 2008 and for that we would have to achieve growth rates of 35 percent - 40 percent. We will create offerings in areas, in which we would be among the top three global players," he informed.



Birlasoft will simultaneously enlarge its global footprint. It already has a presence in the US, UK, Australia, Singapore and West Asia. The company is focusing very sharply on Europe. "Though we are already present in the UK, we are looking at getting a foothold in Germany which is a big market. We can service the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) market too from there," Mansharamani said.