$ 20 m SAP Labs to be set-up at Bangalore

BANGALORE: SAP Labs, the R&D and development arm of the German

application solution provider SAP AG, has earmarked an investment of $ 20

million for its first phase of construction of SAP Labs at Whitefield in

Bangalore. The facility, once fully ready is pegged to be SAP Labs largest

development facility outside Germany.

"This will be our largest lab in terms of pure numbers outside our head

quarters in Europe. We would be able to accommodate 750 professionals, when the

first phase is ready and can scale up to 2000 professionals, depending on the

business needs," SAP Labs India, Co-Director, Claus Neumann.

SAP Labs India plans to set up its own development facility in 15 acre plot

in Whitefield. The first phase of its new facility is expected to be ready for

occupancy by October 2003. The company also plans to move it ITPL development

center to the new facility, once ready.

A investment of 20 million Euro has been pumped into SAP Labs India during

the year, 2001 and the company has budgeted a revenue of another 23 million Euro

on the facility, this year. There are about 500 professionals working in SAP

Labs India now and is expected to grow to 750 professionals by the end of this

year.