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Follow UsHTL Ltd, with more than 54 different
types of products, is the second largest telecom manufacturer in the country. Product
diversification, as per the industry’s requirements, has been one of the main
strengths of HTL. The company aims for a turnover of Rs 600 crore by 2003.
G Menon
Year Of Start-up: 1960
Area Of Operation: Switching, transmission, and datacom products
Address: GST Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032
Tel.: 044-2321589
Fax: 044-2320340
The company made revenues worth Rs 360 crore, an impressive 31 percent growth over the previous year. It has managed to increase
its bottomlines to Rs 9.5 crore, up from Rs 6.8 crore during 1997-98, and also sizably
increase its production of all product categories.
Its production of switching equipment has
grown to 8.3 lakh lines during 1998-99—1.43 lakh lines more than that supplied in
1997-98 and accounts for about 20 percent of the DoT’stargeted commissioning of 38
lakh new lines.
While the chunk of revenues came from
switching, HTL has aggregated on the transmission, data, and access front. During 1998-99,
it earned Rs 20 crore on this front as against Rs 9 crore in the previous year. On the
Main Distribution Frame (MDF) front, it doubled its supplies from 9.7 lakh lines in
1997-98 to 19 lakh last year. Similarly, in the line jack unit category, it supplied about
15 lakh units as against 10 lakh units in 1997-98.
As a thrust on new technologies, HTL
focused on MLDN, digital cross connects, and DLC systems, and executed orders worth Rs 20
crore. While HTL hived off the MARR and 10-channel radio products’ business last
year, it has adopted Point-to-MultiPoint (PMP) digital technology from C-DOT for rural
applications and will commence the production in 1999-2000. It, it will also go in for SDH
equipment for the DoT backbone network.
HTL’s R&D expenditure in 1998-99
was Rs 1.32 crore as compared to Rs 1.26 crore in the previous year. The company believes
its R&D will be able to get revenues worth Rs 40 crore this year. During the last
fiscal new versions of C-DOT exchanges—SM XL and MAX XL—were developed and even
the regular supplies got commissioned. Its first MAX-XL 5K was released for installation
at Ooty in February 1999. Among other product developments in progress include the
proto-models for CCITT #7 signaling, ISDN, and IN solution based on C-DOT design. Even a
proto-type for 2 mpbs HDSL is ready and under evaluation. It is also working towards HDSL
range of products that would enable use of the same pair of wire for 15-30 subscribers,
against the present norm of one pair, one subscriber.
HTL is also working on 56 kbps data modems.
On the WILL side, it is looking towards commencing indigenisation in a phased manner. This
year HTL will also focus on PMP radios as part of the DoT’s VPT
programme. It also
plans to enter into the SDH and WILL areas and is also actively working on High-bit rate
Digital Multiplication Equipment (HDSL), Digital Circuit Multiplication (DCM) equipment,
and ADSL products.
HTL has successfully pruned its work force
from 1,800 ten years ago to 1,170 as of now, and is further looking towards reducing the
numbers under VRS.
With such aggressive plans, the company
looks forward to rake in about Rs 430 crore in 1999-2000. The strategy for the company is
very clear—introduce modern methods of manufacturing, ensure faster and quality
production, introduce new product lines, and focus on exports too.
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