Dell inks pact with TN Govt for PC facility

Chennai, Sept 14: US-based computer hardware major Dell today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu Government for setting up a facility in the state to manufacture and assemble computers.

The MoU was signed by Industries Secretary Shaktikanta Das and Dell India Private Limited Vice-President and General Manager Rajan Anandan in the presence of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Union IT and Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran at the Secretariat here.

The MoU envisages setting up of a new manufacturing facility on a 50-acre area at the Sriperumbudur Hi-Tech Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the SIPCOT Industrial Park at an investment of Rs 280 crore. The project would become operational by mid-2007.

The venture was also expected to attract Dell's major component vendors to set up projects in the SEZ, which had now become a beehive of electronic hardware manufacture.

It would provide direct employment to 1,100 people and indirect employment to 4,000 people.

The project provides a further boost to Chennai's position in the international electronic and IT equipment map of the world.

An official release here said Dell had been extensively evaluating various states in India for setting up a manufacturing base. The company's choice of Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu was due to the proactive approach of the state government, quality manpower, good connectivity, logistics and excellent infrastructure.

The arrival of Dell in Tamil Nadu was not only a major milestone but also a significant turning point in the growth of electronic hardware manufacturing sector in the state.

''Besides, it is expected to enhance computer usage in Tamil Nadu and make computers availbale at affordable prices,'' it said.

State Chief Secretary L K Tripathy, IT Secretary C Chandramouli and senior officials of Dell including Vice-President, Sales, Asia-pacific, Mr Paul Henri Ferrand, Vice-President Manufacturing, Operations in Asia-pacific and Malaysia, Mr Simon Wong and Vice-President Global Facilities, Mr Kip Thompson were present.

Dell, a world leader in manufacturing computers to customer's specific needs, had a sales turnover of 57.4 billion US Dollars in the last four quarters and employed more than 75,000 people worldwide.

UNI