IBM intends to have 47 offices in India by 2013

Ahmedabad, Feb 15 (PTI) With focus on small and mediumbusiness (SMB) segment, IT giant IBM today said it plans tohave 47 branch offices in India by 2013.

The company expanded from three branches in 2000 to anetwork of 12 in India by 2010-end, covering 22 locationsincluding Ahmedabad, Pune, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Kochi andBhubaneshwar, with around 2,500 business partners.

"About 15-17 branches shall be added every year as weplan to expand to 47 offices in India by 2013," IBM India Vice-President, General Business, West of India Region, VivekMehta told newspersons here.

"We are preparing to open branch offices in citieslike Vadodara and Rajkot and also looking to expand inSaurasthra," he said.

The company is aiming to accelerate sales by openingmore branch offices in tier II and tier III cities andleverage from the local market eco-system, Mehta said.

According to IBM, there are more than 5.6 million SMBsin India, 3.6 million small scale industry, providing directemployment to 20 million people.

They are contributing nearly 45-50 per cent of theIndian exports and 40 per cent to gross industrial value ofthe economy, it said.

"We have combined some of our products and servicesof few softwares to create integrated solution for the SMBs,"Mehta said.

IBM''s revenue stood at USD 99.90 billion in 2010,showing a 4 per cent Y-o-Y growth. The earning per share (EPS)was USD 11.52, which has tripled in the last one decade.

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