The Hindu Business Line : Aspocomp to make PCBs for Nokia

Production capacity
While the company will initially have a capacity to produce about 50 million PCBs a year, it is expected to expand to about 100 million
It will have the capacity to supply to manufacturers of mobile handsets, handheld electronic devices and also to the automobile industry

MS MAIJA-LIISA FRIMAN

Chennai , Oct. 4

Aspocomp Group OYJ, Finland, which is investing $100 million here to manufacture high density interconnections printed circuit boards (PCB) for mobile handsets and other handheld devices, plans to use the facility to serve its markets globally, according to its President and CEO, Ms Maija-Liisa Friman.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday to outline the company's plans in India, she said that the unit coming up at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, at the Nokia Telecom Special Economic Zone, through Aspocomp Group's subsidiary, Aspocomp (India) Co Ltd, would manufacture PCBs for Nokia's mobile handsets manufactured at Nokia's facility in the SEZ.

While Aspocomp India will initially have a capacity to produce about 50 million PCBs a year, it is expected to expand to about 100 million aided by the growing markets here. It will have the capacity to supply to all the leading manufacturers of mobile handsets, handheld electronic devices and also to the automobile industry.

PCB production

Aspocomp India has started construction of its production facility and expects to start manufacturing PCBs in the second half of 2007. Though the initial investment would be about $100 million (Rs 450 crore), the company expects to double its production with the growth in the market. This would call for additional investments totalling a bit less than $200 million.

Mr Rami Raulas, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Aspocomp Group Oyj, said that telecommunications is among the fastest growing industries in India. Nokia, one of its leading customers, has a more than 50 per cent market share. With all the top players present in Tamil Nadu, the State has emerged an `investment zone for telecom.'

The company sees the factory here as a supply centre for its markets in Sotuh East Asia, parts of Europe, West Asia and Africa. The decision to invest in Chennai was made to meet the future capacity needs of Aspocomp's existing customers.

Mr L. Balachandran, GM India Operations, Aspocomp (India), said that the facility would employ over 1,500 workers in the first phase and a total of 2,700 after the expansion. Construction commenced on Wednesday. The unit will be in full stream by 2008.

More Stories on : Hardware | Telecommunications

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page