The Hindu Business Line : Alstom, Infosys in $39-m R&D venture

Mr Philippe Joubert (right), Alstom Power President, and Mr Nandan Nilekani, President, Managing Director and CEO, Infosys, in Bangalore on Tuesday. - - G. R. N. Somashekar

Bangalore , May 31

FRENCH engineering major Alstom plans to invest $39 million in an R&D centre at Infosys' Electronics City facility and hire up to 300 people in three years.

Announcing this at a press meet, the Alstom Power President, Mr Philippe Joubert, said the company wanted India to be the hub for Alstom's global customers and by investing in Indian engineering talent and research capabilities, hoped "to cater to the Indian, regional and world markets with the solutions developed out of India".

The Infosys R&D centre for Alstom would be a dedicated facility. At the end of three years, Alstom Power could be handling a fifth of its R&D spend out of India," Mr Joubert said. Alstom spent about $600 million on R&D last year. Alstom Power has about 1,200 in R&D. "This centre is dedicated to the localisation of power solutions and environmental-friendly systems,'' Mr Joubert said.

Infosys will undertake high-end engineering product development, controls and PLM solutions, as well as IT development for rapid design that will reduce time to market for Alstom, said Mr Nandan Nilekani, CEO, President and Managing Director, Infosys Technologies Ltd. He declined to state the investments Infosys would make in getting the R&D centre up and running.

The Alstom-Infosys R&D centre will reduce time to market as well as improve the life and efficiency of mechanical components, thereby reducing the total cost of operation for Alstom customers andthe environmental impact by minimising noise and atmospheric emissions, according to Mr Charles Soothill, Vice-President, Technology.

Mr Nilekani saidthe company expected this engagement "to strengthen domain knowledge in the power sector," apart from its traditional strengths in automotive, telecom and aerospace.

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