KBR to shift global hub for tech licensing from US to India

US-based KBR, an engineering and construction company with $12 billion in annual revenues, is making India its global hub for technology licensing. At present, its technology licensing division operates only from the US.

KBR specialises in the areas of energy, hydrocarbons, government services, civil infrastructure and power. It says it is targeting annual revenue of $300 million (Rs 1,400 crore) from its India operations within the next two years.

“We have already set up a global engineering centre in Gurgaon to support Indian clients through technical services and for carrying out basic engineering design. We plan to increase our human resource gradually from the present 30 to 300 in the next two-three years,” said Steve Pringle, senior vice president, technology operations.

He said India was chosen as the hub for its availability of highly skilled technocrats, cost-effectiveness and English-speaking skills of the population. More, it anticipates about 25 per cent of its business to come from the Indian region in future.

KBR is already working with around five Indian companies in the fertiliser sector. “We have provided our state-of-the-art ammonia technology to Indian fertiliser manufacturing companies. We are working with companies like Kribhco on their ammonia plant revamp, NFL Nangal conversion from fuel oil to natural gas and revamp of the Chambal-I ammonia plant,” said Viswadeb Ganguly, director of business development technology at KBR.

The company says it has developed a coal gasification technology that can efficiently use the high-ash Indian coal. Fertiliser plants in India use local coal and very few use natural gas, which is scarce and expensive; coal is abundant. KBR’s company’s first such plant on high-ash coal is being commissioned in China.