Keltron plans tie-up with Sarabhai Space Centre

The company would be setting up a facility exclusively for the space centre in Kerala to offer hardware, mechanical and electronics equipment

Public sector electronics company Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (Keltron) is planning to tie up with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to meet the latter’s requirement for electronic equipment.

Keltron would focus on the manufacturing of electronic equipment like the set top box and medical electronic equipment for the future growth, said G C Gopala Pillai, chairman of Keltron.

The company would be setting up a manufacturing facility exclusively for VSSC in Kerala to offer hardware, mechanical and electronics equipment according to the requirements of the space organisation. “You will see the developments on this side in one year’s time,” said Pillai.

However, the tie-up would not be in the form of a separate company. “It would be a strategic partnership, if you can call it that way. They will invest money and share some technology while we will produce the required equipment and materials for them,” he said. However, he refused to divulge financial details of the partnership.

The company was already supplying products to the Defence sector such as equipment for submarines to the Navy. Going forward, it would be looking at more supplies to the defence.

It was also looking at forming joint ventures (JVs) with top players to cater to their requirements. “We are in discussion with different companies for JVs,” said Pillai.

Keltron posted a turnover of around Rs 400 crore last year. It is in the process of stabilising operations and would be looking at more growth opportunities in future.

In case of funding, a company official said it was capable of raising own funds or would approach the government for support.The company is into aerospace electronics, security & surveillance systems, intelligent transportation systems, strategic electronics, information technology, IT infrastructure solutions, ID card project among others.