SMEL plans to up presence in middle east

Sat Middle East Ltd (SMEL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of SAT Investeck Ltd (SIL), plans to capitalise its base in middle east and continue its focus on software development for using in Arabic language.

Recently SMEL completed its contract for providing market support services for an oil and steel complex in the UAE. The contract worth Rs 16.5 crore is expected to be executed in the current financial year.

SMEL is an UAE-based free trade zone company engaged in the business of marketing of software to banking, financial and insurance sector and ERP solutions for processing industries in the entire middle east.

"By the end of November, the company has registered exports of Rs 26 crore and expects to close the year with total exports and turnover of Rs 65 crore. We have provided software worth Rs 21 crore to three UAE-based clients and in talks for providing more packages," said Dhaval Ali, consultant (software) to SMEL.

"We are aiming to cross the Rs 110 crore turnover figure by the end of financial year 2005-06 with expansion plan in the pipeline for Saudi Arabia."

SMEL is specialised in providing software to the UAE market in local languages with software development facilities and marketing network in Kuwait and Bahrain.

In India, the company has software development facilities at Mumbai and Udaipur for using in Arabic language.

Ali said: "The software development facility and marketing office in Saudi Arabia are likely to be in place within nine months from now. SMEL would like to establish development facilities in local companies to maintain its focus on local languages. SIL, our parent body is providing the financial back up for the expansion plan in Saudi Arebia."