Nokia Networks' Chennai plant crosses 2 mn units milestone

Telecom gear maker Nokia Networks' today said that production of network components at its plant here has crossed over 2 million units.
"After nearly seven years in operation, Nokia Networks' Chennai factory has reached a major milestone. The facility has manufactured over two million components for telecommunications networks of which about a quarter have been used for 4G technology," the company said in a statement.
Finland-based Nokia Networks began operations in 2008 at Oragadam near Chennai and invested about Rs 500 crore. The plant produces mobile broadband products for advanced technologies such as LTE in domestic and global markets.
Some of the products produced include Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Stations, system modules and filters as well as core and transport network elements.

"We are proud to have reached the two million milestone in our Chennai factory. It is a great testimony to India's potential in electronic manufacturing and the company is a key pioneer supporting the government's Make in India campaign." Nokia Networks, Vice President and Head of India market, Sandeep Girotra said.
"We will remain strongly focused on manufacturing excellence through quality and innovation, providing operators with best-in-class mobile broadband equipment..", he said.

According to him, 50 per cent products produced at the plant are shipped overseas.
"Our Chennai facility is a world-class factory similar to our global factories and make cost-efficient deliveries possible to operators around the globe including US and Europe.", Nokia Networks, Manufacturing Operations, Vice-President, Karl Kirschenhofer said.

"The Chennai operation has grown rapidly over the years with the support from our employees, strong supplier network...," he said.
On the other hand, Nokia India which accounted for a majority share in country's handset manufacturing segment has suspended its operations at its Chennai factory since November last year and is making effort to sell-off the plant. It is involved in legal tussle with the Income tax department.
The I-T Department says Nokia India and Nokia Corporation owe Rs 21,153 crore as total tax liability, including penalty, for the seven-year period from 2006 to 2013.