Bosch to invest Rs 250 crore to expand India IT ops

Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Ltd, the IT subsidiary of global automotive component maker Robert Bosch, is allocating over Rs 250 crore to expand its operations in Coimbatore, sources have said.

The company will induct 4,500 people into its operations at the Coimbatore Hi-Tech Infrastructure Private Ltd (CHIL) IT SEZ in Saravanampatti near Coimbatore. The IT subsidiary currently employs over 4,000 people at centres in Bangalore and Coimbatore.

Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions was likely to shift many of its internal contracts for European automotive majors to Coimbatore, with a bulk of the recruitment for the expanded facility likely to be done locally, sources said.

So far, the first of four proposed buildings for Bosch at the CHIL SEZ has been completed. The rest are expected to be operational by the end of this year on an area of around 22-acre, sources said.

Bosch did not respond to an e-mail questionnaire. The company has been present in Coimbatore since 2006. Its existing facility operates with just under 1,000 people. Industrial automation, mechanical engineering, and shared services are looked after at the centre.

The 300-acre IT SEZ, an initiative of KG Information Systems Private Ltd, is expected to be ready by January next year and will create direct employment for nearly 12,000 people. An area of 150 acres at the SEZ has been set aside for IT/ITeS operations.

Wipro is planning its development centre here and companies like TCS and HCL are expected to set up base here in the coming months. Companies presently operating out of the SEZ include Cognizant, Perot Systems and KGISL.

Bosch India is currently supplying fuel injection systems for the Tata Nano from its facilities in Bangalore and Nashik. The Coimbatore facility has played a leading role in designing the engine and the innovative braking system of the car.

Coimbatore, which has been a major investment destination for textiles companies and foundries operating in the automotive space, has seen IT, education and healthcare emerging as strong draws in recent years. Consequently, the city has shown good upside in the residential and commercial space. A recent Jones Lang LaSalle India study identified Coimbatore as one of the top 10 growing consumer markets in India.