Samsung to double R&D expenditure

Samsung India has plans to step up its research and development (R&D) in the country. "We are planning to double our investments in R&D next year," said Ravinder Zutshi, deputy managing director.

The company has invested $12.5 million in R&D this year compared with $12 million invested over the last four years since it began R&D operations in the country.

While the headcount at Samsung's R&D centres is expected to go up by 38 per cent, there will be increased investment on infrastructure and more indigenous design development for the Indian market, Zutshi added.

Samsung's R&D centre at Noida has emerged as a global software solution base by developing conventional and projection TV software and monitor applications for the Korean parent globally. The centre has completed more than 200 projects in collaboration with the parent's visual display and digital media divisions.

Starting with a team of six doing market-specific customisation for monitors, conventional and projection TVs in 2002, the centre now has 260 employees developing software for high-end products such as liquid crystal display TVs and plasma display panels and IT products.

The R&D centre, set up in 2000, initially handled product customisation for two years, developing sound-oriented colour TV series, considering Indian consumers' preference for louder volumes, and washing machines with a 'sari wash course'.

The centre now designs and develops products specific to Indian markets, taking into account customer feedback. This year, it developed the DNIe series of flat TVs for India.

Special core parts suitable to the Indian environment such as tropical copper, air cleaner, water filter and power protection circuits for all consumer electronics and home appliances are also developed at the centre.

The Samsung India software operations unit at Bangalore does R&D in telecom for the parent's global operations, apart from product customisation for the domestic CDMA market.

Samsung Electronics announced last month that it will invest about 47 trillion Korean won in R&D and add about 30,000 people to global R&D staff by 2010, to further expand the company's capabilities in electronics, mechanics, and chemicals.