Dell launches manufacturing project at Chennai

Dell announced today the commencement of work on its India Manufacturing Plant being set up at a 50-acre site at the Sriperumbudur Hi-Tech Park. The project was launched with the ceremonial unveiling of an architectural model of the proposed plant by Thiru M Karunanidhi, Honourable Chief Minister, Government of Tamil Nadu, and Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Minister for Communications & Information Technology, Government of India, in the presence of Mr. Steve Felice, President – Dell, Asia Pacific and Japan, Mr. Kip Thompson, Vice President – Worldwide Facilities, Dell, Mr. Simon Wong, Vice President – Dell Asia Operations; and Mr. Rajan Anandan, Vice President & GM – Dell India.

With an initial investment of US $30 million, setting up of Dell’s plant in India marks a new beginning, not just in computers manufacture, but in manufacturing as it will bring in the globally renowned manufacturing and supply chain capabilities of Dell.  The India plant will be part of Dell’s global network of eight manufacturing facilities.  It will be the company’s third facility in Asia-Pacific after Penang, Malaysia, and Xiamen, China.

Speaking at the event, Dell’s Mr. Felice said, “In our most recent fiscal quarter, India has emerged as the fastest growing market for Dell, not just in Asia-Pacific, but around the globe. Setting up the factory will further support our already great growth trajectory as it would enable Dell to better address India’s rupee-based market. This is the second new Dell operation in India to be announced this year, after our new Customer Contact Centre at Gurgaon.”

The plant’s initial capacity is planned at 400,000 units per annum and will focus on desktop computers to begin with. Desktop computers make up about 60% of Dell’s current business in India.  Commercial production is expected to commence during the first half of 2007, when the first “Made in India” Dell products will roll out.  With this, delivery time to customers in India would come down significantly.

Contd on page 2...