Target , SKF to set up centres in city

Target setting up software centre in B'lore
The Economic Times

BANGALORE: IT is now the turn of giant retailers to come to India in the captive form, attracted by the Indian technical prowess and the obvious cost advantage.

On Thursday, the $43 billion Target Corporation, America’s fourth largest general merchandise retailer, said it is setting up a software development centre in Bangalore, its first outside the US. Tesco, the retail giant from UK, recently set up its software development and BPO facility in Bangalore.

In a telephone interview with ET, Mr Paul Singer, senior vice president and chief information officer, Target Corporation, said that the software development facility, called Target Technology Services India (TTSI) is expected to go live during the first quarter of 2005.

SKF opens application development centre
Business Standard

SKF, which formally opened its application development centre in Bangalore on Thursday, plans to develop it into a full-fledged R&D centre. The move is part of SKF's strategy to strengthen its research base across the globe.

At the launch, SKF Group president and CEO Tom Johnstone said that to do that SKF has begun transferring its base research and development to other centres from Europe.

The first one in Asia is in Bangalore. Post the launch, SKF will have its application development centres in Holland, Italy, Germany, France, US and India. The new centres will essentially complement SKF's Europe research work on the five focus areas -- bearings, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems.

He said that while the centre, with eight engineers, will initially focus on developing applications and solutions for the automotive, two-wheeler and electrical segments, it will gradually build in other capabilities as well. SKF zeroed in on Bangalore as it enjoyed the proximity to two-wheeler manufacturers.