Sony to expand India operations

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JUNE 27. Sony Corporation has chalked out plans of expanding its Indian operations, leveraging the software development centre in Bangalore to this effect, according to the President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Kunitake Ando.

Mr. Ando told presspersons here today that Sony hoped that the audio visual products market would enlarge IT related business. The centre here would enlarge its domain of activity from entertainment robot and digital TV development to client server based AV products, digital signal processor, and network security. Sony was hopeful of developing software which would enhance its growth.

Sony would be introducing a range of latest products including laptop computers, cellular phones and Playstation I, but the exact dates of launch were still being worked out.

Mr. Ando who earlier inaugurated the office of the Software Architecture Division (SARD), an arm of Sony India Software Centre, said one of the challenges would be responding to broadband developments as an entire company and software development. The Bangalore centre which started in 1998 with 17 people had grown to over 150 and would touch 250 next year.

The Managing Director of Sony India, Mr. Teruo Ishii, said SARD would be concentrating on new technologies such as home networks, digital media platform and Internet enabled consumer electronic devices. SARD intended to achieve SEI CMM Level 4 during this year and Level 5 next year.

Sony Corporation's next phase of growth would see the seamless integration of the gateways, content and communities that it developed across the globe. Sony was working towards building the Sony Dream Community by integrated networking global operations. Sony, he added, was focussed on synergising audio-visual entertainment with information technology, especially multi- media.

The centre which was a 100 per cent export oriented unit had achieved exports to the tune of $6.2 million. The centre had an investment of Rs. 7.80 crores.

Asked about whether the U.S. slowdown had affected Sony, Mr. Ando answered in the positive. He said it had been a great concern for Sony but it had started noticing this around October-November last and had sent signals to its units, by which it was able to control inventory.

However, on the audio visual side its business had remained unaffected.

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Section  : Business
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