The company, which expects its India revenues to double by 2010, also plans to beef up its staff strength to 10,000 from the current 6,000 to support its aggressive growth in the country.

Briefing reporters ABB Group President & CEO Fred Kindle, said the new capex programme was in addition to the US$100 million investment which has already been fully utilised for various India initiatives.

New unit
The current programme involves setting up of a new greenfield facility at Neelamangala near Bangalore for manufacture of low voltage products and power electronics.

Further, a new unit for small power transformers and distribution automation products will come up in Vadodara.
The fund will also be utilised for capacity and range expansion that is underway across various businesses and sites in the country, Mr Kindle pointed out.  Further, Mr Kindle said, the company plans to double its headcount at its global operations and engineering centres in Bangalore  and Chennai from the present strength of around 350 engineers to 1,000 in the coming years.
Priority status
These centres support power systems and process automation projects across the world. ABB will also increase the strength of the engineers and domain experts at its global R&D Centre in Bangalore.
ABB Group Board Chairman Hubertus von Grunberg, in his observations said, ABB has accorded India priority status and is ready to release next tranche of support in terms of investment, technology and people to meet the growth opportunity.
“Let’s not be religious about these investments. We have put out monies where our mouth is,” he quipped.
“India, for us, is a country of extreme importance and is massive powerful dynamic all growing country of intelligence,” which we wish to exploit, he added.