Xenitis opens PC unit in India

Xenitis Infotech, an IT hardware company, on Friday opened its Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion) computer component unit, the first of its kind in the country, at Chinsurah in Hoogly district of West Bengal.

Xenitis Group, the manufacturer of the first and only branded range of desktops and laptops in the east is now offering Aamar, Aamchi, Apna and Namma PCs at a price of Rs 9790.  This range of PC is being launched in association with Intel.

At the price range of Rs 9790, customers will be entitled to a branded desktop with Intel CPU & Intel M/B, 128 RAM, 40GB HDD, 15" colour monitor, keyboard, mouse, integrated audio and linux operating system.

The plant, set up through a collaboration with China's Unitek Computer Company, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in the presence of Union Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran.

Company chairman Santanu Ghosh said the plant, set up by the JV firm Xenitis Unitek, would produce components like computer cases, SMPS, media chips and peripherals like keyboard, mouse, CD ROM drives and speakers.

Describing the project as ''historic'' for the Indian IT industry, the chief minister said the new plant would usher in a new beginning for the hardware industry in India and give an edge to the state as a preferred IT investment destination.

He said the government was giving stress on furthering IT education and had finalised a project with Reliance for setting up a world-class IT training institute at Kalyani in Nadia district.

Xenitis has invested Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) for the new facility and would incur another Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion) for the second phase of expansion in the next year.

The new plant, entirely funded by Xenitis, would have an initial capacity of nine lakh units (cabinet, UPS, speaker, etc.) per month and employ 1,700 people.

The company is expecting to increase its turnover from Rs 160 crore (Rs 1.6 billion) last year to Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) in 2005-06.