Private sector company making waves in defence procurement
06 October, Bengaluru
The increasing role of the Indian PrivateSector in Defence Procurement is amply demonstrated by a mid-sizedcompany here doing niche communication, electro-optic and aeroframes to the Armed forces and also exporting it to Israel and other countries.
Started by a three former employees of Bharat Electronics 12years ago, Alpha Design Technologies has emerged a force to reckonwith in defence supplies offering more than 50 products most of themimport substitute and coming under offset policy in defence procurement.
With a turnover of Rs 402 crore in last fiscal and expecting abusiness of Rs 450 crore this year, the company over the next threeyears plan to emerge as a major player in the defence sector with ananticipated turnover of Rs 2500 crore. The Company is setting up twomanufacturing units in the city besides an existing one in Hyderabadto meet the growing demand. It has orders worth Rs 2500 crore onhand an another Rs 1000 crore worth orders would be firmed upshortly, Col H S Shankar (retd) Chairman and Managing Director ofthe Company told newsmen here today.
Executing a Rs 180 crore annual turnover project for the AirForce, the Company is setting up three simulator centres one for Mig29 Upgrade and two for helicopters. They were coming up at Adhampurin Punjab for the Mig 29 Upgrade, Sasaron near New Delhi andBagdhora for Mi 17 Helicopters. They would be operational from nextyear, Col Shankar said, adding that the company would be maintainingthem over the next 20 years.
The Company had recently started executing a multi million dollarcontrat for Elbit systems for the supply of 600 VHF communicationdevices. It would be shortly sold to the Armoured forces of the Company.
The company specialises in Opto electronic equipments, electronicwarfare systems, simulators and communication network.
He said the company was also in the process of offering thermalimaging fire control systems and also offered sensors to be equippedin helicopters against shoulder carried missile launchers. It hadsuccesfully tested these sensors in Chetah helicopters and for thefirst time the Helicopters of Indian Air Force would be protectedfrom such artillery attacks.
Col Shankar, who was part of the industrialists who visited someof the forward areas recently, said a detailed analysis was beingmade to further improve the equipment avilability and enhance thetechnological capabilities to cater for operational requirements.
The company is looking forward for an investment of Rs 100 croreover the next one year to enhance its capacity and infrastrure. Theinvestment would come from multiple sources, including an initialpublic offer.