2001 Press Release
The new $5 million facility will develop world-class applications to boost e-commerce around the world.
Bangalore (India), 08 March 2001 - Singapore Network Services Pte Ltd (SNS), a leading application service provider, has set up a new software development and training centre in Bangalore's International Tech Park (ITPL).
SNS Software Labs is SNS' first development facility outside Singapore. It will work jointly with its headquarters in Singapore to develop total integrated e-commerce solutions in key business sectors such as trade and logistics, healthcare, government and legal, for the Singapore and overseas markets.
SNS will invest up to S$5 million in the facility and its manpower resources over the next three years. The Software Labs will house 40 programmers by June 2001 and aims to expand to more than 100 programmers by 2002.
The new facility will be inaugurated by Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, Minister for Communications and Information Technology on 13 March 2001 at ITPL. The ceremony will be webcast on SNS' website at www.sns.com.sg at 5.30 p.m. on that day.
At a press conference held in Bangalore today, Mr. V Mathivanan, CEO of SNS said, "The establishment of the Software Labs is part of our globalisation initiative. It allows us to transfer our technology and capabilities from Singapore to other parts of the region. To achieve this, the lab will be an important training hub for our programmers and technologies in the region. They will be equipped with skills in the latest Java technology to develop value-added and customer-focused solutions for the B2B and B2G markets."
Mr Vivek Kulkarni, IT Secretary for the State of Karnataka in India, who was also present at the press conference said, "India, with its manpower strength, is poised to become the global IT powerhouse. Karnataka, with its investor friendly environment, infrastructure and trained manpower, is the popular destination for global IT giants. We intend to develop the potential of Karnataka as a haven for IT companies further. The entry of SNS into India opens the route for more Singapore-based IT companies to set up their facilities here. On our part, we assure that the Karnataka government will extend all possible help to enable these companies to establish and run their development centres in India smoothly." Mr Kulkarni also unveiled the new Software Labs' logo and congratulated SNS on the set up of its lab.
Mr Mathivanan said that the transfer of knowledge and expertise from SNS' software specialists from Singapore to India and vice versa is instrumental in developing world-class applications. "Best practices of the industry will be shared and exchanged with the professionals in India. This will help to strengthen our manpower and technological capability in developing new solutions to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of our customers."
SNS' foray into electronic data exchange and e-commerce since the early 90's has put it in a lead role among service providers in similar capacity. SNS is known for its development of the world's first and only complete e-judiciary filing and retrieval systems, called Lawnet and Electronic Filing System.
SNS has also developed Singapore's first comprehensive portal that brings all trade activities online completely. Called eTradeExchange, companies can reduce cost and time by performing procurement, inventory management, freight management, financial transactions, cargo insurance and government permit applications, all from a single source. Lawnet and eTradeExchange are just two of the many solutions developed by SNS.
Said Mr Mathivanan, "Over the years, SNS has established a proven track record and reputation through the development of web-enabled, robust and secure e-commerce products spanning across various industries. Many MNCs have benefited from SNS' innovative e-commerce services and solutions, including Agilent Technologies, Sony Logistics, Hitachi Asia and Fuji Xerox."
SNS has 7,000 companies using its various application services in the region. With the establishment of the Software Labs, SNS aims to expand its operations globally five times its present rate. SNS has formed joint ventures and partnership with companies in USA, Canada, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Malaysia. It employs 350 people in Singapore, covering staff in its headquarters, data centre, call centre and service bureaus downtown.