Farnell Electronics to invest Rs 200-mn by 2011

Bangalore: Farnell Electronics, the Indian subsidiary of the UK-based global electronic and engineering components distribution company Premier Farnell, will invest Rs 20 crore by 2011 in its Indian operations to set up a bonded warehouse, an innovation laboratory, and a global technical centre.

The investment is part of Farnell’s consolidation programme to tap the huge Indian market estimated at $750 million to $2 billion.

Premier Farnell, which recently acquired the Bangalore-based HyNetics, an engineering design and development and services company, also plans to ramp up its engineering and sales staff strength to 80 by the year-end in the nine branches in different cities.

Premier Farnell is the franchisee and authorised distributor of international brands such as Texas Instrument, Tyco and Intel, said Ms Harriet Green, CEO, Premier Farnell. It also stocks and distributes products of several other companies in all verticals, including medical, infrastructure and power.

With its focus on small and medium enterprises, the company claims an edge with the ability to meet even the low volume distribution of products in less than 48 hours.