Hinditron plans JV with Austria-based Skidata
Earlier this year, the two had entered into a distribution pact
Hinditron Group, with a presence in scientific instrumentation and telecommunications and IT and IT-enabled services, intends to enter into a joint venture with Austria-based Skidata for providing car and people access management technology in India.
The venture plans to cash in on the growing infrastructure and retail sector and the upcoming convention centres and amusement parks in the country.
Access points are usually where people enter locations from. For example, a car access point is usually where people park their cars and occasionally where public transport drops people off. Managing these factors help control traffic in a location. The global car access management market is pegged at Rs 2,000 crore.
Though the Indian market is in the nascent stage, it is estimated to touch Rs 400 crore in next five years. Hinditron expects that in the next five years, the JV will contribute close to 40 per cent of its revenue.
Nimish Sonawala, managing director, Hinditron-Skidata said, “The JV will not only be restricted to India but will also cover the sub-continent region. Initially, we will strengthen the sales and support systems and then look at customising the solutions according to the market requirements.”
Apart from technology solutions, the company is building a central monitoring support system for its customers across India. It is expected to start operations from June next year.
Sonawala said, “We will invest about Rs 2 crore in setting up the centre. The company is planning to open sub-distribution channels in smaller towns to cash in on the retail boom in these regions.”
Hinditron-Skidata has already bagged a chunk of orders in its first year of operations. It will be providing car access management solutions to the new Bangalore and Hyderabad international airports.
Sonawala mentioned that the Bangalore and Hyderabad projects are worth about $750,000 each. Similarly, it has received orders for the retail projects of the Four Seasons Hotels, Inorbit Mall, Oberoi and Ansal Malls, which are expected to be implemented by the first quarter of the next calender year.
The company plans to introduce people management solutions in the second phase of its expansion. Sonawala said, “ We are in preliminary discussions with some major stadiums and convention centres and will also target the amusement parks being developed in the country.”
Hinditron-Skidata has received a contract for the Commonwealth Games to be held in India and will be also be working on the next cricket world cup.
Skidata, part of the Rs 2,380 crore Kudelski Group, is a leading player in car and people access management solutions, across 40 countries.
The company has undertaken projects such as recently concluded cricket world cup in West Indies, the FIFA World Cup and tourists destinations such as the London Eye and Sea World in the US.
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