Tata Consultancy gets Uganda contract       
June 25, 2008
Source:  REUTERS

MUMBAI: Tata Consultany Services, India's top software exporter, said on Tuesday it has got a contract from the Uganda Revenue Authority to design and install a tax administration system. The company did not mention the size of the contract in a statement. 

The tax system project is totally worth $11.5 million and is funded by the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium and the government of Uganda, the Tata group firm said.

Spanco inks pact with MRS to provide back office services      
June 25, 2008 
SOURCE: PTI

MUMBAI: Spanco BPO Ventures has entered into a partnership with revenue debt collections agency, MRS Associates, to provide back office and contact centre services to the latter. 

The partnership is expected to achieve a revenue of about $100 million (Rs 400 crore) in the next two years, Spanco said in a press release issued here today. 

"The debt collection represents a growing business for outsourcing companies. The partnership with MRS Associates gives us a major footprint in the US outsourcing market," Spanco Telesystems' Chairman, Kapil Puri, said. 

Under the agreement, Spanco will eventually pick up a 20 per cent stake in MRS Associates while MRS will pick up 20 per cent in Spanco's International BPO arm, Respondez, the company said.

Lectra opens sales arm       
June 25, 2008 
SOURCE: BL

Bangalore, The Paris-based Lectra, a provider of solution that automate, streamline and accelerate product design, development and manufacturing processes for the soft goods industries, said on Tuesday it opened a sales subsidiary in India to grow its business.

Mr Robert Agnes, President of Lectra Asis-Pacific, said the India subsidiary would employ 20 people. However, Magnun Solutions Pvt Ltd that has represented Lectra in India for over 10 years, would continue to be its partner.

The company wants to follow a mixed distribution model, Mr Agnes said. The combined strength would be about 100 people, the company said. Mr Agnes said India accounts for about 2-3 per cent of total revenue. The company hopes to treble its business in India over the next three years, he added.

In India, Lectra would focus on the apparel, footwear and fashion accessories market, the automotive (seats and interior) market, and the furniture market, the company said. The automotive (seats and interior) market in India is between $10 million and $15 million, as is the market for cutting room solution in garment industry.