Dell plans to shift more work to Asia

MUMBAI: Since the beginning of the slowdown, IT firms have been maintaining that India will benefit if firms try to cut costs. Now, there is evidence that it actually may be happening.

In a conference call, Dell���s Asia-Pacific and Japan head Steve Felice said there is an opportunity to shift more work to Asia and Dell will do it. In its third-quarter results announced late on Thursday, the US-based PC manufacturer���s tight rein on costs helped it post better earnings despite a sales slump.

Dell has invested heavily in its India and China factories. From Bangalore, it has built systems management capability and software for enterprise activity. While in China, it does design work and R&D. In addition, in Malaysia���s Cyberjaya, it does software development. ���Our intention is to grow these,��� said Mr Felice. Elsewhere, Dell has announced job cuts.

���We don���t just service Asia out of these locations. They have worked well globally to the extent that there are opportunities to shift more work to Asia arise, we will do it... We are happy with the performance of these facilities to serve global needs and will continue to invest them depending on market conditions,��� Mr Felice said.

However, he said the growth in Asia was not necessarily linked to the cost-cutting in the US and was in response to the growth in other parts of the world.

Mr Felipe said there was decline in overall IT spending in Asia-Pacific and Japan. Dell had weathered it and grown. Terming India���s growth as outstanding, he said the country had witnessed 77% growth in unit terms and 48% growth in revenues for Dell in the third quarter.

For China, growth was up 44% in unit terms and 18% in revenue terms. ���We are extremely committed to India,��� he added. The surge in growth has primarily come from consumers and the small.