Hitech Mobiles' handset making unit in Howrah starts production

HOWRAH: Hitech Mobiles' handset making facility, the first such unit in the eastern region, started commercial production today at Sankrail in Howrah.

"This is the first mobile assembly line of the eastern region. Keeping in mind the Make In India campaign, we have decided to set up our first assembly unit in West Bengal," Hitech Mobiles managing director Md Gyasuddin said today.

The facility has a capacity to produce 2.5 million handsets annually and three lakh units of batteries in technical collaboration with Shenzhen Yiheyuan Technology of China.

"Right now we are importing the Semi Knock Down ( SKD) components and assembling them at the unit. In five years time, we have plans to completely manufacture and assemble mobile handsets and accessories from West Bengal. The unit will help us to cut down 5-6 per cent from the excise duties," said Gyasuddin.

Hitech Mobiles would expand with a second unit, which would be operational in 2016.

The firm's strategic head Shahid Perwaiz said the unit was conceptualised after the Make in India initiative offered zero duty on SKD for mobile handsets.

The unit would currently produce feature phones and in a few months it proposes to make both 3G and 4G handsets.

The group's annual turnover is Rs 350 crore and it aims to take it to Rs 500 crore by 2016-17. The company is also tying up with SAARC countries for exporting handsets.