Patni Computers opens new BPO unit in Gandhinagar

Patni Computer Systems Ltd, a leading IT and outsourcing major, expects to see its business process outsourcing (BPO) division to expand by 45 per cent this year.

The BPO business accounts for just 15 per cent of the company's business of $650 million, but is expected to grow at a rapid pace. Patni Computers, which opened its offshore development centre (ODC) at the MindSpace SEZ in Gandhinagar today, plans to shift all of its BPO operations to Gujarat.

''The inauguration of our new facility in Gandhinagar demonstrates our sustained commitment to this region,'' said Jeva Kumar, CEO, Patni Computers. ''We are looking at strengthening our presence in this burgeoning IT delivery hub and expect Gandhinagar to play a crucial part in this delivery expansion strategy.''

The company, which is doubling its capacity in Gandhinagar from the current 400 seats, recently signed a deal with a leading UK-based firm for providing product engineering services and application development management services.

Patni Computers, which froze hirings in 2009, has already taken about 4,000 people this year, raising its total employee strength to 17,000. The company's attrition rate has also gone up, from 13 per cent last year to 22 per cent now. But while the industry's average of tenure is 3.5 years, Patni's is 7.5 years, explains Kumar.

Patni Computers won five new deals worth about $30 million recently and expects to expand at a modest seven per cent this year and 15 per cent next year. It also plans to launch cloud computing as a separate service next fiscal, added Kumar.

The company has 30 offices across America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. It recently opened new delivery centres in Mexico, the US and China.