HTL Ltd

CEO: G Laxmi

Menon



Year Of Start-up: 1960


Turnover: Rs 280 crore


Growth: 180 percent


Area Of Operation: Switching, transmission terminals, datacom products


Address: GST Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032


Tel.: 044-2346171/2341589/2343224


Fax: 044-2340340


E-mail: htl@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in






SIZE="1" face="Times New Roman">

There was no year so spectacular

in the history of HTL as the fiscal 1997-98. The company, which is into the business of

manufacturing telecom switches, absorbing technology from C-DOT, EWSD (large digital

electronic switches based on Siemens technology), main distribution frames, and

transmission, data, and access products, did extremely well in the last fiscal. Growing at

a stupendous growth rate of 180 percent from the previous year’s Rs 100 crore

turnover to Rs 280 crore in the last fiscal, this PSU has made history.

And, its entry into the V&D

100 Top 10 was in no one's imagination. But the company did that. What makes this

performance exciting is the changes in the process of the company and the changes in the

work culture. Last year saw the company getting accredited with ISO 9001 certification by

the Bureau of Indian Standards. This certification covers the design, development,

manufacturing, and supply of data network products and their spares and components,

manufacture and supply of switching systems and their spares and components, and

manufacture and supply of transmission products and their spares and components.

Of the Rs 280 crore turnover,

EWSD—Rs 179 crore—brought in maximum to HTL’s coffer, followed by C-DOT

switches—Rs 63 crore. Main distribution frames, and transmission, data, and access

products brought in Rs 15 crore and Rs 23 crore, respectively.

Also, the other remarkable

achievement was exploring the international market. It has signed an export contract with

the Ethiopian Telecom Authority to supply 71 Rural Access Exchanges (RAXes) and associated

main distribution frames, power plants, batteries, and other equipment. And the order size

was to the tune of around Rs 6.5 crore. And, according to the agreement, the

company’s engineers will install these RAXes. Another contract worth around Rs 500

crore was also signed for supplying 300 PCO call monitors, batteries, and spare parts. The

company may gain more in Indian currency depending on the realization of these projects.

It has focused on African and the Middle East Countries. Some good contracts are on the

anvil.

What made all these achievements

possible is good leadership, and the company’s decision to position itself innovately

to address the Indian and global market in a competitive environment. For this to happen,

the company has technical tie-ups with C-DOT, Onward Novell, Siemens AG, SR Systems,

Sagem, Fairchild, and Rockwell.

Last year seemed to be an year of

competency for HTL. Even at the industrial relations too, the company had a peaceful year.

Its massive manpower was its problem for many years. Also, the company has turned

aggressive in marketing too. With the coming up of private basic service providers and the

focus on the export market, HTL will continue to repeat the performance in the years to

come.