CHANNEL SNAPSHOTS: CHENNAI

R Kannan    

Company: Vectra Systems and Solutions

Founded: 1995

Business Area: System integration from total hardware, software,
networking and mailing solutions.

Strength: Vectra provides total corporate solution on IT and related
requirements.

Weakness: It has been providing total solution to the corporates and
other clients and the prevailing market scenerio is the utmost weakness.

Motto: To increase the turnover by the end of next financial year and
continue to provide complete IT solution to the customers and corporates.

Plans: The company is trying to triple its turnover by next financial
year and also expand its presence in other cities in India.

Turnover (2003-04): Rs 20 crore

Expected (2004-05): Rs 40-50 crore

Offices: 5

John Amalraj    

Company: Skylark Information Technologies

Founded: 1993

Business Area: IT Solutions

Strength: Skylark being a recognized company in the city, partnering with
Cisco and Sun in imparting IT training on various networking and solutions.

Weakness: Skylark is into more of transactional business however, there
is lack in marketing expertise and others, which would be bridged soon.

Motto: To be a recognized leader in high quality information systems
solutions. It also wants to exceed its client's expectation through integrity,
dedication and innovation.

Plans: Skylark plans to improve its business by filling the real need of
IT companies, government, manufacturing and educational business for reliable
information technology including hardware, software and related services.

Turnover (2003-04): Rs 30 crore

Expected (2004-05): Rs 40 crore

Offices: 4

N Jagannath    

Company: Fourth Dimension Technologies

Founded: 1989

Business Area: Systems and network integration.

Strength: The company has good technical skills in networking and
security as technologies as well as customer orientation. It has managed to post
steady growth since its inception through a prudent business approach.

Weakness: The company is constantly endeavoring to meet the rising
customer expectation levels.

Motto: To be able to provide optimal technology solutions to customers,
which will provide business value to them.

Plans: Fourth Dimension wants to continue its focus on security and also
start offering infrastructure management.

Turnover (2003-04): Rs 15.5 crore

Expected (2004-05): Rs 22 crore

Offices: 3

B Mukund   

Company: Mukesh Infoserve

Founded: 1997

Business Area: System integration, networking and supply of IT hardware.

Strength: Mukesh has been providing technical support for the corporates,
government and other SMBs and ablity to provide networking and configuration on
Microsoft and Linux platform are their biggest strength.

Weakness: Lack of geographical presence proves to be disadvantageous for
Mukesh.

Motto: To be part of the value-chain and provide more valuable services
to the end-customers by bringing in all technology support under one roof.

Plans: Mukesh looks out for further their presence and are looking
Bangalore and Hyderabad as probable place for their business.

Turnover (2003-04): Rs 5.5 crore

Expected (2004-05): Rs. 8 crore

Offices: 1

Chennai Associations: Time For Rejuvenation

Chennai will soon witness the emergence of a new association, which will be
the federation of existing associations in the region. Already, the spadework is
underway and three key associations-ITTA, G-10 and Sneham-have nominated
their members for the core committee of the new body. This team is in the
process of framing the guidelines and formalizing it.

The objective of starting a new federation is simply because the existing
associations are not very active and there is no harmony between them, although
they represent the same IT industry. Chennai currently has presently four
associations such as Information Technology Traders Association (ITTA), G-10
Computer Dealers Association, Sneham and Chennai Inkjet & Toner Refillers
Association (CITRA). All of them claim to work for the interest of the reselling
and trading community. However, many of these associations, represented by its
members, have failed to meet regularly.

In Chennai, the Dealers Association for Information Technology (DAIT) was the
first regional body for the channel community and was started in 1993. In fact,
DAIT was formed when the resellers decided to break away from the CMDA, the
Mumbai-based association, which had a Tamil Nadu chapter here.

However, DAIT lost its steam and significance within six years and, by 2000,
many new associations sprang up.

While the industry believes DAIT is no more, Tolia claims DAIT still exists
as an association and its bank account is functional. "DAIT was not closed,
but it is inactive. In fact, DAIT is the only association which was recognized
by many government bodies." DAIT last had an informal gathering in 2001 at
a city hotel.

G-10 Computer Dealers Association is another body representing consumables
resellers and has over 180 members across Tamil Nadu. The association was formed
in 2000 and with Pawan Kumar Sethia as President; Jithender Tatia as VP;
Rajendra Kamdar as Secretary; Naresh Kanted as Joint Secretary and Subodh Kumar
as Treasurer.

ITTA was formed in 1998 and officially got registered in 2001. Its first set
of representatives, nominated in 2001, still holds the office. The office
bearers of this association are Nirmal Bohra, President; Yaaspal, Vice
President; MC Jain, Secretary; Rakesh Jain and Sajan, Joint Secretaries and
Rajendra Jain as Treasurer.

Sneham is relatively a new association formed in 2003 for system integrators.
The key members of Sneham are Ratna Kumar, President; Krishna Kumar, Vice
President; Sridharan, Secretary; Kumar, Treasurer and Ramkumar, Executive
Member.

Meanwhile, CITRA, the association for refilling service providers can safely
be considered as a defunct body as it has been some years since it last
assembled.

LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS

• Information Technology Traders Association
• G-10 Computer Dealers Association
• Sneham
• Chennai Inkjet & Toner Refillers Association
• Dealers Association for Information Technology

S GOPIKRISHNA