Underwriters Labs to double headcount

Underwriters Laboratories Inc, a well-known product-safety testing and certification organisation will double its India headcount from the present 100 employees within the next two years.

Buoyed by India's emergence in global manufacturing and outsourcing arena, UL India has decided to increase its presence in the country. Having set up the UL India centre in September 2003, the company claims to have grown by about 60 per cent with revenues of $4 million. It also plans to increase its Indian customer base from 1,100 to 2,500 within the next two years.

The auto components, medical and electrical equipment, and the IT hardware sector are key drivers of UL's growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

The company also plans to double its testing capabilities to include 500 UL standards from the present 250 standards. While companies setting up captive units in India and those entering the export market are immediate target customers to UL, the growth of India as an outsourcing destination for large international retailers and manufacturing companies will in turn drive companies in India to seek UL certification.

"The Indian market is currently growing at an average annual rate of 7 per cent, part of which is spurred by the revival in the manufacturing sector. The industry has now acquired confidence in production capabilities and is ready to foray into the global market with cost competitiveness and quality. UL is uniquely poised to test and certify products as per international standards, in order to propel their companies into the global marketplace," Sajeev Jesudas, president and managing director, UL Asia Pacific said.