Wipro to expand Chennai SEZ

Wipro Technologies is adding 600,000 sq ft to its special economic zone (SEZ) operations in Chennai unit over the next three years as a part of expanding its footprint in key verticals such as retail, pharma, automotive, financial services and life sciences.

The Bangalore-based IT major's current facilities at the Sholinganallur-ELCOT SEZ were being augmented to accommodate 35,000 seats over the next 3-4 years, Sudip Banerjee, president (enterprise solutions), Wipro Technologies, told reporters in Chennai today.

"We believe in employing locals. All our near-shore or offshore development centres have at least 85 per cent local representation," Banerjee said, to a query on whether Wipro would move in people from other centres to work out of the SEZ in Chennai.

As a part of the expansion, Wipro is setting up a new facility on 80 acres at the Sholinganallur-ELCOT SEZ.