The Paris-headquartered Bureau Veritas, which provides testing, inspection and certification services across various sectors, is also planning to increase its headcount in the country to around 10,000 in the next five to seven years from 6,500 now across verticals, its executive vice-president for commodities, industry and facilities for Asia, Africa and Pacific regions Juliano Cardoso told PTI here.
Global certification agency Bureau Veritas plans to invest USD 30-40 million over the next couple of years to strengthen its presence in the country, both organically as well as inorganically, a senior company official has said.
The Paris-headquartered Bureau Veritas, which provides testing, inspection and certification services across various sectors, is also planning to increase its headcount in the country to around 10,000 in the next five to seven years from 6,500 now across verticals, its executive vice-president for commodities, industry and facilities for Asia, Africa and Pacific regions Juliano Cardoso told PTI here.
"As India focuses on growing its infrastructure and allied sectors, there is a need for greater streamlining of procedures, modernised processes and ease of operations to meet the growing challenges of quality, safety, environmental protection and social responsibility," Cardoso said.
He said India has been one of the focus countries for the group and it has invested in facilities and resources across all its business segments.
"We’ve invested in increasing the footprint in testing materials, food, and commodities and also in expanding our quality assurance in services in rail, infrastructure, nuclear power, and many other areas.
"Investments made here in the last five years would have exceeded USD 25 million and we are planning to increase it by another USD 30-40 million by 2020," he said.
During the past eight years, its Indian subsidiary has acquired three firms, including the Mumbai-based Sievert India, Bengaluru-based Civil-Aid Technoclinic and the Hyderabad-based Bhagavathi Ana Labs and an England-based Inspectorate to expand its presence.
"We will continue to grow both organically as well as inorganically. Given the scope of growth in various sectors, we may also look at strategic partnerships in areas of food testing, building and infrastructure, apart from transportation segments like the Railways, automotive, among others for building competence and network," senior vice-president for commodities, industry and facilities division for South Asia Amit Ghosh said.
Ghosh further said the commodities, industry and facilities division of Bureau Veritas India has a network of 100 offices and labs spread and plans to increase it further.
"We have significant plans to further strengthen our presence here so that we provide the entire gamut of inspection, testing, and certification services. Being a technical service provider, our strength rests on the quality of our manpower.
"Currently, India features among the top five markets within the group for employment. We will keep hiring talent across all verticals to expand our business here in India and also in the Subcontinent," Ghosh said.
He further said the company is also looking at providing services in the industrial sector especially in oil & gas, power, and process sectors.
The company recently launched a new state-of-the-art facility in Mumbai which will cater to its global businesses offering from marine and offshore to industry, building and infrastructure, commodities, certification, government services and international trade and consumer products services.
"We are constantly expanding our footprint in the country. New testing laboratories are being set up in materials and food testing, which are the two focus areas for us," Ghosh added.
He further said as markets evolve and get transformed by disruptive technologies, the company intends to provide its services in these markets utilising these technologies.
"Focus on digitalisation is a key aspect of our growth strategy and India will be at the centre of this drive," Ghosh added.
Some of the major projects that Bureau Veritas provides its services includes metro rail projects in Delhi, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Kochi, Hyderabad and the Dedicated Freight Corridor and is also assisting various other government agencies in sectors of waste/water management, energy supply and affordable housing, among others.