Coimbatore: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has unveiled its first `engineering centre of excellence' in Coimbatore. This consulting-led initiative is expected to enable SMEs to innovate and access global markets.

A study undertaken by TCS indicated that the SMEs in and around this region had been doing well on the export front, but the process were not structured. It depended on the initiatives of the individual units.

TCS, therefore, decided to step in to connect companies from low-cost countries to their global innovation networks through a `first-ever' joint-solution of IT, software and consulting services with the launch of Asian Sourcing Network (ASN).

ASN combines the extensive supplier research assessment and negotiation capabilities of A.T. Kearney Procurement Solutions with the collaboration, content exchange and sourcing enablement of UGS Technologies and TCS's consulting services to offer low-cost sourcing as a packaged solution. The company has created a high-end environment for the SME units to walk in `design a part, take up an assignment and complete a task within a couple of weeks by deploying a software provided by UGS. TCS has made a beginning by starting to work with 180 SMEs. They are in the process of classifying their capabilities. TCS has created an elaborate database that reveals their strengths and weakness. Recommendations are to come in over the next six months. They would be more on the lines of upgrading their facility or expanding their network significantly.

The centre of excellence would comprise facilities such as high-end engineering workstations for design and analysis, secure storage facilities and a team of engineering solution specialists. TCS is planning to replicate this model across other manufacturing clusters in a phased manner.

TCS has entered into a MOU with Coimbatore District Small Industries Association, with 4,500 registered companies, with an aggregate export revenue of close to Rs 2,400 crore.

Source: http://dnaindia.com/