IT firms visit India on trade mission

NINE technology companies from the West Midlands are preparing to visit India to learn about business opportunities in emergin markets in a visit sponsored by UK Trade & Investment.

The party sets off to Mumbai on February 1 for a five day trip to showcase Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the West Midlands. The companies will be seeking new clients and relationships in one of the fastest expanding markets in the world, which has a rapidly growing consumer class.

Businesses joining the trip include:

• Enigma Consulting, of Birmingham, which specialises in consultancy and business services
• FactoryMaster, of Nuneaton, which specialises in producing software for manufacturing companies to help them gain full visibility of their business
• For Women, of Solihull, which provides business and social networking opportunities for women from all walks of life
• Indigo Retail Technology, of Coventry, which has created screen software to enable retailers to communicate directly with their customers through music, video and advertising
• Technology Blueprint, of Leamington Spa, which specialises in open source solutions, including software that is used throughout the UK by residential letting agents
• TQIPS, of Bromsgrove, which provides project management, installation and turnkey packages for the construction of forecourts and convenience stores
• Trilogix Solutions, of Leamington Spa, which specialises in 4d and 5d theatre effects, motion simulation, holography and animation technology
• Video2Video, of Coventry, which specialises in all aspects of videoconferencing
• V-Pad, of Leamington Spa, an online residential lettings company aiming to reduce communication barriers and the need for a physical presence by using the internet and hand held devices.

International trade adviser Bineet Desai, based at Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, who isUKTI’s West Midlands lead for the ICT cluster, is leading the delegation.

He said: “The Indian ICT sector has played a key role in putting India on the global map, growing at over 15 per cent per year, and many of the world’s leading ICT companies have established their own software development and business processing outsourcing centres in India. This has created excellent opportunities for West Midlands ICT firms and we will be on hand to help them make vital new contacts throughout their visit to this expanding market.”