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North

 Acme Digitek Solutions

Ankesh Kumar, Senior Manager, Micro and Small UPS, Emerson Network Power, presenting the award to Ajit Mital, MD, Acme Digitek Solutions

Lucknow-based Acme Digitek grew marginally in FY2009-10 with turnover increasing from Rs 13.5 crore in the previous year to Rs 14 crore. Ajit Mital, MD, Acme Digitek, said that despite a sharp decline in IT investments by customers, Acme was able to keep its topline intact and even improve its bottomline.

“We consciously decided to focus on select businesses with the aim of protecting our bottomline and not worrying about the topline, hence we increased our services business and cut back on topline business,” Mital explained.

Performance Highlights

• Executed a Rs 2.2 crore IT infrastructure project for Bundelkhand University • Undertook a Rs 2.15 crore networking project for another campus of Bundelkhand University • Undertook a Rs 1 crore SWAN project for the UP agriculture department for connecting 104 districts in the state • Executed a Rs 60 lakh IT infrastructure project for the State Water Resources Agency

Company Snapshot

Company: Acme Digitek Solutions MD: Ajit Mital Year of inception: 1998 No. of branches: 2 Turnover 2009-10: Rs 14 crore Turnover 2008-09: Rs 13.5 crore Employees: 80 Certified employees: 17 Principals: Cisco, HP, D-Link, WeP, Oracle

As part of this strategy, Acme introduced managed services, and also increased its focus on the software business. “We undertook a number of high-risk, high-return, maintenance contracts which have paid off,” Mital said. “The contracts are still in progress, and are likely to add to our bottomline substantially in this financial year as well.” According to him, Acme had also identified state wide area networks (SWANs) as a potential growth area, which is why it undertook one such project for the agriculture department in 2009.

Among the key projects which the company executed in FY2009-10 was a Rs 2.2 crore complete IT infrastructure project for Bundelkhand University. This involved deploying the entire array of SAN, NAS, blade servers, backup and security solutions, firewall, IPS, etc. Acme also deployed a campus ERP solution for the university. For another campus of the same university, Acme undertook a Rs 2.15 crore networking project. For the state’s agriculture department, Acme undertook a Rs 1 crore SWAN project for connecting 104 districts in the state through the network.

Acme also executed a Rs 60 lakh IT infrastructure project for the State Water Resources Agency (SWaRA).

In FY2010-11, Acme plans to deploy wide area networks for different state government departments, and also market video conferencing solutions as well as remote IP surveillance solutions. The company is also planning to diversify further into software development and actively market its Acme eCampus solution to educational institutes. It has already has several orders in the pipeline including one for the complete computerization of the Ghaziabad Development Authority. To improve its operational efficiency and responsiveness, Acme will deploy Pulse ERP to enable Web-based complaint registration and monitoring for its customers. Acme is also looking to expand its footprint by setting up offices in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

East

 Graphic Trades

Ajay Maitin, CEO, Graphic Trades, receiving the trophy

Patna-based Graphic Trades saw its topline revenue grow by 13 percent from Rs 16.8 crore in FY2008-09 to Rs 19 crore in FY2009-10. More than 90 percent of the revenue came from the government and PSU segments from Bihar and Jharkhand.

“The Bihar and Jharkhand markets have witnessed large investments from the state governments, and computerization is given a lot of importance. We have banked on our deep relations within the governments, and have been mapping budgetary allocations to plot new opportunities,” explained Ajay Kumar Maitin, CEO, Graphic Trades.

Performance Highlights

• More than 90 percent of the revenue came from the government and PSU segments from Bihar and Jharkhand • Along with Wipro, Graphic Trades implemented a Rs 4.3 crore campus-wide networking project for IOCL • Ajay Maitin won the Special Recognition National Award for outstanding entrepreneurship from the Central Government in August 2009

Company Snapshot

Company: Graphic Trades CEO: Ajay Kumar Maitin Year of inception: 1992 No. of branches: 4 Turnover 2009-10: Rs 19 crore Turnover 2008-09: Rs 16.8 crore Employees: 26 Certified employees: 11 Principals: HP, Cisco, Dell, Microsoft, Wipro

This strategy has helped Graphic to identify opportunities and ready new solutions well in advance. “For example, we knew that with large investments flowing to primary health care and education there would be scope for implementing IT solutions in these sectors. We soon bagged some projects from the health care department and also the education sector,” he said.

Along with Wipro, Graphic Trades implemented a Rs 4.3 crore campus-wide networking project based on the Cisco platform for IOCL.

Last year the solutions provider also bagged an order from Sainik schools in Gopalganj and Nalanda in Bihar to implement smart class solutions, an order valued at Rs 98 lakh. Another project worth Rs 25 lakh was for the digitization of approximately 10 lakh records for the Bihar State Information Commission.

For the Government Museum in Patna, Graphic Trades implemented a 24x7 surveillance system. “While the initial requirement was for CCTV-based surveillance, we managed to convince them and convert the requirement to an IP-based surveillance system,” informed Maitin. He also won the Special Recognition National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Entrepreneurship in 2009.

Graphic Trades plans to focus more on services during the current fiscal. Since the company operates in states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, and also in Eastern UP where security is a major concern, Maitin is betting heavily on surveillance solutions.

Education is another opportunity which Graphic Trades is looking forward to. “We have the iCity project floated by the education department. Under this project, a lot of investments are expected for setting up interactive education centers,” Maitin said.

Yet another opportunity Maitin is banking on is the elections due in both Bihar and Jharkhand by the end of the year; massive computerization may be needed to create the electoral rolls.

West

 Geo Integrators

Rajesh Mehta, MD, Geo Integrators

Surat-based Geo Integrators grew by a modest 9 percent in FY2009-10 to clock a turnover of Rs 8.8 crore.

Rajesh Mehta, MD, Geo Integrators, attributed the company’s growth to the setting up of new branches in Ahmedabad, Vapi and Rajkot, as well as the focus on new vendor relationships and products. “We picked up some real good orders from untapped territories such as the Mundra region. Also, our tie-ups with Extreme Networks, with Ruckus Wireless, and with Motorola for long-distance connectivity helped us to position ourselves as a strong solutions player,” said Mehta.

According to him, the company’s turnover would have been a lot better if Geo had not lost a few projects—despite its L1 status—due to political pressure.

Performance Highlights

• Clocked 9 percent growth in topline with a turnover of Rs 8.8 crore • Completed a Rs 1.10 crore project at S Vinodkumar Diamonds to deploy 750 voice and data nodes • Implemented a Rs 2.4 crore project for IP-based surveillance for Essar’s oil refinery at Jamnagar • Executed a Rs 1.6 crore voice and data project for Alok Industries • Merged with Transit Systems with effect from April 1, 2010 to create Transit Geo Systems Integrators

Company Snapshot

Company: Geo Integrators MD: Rajesh Mehta Year of inception: 1998 No. of branches: 5 Turnover 2009-10: Rs 8.8 crore Turnover 2008-09: Rs 8.1 crore Employees: 74 Certified employees: 24 Principals: Digilink, Tyco, Dell, Cyberoam, D-Link, Cisco, Sonicwall, Motorola

About 43 percent of the company’s revenues came from the manufacturing sector, while 35 percent was contributed by the government vertical. Among the key projects that the company executed in FY2009-10 was an IP-based surveillance solution for Essar Group’s oil refinery at Jamnagar. The Rs 2.4 crore project involved laying 30 km of fiber and deploying 30 IP cameras and 45 managed switches. Geo also deployed voice, data and video applications at an upcoming diamond company, S Vinodkumar Diamonds, to create 650 voice and data nodes for the company. The project was estimated at Rs 1.10 crore.

Geo executed a similar project for Alok Industries involving the provision of 750 voice and data nodes, and the backing up of the entire network on Motorola Canopy. The project was worth Rs 1.6 crore.

Last year Geo introduced a new HR management system which laid down clear KRAs and RIs for employees. The company also introduced sales innovations such as weekly mails to customers about new projects, and SMS-based updation of services to customers.

In January 2010, Geo initiated the process of merger with Transit Systems Integrations—a company specializing in security surveillance and safety solutions. The merger, which came into effect from 1 April 2010, created a new entity, Transit Geo Systems Integrators. Transit Geo plans to introduce new physical security products and low-voltage IP-based systems.

In FY2010-11 Transit Geo will focus on the diamond industry due to its need for both physical and network security, on the government vertical including police departments and SEZs, and on major turnkey projects requiring low-voltage products.

South

 Cyberland Technologies

R Madhav Chandran, Managing Director, Cyberland Technologies, receiving the award

With an impressive growth of 39 percent, Kochi-based Cyberland Technologies posted a turnover of Rs 8.7 crore in FY2009-10 as against Rs 6.2 crore in the previous fiscal. Nearly 79 percent of this revenue came from corporate reselling and the solutions business, while 21 percent came from sub-distribution.

The company attributed the revenue growth to the strong focus on networking solutions, the deep selling to existing customers, and the several large projects it bagged.

Performance Highlights

• Grew by 39 percent to post a turn over of Rs 8.7 crore • Bagged an order worth Rs 82 lakh from the Postal Department to set up LANs in 85 post offices • Won a Rs 1.2 crore project for providing WAN connectivity to link 35 co-operative banks • Restructured its team, reducing the sales force but investing in better technical resources • Plan to work with national systems integrators for contract work

Company Snapshot

Company: Cyberland Technologies MD: R Madhav Chandran Year of inception: 1998 No. of branches: 3 Turnover 2009-10: Rs 8.7 crore Turnover 2008-09: Rs 6.2 crore Employees: 26 Certified employees: 6 Principals: Dax, D-Link, Netgear, Wipro, LG

“Inter-office networking is booming in Kerala, and this helped us grab many networking projects. We sold almost 500 WAN routers in the state in the last fiscal with an average selling price of Rs 25,000. We also managed to gain reasonable traction from the hospitality segment, where wireless adoption is growing,” explained R Madhav Chandran, Managing Director, Cyberland Technologies.

Cyberland bagged an order worth Rs 82 lakh from the postal department to set up LANs in 85 post offices across the state. Another project worth Rs 1.2 crore was for providing WAN connectivity to link 35 co-operative banks across Kerala. “We proposed an optimum solution using DAX products at a cost almost 50 percent less than that proposed by our nearest competitor,” he said.

Cyberland also deployed a wireless broadband solution worth Rs 18 lakh for Infra Hotels & Resorts.

The company focused on creating proof-of-concepts for technologies such as wireless and security. Cyberland restructured its team during the year, reducing the sales force but investing in better technical resources to enhance pre and post-sales support. A new position called techno-commercial executive was created to interface and support customer enquiries.

“Our technical support improved drastically, and customers started providing us with repeat orders. Also, to reduce operational costs, we outsourced labor-oriented work (such as cabling), thus reducing unnecessary overheads,” added Chandran.

The solutions provider has started the process of ISO9001 certification; this is expected to be completed during FY2010-11.

The company introduced a quarterly appraisal scheme to motivate employees, and started a bottomline-based incentive scheme for its sales force. Chandran is betting on new markets opening up in Kerala, especially in tourism, and is planning to beef up its security and storage product lines.

Other plans include working with national systems integrators for contract work.

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