Date:21/11/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/11/21/stories/2005112102581300.htm

Back Trammell Crow sees boom in knowledge process outsourcing

Nina Varghese

Chennai , Nov. 20

INDIAN companies have an exposure of only 10 per cent of the total potential of the knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) in the US, said Mr Anuj Puri, Managing Director, Trammell Crow Meghraj Pvt Ltd, formerly Chesterton Meghraj Property Consultants Pvt Ltd.

The KPO segment is likely to boom in the course of the coming year, he said.

He said the American market is realising the benefits of outsourcing back office functions to India. Trammell Crow, for instance, is considering outsourcing research, lease administration and the production of marketing material to India. (The company manages real estate globally for many transnational companies.)

Chennai, he said, continues to attract information technology (IT) majors to set up their facilities here. The city, at present, has no quality space available.

The supply is about six months down the line. Most of those scouting for space have also planned accordingly, he said.

Bangalore tops the list again for built-up space this year with about 12 million sq ft of space mainly for IT and IT-enabled services (ITES). Delhi and Mumbai have delivered about 5 million sq ft each and Chennai has 3.5 million sq ft of committed space.

It may be recalled that in October, the $800-million Trammell Crow picked up a 30 per cent stake in Chesterton Meghraj, a UK company.