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Aequs to allow IT/ITes cos in its Belagavi SEZ

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Aerospace manufacturing company Aequs is opening up its 250-acre special economic zone (SEZ) for IT and IT-enabled companies. The SEZ, located at Hattaragi, 35 km from Belagavi, has so far focused on aerospace component manufacturing. Quest Global, the engineering services company founded by Aequs founder Aravind Melligeri and his friend Ajit Prabhu, has already established a presence in the SEZ. “We are keeping the option open to other IT companies also to set up their units. There is an established infrastructure in the campus. IT units will get facilities like common cafeteria, common healthcare facilities, bus facility between Belagavi and the SEZ,” Aequs managing director for India, Rajeev Kaul.

Kaul said most IT players are forced to go to Bengaluru. Aequs wants to create an ecosystem for IT in the north Karnataka region. Kaul said there are many medium-scale IT players in the region but they are not getting good infrastructure.

aequsKaul, who played a significant role in setting up the precision engineering SEZ, said a lot of skilled human force is available in the region. Most now go to Bengaluru given the lack of options in the region. “Our attempt is to stop migration of skilled force, which is also a goal of our chairman and CEO Aravind Melligeri,” he said.

The move has been appreciated by IT players of Belagavi and surrounding areas. Manoj Talreja, president of Belgaum IT Association, said it would be fantastic if Aequs is ready to give opportunity to set up software and hardware units in its campus.

Karnataka Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC) had developed an IT Park at Desur,14 km from Belagavi city, in 2010,but there are no takers for those sites due to lack of infrastructure and connectivity. When it comes to Aequs SEZ, it has been located on Pune-Bengaluru National Highway-4 and one could reach to the spot hardly in 20-25 minutes drive.

Firm will invest $22 million in FY18

Bengaluru: Aequs will make a capital investment of $22 million this fiscal year, the company’s founder Aravind Melligeri said. The money will go mostly into buying more machines for aerospace component manufacturing. A total of about$100 million of investment has already gone into developing its Belagavi SEZ. Melligeri has diluted his stake in engineering services company Quest Global, which he co-founded with friend Ajit Prabhu, to raise money for Aequs. Quest is believed to be valued at close to $1 billion. Aequs has been evolving into an almost complete ecosystem for aerospace component manufacturing. The facility does forging, machining, surface treatment and assembly. It also now hosts materials suppliers – distributors of aluminium, steel, and titanium, distributors of fasteners, cutting tools. This ensures in-time supplies to the other facilities.

The SEZ even has training facilities. The SEZ now has about 21 operating units, occupying 600,000 sqft. Five years ago, the space occupied was a tenth of this. Revenue has grown from $10 million five years ago, to about $100 million now.

Melligeri said the India operations are profitable on a net basis, but declined to provide figures. On a global basis, including the French company SiRA it acquired in 2016, the group expects to be profitable this year. Aequs has exited the automotive space, with the objective of focusing on aerospace. “We see an opportunity to be a leader in aerospace,” Melligeri said. Aequs’ biggest customers are Safran, UTC Aerospace Systems and Airbus. It supplies products like landing gear components, fuselage components, pylon components, actuators, and engine components. The over wing door for all A321neos are being done by Aequs. “Customers are very clear they want to do more out of India,” Melligeri said.

15 thoughts on “Aequs to allow IT/ITes cos in its Belagavi SEZ”

  1. Good thought to develop Aequs to develop IT n ITES but at the same time other industries like manufacturing n engineering should also be developed side by side . When it comes to IT, people don’t relocate to places like Hubli n Belgaum easily considering the proximity of Bangalore n Pune nearby. But surely other major industries can be encouraged because Belgaum already has some..good initiative by Aequs

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  2. Good initiative by AEQUS… we will surely relocate if there are jobs created in Belgaum region.. good news for all belgaumities who are away from home….

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  3. OMG Seriously that’s great news the very best initiative taken AEQUS. IT companies in belagavi indeed needed . Many n me too miss family n my native so badly. Please please people wake up belgavi is declared smart city .This step will encourage IT to setup here then the future will be bright but then a must have plan for metro line too connecting the cities every corner belgavi is developing n v can develop our city optimal. Honestly, speaking I know the life in metro cities it’s so very hectic traveling sucks no metro heavy traffic people r pissed off staying here v wanna come back to r natives but sadly VR so so very helpless :'( VR praying that belgavi too turns to a green clean pollution free IT hub to be known around the world for the planning ever n honestly v can achieve it .My people out there please invite IT companies to our city but then developing a city must not spoil the nature of city .plan in such a way that water , air, food ,shelter available at ease n not scarcity these metros cities (no metro at all the worst worst part of any metro city )will die out soon in coming years. Please please please humble request put this questions to assembly session this year taking place now that belagavi needs IT n very well plan with people’s advice as because people have suffered they know the situation n will provide optimal solution. N traveling metro s ought to be there in future than Ring road please please please please people think it’s r city n v know what’s best for it.

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