Shilpi Cable forms JV with New Zealand-based Eyecom for antennas.

Shilpi Cable Technologies Limited (SCTL) - a manufacturer of cables used in telecom, automotive and energy segment - has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with the New Zealand-based Eyecom Telecommunications Equipments Ltd, marking its foray in the next generation technology of radio frequency (RF).

With this strategic partnership Shilpi Cable becomes a one-stop RF path solution provider in the telecom space and introduce base station antenna (BSA) products for 2G/3G/4G and next generation rollouts in India.

Manish Goel, managing director, Shilpi Cable Technologies Limited, commented, “With the increase in data demand and government’s push on Digital India there is an emerging need to provide improved technology solutions in the telecom space. Our JV with Eyecom will address this demand and aim at capturing at least 30 per cent market share in the RF path solution market over the next three years.”

SCTL has successfully carried out field trials of its antennas in the Indian market and plans to set up a manufacturing facility at Chopanki, Rajasthan.

Once the commercial production begins in the next six months, the facility will manufacture around 15,000 antennas per month. The facility would also produce other products such as repeaters and IBS passive components.

As part of the JV, Eyecom will transfer the technical know-how for manufacturing and carry out R&D for the future technologies relevant for the Indian market, which is currently estimated at approximately Rs 1,500 crore.

Guan QI, general manager, Eyecom Telecommunications Equipments Ltd, said, “We are pleased to join hands with one of India’s leading telecom solution providers, which also marks the entry of Eyecom in one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world.”

Eyecom Telecommunications has manufacturing facilities at Guangzhou China and R&D centers at Wellington New Zealand, Guangzhou China, Hongkong and Singapore. The company is involved in the manufacturing of base station antenna, RET and MDT, IRDN (DAS) products, control and signal products, etc.

BS