SI & Automation synergies in India

Driven by India’s economic growth, the demand for a wide range of industrial goods, such as automotive, consumer durables, food and beverage, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and others, is on the increase.  The mismatch between supply and demand provides the impetus for greenfield projects to come up alongside projects associated with plant upgrades and expansions.  This provides the right framework for the growth of the automation market, which in turn spurs the expansion of the system integrators’ (SI) business.

Manufacturing companies in India are increasingly turning to system integrators to implement automation projects and seamlessly integrate disparate systems.  System integrators technically bridge the gap between end users and automation suppliers.  Often, a good automation system implementation involves integration of subsystems from various suppliers, and SIs work as implementation partners.  From an end user perspective, real-time performance management, which involves collaboration among automation systems and enterprise solutions, is important.  Therefore, end users turn to SIs, having the necessary skill-set, to integrate various technology solutions.  Resulting from these developments, India has emerged as the home of good SI firms. 
According to ARC Advisory Group’s research, the country has around 250 system integrator firms whose revenues would exceed $180 million by 2015.  ARC’s latest study, “Service Capabilities and Profiles of System Integrators in India”  provides an in-depth analysis of the system integrator companies and their businesses in India.  In addition to market analysis and forecasts, the study also covers details relating to the skill-set and domain knowledge possessed by SIs, the industries they serve, and the human resources they have.   Additionally, the report highlights the factors that influence the system integrator’s market in India and its dynamics.
System Integrators in India Can Emerge as Global Service Providers 
According to Rajabahadur V. Arcot, Vice President and GM, ARC Advisory Group India, and co-author of this study, “India’s industrial sector gains from the country’s economic growth, which in turn spurs the demand for state-of-the-art automation and the emergence of  system integrators with good engineering capabilities and technical skills.”

Commenting on the market opportunity for system integrators he says that globally there is a demand for system integrators with good engineering and project management capabilities and technical skills.  SIs in India also have opportunities to act as global service providers, and expand beyond the country’s shores.  Becoming financially sound and creating necessary awareness about their capabilities are prerequisites to succeed both within the country and outside. < Bonding with System Integrators Would Benefit Automation Suppliers 
The country’s robust automation market outlook propels the emergence of SIs.  Sharada Prahladrao, editor and co-author of this study says, “System Integrators are playing an important role in the growth of the automation market in India.  On one hand, the growing application of automation by industries expands system integrators’ base, end users’ demand for implementation partners on the other bodes well for all stakeholders – automation suppliers, SIs, and end users.”  SIs in India have excellent understanding of end user requirements, industry domain knowledge, and automation skill set.  Automation companies entering the market in India will find it beneficial to forge relationships with the country’s SIs.

ARC’s “Service Capabilities and Profiles of System Integrators in India” study, with ample market intelligence, identifies leading SIs in various industries, market trends and challenges, and strategic recommendations.  Quantitative information and assessment apart, this study provides an insightful analysis of issues that will affect the business in the future and suggests well-researched strategies for suppliers.