IT/BT Min Priyank Kharge at the inauguration of Zeiss GCC.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Launching its global capability centre (GCC) in Bengaluru, on Monday, German manufacturer of optical systems and optoelectronics, Carl Zeiss AG, with the brand Zeiss, announced that it is building a manufacturing plant in Devanahalli with Rs 3,000 crore - its biggest investment outside Germany.
“ZEISS’s journey in India is a testament to our nation’s strength as a premier global investment hub, attracting and retaining top-tier companies. Karnataka has the potential to drive growth across diverse sectors and I am excited to see the positive outcomes of public-private partnership. I encourage more such alliances to drive impactful solutions,” said IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge at the event.
Zeiss currently employs 2,500 people and plans to double its workforce in the next three years, taking the total headcount to 5,000, across functions. This also includes doubling the headcount the GCC presently at 600.
Apart from tech, the company is also invested in applied research, cybersecurity and other digital technologies.
“Bengaluru is a prime hub due to availability of skills, collaborations and also ecosystem that is very important to grow,” said Dhaval Radia, the chief financial officer of the company's India unit.
The optical systems manufacturer already has three functional plants in Bommasandra. Its Devanahalli plant is expected to kickstart its operations by the end of 2025. These plants are highly export oriented with over 75% of the products being sent overseas.
A GCC is an offshore unit of a foreign company which provides services such as research and development, IT, engineering, finance, human resources, and analytics among others.
The company also has sales and research and development presence in India, with a lab in Delhi. The German manufacturer's India unit is expected to clock Rs 2,000 crore in revenue for its fiscal year ending September 2025, up 19% year-on-year, Radia added.
Karnataka having a GCC policy in the works was a catalyst for the company choosing to set up its unit in the state, the company informed.