39. Ramco Systems: Victim Of Slowdown

During 2000-01 Ramco Systems reported a total income of Rs 120 crore with agency business chipping in Rs 48 crore. This was a dismal performance, given its agency growth of 110 percent last fiscal. The company's overall revenue also fell short of its 1999-00 mark of Rs 170

crore.

This shortfall was surprising because the company had consolidated its network security business. In the process, it became the largest distributor of Nortel, 3Com and Tyco in the country.

Last FY, Ramco had also joined hands with Sun Microsystems to participate in the iForce program and also signed a strategic MoU with Bharat Earth Movers Limited. The alliance aimed at converging the expertise of Ramco Systems and the domain knowledge of BEML in the implementation and support of the former's e-applications in India and Asia-Pacific.

Ramco bagged some key orders from organizations like BSE, BGSE, Saraswat Bank, Air Freight, TIFR, NIC and NSE. In fact, banking/finance and government sectors accounted for more than 70 percent of its integration revenues. 

With the growing industry needs, Ramco Systems has transformed itself into a software products and services company,

offering comprehensive IT solutions in various areas like enterprise solutions, e-business, networking, security, CRM and real time solutions. With ISO 9001 certified software development practices, its services cover a very wide spectrum of industries ranging from manufacturing, telecommunications, finance, pharmaceuticals, utilities to transportation. Intel, ETA Industries SA (Swatch Group), NEC (semiconductors), Sunkist and Hyundai are some of the Fortune 500 clients serviced by Ramco Systems.

With an increased emphasis on profitability and a close monitoring on costs, Ramco expects to report improved performance in the next few quarters.