Kolkata, April 11: BAJAJ Electricals Ltd (BEL) has decided to overhaul its branch office operations, including manpower rationalisation, as part of its overall business development programme chalked out by Arther Andersen.

The revamping exercises for its 20 branches throughout the country would encompass streamlining of production, distribution and sales besides rationalisation of manpower to ensure a higher business and profitability of individual branches, BEL sources said.

BEL has initially taken up its Mumbai and Bangalore branches for the revamping exercise and “based on the outcome in those two branches, we will take up similar exercise in all the other centres,” the sources said.
The company, which had appointed Arthur Andersen last year to draw a plan for overall business development, has decided to implement its recommendations part by part starting with the streamlining of branch operations.

Meanwhile, the company expected a turnover of about Rs 380 crore in the last fiscal and was reportedly aiming to reach Rs 500 crore mark during the current year.

BEL also expected substantial growth in turnover from its high mast lighting business with the recent commissioning of the Ranjangaon facility near Pune, the sources said.

The Ranjangaon facility, which would be manufacturing high mast lighting, transmission and telecommunication towers, sub station structure and lattice towers, was expected to add Rs 100 crore to the topline by the next fiscal, the sources said.

The new facility, set up at a cost of Rs 45 crore, also has the country’s biggest galvanising unit for manufacturing galvanised octagonal, conical and tubular poles.

Besides the business revamping exercise and the new projects, the company has decided to continue with its strategy to join hands with Chinese firms for import of appliances. (PTI)