Gemini to appoint 50 channel partners

Chennai-based Gemini Communication Ltd, the first Indian comp-any to develop
RFID prod-ucts, would be appointing around 50 channel partners by the end of the
third quarter of this fiscal 2005-06.

Pradhyumna T Venkat, Business Head-RFID systems, Gemini Communication infor-med,
"We would be appoint-ing five value distributor, 20 preferred partners and
some 30-odd business resellers by December 2005." "Currently, we are
looking at partners who are into selling security solutions or barcode
solutions. The network integrators, who are in the way of diversifying their
business, are also looked into as a preferred partner for selling Gemini's 'Traze'
product in India," he observed.

Besides, the company is also in touch with the OEM barcode companies, who
would source the RFID product and would be sold in the OEM company's brand
name. "We are also looking out for bringing in a co-branding set-up with
some of the OEM barcode companies, which would be beneficial for both the
products," Venkat added.

Further, he observed, "RFID products in India is still in the
experimental stage, where companies are trying out with pilots. Gemini has been
involved in numerous pilots with the top leading manufacturers and software
companies in India. We are doing some pilots for asset tracking and people
tracking for the Ranbaxy Laboratories and product authentication for the print
heads in TVSE and have created about 1,000 tags for the same."

Besides India, Gemini is also looking at the Middle-East, US and South
African market. "Our thrust market will be Middle-East and we would venture
into the South African market by the end of December 2005," Venkat said.

Gemini, which now has a presence in around 350 locations all over India,
plans to expand its footprint to 40 more locations by the end of 2005. It
further plans to increase its employee based in the RFID division from the
existing 40 to 70 by the end of this year.

PS Vidyalakshmi

Chennai