Andrew Corp., a global leader in communications systems and products, announced it has become the first company to manufacture both radio frequency cable products and antennas in India with the opening of its newly-built production facility in Goa.

Andrew’s new Indian facility will serve the various equipment manufacturers and network operators in this rapidly growing market with technically superior, high quality products which previously were available only through importing. For the first time, customers can benefit from the local supply of Indian-produced RF products that include Andrew’s HELIAX® coaxial cable, connectors and accessories; Decibel® base station antennas; and ValuLine® and Advantage terrestrial microwave antennas, backed by in-country technical assistance and customer support. The new facility also hosts a staffed service and repair depot for Andrew RF repeater products.

“As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of our local subsidiary in India, Andrew is proud to significantly expand its capabilities in support of this nation’s rapid deployment of wireless networks,” said John DeSana, group president, Antenna and Cable Products Segment, Andrew Corp. “Our new Goa facility, with state-of-the-art RF equipment and manufacturing processes that are unique to India, will deliver tangible benefits to our customers that will accelerate network deployment, reduce unnecessary costs and improve quality.”

The custom-built 19,400 square meter facility in Goa, which replaces a smaller, neighboring facility that produces cable products, is ISO9000 certified and began operation this month. Based on current business outlook, Andrew expects to add approximately 60 employees to the approximately 240 workers it employed in its previous Goa facility. It represents a major expansion of Andrew’s production capabilities in India, which began in 1997 with a small cable assembly facility in Goa that employed 10 people. Andrew also supports the Indian telecommunications market from sales and support offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.

In addition to enabling product purchasing in local currency and essentially eliminating customers’ need to import, Andrew’s local production capabilities benefit India’s telecommunications market by significantly reducing delivery times for high quality RF cables and antennas.

“Local production in the Indian market provides our customers with significant freight and inventory cost savings, plus meaningful improvement in product delivery times and availability,” said Ben Cardwell, vice president, Asia-Pacific Sales and Marketing, Andrew Corp. “Andrew can manufacture and handle all logistics locally to ensure products and site kits are delivered quickly to locations where customers require them.”

The Goa facility joins a network of Andrew manufacturing and distribution facilities around the world that serve customers faster and better through regional supply capabilities.