Mumbai based enterprise application solutions company Thirdware Solution which recently roped in Ford Motor as 20 percent equity partner, is expanding overseas with three subsidiaries in the US, UK and Singapore. The company will liverage its association with Ford to grow in the automotive sector.

The automotive sector currently accounts to 30 percent of Thirdware's revenues, 70 percent being divided between the FMCG and electronics sectors.

During the current financial year, the company expects revenues to grow to Rs 30 crore from last year's revenue of Rs 15 crore.

Ford's investment in Thirdware is significant because it is the $162bn auto giant only investment in the infotech firm outside the US. Thirdware has been delivering solutions to Ford and its affiliates since '95 and the equity tie-up is a formalisation of that relationship, said Pradeep Erinjery, Director, Thirdware Solution.

"Earlier we worked with Ford in emerging markets in the Asis-Pacific region. The focus willl now shift to Europe and US where Ford has implamentation service requirements", said Mr. Erinjery.

Meanwhile, the conmpany has been signed up by Dabur to implement a Rs 3 crore ERP solution for its sales and distribution operations. Earlier, the company has done similar work for second-rung FMCG firms like Haldiram's and Dinshaw's.

According to Gopal Shukla, CIO, Dabur, the ERP solution will enable the company to bring inventory down and get control over credit. "From monthly planning we can move to weekly planning of production and distribution". said Mr Shukla.

With the three new subsidiaries, Thirdware's total employee strength will increase to 230 from the current 150. "Initially, we would recruit from here to man our operations overseas. The subsidiaries would be the marketing and delivery end of the operation. All development work would be done offshore in India," said Mr Erinjery.