FCI OEN CONNECTORS LIMITED

FCI OEN Connectors Ltd is the country's prime supplier of Professional Grade Connectors. The Company is a joint venture with FCI France (earlier called Framatome Connectors France). 

It was incorporated on the 2nd day of June 1981. 

Located far away from the madding crowds of the city of Cochin in Kerala, on the outskirts of Mulanthuruthy, atop a hillock aptly named Electrogiri, the Company commands a calm and peaceful milieu.

Giant Strides

Way back in 1984, when the Company commenced its commercial operations, the product range was limited.

However, enriched by the technical backing of the joint venture partner, M/s. FCI France and its subsidiaries, also catalysed by the Company's ever continuing quest for excellence and completeness, the accretion of the Company every passing day has been prodigious. The result - FCI OEN Connectors Ltd. is today magniloquent of a wide gamut of connectors like Rack & Panel Connectors, Terminal Connectors, Flat Cable Connectors, Circular Connectors, PCB Connectors, Heavy Duty Connectors and IC Sockets.

Collaborators

FCI France is the technology supplier of the Company since inception. In 1989, they acquired 26% of the Company's equity share capital. In August 1993, the equity stake increased to 40%. Immediately thereafter, the stake further increased to 51% by an exclusive issue of 7,59,863 equity shares to them at a premium of Rs.75/- per share. In 1999, by the conversion of Zero Interest Fully convertible Debentures issued to FCI France, their equity increased from 51% to 61.5% . 

FCI France, with its headquarters at Versailles, France, has a turnover of 2.4 billion US dollars in 2000, FCI is the world's second largest connector manufacturer and the only European company amongst the top ten. Operating more than 60 production plants in 29 countries, its activities spread over to following markets: Communications, data, consumer, industrial & instrumentation, military, energy and automotive. FCI has its headquarters in Paris, France and employs more than 14,000 people in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Manufacturing Facilities:

At Mulanthuruthy, Cochin

Immaculately clean and impeccably tidy, the factory today boasts of the most sophisticated and contemporary equipments and fully air-conditioned assembly of area 31,500 sq.ft. The manufacturing process strictly adheres to the standards and specifications set by the collaborator so as to ensure that the end products match the quality and reliability levels set by the collaborator. No wonder, the products are well accepted by the market.

At Bangalore

Fibre Optic Cable Assembly and Value Added business is being undertaken at the Bangalore manufacturing facility. Value Added products offer not only connectors, but also complete interconnect sub-assemblies (particularly cable assemblies and back planes). Fibre Optic and Value Added business will find increased markets in the future and therefore the Company has identified these as thrust areas for future growth.

Quality Approvals

Quality is a way of life and an article of faith at the manufacturing site. The emphasis on quality, a corporate obsession, is evident in all facets of activities in the Company. No wonder the products of the Company have been well accepted by the market and its name is synonymous with quality and reliability. 

FCI OEN Connectors Ltd is the first connector manufacturer in India to receive ISO 9002 Certification. The Company has also received QPL approval from the Defence Electronics Supply Centre, USA, for manufacturing Circular Connectors; making it the first Company in Asia to receive such an approval. This will enable the Company to market the products in the US & European aerospace and defence markets.

During the current year, your Company plans to go for certification of ISO TS 16949 and recertification of ISO 9001. ISO/TS16949:2002 is an ISO Technical Specification which aligns existing US, German, French and Italian automotive quality system standards within the global automotive industry. It specifies the quality system requirements for the design/ development, production, installation and servicing of automotive products.

Market and Marketing Network

With a central marketing office at Cochin, the Company has regional offices in all major cities with field personnel carrying forward the work put in by our Design/Production/ Quality team. The penetrating style of customer service of the field personnel ensures that FCI OEN Connectors meet not only the required specifications, but also the adaptability with reference to each specific application, failing which suitable options are immediately offered. 

The Company also represents FCI in India since 1985 for marketing their multitudinous varieties of connectors and akin products.

Accolades

The Company is embellished by the many laurels it has won to its credit. This includes the National Productivity Award, Elcina Award for Export & Quality, Kerala State Productivity Award, C-DoT Vendors Association Productivity Award, DOE Award for Excellence in Electronics etc. 

Company won the National Award for Excellence in indigenisation of defence products instituted by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The Award was in recognition for the indigenisation done for Bharat Electronics in back plane assemblies including contacts for a military communication project.