Wipro Limited (formerly Western India Products Limited) is a multinational IT Consulting and System Integration services company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. As of December 2013, the company has 147,000 employees servicing over 900 large enterprise corporations with a presence in 61 countries. Wipro is the third largest IT services company in India and 7th largest worldwide On 31 March 2013, its market capitalisation was INR 1.07 trillion ($19.8 billion), making it India's 10th largest publicly traded company. Azim Premji is a major shareholder in Wipro with over 50% of shareholding.
To focus on core IT Business, it demerged its non-IT businesses into a separate company named Wipro Enterprises Limited with effect from 31 March 2013.The demerged company offers consumer care, lighting, healthcare and infrastructure engineering and contributed to approx. 10% of the revenues of Wipro Limited in previous financial year.
History
Early formative years
The company was incorporated on 29 December 1945, in Mumbai by Mohamed Premji as 'Western India Products Limited', later abbreviated to 'Wipro'. It was initially set up as a manufacturer of vegetable and refined oils in Amalner, district Jalgaon, Maharashtra, under the trade names of Kisan, Sunflower and Camel.The company logo still contains a sunflower to reflect products of the original business.
In 1966, after Mohamed Premji’s death, his son Azim Premji returned home from Stanford University and took over Wipro as its chairman at the age of 21.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the company shifted its focus to new business opportunities in the IT and computing industry, which was at a nascent stage in India at the time. On 7 June 1977, the name of the company changed from Western India Vegetable Products Limited, to Wipro Products Limited.
The year 1980 marked the arrival of Wipro in the IT domain. In 1982, the name was changed from Wipro Products Limited to Wipro Limited. Meanwhile Wipro continued to expand in the consumer products domain with the launch of "Ralak" a tulsi-based family soap and "Wipro Jasmine", a toilet soap.
1966–1992
In 1988, Wipro diversified its product line into heavy-duty industrial cylinders and mobile hydraulic cylinders. A joint venture company with the United States' General Electric in the name of Wipro GE Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd. was set up in 1989 for the manufacture, sales, and service of diagnostic and imaging products. Later, in 1991, tipping systems and Eaton hydraulic products were launched. The Wipro Fluid Power division, in 1992, developed expertise to offer standard hydraulic cylinders for construction equipment and truck tipping systems. The market saw the launch of the "Santoor" talcum powder and "Wipro Baby Soft" range of baby toiletries in 1990.
1994–2000
In 1994, Wipro set up an overseas design centre, Odyssey 21, for undertaking projects and product developments in advanced technologies for overseas clients. Wipro Infotech and Wipro Systems were amalgamated with Wipro in April that year. Five of Wipro's manufacturing and development facilities secured the ISO 9001 certification during 1994–95. In 1999, Wipro acquired Wipro Acer. Wipro became a more profitable, diversified corporation with new products such as the Wipro SuperGenius personal computers (PCs). In 1999, the product was the one Indian PC range to obtain US-based National Software Testing Laboratory (NSTL) certification for the Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance in hardware for all models.
Wipro Limited joined hands with a global telecom major KPN (Royal Dutch telecom) to form a joint venture company “Wipro Net Limited” to provide internet services in India. The year 2000 was the year Wipro launched solutions for convergent networks targeted at Internet and telecom solution providers in the names of Wipro OSS Smart and Wipro WAP Smart. In the same year, Wipro got listed on New York Stock Exchange. In early 2000 Wipro Vice Chairman Vivek Paul and Azim Premji approached KPMG Consulting Vice Chairman Keyur Patel and CEO Rand Blazer to form an mega-outsourcing joint venture between the two organizations.
2001–present
In February 2002, Wipro became the first software technology and services company in India to be certified for ISO 14001 certification. Wipro also achieved ISO 9000 certification to become the first software company to get SEI CMM Level 5 in 2002. Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group entered the market of compact fluorescent lamps, with the launch of a range of CFL, under the brand name of Wipro Smartlite. As the company grew, a study revealed that Wipro was the fastest wealth creator for 5 years (1997–2002). The same year witnessed the launch of Wipro’s own laptops with Intel's Centrino mobile processor.Wipro also entered into an exclusive agreement with the owners of Chandrika for marketing of their soap in select states in India. It set up a wholly owned subsidiary company viz. Wipro Consumer Care Limited to manufacture consumer care and lighting products. In 2004 Wipro joined the billion dollar club. It also partnered with Intel for i-shiksha. The year 2006 saw Wipro acquire cMango Inc., a US-based technology infrastructure Consulting firm Enabler, and a Europe based retail solutions provider. In 2007, Wipro signed a large deal with Lockheed Martin. It also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oki Techno Centre Singapore Pte Ltd (OTCS) and signed an R&D partnership contract with Nokia Siemens Networks in Germany. The year 2008 saw Wipro’s foray into the clean energy business with Wipro Eco Energy. In April 2011, Wipro signed an agreement with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for the acquisition of their global oil and gas information technology practice of the commercial business services business unit. The year 2012 saw Wipro make its 17th acquisition in IT business when it acquired Australian analytics product firm Promax Applications Group (PAG) for $35 million.Wipro is the No. 1 employer of H-1B visa professionals in the United States in 2012.
In 2012 Wipro Ltd. announced the demerger of its Consumer Care & Lighting (incl. Furniture business), Infrastructure Engineering (Hydraulics & Water business), and Medical Diagnostic Product & Services business into a separate company to be named Wipro Enterprises Ltd. Wipro's scheme of arrangement for demerger turned effective from 31 March 2013.
To focus on core IT Business, it demerged its non-IT businesses into a separate company named Wipro Enterprises Limited with effect from 31 March 2013.The demerged company offers consumer care, lighting, healthcare and infrastructure engineering and contributed to approx. 10% of the revenues of Wipro Limited in previous financial year.
History
Early formative years
The company was incorporated on 29 December 1945, in Mumbai by Mohamed Premji as 'Western India Products Limited', later abbreviated to 'Wipro'. It was initially set up as a manufacturer of vegetable and refined oils in Amalner, district Jalgaon, Maharashtra, under the trade names of Kisan, Sunflower and Camel.The company logo still contains a sunflower to reflect products of the original business.
In 1966, after Mohamed Premji’s death, his son Azim Premji returned home from Stanford University and took over Wipro as its chairman at the age of 21.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the company shifted its focus to new business opportunities in the IT and computing industry, which was at a nascent stage in India at the time. On 7 June 1977, the name of the company changed from Western India Vegetable Products Limited, to Wipro Products Limited.
The year 1980 marked the arrival of Wipro in the IT domain. In 1982, the name was changed from Wipro Products Limited to Wipro Limited. Meanwhile Wipro continued to expand in the consumer products domain with the launch of "Ralak" a tulsi-based family soap and "Wipro Jasmine", a toilet soap.
1966–1992
In 1988, Wipro diversified its product line into heavy-duty industrial cylinders and mobile hydraulic cylinders. A joint venture company with the United States' General Electric in the name of Wipro GE Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd. was set up in 1989 for the manufacture, sales, and service of diagnostic and imaging products. Later, in 1991, tipping systems and Eaton hydraulic products were launched. The Wipro Fluid Power division, in 1992, developed expertise to offer standard hydraulic cylinders for construction equipment and truck tipping systems. The market saw the launch of the "Santoor" talcum powder and "Wipro Baby Soft" range of baby toiletries in 1990.
1994–2000
In 1994, Wipro set up an overseas design centre, Odyssey 21, for undertaking projects and product developments in advanced technologies for overseas clients. Wipro Infotech and Wipro Systems were amalgamated with Wipro in April that year. Five of Wipro's manufacturing and development facilities secured the ISO 9001 certification during 1994–95. In 1999, Wipro acquired Wipro Acer. Wipro became a more profitable, diversified corporation with new products such as the Wipro SuperGenius personal computers (PCs). In 1999, the product was the one Indian PC range to obtain US-based National Software Testing Laboratory (NSTL) certification for the Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance in hardware for all models.
Wipro Limited joined hands with a global telecom major KPN (Royal Dutch telecom) to form a joint venture company “Wipro Net Limited” to provide internet services in India. The year 2000 was the year Wipro launched solutions for convergent networks targeted at Internet and telecom solution providers in the names of Wipro OSS Smart and Wipro WAP Smart. In the same year, Wipro got listed on New York Stock Exchange. In early 2000 Wipro Vice Chairman Vivek Paul and Azim Premji approached KPMG Consulting Vice Chairman Keyur Patel and CEO Rand Blazer to form an mega-outsourcing joint venture between the two organizations.
2001–present
In February 2002, Wipro became the first software technology and services company in India to be certified for ISO 14001 certification. Wipro also achieved ISO 9000 certification to become the first software company to get SEI CMM Level 5 in 2002. Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group entered the market of compact fluorescent lamps, with the launch of a range of CFL, under the brand name of Wipro Smartlite. As the company grew, a study revealed that Wipro was the fastest wealth creator for 5 years (1997–2002). The same year witnessed the launch of Wipro’s own laptops with Intel's Centrino mobile processor.Wipro also entered into an exclusive agreement with the owners of Chandrika for marketing of their soap in select states in India. It set up a wholly owned subsidiary company viz. Wipro Consumer Care Limited to manufacture consumer care and lighting products. In 2004 Wipro joined the billion dollar club. It also partnered with Intel for i-shiksha. The year 2006 saw Wipro acquire cMango Inc., a US-based technology infrastructure Consulting firm Enabler, and a Europe based retail solutions provider. In 2007, Wipro signed a large deal with Lockheed Martin. It also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oki Techno Centre Singapore Pte Ltd (OTCS) and signed an R&D partnership contract with Nokia Siemens Networks in Germany. The year 2008 saw Wipro’s foray into the clean energy business with Wipro Eco Energy. In April 2011, Wipro signed an agreement with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for the acquisition of their global oil and gas information technology practice of the commercial business services business unit. The year 2012 saw Wipro make its 17th acquisition in IT business when it acquired Australian analytics product firm Promax Applications Group (PAG) for $35 million.Wipro is the No. 1 employer of H-1B visa professionals in the United States in 2012.
In 2012 Wipro Ltd. announced the demerger of its Consumer Care & Lighting (incl. Furniture business), Infrastructure Engineering (Hydraulics & Water business), and Medical Diagnostic Product & Services business into a separate company to be named Wipro Enterprises Ltd. Wipro's scheme of arrangement for demerger turned effective from 31 March 2013.
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