New Delhi, Feb. 5 -- Vanderlande, a global logistics process automation company, has opened an India Innovation Centre (IIC) in Pune, reinforcing India's growing role as a hub for advanced engineering, research and innovation within multinational technology firms.
The new facility marks a key expansion of Vanderlande India's Global Capability Centre (GCC) operations and positions India as the company's second-largest technology hub globally, after the Netherlands. The move mirrors a wider shift among global industrial and technology companies to locate high-value engineering and digital innovation work in India.
Spread across two acres, the India Innovation Centre has been designed as a collaboration-led space where engineers can co-create, test and deploy end-to-end automation solutions for global customers across warehousing, airports and parcel logistics. The centre will focus on areas such as robotic automation, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and digital-physical integration.
"With automation becoming essential for our customers, innovation centres play a pivotal role in delivering smarter and more efficient solutions," said Astrid van Druten, chief financial officer, Vanderlande. "India, as our second-largest technology hub, will further strengthen our global innovation ecosystem."
Manish Patil, managing director, Vanderlande India, said the centre reflects the company's long-term commitment to building global capabilities from India.
Over the years, Vanderlande India has expanded from a small support office into a GCC with over 1,300 employees spanning R&D, software development, core engineering and shared services.
Pune, in particular, is emerging as a preferred innovation cluster for global engineering centres, driven by its strong talent pipeline, proximity to manufacturing ecosystems and a mature base of global R&D operations. Companies such as Siemens, Bosch and Honeywell have steadily expanded their Pune centres beyond support roles into core product engineering, digital twins, industrial AI and autonomous systems development.
Vanderlande's expansion aligns with this trend, underscoring how India's GCCs-especially in Pune-are evolving from cost-focused offshore units into strategic innovation engines for global enterprises.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from TechCircle.