2e2 presses ahead with SAP offshoring strategy

Integrator claims burgeoning partnership with Indian consultancy MindTree will complement Patni alliance

2e2's nascent offshore partnership with SAP consultancy MindTree has already netted it two big wins, the integrator has claimed.

MindTree is one of two Indian offshore providers, alongside Patni, with whom 2e2 forged ties late last year.

Although the Patni relationship, which covers infrastructure services, is much more extensive, 2e2 plans to expand its partnership with MindTree following what it claims is a successful initial engagement.

2e2 business development director Nick Grossman (pictured) said: "It has enabled us to win two contracts I believe we wouldn't otherwise have won. One is in commercial and one is in construction, which is a focus area for us in SAP."

Grossman said the partnership brings its UK SAP customers both commercial flexiblity and a raft of SAP skills 2e2 didn't previously have despite its recent acquisition of Diagonal owner Morse.

2e2 has previously offshored some SAP work to a Malaysian offshoot of Morse, but Grossman said the country has become less cost-effective.

He hinted the relationship with MindTree, which currently involves 15 staff covering areas such as SAP development and helpdesk, could be extended to encompass other business applications.

Grossman also said that Patni's acquisition by Californian BPO outfit iGate in January for $1.22bn had no bearing on its relationship with 2e2.

"Both MindTree and Patni are delivering exactly the sort of agility and flexibility we thought they would, and we would like to do more with them as customers engage with that model," he said.