SUNNYVALE, Calif. and JACKSON, Mich., May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HCL America, Inc., a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of HCL Technologies Ltd. (HCL), a leading global Information Technology (IT) services provider, and Consumers Energy, the 4th-largest U.S. electric and natural gas company, today announced that the two companies will collaborate on a new "Glocal" Center of Excellence (GCoE) called the Michigan Technology Development Center (MTDC).  The Center will be located at the Commonwealth Commerce Center in downtown Jackson, Michigan.

As part of the agreement, HCL expects to hire local technology professionals and create 300 professional technology positions during phase one of the MTDC opening. The MTDC also will be a designated training and development hub for advanced and emerging IT processes, tools and will work with local universities and colleges. The center will also establish a learning academy to train Consumers Energy employees on advanced and emerging technologies, and will be further expanded to accommodate 500 technology professionals in the next few years.

The two companies entered into an agreement with the objective of improving operational excellence through advanced technological operations and processes and provide significant benefits to the mid-Michigan and Jackson economies. The agreement will significantly increase Michigan's IT capacity, while improving employment prospects for IT graduates from Michigan universities and colleges.  It will also serve as a leading example of Michigan's new, successful economic policies.

This agreement is the result of the Consumers Energy leadership's vision to embark on a game-changing plan to move its IT department from a technology support role to technology innovators – and will utilize HCL's expertise through its matured processes and highly qualified employees.  It will enable Consumers Energy's IT department to leverage HCL's software solutions expertise to manage its existing operations, thereby allowing Consumers Energy's many talented and knowledgeable employees to focus on innovative assignments supporting business excellence for the utility.  HCL is a recognized leader in the energy and utilities sector with a proven track record of delivering IT enabled industry targeted solutions.

"Our company is making this important investment to provide our employees with new IT skills to work on high value projects and technologies that will prepare our company for the future," said Mamatha Chamarthi, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Consumers Energy. "Through this center, HCL will provide IT operations for our company, enabling our employees to move to innovative projects."

"HCL's expansion demonstrates that our economic gardening strategy is helping dynamic companies to grow their presence in Michigan," said Governor Rick Snyder. "This investment by HCL and continued commitment of Consumers Energy sends a message that will be heard around the world that Michigan's highly competitive business climate and tremendous workforce capabilities mean real opportunities for leading edge businesses."

"As a socially responsible organization, HCL will invest in developing the next-generation workforce in Michigan by creating high-quality jobs in the industry and the region," said Rajeev Sawhney, Corporate Vice President, HCL Technologies. "We look forward to working with Consumers Energy on these strategic initiatives within its organization and the region."

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the City of Jackson, the Jackson Enterprise Group and the Commonwealth Commerce Center all provided substantial assistance in supporting HCL's decision to locate in Jackson, a prime central Michigan location in close proximity to many Michigan universities and colleges.

HCL's Expanding U.S. Investments
HCL has continuously been at the forefront of organizational sustainability, diversity and social inclusiveness. Through this agreement and partnerships with other anchor customers in New York, North Carolina, Texas and the state of Washington, HCL is pooling resources to increase job creation in the local communities of its U.S. operations. Committed to hiring and developing talent locally, HCL is working closely with several local universities to recruit recent graduates from the University of Washington, Seattle University, the University of North Texas, the University of West Florida, Oregon State University and others.

About HCL Technologies 
HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company, working with clients in the areas that impact and redefine the core of their businesses. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999, HCL focuses on 'transformational outsourcing', underlined by innovation and value creation, and offers integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, infrastructure management, engineering and R&D services and BPO. HCL leverages its extensive global offshore infrastructure and network of offices in 26 countries to provide holistic, multi-service delivery in key industry verticals including Financial Services, Manufacturing, Consumer Services, Public Services and Healthcare. HCL takes pride in its philosophy of 'Employee First, Customer Second' which empowers our 82,464 transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies, along with its subsidiaries, has reported consolidated revenues of US$ 4.0 billion ('19,412 crores), as on 31 March 2012 (on LTMbasis). For more information, please visit www.hcltech.com 

About HCL 
HCL is a $6.2 billion leading global technology and IT enterprise comprising two companies listed in India - HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems. Founded in 1976, HCL is one of India's original IT garage start-ups. A pioneer of modern computing, HCL is a global transformational enterprise today. Its range of offerings includes product engineering, custom & package applications, BPO, IT infrastructure services, IT hardware, systems integration, and distribution of information and communications technology (ICT) products across a wide range of focused industry verticals. The HCL team consists of over 90,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 31 countries including over 500 points of presence in India. HCL has partnerships with several leading global 1000 firms, including leading IT and technology firms. For more on HCL, please visit www.hcl.com 

About Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.  Consumers Energy is celebrating in 2012 its 125th year of service to the people of Michigan.  For more information, please visit:  www.consumersenergy.com

Forward-looking Statements  
Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward looking statements, including but not limited to the statements containing the words 'planned', 'expects', 'believes', 'strategy', 'opportunity', 'anticipates', 'hopes' or other similar words. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding impact of pending regulatory proceedings, fluctuations in earnings, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services, Business Process Outsourcing and consulting services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, customer acceptances of our services, products and fee structures, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, our ability to integrate acquired assets in a cost effective and timely manner, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, the success of our brand development efforts, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies / entities in which we have made strategic investments, withdrawal of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property, other risks, uncertainties and general economic conditions affecting our industry. There can be no assurance that the forward looking statements made herein will prove to be accurate, and issuance of such forward looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company, or any other person, that the objective and plans of the Company will be achieved. All forward looking statements made herein are based on information presently available to the management of the Company and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

SOURCE Consumers Energy

Meenakshi Benjwal, HCL Technologies, meenakshi.benjwal@hcl.com, +1-973-393-6225; or Tim Hurley, Matter Communications, thurley@matternow.com, +1-978-499-9250 ext. 229; or Dan Bishop, Consumers Energy, DANIEL.BISHOP@cmsenergy.com, +1-517-788-2395, or Jeff Holyfield, Consumers Energy, JEFFREY.HOLYFIELD@cmsenergy.com, +1-517-788-2394