Sumitomo Corporation shuts Kolkata office

Kolkata: Sumitomo Corporation has closed down its office in Kolkata “amicably“ after its 30-35 employees opted for a compensation package.

A senior bureaucrat in the office of the West Bengal Labour Commissioner confirmed this development. “The company initially made a compensation offer, but the employees found it inadequate. Then it was doubled and everyone accepted it. The office was closed down on 31 July 2002.“

The Kolkata office of Sumitomo Corporation was one of the oldest in the country belonging to the Japanese house. The company's operations in India is managed by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sumitomo Corporation India Pvt Ltd. Apart from New Delhi, the company has offices in Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.

The company is engaged in the procurement and supply of material and equipment necessary for different projects. It also identifies and engages Indian subcontractors for undertaking civil construction and commissioning activities for infrastructure and industrial projects.

Sumitomo Corporation also provides technical and business assistance to these contractors. It markets goods and services to Sumitomo's joint ventures in India. The company is associated with a number of projects either as financial or technical collaborators.