Hal Rosenbluth, chairman and CEO of UpStream, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rosenbluth International, has announced the sale of UpStream to Lawkim, a company of the India-based Godrej Group, a US $1 billion conglomerate. Lawkim’s purchase of UpStream, a leading provider of back office call center and customer support in the travel industry, completes the sale of all assets owned by Rosenbluth International, which recently merged its operations with American Express.Ê Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
“UpStream is the customer service backbone of the online travel industry with customers that include Orbitz, Travelocity, UAL.com, US Airways, and many more,” said Hal Rosenbluth, chairman and CEO of UpStream. “The service provided by the 700 associates of UpStream offer an important competitive advantage for its clients in the online travel space.”

“The growth potential for the call center business is certainly significant,” said Vijay Crishna, Managing Director, Lawkim Limited. “We are delighted that we now have the opportunity to contribute to the exponential growth of the sector and the improved service offering that will make UpStream’s growth sustainable. I’m confident our U.S. investment in Up|Stream will differentiate us and enhance our visibility in a marketplace that has until now offered few options for outsourcing.”

Ê“Since we launched UpStream almost three years ago we have experiencedÊ rapid growth, and we are now perfectly positioned to target verticals outside of the travel industry,” said Rosenbluth. “Lawkim has the resources to back our growth initiative, and also clearly recognizes the great potential presently available in the outsourcing industry. We are excited about how this investment will benefit our associates and clients and ultimately differentiate UpStream in the outsourced industry through a unique value proposition that includes U.S.-based call centers and off-shore options.”

Understanding the value of customer care intimacy as well as customized outsourcing, Lawkim will acquire UpStream’s three U.S. locations in Fargo, ND, Chesapeake, VA and Campbellsville, KY, with plans to expand the company both domestically and internationally. Offering clients domestic, U.S. outsourcing with off-shore options, Up|Stream will provide a highly-customizable solution, which can be tailored to the individual customer needs of any given company.
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