Force Motors Opens Engine and Axle Assembly Plant in Chakan, Pune
Pune: Force
Motors has inaugurated its new manufacturing unit to produce engines and axles
for Mercedes-Benz India at Chakan, Pune. The company has stated that the aim to launch the new plant is to be more flexible
in terms of production demand. Force motor has entered into a partnership with
Mercedes-Benz India in 1997 for the
production and supply of engines and has been preferred by the German automaker
ever since.
According to Prasan Firodia, managing director of Force
Motors, the inauguration of facility at Chakan is a step in strengthening the
45-year long association between two companies. The new plant is spread over
1,30,000 square feet and has eight lines with capacity to produce and test up
to 14 engine variants. The variants for engines include four-cylinder diesel
and petrol engines as well as six-cylinder V-type diesel and petrol engines.
The investment of
approximately USD14.8 million done by the
company at its plant in Pune is part of company’s USD103 million
investment that Force Motors has promised over the next two years, across the
multiple products and businesses. The Pune based component maker is planning to
increase its revenue by three times in the next three years, especially with
the company being a component supplier for brands like Mercedes and BMW.
The new Force Motors
facility at Chakan will currently employs 200 personnel and is scheduled to work
in two shifts. The company stated that the plant has a current annual
production capacity of 20,000 front and rear axles as well as 20,000 engines.
Recently, Force Motors also
inaugurated a manufacturing unit in Chennai close to the BMW’s assembly plant
and is supplying powertrains to the latter. With respect to Mercedes, Force has
supplied over 50,000 axles and 60,000 engines to the German auto giant.
According to a recent report published by TechSci Research, “India
Automotive Air Filter Cartridges Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2019”, The
Indian automotive air filter cartridges market is dominated by the two-wheeler
air filter cartridges segment, in terms of volume share. Two-wheeler annual
sales in India witnessed a robust increase of about 53% in 2013 as compared to
volume sales in 2009. Key factors behind this strong growth have been moderate
population of two-wheeler owners in the country, underdeveloped transportation
infrastructure and increasing penetration of two-wheelers in India’s rural
markets. Besides significant OEM demand, India’s passenger car air
filter cartridges market is also witnessing strong growth in the replacement
segment on the back of growing passenger car sales.
TechSci
Research believes that, as Force is one of the oldest player in commercial
vehicle domain and the company is performing well with its range of utility vehicles,
agricultural tractors, light commercial vehicles among others. This move taken
by the company is anticipated to enhance the demand for air filter cartridges
in both OEM segment.