Pune: Brose India Automotive Systems, part of Brose Group, has announced that it will begin commercial production at its manufacturing facility at Hinjewadi in Pune next year. The German auto component giant will initially roll out manual and power window regulators for vehicles. In the next phase, the company is looking to produce manual seat height adjusters. The company, which forayed into the Indian market in 2006, caters to the automobile original equipment manufacturers and suppliers. The Pune facility is the company's 37th unit globally. In the coming years the plan is to expand production to encompass other products so that, in the long run, the whole Brose product portfolio of door, seat and closure systems, as well as electric motors and electronics, can be brought to the Indian market. To achieve this, the company is currently forming local customer teams and developing specific solutions for the requirements of the Indian automotive market.
"Our proximity to international and local automotive manufacturers and suppliers and the good supply of qualified workers, thanks to Pune’s premier educational establishments, means that our site offers lots of advantages," says Executive Vice-President Peter Gresch (Development & Electronics).
He further added, “From exhibiting at the Auto Expo in Delhi at the beginning of January 2010 and through various meetings with customers, we have learnt that both the international automotive industry in India and the Indian manufacturers are increasingly interested in our products," Gresch reports. “We will now hold more in-depth discussions and convince our customers of our new capability with smooth production starts," Gresch continues. The company's focus is to engage with local OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and International OEMs operating in India and provide them with locally produced parts. "While our primary objective is to make parts for the local manufacturers here, we will also export to the European market," he said.
At the end of 2010, Brose will take the next step and commission a production plant in Hinjewadi, the same district of Pune that is "Our first projects are window regulator mechanisms for two international car manufacturers," reports Surinder Chauhan, General Manager of the new site, who adds, "We have moved into the production workshops and are currently holding discussions with our customers. In a few weeks we will start with test runs on the new lines – the start of series production is planned for June 2011."
Brose Group, which began its operations in India 2006 as engineering and sales office with 3 staff, will have more than 100 employees by the end of the year responsible for developing electronics, electric motors, window regulators, seat adjusters and closure systems for the Group’s international sites.