The Firodia family controlled Force Motors has inaugurated a modern Engine Assembly plant in Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Built at a cost of around Rs 200 crore, the plant has begun assembling engines and transmissions exclusively for BMW India. The plant has a capacity to make 20,000 units per annum on a three-shift model. Speaking to journalists, Prasan Firodia, Managing Director, Force Motors mentioned that this new plant is the first such set up for BMW worldwide where they have outsourced its engine assembly from a third party.
Firodia mentioned that ever since the first engine was fired in January 2015, more than 3000 engines have been made for BMW India. He said the plant capacity can even be raised to 50,000 units and that his company was even ready to make engines for export, if BMW so desired. The plant, he said was made in a record time of seven months.
Force Motors which is also a niche OEM player that makes vehicles like the Traveller, the Trax, Gurkha etc, generates almost 30pc of its income from its aggregates business wherein it makes engines and transmissions for Mercedes-Benz India and now BMW India. In fact, it is the only company in the world which assembles engines for two of Germany’s biggest car makers and global leaders in luxury cars.
The plant was inaugurated by Union Cabinet Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises Anant Geete and Member of Parliament Rajkumar Dhoot, besides dignitaries from BMW and Force Motors. This plant located in Chengalpattu Taluk is the first independent plant outside of the BMW Group that assembles and tests engines for the German Luxury Car Maker. This project was started in June 2014 and was completed in a record time of seven months.
The plant is completely air conditioned with high level of dust control to safeguard product quality. Where essential, most modern technology is employed for ensuring assembly and joinery processes with computer controlled precision equipment. The plant can produce up to 20,000 premium engines per year. This capacity can be increased as needed. The IT system of the production facility is integrated in “Real Time” with the global production network of BMW. This enables all essential production process values to be integrated in BMW’s global data.
Firodia noted, “This is an important milestone in the company’s journey so far. We envision this facility as being instrumental in further establishing Force Motors’ strengths as a preferred supplier of critical and high precision components to top European brands.”
The Force Motors plant at Chennai has been developed under supervision and guidance from the luxury car maker and is according to their exacting global standards. With the addition of this plant, the national presence of the group company goes up to fifteen facilities.
Energizer and Assurance Intl Limited have collaborated on a new line of automotive oil that will be sourced, manufactured, and distributed in India to complement the existing STP product portfolio in ...
The Uno Minda D-90 horn has a two-year manufacturing warranty and is competitively priced between Rs 295 and Rs 855. It can be conveniently purchased from a variety of top-tier online and offline reta...
A two-stage side airbag from ZF Lifetec uses the milliseconds before an unavoidable crash to build up valuable distance and better protect the occupants.