Volkswagen
India has established a new diesel engine assembly line and full-fledged engine
testing facility at its plant located in Chakan, Pune. With this, Volkswagen
India will further increase the local content in the vehicles produced at this
plant. The assembly of the new 1.5-litre TDI diesel engine is expected to being
at the end of 2014. The company has invested 30 million Euro (Rs 240 crore
approx.) in this first step of engine assembly and production of parts and
components in India.
The
new 1.5-litre TDI diesel engine that will be assembled at the plant was the one
specifically designed and developed for the Indian market and recently unveiled
at the launch of the new Volkswagen Polo.
Mahesh
Kodumudi, Group Chief Representative, Volkswagen Group India and President and
Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited said the company’s
investment in the engine assembly line incorporates a full-fledged engine
testing facility at the Pune plant. “With this, we take a significant leap
towards enhancing our localisation in India,”
he said.
The
new engine assembly line will be integrated into the existing structure of the
Pune plant. The line will function over a total floor space of 3,450 square
meter. Over 260 additional direct jobs will be created in the Pune plant, apart
from the additional jobs created at the Indian suppliers who will be producing
and supplying certain parts and components for these engines. The new line can
assemble over 98,000engines in a three-shift-system at full capacity. The
locally assembled engine will be used in the recently launched new Polo and the
Polo GT TDI.
VW
had made an initial investment of 580 million Euro and an additional investment
of 100 million Euro in India and this represents the single largest investment
of a German company in India so far. The Pune plant is spread over a total land
area of 575 acres and has a Press Shop, Body Shop, Paint Shop and Assembly
area. It also has an in-house R&D facility.
Picture of Volkswagen India plant in Chakan
near Pune