GKN Driveline continues growth drive in Indian market [Feb 2012]

February 10, 2012 6:46 am

GKN Driveline, a leading and long-term supplier of automotive driveline components and systems in India continues to grow at a rapid pace.
During the last one year, the company has taken many initiatives to highlight its commitment in the Indian market.  It has broken ground on a new facility in Pune and opened a precision forge at Oragadam near Chennai.  The new 8,000 sqm facility at Pune will manufacture products from GKN Drivelines CVJ Systems and TransAxles Solutions product portfolio. The  Rs.130 crore factory is strategically located within 30 kms of a number of major GKN Driveline customers, including Fiat, Volkswagen, General Motors, TATA and Renault.  When fully operational in September 2012, the plant will have an annual production capacity of 1.2 million CVJ Systems.  The new plant is also planned to manufacture differentials from GKN Driveline’s Trans Axle Solutions product range.
In November 2011, GKN Driveline opened a new Rs.48 crore precision forge at Oragadam near Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The 5,000-square-metre facility supplies precision forgings to GKN Driveline’s Oragadam CVJ Systems manufacturing plant, which annually produces 1.2 million sideshafts for automotive manufacturers in South India.
“GKN Driveline has posted an annual growth rate of more than 15 per cent over the past 5 years in India,” said Ravindra Ojha, managing director of GKN Driveline in India. “India clearly is a critically important market for the company.”
“We will continue to invest here to meet our customers need for CVJ systems, trans-axle components and all-wheel-drive products, as well as products for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles, Mr. Ojha adds”