Auto components major Anand Automotive Systems has set up a new auto parts unit in Himachal Pradesh’s industrial town of Parwanoo. The Rs 50-crore facility, to be known as Gabriel India unit, will only employ women, said said Deepak C Anand, chairman of the Anand group. Gabriel India is the group’s flagship company.
Besides, the unit will supply auto parts to several companies in the northern region.
“The plant will start operating from Tuesday and will supply auto parts to TVS at Baddi, Tatas in Pantnagar, the Mahindra plant in Haridwar and to the Yamaha plant at Noida in Uttar Pradesh,” Anand said here on Monday.
“The Gabiel unit will produce suspension components, shock absorbers, struts, front forks among other components,” he added.
Speaking about the company’s plans of opening new facilities in the country, Anand said: “A new joint.venture between Anand Automotive Systems and Takata Corporation of Japan is being worked out to manufacture safety equipment for passenger cars including airbags, seat belts and steering wheels.
Two new plants are being built in Chennai and Neemrana in Rajasthan.”
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“Anand and Valeo of France will make lighting systems for automobiles. The new Valeo lighting system plant is coming up in Chennai and will supply to Nissan among others,” he said. “CY Myuetc India, a new state-of-the-art facility is also being set up in Chennai by a new joint venture between CY Myuetc, Korea and Anand to produce synchroniser rings, to be supplied in the southern region,” Anand said.
Anand and its partners are to set up 13 plants between 2006 and 2010 involving an approximate investment of Rs 600 crore. The firm admitted the global meltdown had slackened demand for automotive systems. He feared the situation could get worse.
“We are feeling the impact while demand for truck automotive systems has considerably reduced, but two-wheelers were still doing well,” he said.
The Anand group has a sales turnover of $634 million(around Rs 3000 crore) and is targetting to achieve $1billion by 2010. The exports are targetted to rise from 20 per cent of the total sales to 30 per cent.