GKN to double capacity of Chennai unit

GKN Driveline, a global leader in design and production of driveline systems and components, plans to double capacity at its new state-of-the-art production unit at Oragadam near Chennai to 1.2 million sideshafts. The Rs 32 crore expansion will be completed by the year-end.

The new plant, set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore, became operational on Wednesday with an initial capacity of 6.6 lakh sideshafts.

The new production facility, located about 50 km west of Chennai, is GKN's third facility in India and comes on the back of expansions by the company's customers such as Hyundai, Ford, Renault-Nissan and Toyota in south India.

The company's plants are located in Dharuhera and Faridabad in Haryana.

The capacity at the Orgadam plant, spread over 15 acres, will be scaled up to 1.8 million sideshafts by 2010, Ravindra Ojha, managing director of GKN Driveline India, said.

Kevin Smith, chief executive officer, GKN, UK, said the automotive sector in emerging Asian markets would be a key focus area for the company.

"The Indian car market is expected to double over the next five years and we want to take advantage of this growth. Our growth in India is nearing 20 per cent," he added.

GKN India posted revenues of Rs 330 crore in 2007, a growth of 17 per cent compared with the 2006 figures.