Honeywell's lady charmed by India

Adriane M Brown shrugs off the 'second most powerful woman' in the global automotive industry tag with a smile but reluctantly admits that she is the most powerful woman in Honeywell Turbo Technologies, a California-based $4.5 billion company.

The global automotive industry considers her to be second only to Anne Stevens, the Ford executive, who is termed as the most powerful woman in the automotive sector.

"I am not in the numbers game, and personally I don't keep a track. These things keep happening around me and to me, and I am not personally motivated by what number I am," Brown, who heads Honeywell Transportation Systems as its President and CEO, told Business Standard. She is also the president of Honeywell Turbo Technologies

"I met Stevens and we even shared a recognition last year, and I have also driven a racing car, a NASCAR," she adds. Stevens drove a Formula-I to prove that she could be at the helm of a man's world.

Brown is in India for opening of the company's turbo charger factory, which is being set up in Pune. Honeywell has also signed up Tatas as the launch customer (incidentally Tatas is Honeywell's largest single customer).

The company will make 1.4- and 2.2-litre turbo chargers from the plant, in which it had already invested $10 million, that it will confirm to Euro III and Euro IV emission norms. The plant's present capacity is around 1.25 lakh units, which would be doubled, depending on the marker conditions.

"We would like to start with the Indian mindset and target both the domestic and export markets, even as we have signed up three OEM customers," Brown said. It will also increase headcount to 130 employees by the end of the year from the present 60.

The company is also looking at outsourcing $100 million worth of components "" mainly aluminium and iron castings and precision components "" from India in the next 3 to 4 years.

This year, the company had placed an order for $25 million this year, while in the previous year it was around $10 million.

Honeywell would also look at participating in Tata's small car project, but at this juncture it is too early to comment, she said.

With annual revenues of $4.5 billion, Honeywell Transportation Systems is a subsidiary of the $25 billion global giant Honeywell.

Honeywell Transportation Systems consists of Honeywell Turbo Technologies, the world's largest manufacturer of automotive turbo chargers with revenues of $2.4 billion, and Honeywell Consumer Products Group.

Here's the full text of Adriane M Brown's interview with Business Standard:

What brings you back to India?

I am returning to India to celebrate the opening of our Pune turbocharger manufacturing facility. The factory is being set up by Honeywell with an investment of $10 million, and is spread across 4,300 square metres. We have signed up with Tatas as our launch customer and we would be manufacturing 1.4 litre engines from this facility.

We are also planning to export turbochargers to other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across the world from this facility, even as we are looking at tying up with other manufacturers in India.

What will be this plant's capacity?

The present capacity of the plant would be around 1.25 lakh units, which we intend to double in the due course of time. The increasing of capacity would depend upon the market conditions, and we are looking at a target of 2 lakh units as we go to market.

We would be manufacturing 1.4- and 2.2-litre turbochargers that will confirm to Euro-III and Euro-IV emission norms at the plant. We would like to start with the Indian mindset - start on a low scale and expand it later - and target both the domestic and export markets, even as we have signed up three OEM customers," Brown said.

Will the stress be on the export market, making India an manufacturing base for your global clients?

We are looking at catering primarily to the domestic market and we have signed up with three Indian companies for supplying our turbochargers. However, their names cannot be divulged due to non-disclosure agreeements.

Are you at any other places in India, apart from Pune, for setting up additional facilities?

The parent company Honeywell has presence in Bangalore, Chennai and Pune, and is also looking at expanding its business here in the country. The company is also looking at investing, with an aim to take full advantage of the growth happening in the country. The transportation industry, I think, is interesting, that is the reason we have made this investment. We are looking at increasing this investment in the next two year period, depending on the market conditions in the country.

We are focusing more on capacity, with an intention to fully explode and develop the market. At present, we have our factories located in Mexico, France, Italy, Korea, Japan, China and Romania, apart from this one in Pune.

You were also planning to outsource components from India...

We are looking at outsourcing $100 million worth of components "" mainly aluminium and iron castings and precision components "" from India in the next 3 to 4 years. This year, we have placed an order for $25 million this year, while in the previous year it was around $10 million. This year's outsourcing target would be around $35 million.

The industry considers you as the 'second most powerful woman' in the global automotive sector, second only to the Ford executive Anne Stevens. Comment?

I am not into these numbers game and personally I don't keep a track of all these. These things keep happening around me and to me, and I am not personally motivated by what number I am. My job is make quality equipment and I doing just that.

I had met Stevens and we even shared a recognition last year. Morevoer, like Stevens, I have also driven a racing car, a NASCAR.

Are you also looking at participating in Tata's small car project, the Rs 1-lakh car, by way of providing your turbochargers?

We will be looking at all opportunities that arise and Tata's small car project is no different. However, it is too early to comment on it, as nothing is clear on the project.