| Bruno Lammers, president and chairman, Saertex Group, said the company is a leader in the sector and was a supplier to wind energy equipment manufacturers in Europe and the US. |
| "We see India as the next big market for wind energy equipment and would cater to the wind turbine makers. The setting up of this plant is according to our strategy of moving closer to the customer," he said. |
| It has set up a plant in the Hinjawadi Technology Park, 20 km from Pune. It is Saertex's first plant in Asia and globally, the seventh manufacturing unit. The plant, set up at an initial investment of euro 4 million, will manufacture 6,000 tonne multi-axial, stitch bonded fabric to be used in windmill blades by companies like Suzlon or Enercon. |
| Marc Schrief, director, global sales and marketing, Saertex said the Asian region offers many significant opportunities as the fabric finds application in a variety of businesses, such as automotives and construction, which are on the high growth path in Asian countries such as China and Japan. |
| "We considered setting up the facility in China, but Indians' ability to communicate in English and a proper protection to the intellectual property tilted the balance in India's favour," he elaborated. |
| Further on, Schreif added that the India plant, in its present capacity installation, will serve the Indian market and the company is not projecting any exports from here. |
| P K C Bose, managing director and CEO, Saertex India said the fabric was also a dependable, strong and low-cost material for automobile body building or building of boats. |
| "There is a major opportunity in Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, where boat building is a flourishing business," he said. |
| The Saertex Group mustered a turnover of 90 million euros in the year 2005 and in the current year, expects it to touch 110 million euros, Lammers said. |
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