German luxury automobile manufacturer BMW Wednesday said it has partnered with major Indian auto component suppliers for local production of its vehicles at its Chennai based plant.
"BMW Plant Chennai is the heart of our India operations. Since 2007, BMW Group has strengthened its commitment to the Indian market and has continuously increased the number of its locally produced car models," said Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group India.
"With a strong portfolio of locally produced cars, it is now the appropriate time for us to partner with major Indian auto component suppliers who will play a significant role in the future strategy of BMW Group in India."
The company said that it has partnered with suppliers Force Motors, ZF Hero Chassis, Draexlmaier India, Tenneco Automotive India, Valeo India, Mahle Behr and Lear India.
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"With the addition of these partnerships, the level of localisation at BMW Plant Chennai will increase to approximately 50 percent," the company said in a statement.
According to Robert Frittrang, managing director of BMW's Chennai plant the new partnership with Indian auto component suppliers wil help the company in setting even higher benchmarks not only in quality standards but also in cost optimization and value addition.
Some of the major auto components sourced for local production by BMW include engine and gearbox from Force Motors; axles from ZF Hero Chassis; door panels and wiring harness from Draexlmaier India; exhaust systems from Tenneco Automotive India; heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and cooling modules from Valeo India and Mahle Behr and seats from Lear India.