- Production of HPDC components to reach 10,000 T annually
- Targeting Rs. 500 crores revenue in 5 years
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Dr. M K Stalin along with Ms Suvi Linden, Minister of Communications, Government of Finland, inaugurated the manufacturing facility of Hinduja Group’s Ashley Alteams India Pvt. Ltd. (AAIPL) today in Cheyyar, near Kanchipuram. AAIPL is a 50:50 joint venture between Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group, and Alteams OY, one of the largest Light Cast Metal Components manufacturers headquartered at Finland and will produce high precession aluminium High Pressure Die Cast components for the automotive and telecommunication sectors both for the domestic and international markets.
The facility has an initial annual capacity of 7000T which will be enhanced to 10000T per annum progressively. The initial installed capacity can generate annual sales of Rs. 180 crores and with subsequent capacity expansion and value addition, sales is expected to touch Rs. 500 crores in 5 years.
“HDPC technology is increasingly finding favour with the automotive and telecom industries, due to its high quality, weight efficiency and economy of higher volumes. With these industries on a growth path, we are advantageously placed to meet their requirements quickly and efficiently,” said Mr. R. Seshasayee, Chairman, Ashley Alteams India Pvt Ltd. “There is a huge potential for exports which we shall start to tap in our second year of operation,” he added.
Mr. Petteri Wallden from Alteams OY said, “After having established a significant presence in Europe and China, the next big move was to enter the robustly growing Indian telecom market. With a partner like Ashok Leyland, we are well-equipped to capitalize upon the opportunities offered by both the telecom and the automotive sectors in India.”
Ashley Alteams is part funded by Finnfund, set up by the Finnish government to fund Finnish business projects outside of Finland. Technical assistance will be provided by M/s. Alteams Oy, pioneers in the field of Aluminium Die Casting. This includes core technologies like Die Design, Manufacturing, Selection of High-End Fully Automatic Casting, CNC Machining cells and testing facilities. Apart from state-of-the-art testing facilities, several stringent online and off line quality control measures have been put in place to ensure consistently superior quality. The Company has already been issued with Certificate of Conformance by TUV for TS 16949 standards and is working towards getting accreditation of ISO 14001 and OHSAS.
Some of AAIPL’s key customers include Ashok Leyland, Knorr Bremse, Cummins in the automobile segment, Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson in the telecom field and EMS suppliers like Sanmina and Elcoteq.
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The Company’s presence in Cheyyar is already proving to be a boon for the region. At present AAIPL employs 135 skilled personnel that will grow to 200 by March 2011, along with a work force of 250 outsourced employees. The Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives have begun to positively impact the lives of the employees, their families and the community at large. Providing drinking water to schools, donating stretchers, wheel-chairs, air-conditioners and emergency lighting to primary health centres, and sponsoring students for higher studies have been some steps already taken. Towards environment protection, the Company has invested in an efficient rain water harvesting plant. Besides, a green belt of 6,000 sq. mtrs. has been created on the premises.
The Hinduja Group is an investment and banking group with a diversified global portfolio of holdings across the manufacturing services and banking sectors. The Group, founded by Shri P.D. Hinduja in 1914, has activities across three core areas: Investment Banking, International Trading and Global Investments. As part of its global investments, the Group owns businesses in Automotive, Information Technology, Media, Entertainment & Communications, Banking & Finance, Infrastructure, Project Development, Chemicals & Agri business, Energy, Real Estate and Healthcare. The Hinduja Group also supports charitable and philanthropic activities across the world through the Hinduja Foundation.
Ashok Leyland is the flagship of the Hinduja Group and a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India with 2008-09 turnover of US $ 1.3 billion. With six manufacturing locations at Chennai, Hosur (three plants), Alwar and Bhandara, the Company has an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles The Company has associate companies in the Czech Republic and the UAE and joint ventures in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, besides exports to over 20 countries worldwide.
Alteams OY is part of the Kuusakoski Group, who are leaders in the metal and scrap re-cycling business globally, with a turnover of close to a billion Euros and a portfolio that includes raw material products, ferrous raw materials, recycled stainless steel products and non-ferrous and plastic products. Alteams OY is amongst the biggest light metal foundries in Europe and the largest supplier of cast light metal components to the communication network industry. The Alteams Group, with a turnover of close to USD 200 million, has production units in Finland, Estonia, China and India. It has a strong customer base in the telecom, automotive, electronics, manufacturing and meditech industries.