Auto lamp manufacturer to set up new plants

Rajasthan-based Autolite (India) Ltd, a leading manufacturer of auto head lamps and halogen lamps, has drawn up a Rs 100 crore expansion and modernisation programme.

"The expansion and modernisation of the existing plant facilities is aimed at increasing the production as the company is having a huge volume of orders for export as well the OEM market," DP Gupta, chairman and managing director of the company, told Business Standard here on Thursday.

Gupta said the company received very encouraging response in the recently held Auto Expo Show in New Delhi. Foreign vehicle manufacturers and many multi-national companies have shown keen interest in the company's product and, for this, the expansion of existing production facilities and setting up new plants has become essential to cater to the huge demand of the customers.

The company has already started setting up a manufacturing plant at Rudrapur in Uttarakhand and the work is under progress. "We have got orders of over Rs 350 crore in our hand which are to be exceuted in two years' time", Gupta added.

Presently, the company is exporting around 30 to 35 per cent of its total production. Besides, the company is also supplying its products to leading OEMs like Tata Motors, Swaraj Mazda, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Udyog, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors, L&T, BEML etc. Meanwhile, the firm has achieved 42 per cent growth in turnover in Quarter-3 of 2007 in comparison with Quarter-3 of 2006.

The company reported turnover of Rs 28.88 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2007 as against Rs 20.24 crore for the corresponding quarter of 2006, thereby recording a growth of 42 per cent.

Gupta said the profit before depreciation, interest and tax (PBDIT) for the quarter ended December, 2007 was also encouraging as profit rose to Rs 388 lakh as against Rs 144 lakh in the same quarter of 2006.

Gupta informed that continuing emphasis on productivity improvement and maintenance of cost discipline has kept company on a rising trend. "The company always focused on a customer-oriented business strategy approach, which has driven the growth of the business", Gupta added.