Auto parts firms chart global route

11 deals struck in the last 24 months, with one more to come.

Indian auto parts companies are increasingly getting hungrier for overseas acquisitions. This is a trasition from their earlier supporting role in the global automotive scheme.

In the last 24 months alone, at least 11 deals have been struck, with more to come. That Omax Auto has just appointed KPMG to scout for acquisitions is another indicator that the appetite remains far from satiated.

According to Ashok Taneja, president of Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), "There is a clear realisation that exports and international business are not the same. Acquiring global customers can be a long and tedious process. Buying out companies abroad is an efficient and smart way of getting global customers."

Though the domestic automobile industry provides ample opportunities for component suppliers to grow exponentially, they have drawn up global plans for expansion.

The most recent announcement of such a buyout came from the world's second largest forging company, Bharat Forge. It bought Imatra Kilsta AB of Sweden, along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Scottish Stampings at an market estimated price of Rs 250 crore. This is Bharat Forge's fourth such buyout in the last 21 months.

Taneja adds that getting the latest technology plays an important role in securing big business. The challenge of high level of competition in the developed countries and the ability of Indian component supplier to deliver the goods at a lower cost has created a win-win situation.

"In the West, OEs and component suppliers work closely to develop new products. This has resulted in flow of know-how to the latter. Acquiring these companies abroad gives Indian companies access to technology that was not available to them," says Vishnu Mathur, executive director, ACMA.

Even smaller companies have made startling announcements on this front. Casting, forging and components manufacturing group Amtek, after acquiring three companies in the last two years, are eyeing two more - one each in the US and UK. Resources for acquisitions are being raised through the FCCB and the debt route.

A company official said large customers like Ford, Jaguar, BMW, Renault, CNH, Honeywell would become customers of Amtek Group though the proposed acquisition in the UK.

Apart from acquiring customers, technology and capacities abroad, some part of the acquired business is also brought back to India because of the low-cost advantage here.

The industry, according to analysts, is capable of achieving an export revenue of $20-25 billion by 2015 and an equal amount in domestic sales. This would mean a pan-industry investment of Rs 5,500 crore per annum for the next 10 years.
 

OVERSEAS OVERDRIVE
Acquired by	Target	Value	Month/ Year
Bharat Forge	Imatra Kilsta AB, Sweden	$58 million	Sep-05
Amtek Group	Zelter, Germany	Euro 28 million	Jul-05
Bharat Forge	Federal Forge	$9.1 million	Jun-05
CAL Fuel Systems	AMTECPrecision Products Inc, USA.	$28 million	Apr-05
Amtek Group	Sigma Cast, UK	NA	Mar-05
Bharat Forge	CDP Aluminiumtechnik	Euro 6.3 million	Dec-04
Sundaram Fasteners	76 per cent JV partner in Sundram Bleistah with Bleisthal Produktions Gmbh, Germany	Rs 20 crore	Oct-04
Sona Koyo Steering Systems Ltd	21 per cent stake in French auto component firm, Fuji Autotech France SAS	$6.15 million	Oct-04
Bharat Forge	Carl Dan Peddighous	Euro 28 million	Jan-04
Sundaram Fasteners	Precision Forging unit of Dana Spicer, UK	$2.64 million	Dec-03
Amtek Group	GWK of UK	5 million pounds	Sep-03
TVS Autolec Ltd	40 per cent stake in RBI Autoparts SND BHD, Malaysia