Blue Star plans 4th facility

Blue Star, the country's largest industrial airconditioning maker, is looking at setting up its fourth manufacturing facility.

The company has also entered into an exclusive alliance with Taiwan-based Hanbell Screw Compressors for sourcing hermetic screw compressors.

Blue Star will be manufacturing water-cooled and air-cooled water chilling machines for use in air-conditioning and refrigeration.

Satish Jamdar, executive director, said, "We are looking at increasing our manufacturing capacity, to include some new products such as chillers as well as increase production of some old products also. However, the final decision regarding the location, capacity and investment for the new plant will be taken next month."

Blue Star's exclusive arrangement with Hanbell restricts Hanbell from supplying screw compressors to any other company in India.

"The agreement is for two years as of now, but this will be mutually renewed as and when required," Jamdar said.

Blue Star will manufacture chillers for the first time domestically. "We were earlier importing chillers from York and Carrier since we did not produce compressors locally. Now with the Hanbell compressors, we will be able to manufacture chillers locally."

The company, which imported around 200 chillers last year is looking at producing at least 400 chillers in the next 12 months. Blue Star will manufacture chillers ranging from 50 tonne to 500 hundred tonne.

"We are also looking at exporting chillers to the Middle East in the near future,' Jamdar added.