Machinery firm plans Rs 100 cr unit

KHS Machinery Pvt Ltd plans to put up a new facility to manufacture machines used for processing and packaging by beverage companies near Hirapur village in Ahmedabad.

The company is a joint venture between KHS Ag, a German manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment, and the Ahmedabad-based Mamata group.

The facility has been planned to match similar expansions undertaken by rival companies in Japan, Germany and France.

The company will invest a total of Rs 100 crore on the facility, of which Rs 30 crore has already been invested. The new plant will manufacture machines for packaging fruit juices, beer, wellness drink and enhanced water.

"We have a major share of the market in the filling and packaging with companies like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Dabur, Parle and others being our clients. We hope to cater to more manufacturers with the added manufacturing facility,"said Yatindra Sharma, Executive Director, KHS Machinery.

KHS India provides machinery for filling and packaging to manufacturers of soft drinks, fruit juices, beer and mineral water.

"Within a span of 7-8 years we have supplied over 400 machines in the Indian market and we have planned to supply a higher number this year, " said Sharma.

KHS Ag, headquartered in Germany, has production facilities in Brazil, US, Mexico and China and it put up the new facility following similar expansion moves by other international beverage packaging manufacturers.

"Following the plans of French company Sidel, Mitsubishi of Japan and Krones from Germany to expand the manufacturing facilities at foreign locations, KHS Ag believes it would be the right time for it to do the same for its facility at Ahmedabad where there is a lot of growth potential," added Sharma.