Mann and Hummel to service global auto majors in India

To launch automotive filters in November.

Mann and Hummel Filter Private Limited, the Indian subsidiary of the Euro 1.38 billion Mann+Hummel group, a manufacturer of automotive components, is all set to launch a wide range of components for the automotive after-market in November this year.

The company, through a joint venture with Bosch group, has set up a manufacturing plant to produce oil, fuel, air and cabin filter components in Tumkur, about 79 km from Bangalore.

Company's managing director Peter Wink said: "We have just produced the sample batch of products at our Tumkur plant and will launch the products for the Indian automotive after-market in November. To begin with, we are targetting only the retail market and will start working with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by end of this year."

The company, which has invested Euro 5 million (Rs 30 crore) for setting up the facility to produce over 10 million filters per annum, aims to invest another Euro 2.5 million in the Indian venture in about three years from now. While the Tumkur facility will produce filters for the automotive market, the company will continue to import some specialised filters for the industrial sector from Germany and sell in India. Presently, the company is importing industrial filters and supplying to its customers like Atlas Copco.

"To begin with we plan to cater to the requirements of our global clients who have presence in India like DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Ford, Skoda, Suzuki, Hyundai and Volvo along with the domestic OEMs," Wink told Business Standard.

It is also in talks with several OEMs in India. He said the company aims to double its sales in the first year of operations from the present 0.75 million Euro to 1.5 million Euros. The company also has an arrangement with MICO Bosch group to lift 90 per cent of its production.

"We have already informed our global customers about the commencement of production in India. We will start discussions with them about sourcing components for their Indian operations from our Tumkur facility in November. We have also initiated talks with the Indian OEMs like Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland," Wink said.