Schwing Stetter to source boom pumps from India

Schwing Stetter of Germany plans to make India a hub for sourcing 10 metre concrete boom pumps and also critical castings and forgings for its products.

The company, through its 100 per cent subsidiary Schwing Stettar India, is exploring the sourcing option which is expected to take a final shape by mid-2006.

Jochen Goerlich, chairman of Schwing Stettar India and board member of Schwing Stettar, said, "Seeing the quality manpower in India, we have begun to scout for more such outsourcing opportunities."

"The parent company plans to relocate one of its 14 plants to India," said Anand Sundaresan, managing director, Schwing Stettar India. This is expected to make the product 40 per cent cheaper. "Beginning 2006, the company is likely to source on a large scale. Presently, the bulk production testing is taking place," said Sundaresan.

"The quality of drums for truck-mounted concrete mixers is excellent but due to the freight cost we are unable to source it from India for our European operations," Goerlich added.

Seeing the fast pace of construction in India, Schwing Stettar India has upgraded many of its ready mix concrete equipment and has come out with 10 cubic metre capacity semi-trailer version transit mixer, c-version transit mixer and concrete recycling plant.

Announcing the setting up of the third manufacturing facility in Chennai, Sundaresan said when the plant is ready the company can focus on three equipment ? concrete mixers, pumps and batching plants.