SME auto testing centre to start by mid-Nov

The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) are together developing a common testing and training facility for medium and small auto component manufacturing units, which will begin operations by mid-November.

Speaking to Business Standard, D K Abhyankar, director general of MCCIA, said, "The total cost of the project is Rs 67 crore. The commerce ministry will be funding 75 per cent of the project, while the rest will be funded by PCMC, MCCIA and associations of various industries."

He added that for managing the affairs of the institute, a special purpose vehicle by the name Auto Cluster Development & Research Institute (ACDRIL) has been created.

Further, Abhyankar informed that initially the operations will begin from a 15,000 sq ft rented premises at Bhoasri and from November 2006, the institute will start operating from its own premises, which will be spread over a 12-acre land.

India has tremendous potential to become an auto component exporter and ACDRIL will help medium- and small-scale industries with product development, testing and training employees and produce components of international standard, which could be exported, he said.

Giving some insight into the project, Abhyankar said the cluster would include a CAD, CAM and CAE, analysis of design development and simulation centre, a testing and research and development facility for rubber and plastic components, and a research and development facility for the auto electrical and electronic sector as well.

He further added that the objective of the cluster was to assist appropriate technology transfer, share information and improve quality.