Bill Forge takeover to help Mahindra CIE strengthen position in Asia

The acquisition of auto component maker Bill Forge Private Limited (BFPL) by Mahindra CIE Automotive Limited (MCIE) for Rs 1,331.2 crore is expected to help MCIE diversify its business portfolio and consolidate its position in India and other Asian countries. 

With its exposure to leading 4W OEMs, strong presence in 2W, significant exports and diversified customer portfolio & product mix, Bill Forge will provide complementary business mix to Mahindra CIE. It will add Eastern OEMs (that market passenger vehicles) as MCIE customers and indirectly supply to Maruti, Hyundai and Honda (through tier-I supplier). 

Bill Forge acquisition will provide MCIE an entry into two-wheeler segment and increase exposure to car segment – at present 33 percent of MCIE India production is for utility vehicles. With Bill Forge, MCIE can address South region and entry into the North India market - currently MCIE caters largely to OEMs in western region (mostly in Pune cluster).

Founded in 1982, BFPL is a market-leading precision forging company based in Bangalore,

India with six manufacturing facilities in India (across Bangalore, Coimbatore and Haridwar) and an upcoming plant in Celaya (Mexico). BFPL is a crucial supplier to a number of domestic and global two-wheeler and passenger car OEMs and tier 1 auto component companies. It manufactures a variety of cold, warm, hot forged and machined components primarily for steering, transmission and wheel-related assemblies.

The acquisition of Bill Forge will enable MCIE to substantially increase revenue and profitability from Asian markets and reinforces its position as one of the leading global forgings player (especially with an entry into cold & warm forgings).

Hemant Luthra, chairman of MCIE, says “BFPL has a unique business combining complex products and brings many new customers to MCIE’s current portfolio. The global alliance between CIE and M&M created excellent value for all stakeholders. This partnership bears the same hallmark of a mutual faith in each other and a common ambition based on excellent team chemistry. It reinforces CIE’s commitment to India and the region and is a big step forward in creating both a global leader in forgings and a leader among Asian auto components firms.”

Bill Forge, which recorded revenues of Rs 582.3 crores in 2015-16, is a precision forging and machining company focused on two-wheeler and passenger car auto components, primarily for steering, transmission and wheel-related assemblies. One of a handful of Indian forging companies with capabilities in cold and warm forging in addition to hot forging, as well as experience with horizontal part formers.

Its key 2W customers include Hero, Bajaj, HMSI and TVS, while 4W customers are Ford, GKN, NTN, Nexteer, Rane NSK, etc. It exports to countries such as Thailand, China, Mexico, Europe and USA, with overseas business experiencing phenomenal growth in the last two years.