Force Motors India has inaugurated a 200 crore rupee facility that will manufacture and test BMW engines. This facility is located at Mahindra World City in Singaperumal Koil, which is about 55 km from Chennai. The new facility has been developed under the supervision and guidance of BMW, and according to their “exact global standards”.
The manufacturing plant was formally inaugurated by Union Minister for Heavy Industries Anant Geete. It has been operational since January 2015 and has already supplied about 3,000 units. The facility at Mahindra City has the capacity to produce 14,000 units a year. Apart from engines, this facility will also be manufacturing transmissions, amongst other components.
“The investment in the Chennai plant is about Rs 200 crore and it can produce up to 20,000 units premium engines every year. The capacity can be further increased up to 50,000 units. This is the first outsourced plant globally for BMW. Nobody (No other manufacturer) has done this before. We are the first company in the world to do powertrains for both Mercedes (Benz) and BMW which is very unique thing,” said Prasan Firodia, Force Motors Managing Director. According to BMW India Managing Director (Chennai plant) Robert Frittrang, the facility at Mahindra City can produce up to 14,000 units each year. Frittrang added, “Since 2007, the plant was continuously expanded and produces BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series and the flagship 7 Series. Cars locally produced here have up to 50 percent local content.” This facility also handles the production of BMW’s X Series of cars in India.
Force Motors India currently has two manufacturing plants in India. Its small commercial vehicles and tractors are produced at their Pune facility. Its SUVs, MUVs and other commercial vehicles are produced at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh.
via ET Auto