Spicer India Ltd. (SIL) recently opened its new production facility in Lucknow. The plant was formally inaugurated by Mr. M. Venkatram, Sr. Vice President, Purchasing and Supply Chain, Tata Motors Ltd., who was the chief guest on the occasion, in the
presence of dignitaries, including Mrs. Anjali Singh, Chairperson, Anand Supervisory Board, Mr. Robert Pyle, President, Asia Pacific, DANA Holding Corporation, Mr. Deepak Chopra, Chief Executive Officer, Anand Automotive Ltd., and Mr. Arul Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Spicer India.
The set-up of this new Spicer India facility is in line with the expansion of Tata Motors’ Lucknow plant. Spicer India currently supplies drive shafts for buses and trucks produced by Tata Motors’ Lucknow and Jamshedpur from its facility at Satara. The new plant will help in reducing the transport cost and other logistics involved, which are being passed back to the customer.
“Due to the current recessionary market, Spicer India has limited the capacity of the plant to just half of the intended capacity. Even with this, SIL can service twice the current requirement of both the Lucknow and Jamshedpur plants of Tata Motors. Further, with a minimal investment, the capacity can be expanded to 180,000 shafts per year (50% more) in a short span of time, still leaving a possibility of further expansion to 250,000 shafts”.
“Dana and the Anand Group firmly believe in partnering with its customers. We would like to be not only where the customers are today, but also be present where the customers are likely to be tomorrow, in terms of technology, capacity and location”, said Mr. Arul Kumar.
Spicer India will also replace its existing drive shaft models with more advanced “compact” models which will deliver a better torque-to-weight ratio with also a price advantage to Tata Motors from this plant.
“The new plant set up by Spicer at Lucknow would ensure delivery of our products on ‘Just In Time’ basis to Tata Motors’ Lucknow plant and at the same time maintaining high quality levels and incorporating new technology”, said Mrs. Anjali Singh.
Added Mr. Robert Pyle: “The opening of the Lucknow plant marks another milestone in our collaboration with the Anand Group and will help Spicer India enhance its reputation as a supplier that is committed to investing and growing to support the needs of its customers. I am confident that this plant will become a benchmark for driveshaft manufacturing in India.”