Rs. 1,000-cr Segment Drive Systems project inaugurated at Sanand
Oerlikon is a growing CHF 3.2 billion conglomerate that has a history of enduring relationship with renowned global companies. With over 15,000 employees at more than 200 locations in 36 countries, global manufacturing footprint, and numerous patents and awards, the group has business presence across five continents.
Oerlikon’s Segment Drive Systems is a leading solution provider of transmission systems and a frontrunner in technology innovations. The Oerlikon Graziano and Oerlikon Fairfield brands are part of Segment Drive Systems business. The segment operates its production facilities in China, India, Europe and the Americas.
In India, Segment Drive Systems’ journey began in 1998. Today, after two decades, Oerlikon manufactures hundreds of components for domestic consumption as well as exports from its production sites located in Greater Noida Belgaum, and their newest member Sanand.
The plant in Noida specialises in manufacturing high-precision gears and synchronizers under the Oerlikon Graziano brand, the Belgaum plant focuses on assembly drive units for industrial applications under the Oerlikon Fairfield brand.
The third plant at Sanand is the biggest investment from the Oerlikon Group in India till date. Covering over 35 acres, this Rs. 1,000-crore project, once completed, will be the biggest manufacturing set-up for Oerlikon’s Segment Drive Systems. Closer proximity to the port indirectly means shifting of all the export activities from the other two plants to this new unit. The plant has Ford and Tata as its neighbours and many more OEMs in close proximity.
At the plant inauguration, one could see the importance attached to safety and high standards of operational excellence. The Sanand plant is currently being used for export of oriented golf/utility transaxles and a smaller portion catering to agri equipments. More products from Graziano and Fairfield’s portfolio are expected to roll out from this Gujarat facility in future.
Oerlikon is working out an ambitious growth plan within the automotive sector. Projecting Oerlikon’s Segment Drive Systems business in India to touch Rs. 2,000 crores by 2020, Oerlikon India is strategically poised to surpass numbers in other divisions as well.
“India has huge untapped potential waiting to be explored. Oerlikon wishes to play a crucial role in the Indian automotive industry by introducing innovative transmission solutions across all categories. Very soon, Oerlikon will also be setting up its very first Engineering Centre in India”, said Dr. Bernd Matthes, CEO – Oerlikon Drive Systems, in an exclusive interaction with MOTORINDIA.
With more than 75 per cent product localization and generating 1000+ employment, the new investment stands true to the brand’s commitment to our nation – ‘Make in India’ for India.
A few of its major customers in the Indian market include John Deere, M&M, TAFE and New Holland within the agro space and names like Caterpillar and JCB in construction portfolio, while its global customer base covers heavyweights such as Volvo and Scania.
These simple yet sophisticated products find themselves highly competent in the field of agro, construction, energy, transportation and exotic cars. Examples include tractors, trucks, on or off-highway vehicles such as city buses and airport towing tractors, power plants, oil and gas platforms and underground mining machines.
Oerlikon has a comprehensive portfolio of products and fully integrated capability in high performance transmission and driveline product development. Every stage of product evolution – Design, Development, Manufacturing, Assembly and Quality Control is carried out in a meticulous manner at all the units. In India, the company seeks an entry into the low floor bus segment and has been in talks with a number of OEMs.
With years of expertise in powertrain aggregates, the Swiss brand is now setting benchmarks in the manufacture of Electric Driveline assemblies, ranging from golf cars or utility transaxle to the latest transfer case developed for the light commercial electric vehicle. Graziano acquired expertise in latest applications of the ever more popular full electric and hybrid city cars which is believed to be the market of the future.
Oerlikon Graziano has an excellent reputation, which is well known for production of advanced transaxles for super cars like Aston Martin One-77, McLaren MP4-12C and the Lamborghini Aventador, as well as numerous driveline systems and components for the highest levels of competitive motorsport.
Oerlikon’s success is attributable to a strong focus on in-house research and product development capabilities. Re-investing nearly 5-6 per cent of its top-line is another important highlight of Oerlikon’s technological leadership in all its businesses. The company decision to invest in an R&D centre on the Indian shores is sure to win numerous accolades within the auto industry.
With its global R&D and manufacturing footprint, the Switzerland-based conglomerate aspires to reinforce its commitment to customers as a one-stop shop for transmission system and precision engineered products across the globe.