TREMEC has announced the start-up of its new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Pune. The facility which will manufacture rear-wheel drive transmissions and drivetrain components for India and the Asia Pacific region will become a critical part of TREMEC’s global supply chain.
The 95,000 sq.ft. vertically integrated manufacturing plant is designed to produce world-class transmissions for the commercial and passenger vehicle market. The first product assemblies for an Indo-Japanese automotive joint venture were shipped from the plant in May.
Citing the operating and logistics opportunities for the new plant, Robert Neal, CEO and Managing Director of TREMEC, said: “In India, the automotive sector is one of the largest industries showing impressive growth over the years. The country is the fifth largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles and the fourth largest passenger car market in Asia. This strategically located plant will enable us to make increasing contributions to the overall industrial development of the country, resulting in multiple choices for Indian consumers at competitive costs.”
To fast-track the plant’s manufacturing capabilities and to drive operational excellence, TREMEC has appointed Mr. Shrikant S. Bairagi as the Managing Director of Tremec India Automotive Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Mr. Bairagi has over 20 years of automotive manufacturing expertise. Prior to joining TREMEC, he ran the India operations for HUSCO Hydraulics, a division of HUSCO International, as its Managing Director, leading a cross-functional management team with full strategic planning and P&L responsibility.
Mr. Bairagi began his career as a Methods Engineer with Motor Industries Company (Bosch) where he was later promoted as Senior Engineer to develop new products and processes. He was transferred to Robert Bosch North America in 1996.
After spending eight years with the organization, Mr. Bairagi moved back to his homeland to become General Manager of Perfect Circle India in 2004. This led him to the position of Associate Vice President of Manufacturing at Mahindra Hinoday Industries Ltd., Pune, in 2007.
“With his extensive manufacturing background, especially in the areas of optimizing discrete processes, Shrikant is a perfect fit for our team as we continue to grow our global operations,” said Jeremy Holt, Vice President of TREMEC. “His experience and knowledge will help us lay the groundwork for smooth, unified operations.”