York, a subsidiary of TRF Ltd. of the Tata Group, is a global manufacturer of axles and systems for the trailer industry. York Transport Equipment India Pvt. Ltd., the Indian entity, has established a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Talegaon, Pune, at an investment of Rs. 20 crores with a capacity to produce 100,000 axles. This is the second manufacturing facility of York in India. The first one at Jamshedpur has a capacity to manufacture 15,000 axles per annum. The Pune plant is the single largest manufacturing unit for trailer axles in India. All this shows the extent of commitment of the York Group to the fast growing Indian truck and trailer market.York Singapore, known as York Transport Equipment (Asia) Pte. Ltd., was subsequently formed in 1989 as a base to expand into the fast growing Asia-Pacific region.
York is now a subsidiary of TRF Ltd., selling its axles in India for many years now till 2007 when TRF acquired 51 per cent stake in York Transport Equipment (Asia) Pte Ltd.
The new plant was inaugurated by Mr. Sudhir Deoras, Chairman of the York Group of companies. This is the sixth global facility of York, the other five are located in Singapore, China and Australia.
The new factory is spread over 120,000 sq. ft. with a covered space of 70,000 sq. ft. It has two assembly lines of axles, apart from the area earmarked for assembly of special products like air suspension and bogie suspension.
Mr. Sudhir Deoras said: “This Rs. 20-crore investment that York is planning to make in India indicates its commitment to establish in India and contribute to the Indian trailer industry”.
The trailer industry in India is in for an exponential growth. In 2010-11, nearly 25,000 tractor units were sold in India. On a very conservative estimate, the marketsize for trailer axles in India will be around 75,000 units, and this is expected to double by 2015. York currently has a 22 per cent marketshare in the trailer axle business, and its target is to raise it to 30 per cent during the current year.
Mr. Chatterjee, COO, York India, is confident that this facility would cater to the entire Indian requirements by the end of Q3 of FY 2011-12 and then start supplying to the neighbouring markets like SAARC, the Middle East and Africa. York is gearing up with the required fixtures to make axles & suspension at the Pune plant, which hitherto were being imported into India in assembled condition.
The new plant manufactures complete axles, including pressing, welding, washing, assembly and painting. Most of the axle components are being sourced locally after the conformance to the York’s global quality standards. The emphasis is on quality, reliability and longlife of the axles.
York axles are using high quality grease on the bearings which can last upto 100,000 km without any need for change. Similarly, the welding quality is the best. The axles are practically maintenance free, added Mr. Chatterjee.
York is planning to make India a hub for all its future expansion, and significant investments are being planned in manufacturing and R&D;, considering its growing potential.
Mr. P.V. Balasubramanain, CEO, York Group, indicated that York would develop a full-fledged R&D; centre at this facility to support the HQ in Singapore. To start with, a suspension test rig will be installed at the Pune plant. York’s Jamshedpur axle manufacturing unit along with Pune Warehouse and Sales Office in Mumbai have recently been awarded ISO/TS 16949 certificate by BVQI, Mumbai.
Apart from trailer axles, York globally offers complete solutions for the trailer industry, including mechanical suspensions, air suspensions, landing gears, fifth wheel couplers and trailer ABS. All these products are now available for customers in India.
York products are now the preferred choice of most vehicle and trailer manufacturers in India. They are standard fitment on the trailers of Tata’s Prima trucks.
York is also shifting its current warehouse in Pune from Chakan to Talegaon. This is the third warehouse of York in India, apart from that in Jamshedpur and Chennai. A training facility is also being developed at the Chennai warehouse, besides the one at Chakan.
