A component maker is gearing up to cater to the growing commercial vehicle market in India.
Fifty-seven year old Jamna Auto – a maker of leaf and parabolic springs – announced it is setting up two more plants in Hosur and Chennai at a cost of INR80 crore (about US$20m) to supply Daimler, Renault-Nissan, Leyland-Nissan & Ashok Leyland.
“We are facing capacity constraints and with the two upcoming plants, the capacity would be hiked to 220,000 tonnes from current 140,000 tonnes,” Jamna finance president Gautam Mukherjee told just-auto.
The company is already setting up another plant in Lucknow (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) with production starting in the second half of 2011.
The Hosur facility will have capacity to manufacture 36,000 tonnes of parabolic springs, an upgrade of leaf springs, widely used in buses and trucks to enhance comfort level. The other green field facility in Chennai will manufacture air suspension, bogey suspension & lift axles.
“We have already procured the land from the Tamil Nadu government and production would commence by July 2011 in Chennai followed by Hosur at the beginning of 2012,” said Mukherjee.
About 90% of Jamna Auto’s business comes from OEMs and about 8% from the aftermarket with just 2% exported.
“We are unable to focus on the export market as demand in the domestic market is so huge and which is reason for setting up two more plants,” Mukherjee said.
The company has technology tie-ups with NHK of Japan for leaf and parabolic springs and US based Ridwell Corporation for air suspensions, bogey suspension and lift axles.
