Brose opens production facility in India

The international automotive supplier Brose officially opened a production facility in India on February 2nd, watched by around 150 guests from government and industry.

To begin with, the plant in Hinjewadi, Pune, a leading automotive center, will be equipped to produce around two million window regulators per year to supply both the Indian market and European carmakers that have international operations.

Start of series production is planned for April 2011. In September this year, production will expand to include seat height adjusters. In the medium term the automotive supplier plans to localize its entire product portfolio in India.

“We can now reproduce the entire value chain in India – from development and procurement to final assembly and logistics,” Ashwani Aggarwal, President Brose India, said at the inauguration ceremony. “Our aim is to serve both the export business and the Indian automotive market from Pune,” continues Aggarwal.

Dr Bernd Forster, the German Deputy Consul General in Mumbai, gave a speech in which he expressed his conviction of the Group's success in India: “Brose is one of the best examples of a highly successful, highly innovative, family-run German company, characterized by an excellent market position, the involvement of the owning family and, above all, a long-term focus. This puts Brose in a strong position in India – a country in which a number of globally successful family firms play an important role in the economy.”

Bernhard Steinrücke, Director General of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), agreed: “The timing is just right and I am convinced that Brose will be very successful here.” Steinrücke particularly highlighted the quality of training at Brose and the resulting high technological standards of its products: “If your window regulators are reliable, your seat is easy to adjust and your trunk lid closes properly, you can be certain that these products come from Brose.”

The Brose Group will expand its activities in India still further in 2012. Surinder Chauhan, General Manager of the new production facility, outlined the future prospects: “We are planning to bring together product development and tests, production and administration at one new company site that will give us enough capacity to localize our entire product portfolio in India over the coming years. This will enable us to meet the needs of our customers even more successfully.”

Brose in India

The Brose Group has had an office in India since 2006. Around 85 employees are currently developing there electronics, electric motors, window regulators, seat adjusters and closure systems for the Indian market and for other Brose sites. Brose India also manages the Group’s regional procurement activities and provides IT services. The number of Brose employees in India will double in 2011 to almost 150.

Brose in Asia

In line with the rapid growth of the Asian automotive market over the past 15 years, the Brose Group has expanded its activities in this dynamic region. Today, the Group has nine sites in Asia: in China, Japan, Korea, India and Thailand, and currently employs almost 3,000 people in the region.