Amid market gloom,auto sector blooms

After Italian brake manufacturer Brembo Group put in Rs 100 crore in Chakan,German component manufacturer Norma Group on Tuesday started its new plant in Talegaon and announced an investment of Rs 31 crore for its India operations.

Norma Group Products India Pvt Ltd,an 8:2 joint venture between Norma Group and Taurus Flexibles,will manufacture plastic tubing systems and clamps. The company aims at Rs 80 crore sales by 2012.

Spread over 30,000 sq ft,the Talegaon plant will focus on serving Indian customers and has plans to establish an engineering centre to support global engineering projects.

“The economic slowdown did not affect our sales and as per plan,we will enter the distribution and industry market by 2010. The response from the auto OEMs has been very encouraging and we already have 60 projects. With our own manufacturing base in India,we will be able serve Indian customers better and supply them with complete tubing systems and clamps at competitive prices,” said Bernd Klieinhens,managing director,commercial passenger vehicles,Norma Group,that has customers like Tata Motors,Mahindra and Mahindra and Ford in India. The global customers include Mercedes-Benz,Audi,BMW,Mitsubishi Motors and Porsche among others.

Andrea Carta,managing director,Norma Group Products India,said the company has launched Terry,built-to-market kind of component,and will supply 40 per cent to the passenger car and 20 per cent to the commercial vehicle segment. The company is also eyeing the railway,construction industry and shipbuilding markets. “We have supplied clamps and connectors to the world’s largest ship Queen Mary II and are conducting a market study in shipping segment in the country. From the automotive industries’ point of view,the step from Euro III to Euro IV is a big leap and our fluid connection technology offers helps to meet emission norms,” Carta said.

The company aims to localise the product by 60-70 per cent and achieve a market share of 50 per cent. The Talegaon plant has 20 employees and the company plans to increase it to 45 this year. “To achieve the target of Rs 80 crore,if needed,we will start one more unit. But it depends on the Indian economy. So far it has been good,” said Werner Deggim,CEO,Norma Group.