Force Motors has inaugurated their brand new production facility in Chakan, near Pune, Maharashtra where the company will produce engines and and axles for Mercedes-Benz India.
Mercedes-Benz and Force Motors, have had long time cooperation which initially dates back to 45-years. Since 1997, Force Motors has been the local assembler of the German manufacturers engines for the cars that they have been selling in India. The partnership has grown to produce their front and rear axles as well. To produce the components for the cars and SUVs of Mercedes-Benz India, Force motors has invested in a brand new facility in Chakan, Maharashtra.
Force Motors has invested Rs. 100 crore in the facility. The investment is a part of the Rs. 700 crore investment pledged by Force Motors over the nest two years across its value chain for multiple products and business verticals. The facility has an annual capacity of 20,000 engines and 20,000 front and rear axles with room to expand depending on the demand from Mercedes Benz India.
The engines that Force motors produces for Mercedes includes all the in-line 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and all V-6 petrol and diesel engines for the cars and SUVs being offered by Mercedes-Benz India. These engines are offered from the base A-class hatchback all the way to the flagship S-Class.
The facility employs around 200 people who work in two shifts at the present moment. The plant is spread over 130,000 sqft with eight lines which can test up to 12 engine variants. This technologically modern plant is temperature and dust controlled to ensure best in class build quality. It has the modern technology needed for ensuring the production process with computer controlled precision equipment. The two modern hot test beds test 100% of the engines produced for quality and performance.
Prasan Firodia, Managing Director, Force Motors said, “The association with Mercedes Benz India Car Plant alone spans over 19 years and has helped establish Force Motors’ strength as a preferred supplier of critical and high precision aggregates to leading European Luxury Brands. This new plant will help Force Motors be more flexible in terms of the production capacity demands and will enable us to continue to produce engines and axles to the exacting standards expected by Mercedes Benz globally”.
The current tally of components supplied by Force motors to Mercedes stands at over 60,000 engines and over 50,000 axles. This partnership helps Mercedes-Benz localise their production, thus making their vehicles more affordable to Indian consumers. The new facility was conceptualised in June 2015. The first engine from the plant rolled out in February 2016.
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