Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. (Sona Comstar), one of the leading global providers of automotive technology solutions, inaugurated its second-largest manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune, the company announced through an exchange filing. The new plant manufactures driveline products for EV and non-EV applications and serves customers in India and globally.
Spread across 10 acres in Chakan, India's automobile and manufacturing hub, the plant will leverage cutting-edge technologies ensuring the highest levels of quality and precision in the manufacturing process. It will be critical in scaling up capacities to fulfill the Company's large and growing net order book of INR 238 bn. The new plant has a production capacity of nearly 11.8 million gears, which is expected to reach 20.1 million differential gears by the end of FY25. The total investment required for this plant is estimated at INR 231 crores.
As per Ricardo's data, Sona Comstar's global market share of differential gears increased to 7.2% in 2022 from 5.0% in 2020. The Company continues to dominate the Indian market for differential gears with a 60-90% market share across vehicle categories. Backed by its R&D and engineering capabilities, Sona Comstar continues to innovate and supply cutting-edge technologies and products to our discerning customers.
Mr Hemant Sikka, President of the Farm Equipment Sector and Member of The Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., graced the occasion as chief guest and inaugurated the plant along with Mr Sunjay Kapur, Chairman and Mr Vivek Vikram Singh, MD & Group CEO, Sona Comstar.
At the inauguration, Mr Hemant Sikka said, "I am delighted to be a part of this momentous occasion. This is Sona Comstar's second-largest plant in India and is an environmentally sustainable industrial unit. The plant will have almost one megawatt of solar capacity and also treat 100% of its used water. Sona Comstar has a long-standing relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra, and we are pleased to see the Company's commitment to innovation, sustainability and manufacturing excellence."
"We are proud to inaugurate our new plant in Chakan," said Mr Sunjay Kapur, Chairman of Sona Comstar. "With state-of-the-art technology and an unwavering commitment to quality and technology, we are confident that this plant will set new benchmarks in the automotive industry and mark India's eminence in manufacturing on a global platform. We are proud to contribute to India's vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub and look forward to creating more job opportunities for the local community."
Mr Vivek Vikram Singh, MD & Group CEO of Sona Comstar, said, "This new plant is a testament to our dedication to innovation and excellence in manufacturing. This expansion marks a significant milestone in our growth journey, as we remain committed to our vision of being a global leader in the automotive technology solutions space."
Mr V. Vikram Verma, CEO of the Driveline business at Sona Comstar, said, "We are excited to inaugurate our new manufacturing plant in Chakan today. With the latest technologies and our team's dedication, we will further elevate our operational excellence, product quality, and customer satisfaction. The plant's strategic location in the automotive hub of India will help us better serve our customers in the western and southern regions. We are confident that the new plant will enable us to meet the increasing demand for our products and accelerate our growth."
Sona Comstar had its plant at Bhosari, Pune, which has now been shifted to this larger facility. The Chakan plant is equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, houses an advanced tool & die shop and employs highly skilled workers to ensure the highest standards of quality and efficiency. The facility also features advanced testing and inspection equipment to ensure that all products meet or exceed the strictest industry standards. With the planned production capacity, as above said, the Company expects the number of associates employed at this plant to increase in the coming years.
Sona Comstar recently achieved the milestone of 350 million gears produced since its inception. This outstanding achievement is the result of our customers' trust, our suppliers' support and the efforts of our people. The Company expresses gratitude to its customers for their faith in its products, which encourages us to innovate and enables our growth.
Sona Comstar started production of the precision forged differential gears at its plant in Gurgaon, Haryana, in 1999 and commenced production at its first plant in Bhosari, Pune, Maharashtra, in 2005. From its plants in India, today, Sona Comstar serves seven of the world's top-10 PV OEMs, three of the world's top-10 CV OEMs, seven of the world's top-10 tractor OEMs, five of the world's top-15 EV OEMs and four of the top-15 Indian e2Ws OEMs.
