Broad-ranging auto activities in India
Only a few days after the Detroit kick-off for this year's major international automobile events comes India's biggest auto fair, the Auto Expo held New Delhi every two years. In addition, from February 4 to 7, international auto-industry suppliers will be showcasing forward-looking technical solutions for the automobile market at Auto Expo Components.
With almost 3.8 million units produced in 2015, the Indian market for vehicles up to 3.5 t GVW once again recorded a positive trend and in fact was up 5.9 percent on the 2014 figure. Contributing to current and forecast market growth is first-tier auto-component supplier KSPG which, besides displaying at Auto Expo Components, is also expanding its local production base. "Our focus in India this year is on our core competencies of emission reduction and reduced fuel consumption," is how KSPG CEO Horst Binnig summarizes his company's show presentation in New Delhi, adding, "The Indian subcontinent is also facing another tightening in emission targets for road traffic, and efforts in this direction are gaining momentum all the time."
Fully in line with this trend is a recent large order in the double-digit million euro range, which an Indian manufacturer placed with this international specialist in emission control and engine efficiency. It concerns modern electric-motor-driven exhaust-gas recirculation systems, to be delivered as from December 2016 for a series of mid-size commercial vehicle engines. These engines fulfill India's emission standard BS-IV (comparable with EURO IV). The standard has already been introduced in northern India and will gradually take effect elsewhere in the country by the spring of 2017. Instead of SCR catalytic converters, Indian automotive manufacturers are largely using exhaust-gas recirculation systems for achieving the limits allowed by BS-IV.
At present, the KSPG Group employs a workforce of around 900 in India; its two locations in Pune and Ahmednagar generated sales of some €40 million in 2015, an increase of 26 percent over 2014. Apart from plain bearings, bushes and thrust washers, the Group manufactures components for emission reduction such as exhaust-gas flaps, exhaust-gas recirculation systems and valves as well as pumps for cars and commercial vehicles. The company also operates on the aftermarket.
For many years now, the KSPG Group has had a successful partnership with India's Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd., in which it holds a 20-percent stake. For fiscal 2014/15 (fiscal year ending March 31), Shriram reported sales of around €170 million.
At the New Delhi show, KSPG will be represented at the German Pavilion in Hall 10.
Source: KSPG
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