3M mulls launching car servicing centres by 2011

US-based diversified business firm 3M today said it is looking at entering the organised Indian car servicing business by 2011 to tap into the growing domestic passenger car market.

"We have our independent car servicing centres in many countries, including over 500 in China and some in Brazil. We are evaluating it for India also and if things progress well, we might venture into car servicing in 1-2 years," 3M India Division Manager (Car Care Division) Ninad Gadgil told PTI.

He said the company has started research and testing of the concept.

"We will probably do it under the franchise model. We will start with a few centres as pilot projects to get the model in place and then will think of expanding," Gadgil said.

The $25 billion 3M has interests in 44 diverse segments like health care, industrial markets, display and graphics, electronics and communication and automotive aftermarket.

It garnered a revenue of over Rs 1,000 crore in India in 2008. The car care division of its Automotive Aftermarket business is one of the major contributors.

"We are already providing car interior servicing parts to almost all major car makers in the India. The car servicing industry provides good potential for our growth," he said.

The Asia-Pacific region constitutes 40 per cent of 3M's global car care business and India is the second fastest market in the region, Gadgil said, launching the dry cleansing service for car interiors here.