Harman eyes Indian OEMs for audio & infotainment solutions

Sets up manufacturing facility in Chakan

Harman, a $ 4.4 billion global provider of audio and infotainment solutions company is setting up a manufaturing facility in Chakan near Pune.

The facility will entail SMT and Infotainment manufacturing capabilities and is slated to be operational by the end of 2013.

Harman manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. 

Harman has invested over Rs 55 crore for this facility. The company is targeting all the major automotive OEMs in India for their branded audio products.  It has currently joined hands  with  Tata Motors for branded audio and infotainment solutions. The facility will produce 400,000 car sets per annum. 

Speaking on this, Michael Mauser, executive vice president and co-president, Infotainment and Lifestyle Divisions, said, " Our growth plan in India is very intensive. We will be investing 10 million dollars in the first phase, with 100 employees. Given that there is a close link and constant interaction between customers and businesses like ourselves, it was logical to set up a manufacturing unit where the customers are. With its huge base of Automotive OEMs, Pune was is an ideal location for our Manufacturing units as our customers will be benefited in several ways. For instance, the input costs will be lower and to start with we will also conduct local sourcing to the tune of 30 per cent. Customers will also see benefits from our products and systems specially customized for the Indian market."

He added, “We will start with manufacturing of infotainment products like radio and navigation units and then we will logically scale up our operations by bringing in lifestyle products. Over a period of time, we will bring in our entire product portfolio into India. This manufacturing facility can also be looked at for exports at a later stage.”

Harman has also opened an acoustic systems engineering centre in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune with more than 50 engineers supporting the local business and would serve as a local innovation hub . “Our ability to define, design, manufacture and distribute products indigenously is key to our successful expansion in the Indian market,” said Anand  Ramamoorthy Managing Director, Harman International India Pvt Ltd.