Kohler Co of US, which recently acquired control of Lombardini India, will soon launch a 1000 cc diesel three-cylinder engine for a four wheeler small commercial vehicle, which company officials claim would be the first of its kind to be manufactured in India. | |
| Lombardini India's parent Italian company Lombardini Srl was recently taken over by the US based Kohler Co's engine division Global Power Group. |
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| This engine is likely to be placed for players wanting to enter the small commercial vehicle segment currently occupied by Tata Motors and Piaggio. Tata Motors currently fields the SFC 407 in the light commercial vehicle segment and the ACE in the small vehicle segment. |
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| Lombardini, manufacturer of diesel and petrol engines will now be assembling Kohler's Generator sets at its Aurangabad plant along with exploring more avenues in the automotive engine segment for the Indian market. |
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| "Gianni Borghi, CEO of Lombardini Srl and Dick Fotsch, Global Power Group President had visited India in the second week of June and senior officers from the companies are expected to visit the country in early July to work out investment and other technical details. Exports would also be on the agenda as Lombardini India currently exports close to 400 engines to Italy," said a company official. |
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| Lombardini India manufactures the 340 cc petrol engine, water cooled 482 cc and air cooled 422 cc single cylinder diesel engines at its plant in Aurangabad which has a production capacity of 110 engines per day. Its clientele includes PVPL, Kerala Auto and Scooter India among others. |
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| With the acquisition by Kohler's engine division, the production capacity is set to be increased to 250 engines per day. Lombardini will also be working on the below 40 cc engines with Kohler, which specialises in manufacturing air and liquid-cooled, four-cycle petrol engines in the 4 to 38 horsepower range. |
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| The 85-year old Lombardini Srl, headquartered in Reggio Emilia, Italy, manufactures small diesel, gas, and petrol engines for the industrial, transportation, agriculture, marine and light construction industries. Lombardini's diesel and petrol engine line ranges from 3 to 72 horsepower. |
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| For Lombardini India, which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Lombardini Srl, the acquisition by Kohler is also set to see more focus into the automotive sector which is its core business. |
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| The company official added that financial details were yet to be worked out but Kohler has committed to upgrading technology at its plant. |
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