GKN Driveline continues rapid growth in India

GKN Driveline’s recently opened plant in Oragadam near Chennai in Tamil Nadu last year supplied auto manufacturers in India with nearly 1.2 million sideshafts. Further capacity expansion of the plant is in progress to meet southern India’s growing automotive business.

Opened less than two years ago, the modern 10,000-square-metre facility employs more than 250 people and strengthens the company’s ability to meet the rapid growth of India’s car market.

GKN Driveline has invested nearly €20 million in its Oragadam facility, which also includes an engineering test centre. The company currently employs 800 people at three factories in India: Faridabad and Dharuhera, near Delhi in the north and Oragadam in the south.

Ravindra Ojha, managing director of GKN Driveline operations in India, pointed out that the company’s business in India has grown at an annual rate of more than 15 percent over the past five years.

“Even in 2009 we should see some small growth and expect to continue our exceptional rate of growth over the next several years as well,”the GKN Driveline executive said. “Our state-of-the-art Oragadam plant allows us to more efficiently serve our growing customer base in South India.”

Located on a 15-acre site, the new facility has a high, two-ply insulated roof to improve ventilation and help reduce temperatures on the factory floor. The building also features an open interior design with a minimum number of support columns for improved visibility throughout the factory. As an added safety feature, fork lifts and other motorised vehicles are not allowed on the shop floor.

Ojha said GKN Driveline also has plans to create a precision forging unit in Chennai by 2011.

About GKN Driveline in India

GKN Driveline’s roots in the Indian automotive market go back to the 1980s, forging strong partnerships based on supply reliability, product integrity and quality consistency. Today, GKN Driveline shares its unique application capability with customers to develop dedicated driveline solutions that meet the challenge of improved environmental performance, greater efficiency, lighter weight and enhanced reliability.

About GKN Driveline

GKN Driveline is the world’s leading supplier of automotive driveline components and systems. As a global company serving the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, GKN Driveline develops, builds and supplies an extensive range of automotive driveline components for use in the smallest ultra low-cost car to the most sophisticated premium vehicle demanding the most complex driving dynamics.

GKN Driveline is a leading global producer of sideshafts, propshafts, mechanically and electronically controlled torque management systems and associated geared components. Website: www.gkndriveline.com

About the GKN Group

GKN plc is a global engineering business serving mainly the automotive, industrial, off-highway and aerospace markets. It has operations in more than 30 countries, at 31st December 2008 it had nearly 40,000 employees in subsidiaries and joint ventures and had sales of £4.4 billion in the year ended 31 December 2008. GKN plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GKN). Website: www.gkn.com