Bonfiglioli Transmissions Pvt Ltd., the India-based subsidiary of Bonfiglioli Riduttori S.p.A., has announced an expansion of operations in India.

Expansion plans include improvements to existing facilities in Chennai and construction of a new facility in Pune (Chakan area), for a total investment of 85 Cr INR (11.3 million euro).

The current plant in Chennai, located at the SIDCO Industrial Area, Thirumudivakkam, covers an area of 180,000 sq. ft., and the Mannur plant, located close to Sriperumbudur, covers an area of 100,000 sq. ft. These plants are highly integrated facilities that manufacture gearboxes and gearmotors for mobile machinery, wind turbines and industrial processes. The facilities also house an R&D Centre, which develops products tailor-made for the Indian market.

A new facility of 140,000 sq. ft. will be built, adjacent to the current plant at Thirumudivakkam. It will house modern assembly lines, R&D Centre and test labs, all built with the highest standards of quality and safety, consistent with Bonfiglioli locations worldwide. The expected capacity is 75,000 units per year and will enable Bonfiglioli to serve existing and new markets and customers in off-highway, construction, mining, agriculture and material handling applications.

A completely new facility will be built in Pune (Chakan area, western India) and is expected to be ready in March 2017. This new facility will be approximately 45,000 sq. ft., including 3,000 sq. ft. of office space and will contain 11 assembly centres and 2,000 warehouse locations, all built to the highest standards of quality and safety, consistent with Bonfiglioli locations worldwide. The expected capacity is 150,000 units per year to serve customers in food, packaging, cement, steel, pharmaceutical, textile, material handling, sugar, power generation, paper and water treatment sectors.

Sonia Bonfiglioli, Chairman of Bonfiglioli Group, stated, "Bonfiglioli is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, but we are not looking at the past. We are looking toward the future and how Bonfiglioli can become a model for industrial development, and how we can better serve our customers in high growth countries like India. The expansions in India will enable Bonfiglioli to increase the production capacity in India to drastically reduce lead times to customers in India and nearby countries – all with the goal to help sustain Bonfiglioli through the next 60 years and beyond."