Metalsa SA de CV, a subsidiary of Mexican ?Grupo Proeza?, which set up a unit here recently, is aiming to become a top supplier of structural components for light and commercial vehicles in the global market.
Metalsa?s product range includes chassis frames and body structural stampings and assemblies for passenger cars and light trucks as well as side rails and cross members for Class 5 to 8 commercial vehicles.
The facility which will produce customized class 5, 6, 7 and 8 side rails for medium and heavy trucks, possesses high-tech manufacturing capabilities such as roll-forming, plasma cutting, CNC hydraulic piercing, offset bending and powder coating to satisfy domestic and export markets.
Tata Motors and Mahindra Navistar are to be the main customers for the Jamshedpur plant.
According to Metalsa CEO Leopoldo Cedillo, ?India is one of the five regions in the world with the largest production of heavy trucks and its economic growth expectations for the following years are encouraging.”
Cedillo said the Jamshedpur plant would strengthen the company?s presence in the region and that it could now serve its other global customers operating here as also allow it to serve Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra better as they ?in the near future are poised to become global players?.
With the addition of the Jamshedpur plant, Metalsa now has five manufacturing facilities around the world dedicated to the production of side rails and chassis frames for commercial vehicles.
This is in addition to the company?s 10 plants specialising in the manufacture of structural components for light vehicles such as passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs.
Metalsa sources who refrained from talking about the quantum of investment that has gone into the plant, however, said the new plant here will generate around 300 direct jobs at its maximum production capacity of around 1.80 lakh side rails per year.
According to Metalsa Commercial Vehicles Business Unit (CVBU) president Angel Loredo, Metalsa?s commitment to provide high quality side rails and differentiated services to its customers has led it to implement high-tech manufacturing processes in the new facility here.
Headquartered at Monterrey, Mexico, Metalsa, apart from being in Mexico and now in India, has a presence in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, the US and the United Kingdom.
?Grupo Proeza? of which Metalsa is a subsidiary, is a privately-held Mexican group with a global presence with major interests in automotive, foundry, juices and fruits, information technology and healthcare.