While every other component maker or service provider has been proclaiming their association with the Nano, one of the bigger contributors to the small car, the Tata AutoComponent Systems companies, has been working quietly behind the scenes and is revving up their operations to start supplies for the Nano either from Singur or from Pune.
Barring a few companies, almost all the others companies from the TACO stables are going to contribute to put the Nano on the roads. TACO has 15 global partners, 35 plants, three EOUs, six engineering centers and two overseas manufacturing facilities for interior plastics in Germany (TACO KunststoffTechnik) and China (Nanjing Tata AutoComp Systems Limited). The company is expected to hit revenues of US $ 1.2 billion (Rs 4,777 crore) in 2008-09.
Tata Johnson Controls Automotive Limited (TJC), a seating systems company, is adding a new unit in Singur. TACO Interior and Plastics Division is putting in Rs 50 crore investments for the Nano focused plant at Singur which is ready to start.
Nano is set to increase the usage of plastics in cars including in the transmission and engines and substituting sheet metal parts, says Manoj Kolhatkar, CEO, TACO IPD.Tata Ficosa Automotive Systems Limited will be putting in the specially designed mirrors that have lights fitted on them into the Nano. This is one of the 20 components that Tata Ficosa will be supplying to the Nano. Tata Visteon Automotive plant in Pune is making the engine induction system for the Nano and supplying from Pune. Each with innovations of its own.