Chennai, April 24, 2013: TI Automotive has inaugurated a state-of-the-art plastic fuel tank manufacturing facility near Chennai. The facility, which is the company’s first fuel tank systems production plant in India, will initially produce fuel tanks for Nissan’s Evalia MPV and also for both the export and domestic models of the Micra hatchback and the Sunny midsizer models. With an initial production capacity of around 300,000 tanks per annum, the company plans to add more assembly lines based on orders from Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India.

The Detroit-based company already manufactures its patented fuel-carrying systems at four different locations in the country, after taking over Bundy India in 1988. Plans are in the pipeline to shift some lines from the Vadodara plant to the newly inaugurated facility in Chennai in order to be closer to its customers.

Olivier Von Boxlaer, plant manager (above left), said, “We have 75 staff members here in this facility. We also have a quality lab to ensure high-quality fuel tanks for our customers.” Meanwhile, Toshihiko Sano, managing director, Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (above right), said that for 2013, RNAIPL plans to manufacture 340,000 units and called on TI Automotive to consider bringing the rest of its verticals near Chennai.

Apart from fuel lines and tanks, TI Automotive produces powertrain systems, HVAC fluid systems and pump and module systems.

Sano signed off by saying, “As a Buddhist, the number 108 has religious importance for me. I am happy to welcome TI Automotive as RNAIPL’s 108th supplier in Chennai.”

KARTHIK H