IAC gets Reva mandate

After its acquisition of Multivac India, the Luxemburg-based IAC is scouting for more business in India and also working with CV manufacturers.

International Automotive Components (IAC) is to supply the dashboard and other composite materials for the Mahindra Reva NXR EV. The car is set to be launched later this year and for IAC, this is an interesting segment to make a mark. Now under the stewardship of Mahindra & Mahindra which acquired it in 2010, IAC has ambitious plans.

While the company continues to work with several passenger car OEMs including Maruti and Volkswagen India, it is also involved in prototyping, validation, manufacturing and supply of carpets, headliners and wall trim for the upcoming Volvo P9103 truck project. IAC is also working with AMW, the Bhuj-based CV maker, for improving NVH levels for its upcoming bus range. IAC entered India in 2008 and set up an engineering centre at Hinjewadi, Pune. This location has over 125 engineers and designers; it also carries out process such as offshore engineering and design for IAC’s global operations. In 2009, IAC opened a facility at Chakan. This 34,000 square-foot facility carries out work such as general assembly and welding for interior components such as the instrument panel components, glovebox assembly and exterior trims for the VW Polo and Vento models.

IAC has another Chakan facility, located at the Mahindra Supplier Park, which provides components to Mahindra Navistar trucks and has a 200-member workforce. At this unit, IAC employs technologies such as engineering, design and development, prototyping and validation as well as manufacturing and supply of instrument panel console, door and tailgate trims, floor trim, and B and C-D pillar air-conditioning vents for the recent M&M success, the XUV500. IAC also provides products such as seamless passenger side airbag, an integrated centre stack, dual pawl glovebox latch, and floor console sliding armrest for the XUV500.

IAC has done a similar amount of work for the Mahindra Navistar commercial truck range where it supplies the front show grille and some other exterior plastic components as well as complete instrument panels. This process involves injection moulding, vacuum forming, laser scoring, hot air cold staking, and cockpit assembly.

With the Reva order in its kitty, IAC will also carry out future production of the instrument panel assembly of Mahindra Reva EVs.

Logistically closer to customers

IAC’s most significant Indian strategy is the January 2011 acquisition of the Manesar-based Multivac India, a Tier 1 supplier for automotive interior components. This acquisition helped IAC establish a northern India footprint in proximity to the New Delhi supplier cluster. Components such as laminated headliners, interior-soft trims such as soft-door trims and parcel shelfs are manufactured at this facility for vehicles such as the Maruti Alto, Volvo-Eicher trucks and some VW India models. This facility is certified under ISO/TS 16949:2002.

The supplier also played a major role in engineering and design of Ashok Leyland’s new-generation cab overhead console, instrument panels and door trims.

Globally, IAC supplies components for General Motors’ Gamma platform which spawns various products such as the Buick Encore and Opel Mokka SUVs that are on sale in Korea, China and Mexico and the US. IAC also has done work on cockpit development and assembly for the Volvo S80, V60, V70, XC70 and XC90, various Ford models such as the Fusion, Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy, Buick Lucerene and Caadillac DTS, the Land Rover Freelander as well as the Evoque. The company also provides expertise in interior components like door panels, armrests, decorative appliqués, map pockets, switch bezels, speaker grilles and various safety components. One major trend in interior components is proper flooring and acoustic systems which make the end-user experience much more comfortable. IAC leverages various technologies in design and manufacturing of floor carpets, utility floorings, acoustic insulators, cargo-floor trim, engine insulation and wheel-arch liners.

According to Maurice Sessel, senior vice-president, Product Engineering for International Automotive Components (IAC) Group North America (pictured), future global trends in dashboards will be usage of more leather and leather-like materials which are softer and hand-stitched as well as provisions for more ambient lighting. The increased usage of more lightweight materials on passenger cars and trucks, especially on the inside door panels, is a clear trend going forward.

IAC is also in process of manufacturing parts like mud-flaps, wheel-arch liners and front-show grilles for many future global offerings.

IAC’s estimated 2010 sales were US$ 3.7 billion. It operates 74 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries and employs approximately 22,000 people around the world. IAC is headquartered in Luxembourg.

AKBAR MERCHANT