Best Koki focuses on complete driveline shifting system

Best Koki, a JV between India’s Best Group and Germany’s driveline component supplier Koki Technik, is focusing on becoming a complete driveline shifting system provider to OEMs. The system includes gear knobs, gearshifters, shifter cables, shift tower, shift fork and other crucial components. While Koki Technik is Europe’s leading manufacturer of transmission shifting systems, it provides technical support to the Indian counterpart, which manufactures the mentioned components locally.

The company has provided shift towers for the popular Automated Manual Transmissions of the recently launched Maruti Celerio hatchback. Models such as Mahindra’s XUV500, Quanto, Bolero, Scorpio and others are fitted with components supplied by the Best Group.

Another arm, Madhusudan Auto, which has entered into a JV with Korea’s KCI Group, plans to launch advanced visibility systems such as wipers in the next 12 months. Further, the arm is also planning to launch tech-laden ABC pedal systems (ABC – acceleration, braking and clutch pedal systems) along with their complete modules.

Having grown by nearly 50 percent during FY2011-12 and FY2012-13, the Rs 140 crore Best Group expects to grow by 10 percent during the current fiscal due to the market slowdown. However, Nitesh Jain, MD, Best Koki Automotive, told Autocar Professional that “we have lined up new projects going forward which will ensure a growth of nearly 25-30 percent for the upcoming financial year.”