French auto component supplier, Plastic Omnium’s Auto Exteriors division is expanding its Pune-based manufacturing operations by moving into a greenfield plant near Chakan.

According to the company, the new facility will be almost three-and--half times bigger (about 36,000 square metres) than its existing plant in Chakan. The new facility is understood to become operational from October 2018. The investments earmarked and other details remain undisclosed at the moment.

The company says that at its peak, the upcoming plant will employ up to 400 people.

Meanwhile, the company has also formally inaugurated its all-new technical centre in Pune and its fourth plant in Gujarat, which makes fuel tanks, last week, all thanks to the recent India visit of its global chairman and CEO, Laurent Burelle.

The new technical centre, which currently employs about 50-60 engineers, has been operating since January last year. According to the company, the Pune-based technical centre is purely a captive unit, dedicated to support Plastic Omnium’s global programs. It plans to expand the headcount to 150 engineers by 2022.

With the advent of the incoming BS VI emission norms and critical safety mandates, automakers are focusing on ways to reduce weight of the vehicles.

Plastic Omnium’s Auto Exteriors division designs and develops lightweight and safe plastic fenders, bumpers and the tailgates. According to the company, it is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of the plastic (passenger car) tailgates globally. Conventionally the tailgates are made using sheet metal and this is where it claims to save about 15-20 percent of the weight alone in this area.

The company says it is currently witnessing a strong demand for lightweight components by the carmakers in the domestic market.