Coimbatore-based Pricol Technologies, part of the Rs 650 crore Pricol group, plans to set up an engineering centre in Pune. This will focus on high-end technologies.President and COO, AS Ramaseshan said that while computer-aided engineering would be done in Pune, Coimbatore would focus on CAD, detailing, modelling and project management.

The move has been prompted by a growing order book, largely from the US. Ramaseshan said the company was in the midst of a range of projects with six large Tier-1 companies as well as a vehicle diagnostics equipment maker. It is also working on vehicle communication interface, a universal diagnostic system used for multi-brand vehicle platform service companies.

Ramps are provided in buses in the US for the physically challenged. Called ‘low-floor bus access ramp’, the unit incorporates a hydraulic system. Pricol Technologies has been given the mandate to do complete product engineering for the unit. It hopes to begin supplies from November and has targeted 300 units initially.

For yet another Tier-1 company, Pricol is working on a special project involving analysis on computational fluid dynamics and structural analysis of airbag deployment system. Carcerano Pricoltech India, the 50:50 joint venture between Carcerano Automotive Design and Engineering of Italy and Pricol Technologies, is working with two leading OEMs in India. One is for designing and developing a prototype for a complete dashboard while for the other concerns styling.

To reduce product development time in cable harness systems, Pricol Tech has tied up with Turbo Tools Company of the US. This will offer Indian Tier-1 companies tools for product development.

In 2006-07, Pricol Tech's turnover was Rs 7 crore and it hopes to double this this fiscal. It has an order book of over $28 million over the next 3-5 years. The company has a subsidiary in the US, Pricol Technologies Inc, and is setting up Pricol Technologies GmbH in Germany to focus on business development in Europe.

T MURRALI