Accelerating demand for sunroof-equipped cars and SUVs in India sees Webasto open new panoramic roof plant in Chennai; plans to invest Rs 1,010 crore by 2027 and increase output from the current 500,000 units to 950,000 units.
11 May 2023 | 13665 Views | By Ajit Dalvi & Autocar Pro News Desk
The soaring demand for sunroof-equipped cars and SUVs in India, which is one of the fastest-growing global markets for this product category, is seeing global majors like Webasto expand their manufacturing capacity in the country.
Less than a year after Webasto built a larger local production site for roof systems at its Pune facility, the company has added a new production plant in Chennai for panoramic roofs and expanded its manufacturing capacity in India.
The global market leader for openable roof systems recently officially commissioned its second plant in Irungattukottai Sipcot, in the automotive hub of western Chennai, where the company has located close to its customers.
The new plant in Chennai has an initial production capacity of 250,000 units per annum, which will be subsequently increased to 400,000 units per annum. The company has a production and storage area that extends over approximately 9,500 square metres with additional space available for future expansion.
According to Webasto, the Chennai plant will be responsible for production and shipping to customers in the southern part of India. Construction work on this plant was completed at the end of last year and products were already being shipped as of November 2022. In addition to production, the Chennai plant also offers research and development capabilities.
“The Indian roof system market is experiencing a period of extremely rapid growth and openable panoramic roofs are in particularly high demand. We have, therefore, now established another highly innovative production facility in Chennai in addition to our existing plant in Pune,” said Jan Hennig Mehlfeldt, responsible for the global roof business at Webasto.
Rapidly growing sunroof market in India
Openable roof systems have become one of the most sought-after equipment features in India and demand for them is steadily increasing. Webasto India has, therefore, significantly expanded its business in recent years and further growth is expected. Webasto plans to invest a total of around 115 million euros (Rs 1,010 crore) in India by 2027 and increase its production from the current 500,000 units to 950,000 units by 2027.
“Webasto India is fully on course for growth. We offer our customers in India real added value with our high-quality openable roofs that are combined with new technologies and innovative features. Our two Indian plants allow us to manufacture our products close to our customers – in the region for the region,” commented Mehlfeldt.
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