ZF Rane Automotive inaugurates Rs 100 crore inflator and sled test facility in Trichy

ZF Rane Automotive India Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between the Rane Group and Germany's ZF Group, has inaugurated a new inflator plant and sled test facility for its occupant safety business in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu.

The plant was inaugurated by Vinod Sahay, President – Aerospace & Defence, Trucks, Buses & CE & Chief Purchase Officer - Auto & Farm Sector at M&M, and R. Velusamy, President - Automotive Technology & Product Development at M&M. The event was attended by the management teams of ZF, Rane, and various supplier partners.

The facility is located along the Trichy-Chennai national highway, 40 km from Trichy and 300 km from Chennai. The new inflator facility aims to increase local production of airbags.

The company has invested around Rs100 crore in establishing the inflator and sled facility. Initially, the inflator plant will produce driver and passenger versions, with a capacity of approximately 3 million inflators per year. The sled test facility will improve the company’s testing capabilities, helping to reduce product development lead time.

These investments align with the company's strategy to support the government's “Make in India” initiative by increasing local manufacturing.

Harish Lakshman, Chairman of Rane Group and Managing Director of ZF Rane Automotive India Pvt Ltd, noted that the facility aims to meet market demand while supporting local production. He highlighted the importance of manufacturing global technologies that cater to customers' needs while maintaining quality standards.

Rudolf Stark, Executive Vice President of ZF LIFETEC, emphasised the investment as part of ZF’s strategy to strengthen its position in the passive safety systems market and expand its testing capabilities globally. He also stressed the importance of keeping inflator production in-house to maintain quality and meet industry demands.