The new engine assembly plant spans 3,450 sq.m within the existing Volkswagen India Chakan plant premises. It has been set up in 11 months with help of experts from Volkswagen engine plants in Salzgitter, Germany and Polkowice, Poland. Upward of 260 direct jobs have been created, apart from additional employment created at supplier production locations supplying key parts and engine components.
Engine assembly process workers have been trained at Volkswagen Polkowice engine plant and have gone through ‘Profi-rooms’ at the Chakan plant. The new assembly plant houses an engine testing facility. Minister for Industries, Government of Maharashtra, Subhash Desai; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Shirur (Maharashtra), Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil; and Member of Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra, Suresh Gore too attended the VW plant inauguration.
Volkswagen India has invested 30 Million Euro (Rs 240 crore) in setting up the new engine plant furthering Volkswagen Group’s commitment towards India. To meet quality standards, each engine undergoes rigorous tests before being released for assembly into a car. The Engine Testing Facility includes a Cold Test station, a Hot Test bench, Engine Dynamometer and an extensive engine test laboratory.
At full capacity, the new Engine Assembly Plant has a capacity to assemble over 98,000 engines annually in three shifts. The 1.5L TDI engine will be produced for 90 PS and 105 PS peak power.
Volkswagen India new Engine Assembly Plant in ChakanDevendra Fadnavis,Chief Minister of Maharashtra said Volkswagen is a top global car manufacturer having brought their German Engineering to India. Volkswagen is committed to its production operations in Chakan, and has invested further to increase manufacturing despite difficult market situations and created jobs in this industrial belt.
Subhash Desai, Minister for Industries, Government of Maharashtra expressed delight at export activity undertaken by Volkswagen India, which establishes India and the workforce here as capable of delivering world class products gloablly.
Mahesh Kodumudi, Chief Representative, Volkswagen Group India and President and Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, says the new Engine Assembly Plant and Engine Testing Facility is a first in India and emphasises on VW’s commitment to offer tech that matches local market requirements. The 1.5-litre TDI engine is specially developed for Indian needs. Now, its is being assembled locally and is in line with VW’s long term goal of increasing local content.
Local development and local assembly of engines furthers Volkswagen’s ‘Make in India’ commitment in line with government initiatives. Since beginning operations in 2009, Volkswagen India has been creating job opportunities and supplier development in and around Chakan .
Volkswagen’s recent investment in India at the Chakan Plant takes VW’s total investment to almost 710 Million Euro. Thus far, over 450,000 cars have been rolled out catering to domestic, and export markets. Volkswagen Polo, Vento and Skoda Rapid are manufactured at the Pune Plant, which employs about 3200 employees (Direct and Indirect).
