Buhler to Expand Operations in India, Aims to Double Manufacturing Capacity in 5 Years.

Swiss agricultural and food processing equipment manufacturer Buhler is set to double its manufacturing capacity in India over the next five years. The move aims to meet the country’s growing demand and increase exports to regions such as Africa and West Asia.

Operating in India for over three decades, Buhler’s Bengaluru facility manufactures equipment for processing a variety of agricultural commodities including rice, wheat, pulses, and coffee. It also produces machinery for manufacturing food products like biscuits, pasta, noodles, chocolates, breakfast cereals, as well as livestock and aqua feed.

Prashant Gokhale, Managing Director of Buhler India, outlined the company’s expansion plans, stating, “We are going to double the manufacturing capacity and also double our exports as well. We envisage close to ₹200 crore plus investment over the next couple of years in the capacity expansion.”

Buhler India predominantly exports its agricultural and food processing equipment to Africa and West Asia, with specialized equipment such as coffee roasters shipped globally to countries including New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Europe, and the US.

The Bengaluru manufacturing unit ranks as Buhler’s fourth largest globally among over 30 factories. Approximately 75-80% of its production caters to the Indian market, with the remainder exported. Beyond manufacturing, Buhler operates a global R&D unit in Bengaluru, focusing on developing innovative solutions and technologies for both domestic and international markets.

Buhler’s India business currently stands at ₹700-750 crore, with annual growth averaging around 10%. Factors such as urbanization, increased availability of branded products in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, and rising demand for processed foods are driving this growth.

Additionally, Buhler manages shared services for the group, including IT operations from India. “We more or less manage the whole IT operations of the group from here, including SAP implementations at Buhler sites and other aspects like security and data management,” added Gokhale. The company’s expansion plans in India also include enhancing its shared services and engineering capabilities to support operations across the Middle East and Africa.

HBL