GKN sets up Rs 100-cr plant near Chennai

Chennai: GKN Driveline has set up a Rs 100-crore plant at Oragadam, about 50 km from Chennai, to supply constant-velocity joints (CVJs) side shafts to Hyundai and Ford. The plant has just become production-ready, although it is yet to get power and water supply connections.

Today, the plant runs on captive power. It also has a testing facility to support its customers’ homologation process.

The CVJ sideshaft provides the dynamic connection between engine and driving wheels, transmitting power and allowing steering angles, while accommodating suspension movements and vibrations.

About the plant


Speaking to the media at the plant, the Managing Director of GKN Driveline’s operations in India, Mr Ravindra Ojha, said the 10,000-sq m. Oragadam plant would employ 200 people.

It can produce 6.6 lakh sideshafts a year. In the Rs 32-crore second phase of expansion, the capacity would be doubled to 1.2 million pieces.

The project would be completed by the end of this calendar year, in sync with Hyundai’s own expansion programme.

Existing plants



GKN Driveline has two plants — Dharuhera and Faridabad in North India. It also had an assembly unit at Gummidipoondi near Chennai. The unit has since been shifted to Oragadam.

The company reported a turnover of Rs 330 crore for the calendar year 2007, up 17 per cent over the previous year.

Entry into aerospace


The €2.6 billion GKN Plc of the UK is mulling options to enhance its presence of its off-highway and aerospace divisions in India.

The Chief Executive of the company, Sir Kevin Smith, said the company had been supplying components to a few customers in India, including HAL and it was only logical to strengthen its presence with India witnessing significant growth in these segments.

The group has four major divisions such as driveline, powder metallurgy, off-highway and aerospace.

In India, GKN is present in the first two segments and is keen on getting into the other two, Sir Kevin said.