Doosan Bobcat has announced operations have commenced at the company’s first manufacturing facility in India. Located on a 21.6-acre site on the outskirts of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, it boasts an annual production capacity of 8,000 units
The integrated facility includes fabrication, warehouse, assembly and a paint shop under one roof and will begin production with the manufacture of Bobcat backhoe loaders completely designed and developed by the facitity’s Chennai-based engineering team.
“This new facility will help to meet the increasing demand for backhoe loaders to support the development of India’s infrastructure and construction segment. India is one of the key markets for Doosan Bobcat to maintain global leadership in the compact segment of the market. By opening the new factory in India, Doosan Bobcat has taken the next step forward to expanding its global presence and growth strategy. This facility represents our long-term commitment to Indian customers, employees and business associates in the nation through development of vendors, promotion of local parts procurement, technology transfer and export,” said Scott Park, CEO of Doosan Bobcat Global. ,
The company is hoping to become the No. 3 player in the Indian backhoe loader market within three years with production of backhoe loaders in Chennai. The company also has ambitions to turn the facility into a global manufacturing hub for export. As well as backhoe loaders, the company is intending to bring in the production of its other India-based compact products to better suit the Indian market.
Scott Park added, “Of all the emerging economies, India is the key market, showing the most prominent growth pattern fuelled by investment increases in various types of infrastructure across the country. We plan to use the Chennai Plant as our global production base for Backhoe Loaders and boost their sales around the world and in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia in particular.”
Over the next five years a planned investment of INR 190 Crores (US$26 million) is earmarked to develop the facility.
