BorgWarner Morse Systems is exploring the option of making components and child parts for new mobility vehicles.
'There is no concrete plan yet but we are contemplating this move,' R Murali, Director, BorgWarner Morse Systems, told Mobility Outlookon the sidelines of the second plant inaugural near Chennai on Wednesday.
As he put it, the company will expand its product portfolio based on opportunities it can avail of. The new facility at Gudapakkam village near Tiruvallur will make high-performance engine control, variable cam timing (VCT) and motion control devices such as arms, guides and tensioners, said Murali.
This is BorgWarner Morse Systems’ 20th unit worldwide and the second in India. It already has six each in the Americas and Europe and seven in Asia. The 83,600 square feet Tiruvallur plant will initially meet the needs of Hyundai Motor India and thereon to a Japanese OEM soon.
With growing demand for timing chains and VCT, capacity was the need of the hour when it was clear that the existing facility could not cope with the backlog. The company then decided to lease a shed and make VCT and motion control devices. Murali said the space vacated by the VCT line in the first plant would be used to create a manufacturing line for timing chains.
The first assembly line set up in the new plant has a productivity level to be able to make at least thrice the output even though there is no change in the size of the assembly line. During the course of 2023, the company hopes to have another identical line which will cater exclusively to a Japanese OEM, added Murali.
With these expansion plans, BorgWarner is well placed to meet the growing business needs of the automotive industry both in India and across Asia. The increase in capacity will also give a fillip to local sourcing and give operations here a competitive edge.
Kunihiko Mishima, General Manager, BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan, told this news portal that the new facility is the creation of best practice initiatives taken by BorgWarner Manufacturing Group, which works under the guidance of Toyota in Japan.
The assembly of high-performance engine control and VCT systems will be centralised here and offer space for warehousing and shipping.
Pei Wang, Vice President and General Manager Asia, BorgWarner Morse Systems, said the current expansion was necessary to meet increasing customer demand in India. “Having two plants in the same area allows us to optimise logistics and improve our supply chain. Further, the expansion highlights our role as an important regional employer,” he added.
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