Ford India has completed the expansion of its engine plant in Chennai, taking its production capacity to 340,000 units per annum. The company invested Rs 396 crore in it and took 14 months for completion. Ford plans to make 80,000 additional diesel engines by employing 200 people. The company exports 40 percent of its engine production, either in engine form or as part of a vehicle.
Most of the investment has gone in creating infrastructure like a flexible crankshaft production unit, flexible cold and hot test benches, and a dyno test facility. As the first and only flexi-engine line in all of Ford's facilities that can make both diesel and petrol engines, all the fresh infrastructure is aimed at continuing this theme. "We are at an interesting phase of growth with the markets demanding swift responses from manufacturers,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India.
Meanwhile, the EcoSport SUV displayed at the Auto Expo in January will come in both petrol and diesel variants. While it is common knowledge that the petrol motor in the EcoSport will be the much-celebrated 1-litre Ecoboost engine, Boneham did not confirm if a diesel engine will come from Ford's existing line-up. The engine facility in Chennai also recently rolled out 400,000 engines.
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Viraaj Bhatnagar
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