Bharat Fritz Werner to set up subsidiary in Germany

Bangalore, Oct 30 (UNI) The city-based leading machine tool manufacturer Bharat Fritz Werner (BFW) will set up its subsidiary in Germany to become the first multinational in its category, its Senior Vice-President N N Upadhyay informed today.

Addressing newspersons here, he said the subsidiary would come up in Germany to serve international requirements much faster and with greater efficiency. The BFW vertical machining centres and milling machines were currently supplied through dealers in China, France, Italy, Thailand, Turkey and Singapore.

The company, which had a strategic technical alliance with Starrg Hedkert, the Swiss supplier of manufacturing systems to automotive, aerospace and power generation industries, was all set to have a marketing subsidiary company for its products in Europe, he added.

Mr Upadhyay said BFW, which had a turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore last year, had supplied over 22,000 machines worldwide through a wide distribution network. The increased international demand for BFW products and the opportunities involved were the driving force to expand the company's footprint in Europe. ''We look forward to establishing firm bonds with the modern industry in developed nations and Germany presents itself as the ideal location to set up a base to leverage their performances in serving our clients.'' He said that over the last few years, the company had made a strategic investment of Rs 65 crore to leverage its manufacturing capabilities and expansion plans.

Mr Upadhyay informed that the company proposed to invest another Rs 45 crore in the aerospace manufacturing unit, to be set up at Dabaspet in Tumkur district. The KIADB had acquired over 50 acres of land for BFW for the purpose. By 2008, the aerospace wing of BFW would be in place, he hoped, adding that the BFW was all set to bag orders from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to supply some critical components.

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