Kalyani Lemmerz completes expansion of vehicle steel wheel facility

Pune, Feb 22 (UNI) Kalyani Lemmerz Limited, a subsidiary of Hayes Lemmerz International Inc (HAYZ), today announced that it has completed the expansion of its state-of-the-art commercial vehicle steel wheel facility, bringing annual capacity to 800,000.

Hayes Lemmerz Global Wheel Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President Fred Bentley told media persons here that Kalyani Lemmerz was expected to add an additional 200,000 units of capacity in future months, bringing the total annual capacity of the facility to 1,000,000 units.

Mr Bentley said Kalyani Lemmerz would build a new plant to produce passenger car steel wheels. The plant will be located next to its existing commercial vehicle steel wheel facility and is expected to begin production in October next year.

The new manufacturing facility will support 200,000 steel wheels per year with the ability to increase production capacity to 400,000 units in future years, he added.

Kalyani Lemmerz Limited is located at Chakan, near Pune, the centre of India's automotive components manufacturing industry.

''The expansion, both in commercial and passenger car steel wheels, strengthens our presence in the fast-growing India market and also enables us to support our customers around the globe,'' Mr Bentley said.

Speaking on the occasion, Kalyani Group Chairman and Managing Director B N Kalyani said the inauguration of the completed expansion of the commercial wheel plant and a ground-breaking ceremony for the passenger car steel wheel facility will be held on February 23 in the plant.

Hayes Lemmerz owns 85 per cent of the equity in Kalyani Lemmerz Limited, while the remaining 15 per cent is held by the Kalyani Group.

Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc is a leading global supplier of automotive and commercial highway wheels, brakes and powertrain components. The company has 30 facilities and approximately 8,500 employees worldwide.

Kalyani Group is one of the leading Industrial Houses in India, having diverse business interests in engineering, steel, forgings, automotive components, non-conventional energy and specialty chemicals. The Group's annual sales are US 1.5 billion dollars (USD).

UNI