Bosch India to double capacity by 2010

New Delhi, July 6: Leading power tool manufacturer Bosch Power tool today said it will increase the capacity of its Bangalore plant to 5,00,000 units in the next three years from the current capacity of 2,20,000 units.

''We are importing some of our power tools but considering the import duties and the competitive market, we wish to expand our production capacity to 5,00,000 units by 2010,'' said Motors Industries Company Ltd, the flagship of Bosch Group subsidiaries in India, Business Head Navin Paul.

The company is also mulling to introduce about 40 new products by the end of the current year.

Meanwhile, the company today launched 'Bosch Vahan' for north India, a compact vehicle that travels to rural areas, demonstrating its power tool range of products.

''Rural artisans are unaware about the latest tools and technologies as well as financial support they can fetch. This vehicle will reach out to artisans who can have a first hand information of the latest tools, witness a live demonstration, study its varied application and its utility in their daily work,'' Mr Paul added.

The company has tied up with various banks in order to provide loans to artisans who need financial support to procure these tools.

Botch had earlier launched the vehicle in south India where it covered four states in south India upgrading the skills and livelihood of more than 5,000 artisans and now plans to target 4,000 artisans in the north of India.

''The banks disbursed Rs 7.9 crore in south India and we expect it to touch eight crore in north India,'' Mr Paul added.

The van will move to Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh under phase-I and UP and Uttaranchal under phase-II.

The compay will launch two more vans by the end of this year to travel in the western and eastern regions of the country, Mr Paul mentioned.

''Botch power tool business stood at Rs 200 crore last year in the country, which we target to scale up to Rs 240 crore in the current year,'' Mr Paul further added.

UNI