Jason Sandefur

India-based Sundram Fasteners will expand its production capacities in China, Germany and Britain, while also looking at aerospace and petrochemical sectors for accelerated growth, the Indo-Asian News Service reports.
“The company is looking at the aerospace industry as a market opportunity for critical fasteners. The aerospace fastener industry worldwide is estimated at a value of $3 billion, and growing fast,” an unnamed official stated.
Sundram reportedly plans to increase its high-tensile fasteners (both specials and standards) and bearing housings production capacity. The total investment is thought to be as much as Rs.800 million (US$20 million).
“In addition to the automotive and engineering industries, the wind energy industry is another high-growth opportunity for quality fasteners,” the official was quoted as saying.
Sundram is also investing in additional capacity at the UK-based Cramlington Precision Forge and Germany’s Peiner Umformtechnik.
In 2007, Sundram set up a facility in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India, to manufacture high tensile fasteners.
Sundram also indicated the company will focus on research and development, with an emphasis on holding patented technologies, to drive growth. Ramping up the company’s intellectual property will include both product and process innovations while seeking collaborations with universities.
“The company’s fastener and powder metal parts divisions have already filed for five and eight patents respectively,” stated Sundram strategy executive S. Ramasubramanian.
Sundram has followed TPM, the Japanese approach to total productive maintenance. The TPM process could be divided into three phases – routine, innovative and creative.
Sundram Fasteners reported 2007 revenue of Rs.1577 crore (US$364 million). Sundram has manufacturing plants in India, Germany, the UK and China and an assembly operation in Malaysia. Web: sundram.com �2008 FastenerNews.com