After Maruti, Ford plans stopover in Gujarat
Mulls 5,000-Cr Unit In Sanand To Produce 3 Lakh Vehicles
Harit Mehta & Rajiv Shah | TNN
Ahmedabad: After Maruti Suzuki, the world’s fourth largest car-maker, Ford is revving up to drive into Gujarat. The Detroit-based company plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore to set up a threelakh-cars-per-annum plant in Gujarat. The state government has identified 400 acres of land near Sanand, where Tata Motors commissioned its Nano plant last year. Another 100 acres will be set aside for components units.
TOI had first reported on November 19, 2010 that Ford was scouting for land in Gujarat. While Ford officials and state government authorities remained tight-lipped, sources close to the development say an announcement is likely sometime this month.
Ford India, the US car-maker’s Indian subsidiary, already manages a Rs 1,700-crore manufacturing plant at Maraimalai Nagar, 45 km from Chennai with a peak capacity of two lakh units per annum.
Ford India neither confirmed nor denied the development. “As part of its plan to introduce eight new products by the middle of the decade, Ford is significantly expanding its capacities in its existing facility in Tamil Nadu as well as exploring other options to meet the growing demand of consumers in India and export markets across the world,” a company spokesperson told TOI.
If Ford finalises on Gujarat, the state’s dreams of becoming an auto hub will get a big boost. While General Motors and Tata Motors already have units in the state, companies like Maruti Suzuki are likely to finalise Gujarat to set up a one million car per annum plant soon.
Among other reasons, the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor — nearly 40% of the corridor passes through Gujarat — and ports like Kandla and Mundra are seen as major factors for the manufacturing sector.
Ford’s manufacturing plant at Maraimalai Nagar near Chennai
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