General Motors inaugurates flexi-engine plant in India

General Motors on November 12 inaugurated its new flexi-engine facility in Talegaon, India, GM’s first powertrain plant that enables petroleum and diesel engines to be manufactured simultaneously. 

The state-of-the-art facility represents investment of $230 million. It has an initial annual production capacity of 160,000 engines and is designed to accommodate future expansion. The new engine plant will begin by producing engines for small passenger cars manufactured by GM in India.

 “This marks the beginning of GM's next chapter in India.” GM India president and managing director Karl Slym said. ”The opening of our new facility will enable our company to become more competitive and keep up with the growing demand for our vehicles. GM India’s sales have grown significantly since we began rolling out our mini-cars, the Chevrolet Spark and Beat, at our Talegaon plant about two years back.” 

Slym added, “We appreciate the support of the Maharashtra government and our employees across the country. Their backing has enabled us to build a world-class engine facility in record time of less than two years.”

On August 28, 2008, GM signed an agreement with the Government of Maharashtra for the construction of a new engine plant adjacent to its vehicle manufacturing facility. Construction started in December 2008, with pilot production commencing in March 2010. The engine plant complements GM's modern vehicle manufacturing facilities in Talegaon and Halol, Gujarat, as well as the GM Technical Center – India in Bangalore, which is carrying out a range of engineering, design and R&D activities.  

General Motors India has completed 14 years of operation. It offers a growing range of products under the Chevrolet brand, which was introduced in India in 2003 and has become one of the fastest-growing automotive nameplates in the country. In addition to the Spark and Beat, GM India also produces the Captiva, Optra, Cruze, Aveo, Aveo U-VA, and Tavera for sale nationwide.

GM is the fifth-largest automobile manufacturer in India. In the first 10 months of 2010, GM India sold a record 93,960 vehicles, which represents a 73 percent increase over the same period last year. It has 209 sales points and 205 service outlets in 178 cities across India, and has embarked upon an ambitious rural marketing initiative to further boost sales. In February 2010, GM and its Chinese partner SAIC opened a joint venture in India for cooperation in vehicle manufacturing and sales.

Mr Suheb Haq, Vice-President, Powertrain; Mr P Balendran, Vice-President, GM India; Mr A M Khan, Principal Secretary (Industries); Mr J P Dange, Chief Secretary of the State; Mr Karl Slym, President & Managing Director, GM India and Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises at the lamp-lighting ceremony at General Motors' flexi-engine plant in Talegaon, Pune

Mr Suheb Haq, Vice-President, Powertrain and Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises along with GMI employees, releasing the first engine at GM's powertrain plant in Talegaon, Pune

Mr Karl Slym, President and Managing Director, GM India and Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises at the inauguration ceremony of  General Motors flexi-engine plant in Talegaon, Pune