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Engineering Info
BHEL gets bigger
Ailing engineering firm BHPV to merge with the larger player
The Union Government has taken a decision to merge the ailing
Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Ltd with Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd (BHEL) and to that effect, according to a note issued
by N Janardhana Reddy, member of the Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam.
It is reported Union Minister for Heavy Industry, Santosh
Mohan Dev has initiated efforts in this direction and is discussing
the modalities of the merger with the unions, the Chief Minister
of Andhra Pradesh and local officials. A formal announcement
is to be made soon BHPV, one a profit-making PSU employing
more than 5,000 workers, has in recent times become sick though
having orders worth more than Rs 200 crore on hand.
BFW looking to expand
Bharat Fritz Werner has inaugurated its first tech centre
in Pune at an investment of Rs 3 crore. Work on the Pune centre
had begun seven months ago and it currently had five machines
at the site. Two more machines were expected to come in The
tech centre spread over 8,000 sq ft will double as a showroom
for machines, as also as a centre for demonstration of machine
capabilities. It would also house a computer- aided design
centre and computer-aided manufacturing facility. BFW has
already begun its supply to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd of machined
components required for the aviation industry The Rs 205-crore
machine tool manufacturing company is now looking to set up
tech centres in other cities like New Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore
within two years. The company has been looking for land in
the national capital to set up its second tech center. It
is expected to begin land acquisition process in April. In
the second phase critical value-added services, which include
subassemblies, hydraulic electric, electronic assemblies,
will be set up to bring down cost to about 20 per cent. The
third phase will focus on the overseas markets.
Kerala fishermen to switch to diesel powered OBMs
The Kerala State Cooperative Federation for Fisheries Development
(Matsyafed) is working on a project to use diesel-powered
OBMs on traditional fishing craft. This is in keeping with
the international practice of using OBMs that run on diesel.
Fishermen in Kerala have used traditional boats powered by
outboard motors (OBMs) that use kerosene as fuel. However,
operating and maintaining kerosene-powered OBMs is an expensive
process that most often imposes a severe financial burden
on fishermen. Diesel-powered ones are energy efficient, less
polluting and offer significant cost savings to fishermen.
They also enjoy a longer life, are easier to repair and offer
overall cost savings of almost 50 per cent and better incomes.
It is reported the decision will impact some 15,000 traditional
fishing groups across the State. In the recent past, Matsyafed
has testing a diesel-powered OBM, manufactured in Thailand,
and the feedback has been encouraging. The experiment will
be carried out for a couple of months, following which a commercial
proposal will be put forward for the sale of diesel OBMs.
SHOP FLOOR
Precision group acquires partners stake
The Precision Group, which manufactures camshafts, has acquired
a 51 per cent stake in Clancey Precision Components Private
Ltd (CPCPL), its UK partner which was in financial difficulties.
Under the new arrangement the group will be able to engage
in direct marketing abroad as the joint venture agreement
restricted it from doing until now. Precision, which supplies
to companies such as General Motors, Ford, Tata and Hyundai
has recently bagged orders worth Rs 25 crore from BMW and
Porsche for the supply 4,40,000 camshafts. The group is now
looking to set up a small outfit at Chennai at a cost of Rs
20 crore and at other locations at a later date. The company's
investment plan of Rs 100 crore is to be raised through debt
and equity many years.
Escorts in talks for funds
Escorts Ltd is presently parleying with a clutch of private
equity firms to fund expansion of its construction equipment
unit. Having reduced its debt burden to Rs 590 crore from
Rs 1,100 crore three years ago the company is now in discussions
with banks in order to make the company's financial position
stronger. The company, which at present manufactures construction
equipment at its Faridabad facility, intends to set up two
new units at Ballabgarh in Haryana and at Rudrapur in Uttaranchal.
With the expansion, Escorts will double its construction equipment
manufacturing capacity. The company's unit at Faridabad makes
products such as pick and carry cranes and fork lifts. The
firm is also looking to raise capacity at its tractor facilities
to 98,000 units from 76,000 units. It is looking to focus
on its construction equipment, tractors, railway parts and
auto components. businesses as part of its ongoing restructuring.
L&T wins Rs 418 crore Abu Dhabi contract
Engineering major Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) has bagged
an order valued at Rs 418 crore from the Abu Dhabi Water &
Electricity Authority to construct six major electrical substations
in the Al Ain sector of Abu Dhabi. L&T will supply and
install 33/11kV primary substations to the specifications
of the international consultant Mott MacDonald. The project,
which includes design and construction of civil building and
over 120 km of 33 kV cabling, is scheduled for completion
within 18 months. The substations will come up at Al Mutaredh,
Al Mezyad South, Al Dhaher South, New Al Qua'a, Al Qattara
and Civic Centre to reinforce the region's power distribution
network and help meet the increased demand for power in the
region, a company press release said. Each substation consists
of 33 kV gas insulated switchgear, 11 kV air insulated switchgear,
15 MVA 33 / 11 kV transformers, substation control and monitoring
system, protection and telecommunication system, DC system
and auxiliaries.
Caparo Group to invest Rs 1000 crore
The Caparo Group is planning to invest in new manufacturing
facilities in India for aluminium, steel and ultimately composite
components. It will help the company provide high quality
cost efficient products demanded by its automotive and motorsport
clients. The company has already built seven new plants in
the last three years and is now developing its automotive
engineering complex near Chennai in India as part of its major
plans for investing circa Rs 1,000 crore. In total, Caparo
currently has nine more plants under construction to serve
car and truck manufacturers. "We want vehicle manufacturers
to understand that we are a highly integrated Tier 1 supplier
that is making the necessary investments to deliver on quality,
service, price and technology," says Richard Butler chief
executive of Caparo Vehicle Products. "We want customers
to have an insight into Caparo's extensive range of components
and in particular its ability to take an idea from concept,
through the entire product design process, to the manufacture
of high performance parts."
Royce on India roll
Rolls-Royce has plans to step up sourcing of engineering
design from India. The British aircraft engine maker already
has a partner in Bangalorebased technology company, QuEST,
for developing engineering design solutions and it also sources
steel forging from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which
is used in its civil aircraft engines. At present parleys
are on with potential partners for setting up aircraft engine
maintenance, repairs and overhaul (MRO) facilities. The company
now intends to start a research progamme in India in association
with Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, while also stepping
up hiring from India for its global operations. There are
also plans to set up a purchase office, which will facilitate
Indian companies' participation in global bids for component
design and local manufacturing.
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