The Grenzebach Group has announced that the contract for the expansion of its site in Pune, India, was signed on 15 June 2023. The previous sales and service branch will now be merged with the new manufacturing area there. The opening of the production is planned for autumn 2023. DR. STEVEN ALTHAUS, CEO Grenzebach Group: "We firmly believe in the Indian market and see enormous potential for growth within the next five years."
As part of the expansion, the company is creating 30 new jobs in the first phase. The Grenzebach Group is investing around two million euros in the expansion, thus reaffirming its confidence in the Asian market and the economic region of India. And Ralf Jäger, COO of the Grenzebach Group, adds: "With the strengthening of our Indian location, we are setting an example - for the Pune region, India and Asia."
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With the expansion of the Pune site, Grenzebach intends to further improve support for Asian and, above all, Indian customers and create greater customer proximity in the area of service and order processing. In addition, the company expects a sales potential of 3 million euros in the first two years, rising thereafter. According to projections by the Grenzebach Group, the initial investment costs should be amortised quite quickly.
What will be manufactured at the new production facility?
The new company premises with 4500 m2 floor space are located in the Chakan Industrial Area, Pune District, about 30 km from the city centre of Pune. The premises will house a modern production unit as well as offices for sales, design, software development and service. In the future, the production unit will be used for the assembly of conveyor technology as well as labour-intensive welding work for cooling furnaces for the glass industry and dryers for the building materials industry.
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The decision to invest in Pune goes hand in hand with the positive development of the market and the increased demand for glass products such as solar glass. Gypsum production plants for plasterboard, gypsum wall panels and insulation boards are also in demand. Grenzebach attributes this to the increasing demand for office buildings, housing and infrastructure development as well as the Indian government's sustainability agenda.
Prasanna Hegde, MD Grenzebach India, emphasises the importance of the new production facility: "The Indian market has grown enormously in the last three years - this will continue in the future. Thanks to the expansion, we can now, in addition to our plant in Jiashan, China, serve our customers in the eastern hemisphere even better - with plants and machines according to German standards, in high quality, at local cost levels."
Production at the new site in Pune is scheduled to start in October 2023.
