Hero MotoCorp today laid the foundation stone of its eighth manufacturing facility at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. The project involves an investment of Rs 1,600 crore for the state-of-the-art plant which will generate 12,000 new job opportunities in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Munjal, chairman, managing director and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, laid the foundation stone of the new facility in Sri City during a ceremony earlier today.
“Riding on the power of its inherent resilience, modern technology and innovation, Hero MotoCorp has been expanding its global footprint across continents with new markets and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. With the commencement of construction of our new manufacturing plant at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, we are bringing the same global benchmark of sustainable eco-friendly green manufacturing to the state,” said Pawan Munjal.
“When fully operational, this facility will take up our total combined installed capacity to 11 million units of motorcycles and scooters per annum, which is in line with our vision of surpassing the landmark 10- million unit volumes by 2020. In addition to building a state-of-the-art facility, we are committed to creating a world-class manufacturing eco-system in the region, with a base of globally benchmarked vendors and suppliers, which will together generate over 12,000 new jobs, thereby accelerating the socio-economic progress in the state,” added Munjal.
N Chandrababu Naidu said, “I am very glad that Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest two-wheeler company – is setting up a manufacturing facility in our state, the company’s first such manufacturing unit in southern India. People of our state are going to benefit immensely from this venture, as Hero will bring world-class manufacturing practices, new modern technology and global systems and processes in Andhra Pradesh. This yet again establishes Andhra Pradesh as the preferred investment destination in the country for large corporates. I welcome Mr Pawan Munjal and the Hero family to our state, extend our support to them for the future and look forward to a mutually beneficial association.”
The new facility will be Hero MotoCorp’s eighth manufacturing facility; the company already has five plants in India (Haridwar in Uttarakhand, Gurgaon and Dharuhera in Haryana, Neemrana in Rajasthan and Vadodara in Gujarat) and one each in Colombia and Bangladesh. Spread over 600 acres in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, the facility will have an annual installed capacity of 1.8 million units, which will be achieved in three phases. The company will invest Rs. 1600 crore in setting up the manufacturing facility. The plant is expected to be operational before December 2019. The new facility will generate 2000 jobs at the plant and is expected to generate an additional 10,000 employment opportunities, through the creation of a manufacturing eco-system of vendors and suppliers in the region. ‘
Given the strategic location of the plant, this can also act as a key hub for the Company to export its range of products from this facility to some of its key overseas markets. The new plant will be based on Hero MotoCorp’s core principle of sustainable manufacturing, as the company remains committed to maintaining the highest ecological standards. From efficient building envelope, to the Big Foot air handlers, to water and energy optimization - the new plant will demonstrate Hero’s environmental aspirations.
Hero’s combined installed production capacity currently stands at 9.2 million units per annum, which is highest in the country. With the additional capacity of this plant, this will stand expanded to 11 million units by early 2020.