Riding past Nano, production at Tata Motors' Sanand plant reaches its peak

Once operating at just 10 percent of its installed capacity, the car manufacturing plant of Tata Motors at Sanand, Gujarat has turned the corner and is now working at nearly full limits.

Set up in 2010 to produce the Nano, the Gujarat plant has seen addition of Tiago, Tigor and Tigor EV (electric vehicle) over the recent years. The plant, which has a single production line, is working in three shifts at an annualized production run rate of 150,000 units.

Tiago, the hatchback, has become a runaway hit with the buyers pushing monthly production, along with the Tigor compact sedan, which is at more than 12,000 units from under 6,000 units earlier.

The plant was inaugurated by the then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi after Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata decided to move the Nano plant from Singur, following violent agitations against the small car project.

Speaking to Monceycontrol, Rajesh Khatri, Head of Manufacturing Operations, Tata Motors said: “We are aware that the festive season is approaching which is when demand hits new highs. But as far as production is concerned, at Sanand, there is nothing to be bothered about.”

The Tiago now makes up more than 45 percent of Tata Motors’ domestic passenger vehicle volumes clocking between 8,000 and 10,000 units a month. The Tigor sells around 2,000-2,500 units a month while there is very limited production of the Nano.

“From 150,000 units (a year) we can hike it to 160,000-165,000 units without making any significant investment. We can add two new robots and produce one car in 75 seconds instead of 128 seconds taken now," added Khatri.

In January this year, for the first time in almost six years, a Tata Motors car Tiago entered into the league of India’s top ten best-selling passenger vehicles, a coveted list earlier dominated by only Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai.

During that month, Tiago ousted the Maruti Suzuki Celerio to claim the tenth spot. The last time, before January, a Tata Motors car made it to the top ten list was when the mini car Nano clocked sales slightly in excess of 10,000 in 2012.

While Khatri declined to state if discussions are on within the company to set up a second manufacturing line at the Sanand plant, he mentioned that both Tiago and Tigor can be produced from Pune if the need arises.