Maxion Wheels broke ground last week for a new low-pressure aluminum diecasting operation in Pune, India, aiming to produce up to 2 million wheels annually, beginning in Q3 2019. Plans call for the 25,000-sq.m. plant to be joined later by a similarly sized operation, so that total production capacity would reach 4 million wheels/year.
The first phase of the project was described as a $50-million investment that will establish more than 1,000 new jobs in the region. Earlier, it was indicated that the plant itself would have over 500 employees.
“Maxion Wheels is committed to serving its customers’ growing demand for light vehicle aluminum wheels, especially in India where market growth is outpacing available capacity,” stated Pieter Klinkers, Maxion Wheels CEO.
“We’ve been in India for more than 20 years, providing original equipment manufacturers with light and commercial vehicle steel wheels,” he continued. “We’re pleased to satisfy our global customers’ growing request that we bring our recognized global aluminum wheel expertise to India, and we are excited about the opportunity our new plant will afford us to strengthen our global footprint and strategically expand our presence in the region.”
Maxion Wheels produces wheels for passenger cars, light trucks, buses, commercial trucks and trailers. It’s the world's largest wheel manufacturer, producing 56 million wheels per year.