Devendra Fadnavis,Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has officially inaugurated Perkins world-class engine manufacturing facility in Aurangabad, India. Located in the Shendra Industrial Estate in Aurangabad, Perkins has invested more than $150 million developing a state-of-the-art engine manufacturing facility which is also strategically located within the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor.
In operation since October 2015, the facility produces Perkins largest engines, the 4000 Series, which generate electric power for installations across India and the wider Asia Pacific region. End-to-end machining, engine assembly, test and finish – every step of which follows rigorous manufacturing processes, are undertaken on site, by more than 500 highly trained employees. Welcomed by Richard Cotterell, Chairman of Perkins India Private Limited, and Jawed Ahmed, Managing Director of Perkins India Private Limited, Devendra Fadnavis, Subhas Desai, Industry Minister and Haribhau Bagade, Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, were taken on a guided tour of the manufacturing facility.
It was later followed by a special ceremony attended by over 400 dignitaries, customers and media, in which the Chief Minister was invited to officially inaugurate the facility by taking part in the Lighting of the Lamp ceremony. After the ceremony, the Chief Minister unveiled the inaugural plaque. Addressing the audience Devendra Fadnavis said: “This facility encapsulates the Make in India dream of our Prime Minister, to produce world-class products with zero defects and zero effect. That resonates here. We could see the way the assembly line is designed – it’s absolutely faultless. The best quality is ensured here.”
Cotterell explained: “In keeping with our brand values; from the outset our manufacturing strategy for Aurangabad has been to deliver high quality engines, establish global standards, employ the best team and partner with a world-class local supply base.
“The Aurangabad facility typifies today’s modern manufacturing and assembly plant. The quality of engines being produced here are second to none. From its equipment and assembly lines through to the systems, processes and quality control, our world-class facility represents the best in current engineering thinking.” During his visit Devendra Fadnavis also highlighted the ongoing investment in Maharashtra and the focus on developing a skilled workforce to meet the needs of local industries. “With Perkins a whole host of opportunities has been created in this area,” he added. At Perkins, before a new operator starts work on the production line, they undertake an extensive two month long training program, including stripping and building of a complete engine.
“It’s an approach that’s proven to work and an approach that has helped build a quality and committed workforce of around 500 personnel, where pride in the job means we can be proud of our engines and of our facility,” explained Ahmed. He continued: “Our employees have taken a proactive role in the local community, supporting a range of valuable initiatives such as the creation of libraries in a number of local schools.
“We take our Corporate Social Responsibility very seriously so we’ve also helped young people to grow their computer skills; we have established a sewing centre for local women and have supported the introduction of health checks in schools.” Perkins Aurangabad Engine Facility has the capacity to produce 3,000 engines a year, serving customers in India and the wider Asia Pacific region with dependable power solutions. Cotterell added: “The expectation from our customers is that a Perkins engine will always deliver the power they need, when they need it. And I’m proud to say that the engines coming out of Aurangabad over the last 13 months have met these customer expectations.”
