New Delhi — Canada-based Woodbridge waiting for the nod from car OEMs to expand seat production in India.
The company could locate new seat plants in the country's western and southern automobile hubs, said Deepak Kanaujia, business development manager, Woodbridge. He was talking at Auto Expo 2020, held in early February at Pragati Maidan, New DelhiWoodbridge started operations in India in New Delhi in 2008 before moving the business and investing INR 200m ($2.8m) in Sanand in 2011.
Woodbridge products on display at Auto Expo 2020
At first, the site provided seats for Tata's Nano, which was launched as the most affordable production car in the world. When Tata phased out the Nano, Woodbridge made seats for Tata's Tiago and Tigor models at Sanand.
Woodbridge now considering two more seating sites. The first is in Pune, Maharashtra. This is India’s largest Western passenger vehicle manufacturing hub. The second is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu which is part of India's Southern auto hub.
'We are holding talks with auto makers like Hyundai & Ford, with production sites in Chennai and VW & Mahindra & Mahindra in Pune. If we get a green signal from them, then two more seat plants are on the way. The first would be in Pune by 2021 followed by Chennai by 2022,' said Woodbridge's Kanaujia.
He said that the proposed sites are likely to be of same size with production pegged at 750,000 units/year. 'We have been in touch with auto OEMs in other regions from quite some time. It takes time to get the required approval from the auto makers,' Kanaujia added.
Woodbridge has been an innovator in the Indian automotive sector. For example, it has introduced ventilated foam. This is a seating foam composite, developed for climate control seating in active and passive seats. It was launched in India last year and it is being marketed to auto companies.
A new, black, low VOC, low odour foam fo headliner, package trays, load floors and rear seat back panels was also launched last year. The product received positive response in India.
Meanwhile, in early in January 2020 Woodbridge launched its AdaptiPedic seating range. This is a composite seat cushioning structure designed for a wide range of body types.
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