Schaeffler Eyes Clean Energy Growth

Schaeffler is looking at clean energy for growth as alternate fuel technologies gain speed.

- Ashish Bhatia

As the automotive industry in India closes on BSVI emission norms, suppliers are contributing a good deal to the regulatory requirement. They are also contributing a good deal to the market requirements as new solutions are devised by OEMs in close coordination to keep the quality up there, and costs under control. As a key supplier to various CV manufacturers in India, the Schaeffler Group has been quietly adding strength to its operations in India. It has been leveraging its new, unified identity created by the merging of its three business verticals – Luk, INA and FAG – with Schaeffler India under the ‘One Schaeffler’ plan. Confident of its competitive powertrain product matrix, the Group’s operations in India are estimated to be worth Rs.41 billion. Expressed Avinash Gandhi, Chairman, Schaeffler India that they are ready to cater to the customer pool under a new, stronger and versatile entity.

Realizing the need to elevate powertrain and vehicle expertise to a new level, Schaeffler India is creating new synergies. It is leveraging the strengths of the erstwhile LuK, INA or FAG business verticals. “With the conclusion of the merger effective October 2018, the new entity is expected to make it easier for customers to engage with the company’s automotive division irrespective of the product involved,” mentioned Gandhi. The newfound strategic positioning will help the company to gain a competitive advantage, he stated. Changing its product mix in line with the future needs, the Group, in India, is closely following the change in urban mobility. Of the opinion that the changes in urban mobility in the next 20 years will far outpace the changes in the last 100 years, Gandhi averred that they have come to build a competitive powertrain product matrix with offerings across micro Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), mild HEV, plug-in hybrid and HEVs besides Hybrid and Electric (xEV) batteries.