BTL locates engine plant at Pithampur

PUNE: Bajaj Tempo Ltd (BTL), which is set to change its name to Force Motors Ltd, will not pursue the idea of a third plant, at Chakan. The Chakan plant was to have been a dedicated engine and transmission manufacturing location.
"We have decided not to pursue Chakan as a location for the manufacture of engine and transmission for the MAN project. Instead, we are locating most of the manufacturing to Pithampur, where we will assemble the MAN vehicles," AN Firodia, chairman and managing director, BTL, said.
While the manufacturing will move to Pithampur, the engineering and development activities will move to BTL’s existing location at Akurdi, near here.BTL’s light commercial and utility vehicles are manufactured at the Pithampur plant, near Indore.To this it will add the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) range from MAN. BTL entered into a technical collaboration with the German major in 2003 to assemble HCVs in the 16-50 tonne range.
"The MAN vehicles will be out in a year’s time; it is still at the project stage," Mr Firodia said. BTL had maintained in the past that the MAN vehicles would be out in 2005.
Last year, Mr Firodia had said the state government was to decide on providing BTL with roads and water at the Chakan location. In March 04, he said they would wait a month. The dedicated engine and transmission plant was to also have manufactured common rail engines for BTL’s existing range of LCVs and UVs.
BTL is set to undergo a change in name, seeking shareholder approval for this at an extraordinary general body meeting (EoGM) next month. The new name, Force Motors Ltd, will ensure that the distinctive ''F'' on BTL''s vehicles remains intact. Once the name change is ratified by share holders, the letter will reflect both the promoter- family and company names.