American auto component giant Dana Holding Corporation expanded its footprint in India by recently opening a new technology centre in Pune.
Built on 8,000 square-meter area, this technology centre is Dana’s thirteenth facility in India. It has nearly 240 engineers working at the centre providing engineering capabilities to OEMs in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway segments in India and throughout the region.
The Pune technical centre is part of Dana’s bigger global strategy wherein it plans to have 16 global technical centres operational by mid-year. Last year the company opened a comprehensive technical centre in Wuxi, China, and in May it plans to dedicate a technology centre to develop continuously variable planetary (CVP) technology for use in light-vehicle and certain off-highway transmissions.
“India is a vital market that propels economic growth throughout the Asia Pacific region, and our investment in that country over the past half century demonstrates our commitment to and confidence in the region,” said Dana president & CEO Roger Wood. “The Dana India Technical Centre allows us to offer our customers unmatched local technical expertise and a direct connection to our industry-leading global engineering resources.”
The new lab in Pune features the latest testing equipment for axles, transmissions, materials, NVH, prototyping, inspections, and machining. “For decades, we have worked side-by-side with leading vehicle and equipment manufacturers in India, and by locating a full range of engineering resources here, we can deliver drivetrain solutions as much as 12 months quicker than our competitors,” said George Constand, Dana’s chief technical and quality officer. “With this new facility, we can rapidly deliver customized solutions that accommodate local needs and requirements for optimizing total cost of ownership, enhancing vehicle efficiency, and addressing environmental concerns.”
Dana customers in India include Ashok Leyland, Caterpillar India, Deere, Force Motors, Ford India, General Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mahindra Trucks and Buses, TAFE, Tata Motors, and VECV. Export customers include Caterpillar, Ford, Land Rover, Nissan, Renault, Still, and Toyota.