Gestamp’s Bhagapura plant adds hot-stamping capacity, strengthening India’s manufacturing base for lightweight automotive structures, writes Richa Tyagi.
Gestamp’s revenues in India grew by more than 80 per cent over the last five full financial years, reaching EUR 245 million in 2025. BiW major Gestamp has expanded its Indian footprint with a new manufacturing facility in Bhagapura, Gujarat, marking its fifth site in the country. Backed by a planned Rs. 523.7 crore investment across two phases, the plant is designed to feed surging domestic demand for lighter, crash-resistant vehicle architectures. Spanning roughly 31,790 sq. m. and employing about 240 people, the Bhagapura facility focuses heavily on advanced Body-in-White (BiW) manufacturing. Its shop floor integrates hot-stamping, precision laser cutting, and welding lines capable of producing high-strength structural parts. Crucially, the plant places Gestamp closer to major automaker assembly hubs across western India, shortening supply lines for regional OEMs.
Explaining the choice of location, Gestamp Country Manager, Glyn Jones, highlighted the state’s operational advantages, “Gujarat emerged as the natural next industrial growth cluster. Setting up a greenfield facility anywhere globally entails complex local compliance, but Gujarat offered exceptional ease of doing business. The state’s progressive industrial policies and streamlined governance convinced us that Gujarat was the right strategic hub for Gestamp’s next growth phase.”
The launch builds on Gestamp’s two-decade presence in the Indian market, where vehicle manufacturers are under rising pressure to meet stricter safety mandates and roll out lighter platforms, particularly for electric and hybrid transitions. Francisco J. Riberas, Executive Chairman of Gestamp, framed the expansion as a core element of their global roadmap, “India is a key strategic priority for Gestamp. After two decades here, we have established ourselves as a trusted technology partner for both domestic and international automakers operating in the country. Our investment in Gujarat enables us to begin manufacturing in one of India’s leading industrial hubs, strengthening our presence and driving further growth in this key market.”
Built Around Hot Stamping
Two hot-stamping lines are central to the Bhagapura plant, enabling Gestamp to produce high-strength, lightweight body structures that meet demanding safety requirements. The facility also houses a laser cutting line and welding cells, creating an integrated setup for forming, cutting and assembly. The plant focuses on engineered BiW components and is equipped to manufacture Gestamp’s Ges-Gigastamping family of large, lightweight components, which can reduce part count and simplify vehicle assembly. Its integrated capabilities also support Gestamp’s customer-proximity strategy, enabling faster response to OEM production requirements while reducing logistics needs. The facility has been designed with scope for future capacity expansion as customer programmes and demand grow.
Focus On Energy Efficiency
Gestamp has installed an energy-monitoring system at Bhagapura to identify inefficiencies and optimise consumption across the facility. The company also plans to enter into agreements for the purchase of electricity certified as originating from renewable sources. The approach forms part of Gestamp’s wider effort to manage the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations while maintaining production efficiency.
Expanding Indian Capacity
Bhagapura is Gestamp’s fifth production facility in India. The company entered the Indian market in 2006 and subsequently began building its own manufacturing footprint from 2010. Its Indian operations now comprise three facilities in Pune, one in Chennai and the new facility in Gujarat. Across these locations, Gestamp has a total manufacturing footprint of 188,000 sq m. The company currently operates 14 stamping production lines in India, including five hot-stamping lines. Two additional hot-stamping lines are being installed, which will further increase its local manufacturing capacity.
Gestamp employs around 2,300 people in India across activities covering BiW components and assemblies, chassis parts and mechanisms such as hinges and door checks. The expansion also shows the company’s increasing business scale in the country.
Market Potential
Gestamp’s investment comes as India’s automotive manufacturing industry continues to expand its technology requirements. According to current S&P Global Mobility projections cited by the company, Indian light-vehicle production could reach 7.8 million units by 2030, 28 per cent higher than 2025 levels. For component manufacturers, this growth is accompanied by changes in what vehicle manufacturers require from suppliers. Lightweighting, crash performance, manufacturing efficiency and increasing levels of component integration are becoming important considerations in body structures. Riberas described India as a strategic priority for the company, pointing to the country’s market growth prospects, improvements in vehicle quality and increasingly demanding safety requirements.
