Isuzu, the Japanese maker of UVs is currently test marketing the Isuzu MU-7 SUV and the Isuzu D-Max pickup truck through its dealerships in Coimbatore and Hyderabad.
The Japanese automaker who has been present in India through selling utility vehicles for a short tenure and as a diesel engine supplier to Hindustan Motors, is bullish about its prospects in the thriving pickup and SUV market in India. It is setting up a local production unit at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh to manufacture LCVs. Last week, the company appointed Mr. Takashi Kikuchi as the Managing Director of its Indian operations with the corporate office located in Chennai.
Local production would mean Isuzu will need a wide range of local vendors. In a move to search for local vendors, Isuzu will be participating at the INTEC 2013, a five-day annual industrial trade fare conducted from June 6 at CODISSIA trade centre, Coimbatore.
According to Mr. D. Gandhikumar, Chairman, INTEC, Isuzu is looking forward to establish a vendor base in the region from where it can source components for its diesel engine.
Several auto ancillary units are based in Coimbatore and supply to Indian and overseas factories. For instance, when we met Mr. Tomas Ernberg in Chennai recently at a promotional event, he revealed to us that a Coimbatore-based company supplies radiators to Volvo cars' global operations.
[Source: Economictimes.Indiatimes.com]
