India – The factory is near New Delhi, in the same area as the company’s manufacturing facility for powertrain electronic control units, and has the capacity to produce 280,000 robotised gearboxes or automated manual transmissions (AMTs) per year. The new plant covers 7,500 sq.m, including production lines and office space, and will employ around 115 individuals.
The building incorporates sustainability measures: maximised natural daylight and solar panels to power LEDs at night; rainwater collection and waste management; and an exterior design which minimises wind pressure and improves ventilation.
Magneti Marelli Powertrain India – a joint venture between Magneti Marelli, Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motor Company – says the new facility will “address the growing market success that the AMT component has had in India over the past two years” and “meet the demand from local carmakers regarding additional future implementations”. Cars already operating in India with the Magneti Marelli AMT include the Maruti Celerio, Tata Nano and Tata Zest.
According to its maker, the AMT is “an example of a value-added yet cost-effective technological solution”, created by automating a simple manual transmission with an electro-hydraulic add-on device. An electronic control unit is combined with the electro-hydraulic system which controls the use of the clutch during gear changes, enabling the driver to shift gears without the use of the clutch, either sequentially or in fully automatic mode. Magneti Marelli says the electronic optimisation reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in comparison with standard automatic and manual transmissions.
With the inauguration of the new facility, Magneti Marelli now has seven plants and an R&D centre in the New Delhi area, covering Powertrain, Electronic Systems, Exhaust Systems and Suspension Systems. Elsewhere in India, the company has three factories and an R&D centre in Pune for Lighting, Powertrain, Exhaust Systems and Shock Absorbers, plus a plant in Chennai for Exhaust Systems.