Expansion will create 800 skilled jobs within four years and strengthen GKN Aerospace’s Asian footprint in fast growing Indian aerospace market
GKN Aerospace is to officially open a new facility for Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) in Pune, India.
GKN Aerospace India will celebrate the milestone with an inauguration ceremony tomorrow (December 4) which will be attended by GKN Aerospace Leadership, together with State of Maharashtra Government officials, as well as investment partners and customers, will come together to recognise the fast growing aerospace market in India and the company’s strengthened footprint in the region.
Guest speakers at the ceremony will include the Ambassador of the Netherlands in India, Marten van den Berg, John Pritchard, CEO Aerostructures and Systems Europe and Asia and Michiel Barendse Vice President & Managing Director of GKN Fokker Elmo.
Commercial aircraft wiring systems assembly
The site will focus on the assembly of wiring systems for commercial aircraft and aero-engines including the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737, 777X and Boeing 787. The Pune facility will operate alongside the existing Joint Venture for wiring systems in Bangalore, which serves the defence market.
GKN Aerospace will create 200 jobs in 2020, growing to 800 within five years. GKN Aerospace will recruit a significant number of female operators and engineers and will provide on-site training for employees. A 30-strong team team has been built to date. GKN Aerospace has invested $10 million in the site and in updated equipment and technologies. The expansion to Asia is an important part of GKN Aerospace’s long-term growth strategy and global operating model.
Indian aerospace industry in “solid growth”
John Pritchard, CEO Aerostructures and Systems Europe and Asia said: “We are really proud to open this state of the art facility in Pune. This is a true demonstration of our enduring partnership with India and of the solid growth of the Indian aerospace industry and of our EWIS business. The collaboration with the local authorities and support of the regional government has been vital.”
The new 11,000 m2 site is a fully owned GKN Aerospace business and located in Pune in the state of Maharashtra. It also has an excellent location relative to the company’s major customers in India. Site certification process and recruitment are on track and initial production has recently started.
GKN Aerospace, GKN Driveline and GKN Powder Metallurgy have made significant investment in India in recent years. The three businesses operate eight locations in India with 2,000 employees. GKN Aerospace recently opened a new facility in Malaysia. By the time both sites are fully up-and-running, around 15 per cent of GKN Aerospace’s employees are expected to be based in Asia.
