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Wabtec Expands Its Transit Manufacturing Capabilities in India to Meet Demand
Investment in rail infrastructure is growing in India, as the country looks to enhance its capability to efficiently move people and products across its network. Wabtec’s large footprint in India is also growing. The company expanded one of its key plants in Hosur, which serves the transit rail industry.
The 80,000-sq-ft expansion of the Hosur plant is intended to meet growing demand for transit rail products and solutions. The Hosur plant manufactures brake systems, doors and couplers for Vande Bharat Express. The team at the facility also produces brakes for a new generation of electric locomotives, high-reach pantographs, passenger information systems, and relays that Wabtec offers for Indian Railways.
“We are seeing steady growth in orders from various customers in the railway and transit markets, and this expansion allows us to keep up with demand,” said Ajay Mani, Managing Director of Wabtec’s Transit business in India. “Many of these product lines are also part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative and meet the charter of localized, customized products.”
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Wabtec utilized Lean design workshops for the site expansion to establish the most efficient production layout. The new factory layout optimizes material movements, creates product-centric focused work areas, and enhances storage space for raw materials and finished goods. The expansion also provides new office space with seating capacity for 150.
A significant factory enhancement focused on relays, which are part of Wabtec Transit’s electrical solutions portfolio. These relays will be assembled and manufactured from the Hosur location for customers around the world.
“Wabtec is known for superior quality relays. With new trains being launched every year, we see an addressable market for the product line,” said Asif Shaik, Executive Director – Operations, Wabtec Transit. “The increase in operational footprint, LEED certification of the facility in Hosur are all in line with our growth ambitions and sustainability goals.”
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The expansion also focused on making the facility more environmentally friendly. The buildings at Wabtec’s Hosur facility achieved the gold certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED-certified buildings adhere to energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality, and reduce the carbon footprint.
The plant features 400KW of solar power and an additional 400KW is planned. Additionally, the rainwater harvesting facility was upgraded to a water positive site wherein 23K Cu.m is drawn and 28K Cu.m is recharged every year. Rainwater harvesting is one of the most promising alternatives for supplying freshwater in the face of increasing scarcity and escalating demand in rural and urban areas.
In operation since 1980, Hosur serves as Wabtec's primary manufacturing facility for Transit products in India. Solutions include brake systems, couplers, HVAC, pantographs, electronic products, and more.