Bengaluru: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) announced today that Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts PVT. LTD. (TKAP) – a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan (TMC), Toyota Industries Corporation, Japan (TICO) and Kirloskar Systems Limited, Bangalore, held a ceremony to mark the commencement of construction of its new engine plant and the expansion of its existing transmission plant at Bidadi. This development is a part of the unit localization project. The ceremony was held at its current plant at Bidadi, on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Mr. Hisashi Suzuki, Managing Director,TKAP unveiled the foundation stone under the august presence of Mr. V P Baligar, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industry and Mr. Takahiro Iwase, Senior Managing Director, TMC and Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD, TKM.

The unit localization project for Etios involves setting up a new engine plant and expanding the existing transmission plant, also an EOU. The new production at the plant, representing an investment of approximately Rs. 5 billion, was one of the projects cleared by the State High Level Clearance Committee, Government of Karnataka, at its meeting held on the 24-Jan-2011. Approximately 100,000 engines will be produced per year starting in the third quarter of 2012 and approximately 240,000 transmissions per year starting in early 2013.

TKAP currently produces manual transmissions for the “Fortuner” manufactured in India, Thailand and Argentina. It also produces axles and propeller shafts for the “Innova”, manufactured in India.

Mr. Vikram Kirloskar conveyed the key role played by TKAP in the Unit Localization Project for ETIOS car and stated that “Indian operations play a very important role in Toyota’s global strategy. Making of Etios exclusively for the Indian market and the localization of engine and transmission marks an important milestone in the growth of Toyota in India. Production of engines and transmissions for the Etios will further localize parts production.With the production of these critical parts, the localization ratio for Etios,currently around 70%, is expected to cross 90%.”

Mr.Hisashi Suzuki in his address “This project will help generate additional employment for more than 500 members at TKAP. It will also additionally, create opportunities for indirect employment in our supplier fraternity. TKAP, an EOU will now contribute towards localization and will get an opportunity to serve customers in India.”