The Hindu Business Line : Tata Advanced Materials bets big on aerospace composites

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Bangalore Feb. 16 Till a few years ago, national aerospace entities ISRO and HAL had no supplier in the country who could provide critical composite items to go on their satellites, launchers and aircraft. As foreign sources do not part with such items, they had to generate their own supplies.

Switch to 2007. Today nearly a dozen global aerospace majors are looking to source from the country's sole high-end composites maker in the private sector - Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML).

In the last three years, TAML has bagged key contracts from ISRO and HAL. Its 16-acre campus at Jigani industrial estate near here is set for expansion after meeting the AS 9100 benchmark to take up global orders.

The composites story is just taking off, according to Mr Syamal Gupta, Director, Tata Sons and Chairman of the 15-year-old TAML. "We are trying to build up capability. We would be working out our plans over the coming months," he told Business Line without specifying investments for future plans.

"This is a red-letter day for TAML. We want to capture the world market," Mr Gupta said earlier as he handed over a set of products to the ISRO Chairman, Dr G. Madhavan Nair, at the Jigani campus on Friday. "The day is not far off when TAML will graduate from making composites to subsystems and integrated systems for aerospace majors."

Aerospace composites are moving towards India, just as automobile components sourcing has shifted to low-cost countries, said Mr Hemanth Achaya, Chief Operating Officer, TAML. Along with 30 per cent lower cost, quality deliveries have also driven these decisions.

The company, which made a turnover of Rs 160 crore in 2005-06 largely on defence and export orders for armoured trucks, expects revenues to surge on aerospace demand. Its staff strength of 150 (60 for aerospace) is also set to multiply.

Composites, growing at 10 per cent yearly, could be a $ 4-8-billion global market. Frenetic aircraft purchase orders across the globe have led to a serious capacity crunch for suppliers of composite designs and products and this is the opportunity that TAML is looking to fill in the coming years, Mr Achaya said.

With three ISRO orders since 2003, TAML is its exclusive supplier of solar panels and yokes for future satellites and launchers. Last year, it bagged HAL's order to supply 160 composite parts for the advanced light helicopters.

TAML got initial hand-holding on technology and consultancy from ISRO's Thiruvananthapuram centre, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, along with a soft loan and long-term buyback commitment from ISRO. With the technology barrier crossed, "The next thing is to get the rest of the supply chain in place," Mr Achaya said.

Dr C.G.K. Nair, noted metallurgist and former HAL Chairman who is on the TAML board, said the company was also working with engineering colleges to get basic composites included in their curriculum.

Composites that significantly lower the weight of a spacecraft or aircraft account for 60 per cent of the indigenous light combat aircraft Tejas and about 40 per cent of the ALH. New generation aircraft such as Boeing 787 or A380 are reportedly increasing their use from 15 per cent to nearly 50 per cent in planes, from interiors, seats, floorboards, to wings and engines.

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