Pump and pumping system manufacturer Wilo SE has inaugurated a hi-tech manufacturing plant at Kolhapur.

Built at an investment of Rs 100 crore, the new facility will manufacture standardised water handling pumps and pumping systems.

It will produce the latest range of Wilo products for the domestic market as well as for its subsidiary Mather & Platt Pumps Ltd for the global market. The company expects a turnover of Rs 150 crore a year from the Kolhapur plant, 80 per cent of it coming from domestic sales.

Investment plans

Wilo SE also has plans to infuse more funds in India to expand capacity and upgrade technology, plant and machinery both at Kolhapur and Pune. Dr Jochen Oplender, Chairman Emeritus, said over Rs 200 crore will be invested for the purpose in the next five years.

“We also will create job opportunity for 1,000 skilled and semi-skilled manpower by 2015,” he added.

Wilo SE considers the Asian market, especially India as a prominent growth opportunity. It has also set up an R&D centre at Pune, the first such Wilo facility outside of Germany, where 40 engineers are working on new generation product development.

In India, Wilo operates through its subsidiary Mather and Platt Pumps Ltd, which it acquired in 2005.