Leading crane manufacturer Kobelco Cranes Company, a division of Japanese-major Kobelco Construction Equipment Machinery, is all set to foray into the production of cranes in India.
The company is at present setting up its new manufacturing facility at Sri City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tada, about 90 km from here, company officials said.
According to Kobelco Construction Equipment Machinery President and CEO, Mr Hiroo Shimada, the company has divided the excavator and crane business into two entities in April 2004.
“It was decided to concentrate on construction of machinery operations (including excavators) while the newly formed Kobelco Cranes Company to handle the crane (business),” he said.
Currently, Kobelco Cranes Company manufactures crawler cranes of 35 tonnes to 800 tonnes. It also manufactures rough terrain cranes with a lifting capacity of 12-50 tonnes and work vessels with a lifting capacity of 100-400 tonnes.
“Cranes are separate division of the (parent) company. They have already began construction of plant for cranes...”, the Kobelco Construction Equipment India officials said.
However, the company declined to elaborate on the investments made in the facility by the crane division and the capacity of the plant, besides, the products it has proposed to make.
Senior officials of Kobelco were here to announce its ninth factory set up globally in India to manufacture hydraulic excavators with an investment of Rs 100 crore.
According to Sri City Managing Director and Co-Founder, Mr Ravindra Sannareddy, where Kobelco has set up its plants, three more Japanese suppliers were expected to begin operations in their SEZ.
“This year three more Japanese suppliers are expected to begin operations. Basically they would cater to the Kobelco’s hydraulic excavator business and to the crane business...”, he said.
He said as part of attracting investments from Japanese companies, the company has set up a Japanese Enclave in Sri City in Tada. It is also planning to set up a Golf course as Koreans and Japanese are more fond of playing golf.