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Salcomp, the Finnish manufacturer of chargers and adaptors for smartphones and other handheld devices, will foray in to manufacturing electric vehicle (EV) charges at its Srieperumbdur plant. On Thursday, it signed an MoU with Flowtrik, an IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) incubated start-up housed at IIT Madras Research Park.
Exclusive manufacturing
Salcomp will be the exclusive manufacturing (sourcing) and business development partner for Flowtrik, which designs chargers for advanced batteries such as Li-ion, Advanced Lead Acid other alternate batteries used in EVs.
“We are manufacturing EV charges for the US market. However, for the first time, we are foraying in to this segment for the Indian market through this partnership, Sasikumar Gendham, Managing Director, Salcomp India, told newspersons.
Gendham and Anitha Dhianeshwar, Co-Founder, Flowtrik signed an MoU in the presence of Ashok Jhunjhunwala, President, IIT Research Park.
Gendham did not disclose the investment but said it could be in millions. In the last two years, the Finnish company had invested nearly ₹1,500 crore in India, he said. The company in India employs around 12,000 employees, including 11,000 in Chennai and 1,000 in Noida, he added.
As a major vendor for Nokia, Salcomp has been housed at the Nokia complex in Sriperumbudur since 2007. However, Salcomp, a supplier of chargers to Apple iPhones, acquired Nokia’s Sriperumbudur plant, which has been closed since 2014 due to a tax dispute. When Microsoft took over the Nokia handset business, the plant was excluded from the deal.
Salcomp aims to play a significant role in the EV ecosystem not only for India but also globally. With capabilities of being the number one manufacturer of chargers and adaptors for smartphones and other handheld devices in India, Salcomp will provide products at competitive pricing to spur the EV revolution. “This partnership with Flowtrik will augment us to be a significant player in the EV space,” he said.
Banking on IITMRP’s strong R&D capabilities, Flowtrik is ready to enter the market with a range of Portable & AC chargers and DC fast charging controllers.
Design and development
Flowtrik and Salcomp will jointly work together right from initial product identification for research and development, design, product qualification and subsequent global production. Flowtrik will also continue to develop new charger products as per market requirements in consultation with Salcomp, says a release.
Ashok Jhunjhunwala said India is on the way to become a manufacturing nation. Salcomp will commercialise this R&D and take it to the markets in India and the world.
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