MUMBAI, India: GKN Driveline is continuing its rapid growth in India with the groundbreaking of a new manufacturing facility for CVJ Systems and Trans Axle Solutions in Pune, India.

This INR130 crores (18 million pounds Sterling) factory will employ more than 200 people and is strategically located within 30 kilometres of a number of GKN Driveline customers including Fiat, Volkswagen, General Motors, TATA and Renault. When fully operational in August 2012, the new 8000 square-metre facility will have an annual production capacity of more than 600,000 CVJ Systems. It is planned for the new facility to also manufacture differentials from GKN Driveline's Trans Axle Solutions product range.

"This new facility positions GKN Driveline strongly to meet the continued rapid growth of India's automotive industry," said Marc Vuarchex, managing director, GKN Driveline Asia Pacific. "It is the next step in our mission to remain close and accessible to our customers in west India."

Recognising the potential growth of the Indian automotive market in the early 1980s, GKN Driveline was the first company in India to manufacture sideshafts for front-wheel-drive vehicles. The company currently employs 800 people at three factories in India: Faridabad and Dharuhera, near Delhi in the north and Oragadam, near Chennai, in the south.

In 2008, GKN Driveline opened, with an initial investment of INR100 crores (12 million pounds), a plant in Oragadam near Chennai in Tamil Nadu which is supplying auto manufacturers in south India with 1.6 million CVJ Systems. The 10,000 square-metre manufacturing facility employs more than 250 people.

Ravindra Ojha, managing director of GKN Driveline in India said, "The company's business in India has grown at an annual rate of more than 15 percent over the past five years and we expect India to remain a high growth market for years to come."

Editor's notes:

GKN Driveline's product segments include:

CVJ Systems

    
    - GKN Driveline's constant velocity joint systems provide space, weight
      and fuel savings with greater all round efficiency.
    - GKN Driveline supplies the most extensive range of CVJ systems - used
      in the smallest ultra-low cost car through to the most sophisticated 
      premium vehicle.

AWD Systems

    
    - GKN Driveline has full all-wheel drive systems capability.
    - GKN Driveline's all-wheel drive couplings improve vehicle handling,
      stability and traction by intelligently distributing power, and 
      disconnecting technology can supplement low drag and inertia for 
      ultimate efficiency.

Trans Axle Solutions

    
    - GKN Driveline produces highly durable open differentials and has the
      most extensive range of limited slip differentials (LSD), from the 
      smallest super LSD to the largest electronically controlled axle 
      locker.
    - For the ultimate capability, GKN Driveline's torque vectoring solutions
      provide the answer.

eDrive Systems

    
    - GKN Driveline's pioneering electric drive technology is used in 250,000
      vehicles today.
    - GKN Driveline's eDrives are designed for the new generation of fuel
      efficient, low emission electric and hybrid vehicles.

About GKN Driveline in India

GKN Driveline's roots in the Indian automotive market go back to the 1980s, forging strong partnerships based on supply reliability, product integrity and quality consistency. Today, GKN Driveline shares its unique application capability with customers to develop dedicated driveline solutions that meet the challenge of improved environmental performance, greater efficiency, lighter weight and enhanced reliability.

About GKN Driveline

GKN Driveline is the world's leading supplier of automotive driveline components and systems. As a global company serving the world's leading vehicle manufacturers, GKN Driveline develops, builds and supplies an extensive range of automotive driveline components - for use in the smallest ultra low-cost car to the most sophisticated premium vehicle demanding the most complex driving dynamics.

GKN Driveline is a leading global producer of CVJ Systems, AWD Systems, TransAxle Solutions and eDrive System.

http://www.gkndriveline.com

About GKN Group

GKN plc is a global engineering business serving mainly the automotive, aerospace and land systems markets. It has operations in more than 30 countries, around 40,000 employees in subsidiaries and joint ventures and had sales of INR 39,400 crores (5.4 billion pounds) in the year to 31 December 2010. GKN plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GKN).

http://www.gkn.com