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 First generation truck manufacturer, Asia Motor Works is not just a manu-facturer of commercial vehicles. It is also a manufacturer of components. The Bhuj plant of AMW thus includes a truck making facility as well as a components facility. Called as AMW Auto Component, the components arm specialises in the manufacture of steel wheels and stampings. Explaining the operations of the auto component arm, Anand Mimani, CEO of AMW Auto Component, says that the facility is going to be one of the world's biggest producers of wheels. Supported by a dedicated R&D team that works closely with the clients for development of products that suit their unique requirements, the company is targeting a production of 15-million steel wheels per annum, adds Mimani.
Employing a process called 'Value Engineering', the production facility at Bhuj contains world-class testing facilities like radial fatigue test, cornering fatigue test, precision checks using CMM, run-out test, air-leak test, salt spray test, spectrometer for material chemical analysis among others. An ISO/TS 16949: 2002 certified company, the list of clients of AMW Auto Component include New Holland, GM India, Force motors, Maruti-Suzuki, etc. Pointing at the steel wheels and stampings on display, Anand Mimani remarks that they are targeting a significant increase in exports by the end of this year. Into exports of wheels, the international client list includes names like Iveco of Italy. The steel wheels made by AMW find their way to the Iveco Daily. In India, the wheels find their way to vehicles like the Chevrolet U-Va and Beat, Force Traxx and a few Maruti models.
Other than a well-equipped R&D, which supports crucial parameters from design and simulation, the other facilities like a tool room equipped with a 5-axis turnmill center and a press shop with 7 press lines, and a capacity of 1,00,000 metric tonnes per annum aid in production. For manufacturers of wheel rims, the company has installed 3 car wheel lines with a combined capacity of 12 million wheels as of now. There are separate lines for tube type and tubeless wheel rims manufacturing for commercial vehicles with a capacity of 2.5 million; an independent line for tractor wheel rims with a capacity of 0.5 million and highest level of process automation with robotic transfers. The paint shop has a capacity of 15.5 million wheels, and includes CED.
In discussion with automakers for supply of wheels, Mimani states that the stampings business involves the manufacture of skin panels, inner panels and compressor shells. He adds, “We are supplying panels to GM's Halol plant for the Tavera. Our skin panels would be going to Tata for the Nano at Sanand.” Equipped with specialised handling systems for transportation and handling of skin panels, a new development at AMW Auto Component, according to Anand Mimani is a strategic alliance with Mysore-based MGM Forgings. Avers Mukesh Agarwal, director of AMW-MGM Forgings, “AMW has picked up a majority stake in this 33 year old company.” With a product range that comprises of forgings like brake adapter, brake flange, crankshafts, s-cams and connecting rods, the company is also into the supply of machined components.
Specialising in the production of high quality ferrous and non-ferrous forgings, the facility at Mysore includes cold coining, heat treatment, cutting, machining and tool room. In the OE and after market, AMW-MGM Forgings operates in the export markets of Europe and US too. Supplying to the nuclear, defence, auto and off-highway market segments, auto is currently the largest revenue earner of the company. To the nuclear industry, the company supplies sealing plugs. Concludes Agarwal, “We are looking at locomotive and aerospace.”
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