Noida-headquartered Uniproducts India, which is a key manufacturer of NVH components such as roof liners, floor carpets, insulation materials, and heat shields, among others, is eyeing supplies to new market entrants of the likes of VinFast in the passenger-electric segment in the country.
“We have solutions for various powertrains, including EVs, and we will be able to supply them to EV makers. We are presently in touch with some of them (new market entrants), who are aware that we are the leaders in this space,” revealed Sunil Pahilajani, CEO, Uniproducts India, in an interaction with Autocar Professional.
The company, which is a prominent supplier of NVH components to PV OEMs, including Maruti Suzuki India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Honda Cars India, has four manufacturing facilities – in Rewari (Haryana), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), and Gujarat. It says the capacities at these facilities are determined by its customers’ manufacturing schedules and growth targets.
“We have ample capacity to accommodate more business, and as needed we will add more capacity. The existing capacity will serve us for the next two years of the expected market growth, and we will keep expanding,” said Pahilajani.
Left: Engine compartment insulation made from chemicals, fibres, cotton, metals, and non-metals. Right: A floor carpet supplied to a Japanese PV maker in India prevents road noise and vibrations from filtering into the cabin.
In FY2024, the company recorded overall revenues of around Rs 400 crore, and is eyeing 15-16 percent growth over the next 3-4 years. “India’s passenger vehicle segment is growing aggressively at more than 12-14 percent, which is faster than the economic growth. At Uniproducts India, we would always be ahead of the automotive industry, and expect to grow at 15-16 percent over the next 3-4 years. We expect the PV segment to grow consistently above 12 percent during this timeframe. We are also gaining more market share, and consistently adding more products,” Pahilajani pointed out.
Sharp focus on Indian passenger vehicle market
Instead of following a built-to-print approach and acting as mere contract manufacturers to OEMs, Uniproducts India says it designs and engineers its products from the ground up at its integrated R&D facility in Rewari, to offer end-to-end NVH solutions to its customers.
The company’s annual R&D spend is to the tune of 3 percent of its turnover, and as per Pahilajani, “We are investing consistently in upgrading our technology, and are continuously working on lightweighting, and enhancing comfort through our products.”
“We continue to make investments in terms of various equipment and resources at our state-of-the-art technology centre in Rewari,” he added.
While almost 95 percent of the critical raw materials such as chemicals, fibres, cotton, metals, and non-metal composites used in its NVH parts are locally sourced, Uniproducts India is focused on the domestic market, and does not intend to explore any export possibilities in the foreseeable future. “We are a completely Indian company, and are also gaining more market share, and adding more products in our portfolio. We are focused on sustainability and environmental issues, and keep reinventing our materials in this regard. We continue to be strong in technology, and continue to serve customers with our capacity readiness,” concluded Pahilajani.
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