Maruti to increase automation at Indian plants

Maruti Suzuki is planning to introduce automation in a big way at its two plants in Manesar to improve productivity and bring operations on an equal footing with its plants in Japan. About 50-100 robots will be added at the older plant in Manesar where the company’s press and weld operations take place, and which will increase the automation to 99% from the present 90%. The press shop moulds steel sheets into door frames for cars. The door frames are then passed onto the weld shop to hinge them onto the body of vehicles. This increase in automation will bring the facilities at the older plant on par with the new plant at Manesar. Maruti has been steadily increasing the automation at its plants over the last 10 years. The automation at the company’s Gurgaon plant has increased to about 65% while production at two manual lines has been discontinued to adopt autonomous operations.