Pune Auto Inc monitoring Japan situation

With the Japanese auto industry reeling under its worst ever disaster, the Indian auto industry, which depends on Japanese auxiliaries, is closely monitoring the situation. Pune Auto Inc, which has an immense presence of foreign players, is checking with its component suppliers and ensuring that the Japan crisis doesn’t have any impact on production.

Volkswagen India, with its manufacturing facility in Chakan, said there is no effect on production. Its head of group communication, Alexander Skibbe, told DNA there was no effect on the production side. “We are working with all global partners to maintain the supply chain,’’ he said.

General Motors India has already got in touch with all its local suppliers to check whether any of them have any collaboration with any Japanese auto component manufacturers to ensure that production is not affected. “We don’t source any of the components from Japan. Hence, we are not affected,” said  P Balendran, vice-president, GM India. GM has it production plant in Talegaon.

Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation, which operates in the region through a joint venture with Pune-based Kirloskar group, said there is no effect of the crisis in Japan till now. “We are, however, assessing the extent of damage to operations of our affiliates, dealer partners and supplier partners located in the affected areas,’’ said Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

Former managing director of Bosch Chassis Systems India, Satish Sekhri, said for six to eight weeks there would not be any impact on the Indian auto industry. “India depends on Japan for dies, jigs and fixtures. For raw material and components, the cycle time of delivery is minimum five months. So there won’t be any immediate impact,” said Sekhri, who is now independent director with major auto companies in the country.