Bharat Forge in JV with David Brown System India

Pune-based auto component-maker Bharat Forge on MOnday said it has entered into an agreement with David Brown System India (Holdings), through its wholly-owned subsidiary BF Infrastructure Ventures Limited (BFIVL) to form a JV company--David Brown Bharat Forge Gear Systems India.

The JV company will serve the Indian heavy engineering industry, supplying both new build gearboxes and comprehensive aftermarket services to high growth, high demand sectors including power, mining, defence, wind, rail and steel, the company said in a statement.

David Brown is a part of Clyde Blowers portfolio and a global leader in the gear box and transmissions markets. It has six key manufacturing facilities in the UK, South Africa, China, Australia, France and USA.

Initially, the JV company will be operational from Bharat Forge's current facilities and then it will have a dedicated site for gear box assembly and testing by mid-2012.

The JV company intends to set-up two service centres in Bangalore and Kolkata by end-2011 and additional locations for service centres in Delhi and Hyderabad are being planned by end-2013, the company said.

"We are proud to be associated with a highly respected global company like David Brown with its rich heritage and world-class technology. This is the first of our many steps to follow in the areas of providing high quality after-sales service to core infrastructure areas," Bharat Forge's Chairman and Managing Director, B N Kalyani, said.

Leveraging Bharat Forge's world-class manufacturing and operational capability, strong brand reputation in the Indian and global market, coupled with David Brown's long standing reputation for highly engineered gear manufacturing, the joint venture will facilitate the growth of both partner companies, it said.

"We recognise India is a high growth territory for gearing products and services and so we are delighted to have found such a well-respected and prominent partner in BFIVL," David Brown's Chairman, Jim McColl OBE, said.