Archive for March, 2003
Volkswagen Keen On Plant In Chennai
Volkswagen keen on plant in Chennai
By Our Special Correspondent
The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, shaking hands with Helmuth Schuster, head, India project team, Volkswagen, at the Secretariat in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo: T.A. Hafeez
CHENNAI
March 12.
With the German major, Volkswagen, serious about setting up an automobile manufacturing plant in India, a company delegation, led by the head of its India Project Team, Helmuth Schuster, called on the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa today.
The firm has been evincing a keen interest in getting into the Indian market for both light commercial vehicles and cars. Chennai emerged as the “most promising location” for Volkswagen and a team visited the State last month to look at the prospects of setting up the plant near here.
Today, Dr. Schuster, accompanied by the chief adviser, Volkswagen, India, Ashok Jain, met the Chief Minister and top Government officials at the Secretariat. Welcoming the company’s initiative, Ms. Jayalalithaa assured them the State’s support for the venture.
Mr. Schuster indicated that Tamil Nadu was one of the important locations the company was considering, after a technical team visited several industrial parks located in and around Chennai to examine the feasibility of setting up the project. He briefed Ms. Jayalalithaa on the project.
A technical appraisal team is likely to visit soon Chennai and other possible locations, before finalising the project.
According to an official release, Mr. Schuster indicated that a Trust established by Volkswagen workers was keen on supporting hospital and facilities for children in Tamil Nadu, especially for streetchildren.
The officials briefed the company on the attractive features of investing in the State and the “excellent infrastructure” which existed in the area of automobiles and components.
The technical team, which came last month, visited the Hyundai Motor company and met component manufacturers. This may be a major advantage.
With Ford and Hyundai already in Chennai, it would be a coup of sorts if Tamil Nadu bagged the Volkswagen project.
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