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Michelin’s Chennai Manufacturing Facility on Track
Michelin Training Centre: The first building on the plant site operational07.06.2011
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Chennai, 6th July 2011: Michelin Tyres, the world’s leading automotive tyre manufacturer and strong promoter of ‘sustainable mobility’ is setting up its manufacturing unit at Thervoy Kandigai Industrial Park in Thiruvallur district and has launched a training centre there for its employees and the community.
With an investment of Rs. 4000 crores over a period of 7 years, the manufacturing facility in India is being set up on 290 acres of land, allotted by SIPCOT. With a global market share of 15.5%*, Michelin has been equipping vehicles in India for almost a decade and today markets in India a full offer of radial tyres for two wheel, passenger car, trucks and buses, agriculture, construction and mining vehicles.
TRAINING CENTRE
The Michelin Training Centre, the first building to be operational on the site, was launched on 30th May, 2011. The facility will conduct soft skills and technical skills training to help improve employability for the villagers. The first program that has been designed for the community is English language training that is scheduled to commence on 15th of July 2011. Some of the other training programs that are planned are computer skills, accounting, and other vocational courses like plumbing and carpentry.
“Michelin firmly believes that the company will do well only when the communities around its operations can also benefit. The main focus of this training facility is to offer training to both: Michelin employees and the local community around the site. Apart from technical and language training to its own staff, the facility will conduct training in soft and technical skills to help improve employment opportunities of the villagers, in general.” says Mr. Nicolas Beaumont, Managing Director, Michelin India Tamil Nadu Tyres Pvt. Ltd.
MANUFACTURING PLANT
This plant will eventually offer employment to 1500 people locally. At present, there are 356 employees recruited, 67% of which are undergoing training. Michelin hosts training in various Michelin factories overseas for a period ranging from one to three years hence giving international exposure to its employees.
“The first radial truck tyre from the manufacturing facility will be rolled out in November 2012. The plant has a capacity to produce 20 lakh tyres however, in the first year; we will produce 3 lakh tyres. With this facility in India, Michelin will be better equipped to cater to evolving and increasing needs of the Indian customer.” says Mr. Nicolas Beaumont, Managing Director, Michelin India Tamilnadu Tyres Pvt. Ltd.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Michelin understands that industrialisation should not be at the cost of traditional mainstays of agriculture and animal husbandry. Therefore it is committed to making a positive contribution to the neighbouring communities around where it will operate by supporting a wide range of socio-economic, educational and health initiatives, always in consultation with villages.
Michelin was one of the sponsors for the household socio-economic survey conducted by FORRAD (Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development) in 31 villages on the periphery of the site. The survey collected empirical data on education, occupation, skills, income, expenditure, indebtedness and other indicators of socio-economic well being. Based on these findings, Michelin is devising its mid term and long term strategy for CSR.
Part of its strategy will be to sponsor health camps to cover paediatrics, gynaecology, general health care and eye care. The eye camps are being undertaken in cooperation with Sankara Nethralaya and the rest are being administered by Lifeline Hospitals and Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute. These camps will serve to map out the health status of the local people and assist with a long term plan.
Agriculture in the region surrounding its site is fed by large rain-fed lakes and a preliminary survey by AFPRO (Action for Food Production) revealed that most of the lakes and the far end of the irrigation channels were silted up. The former reduced the storage capacity of the lakes and the latter cut off the water supply of farmers living on the far end of the lake. Starting, with the de-silting of the irrigation channels, work has been completed in Karadiputhur, Mukarampakkam and Kannankottai. 18 kms of channel have been de-silted involving around 2,700 man days of work. Desilting of irrigation channels have now begun off the Sengarari lake. 4 km off channels have been desilted providing 500 mandays of work.
Michelin is also putting in plans to improve infrastructure in local hospitals, primary health centres, primary schools, etc., apart from arranging vocational training to local unskilled youth for livelihood, adoption of Industrial Training Institutes, etc.
About Michelin
Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin has a global presence in more than 170 countries with 111,000 employees. Today, Michelin operates 70 production plants in 18 different countries and manufactures and market tyres for every vehicle type including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles/motorcycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, trucks and even the US space shuttle, thus improving the mobility of goods and people.
Michelin is committed to serving its customers with world-class products and services. With the manufacturing plant in progress, their objective is to strengthen the Michelin brand in India in terms of technology, quality and innovation. An expanding dealer network has marked their presence in India and Michelin is constantly evaluating opportunities across the country to strengthen their presence in this market.
Michelin has been in the forefront of innovation and better mobility since its creation more than 120 years ago. The company was the inventor of the radial tyre in 1946, and continues to set the bar in delivering innovative mobility solutions to its customers. Michelin is focused on its strategy to play a key role in supporting the radialization growth in the Indian Truck and Bus tyre segment. Its technology enables Michelin radial tyres to deliver unparalleled fuel efficiency, safety and longevity benefits, thus providing newer and better value products to the Indian consumer.
* (source: 2009 sales, published in Tire Business, August 30, 2010)
For further information, please contact:
Saradamani Dey Ashok Thomas
Michelin India Adroit Public Relations
Mobile: +91 9962581997 Mobile: +91 9841075851
Saradamani.dey@in.michelin.com Thomas@adroitpublicrelations.com
