Suzuki's Gujarat plant could start production by early 2017

Earlier this year, Suzuki laid the foundation stone for a new manufacturing facility in Gujarat. The plant is expected to start rolling out vehicles by mid-2017. However, the company is trying to advance this date by 3-6 months to January 2017.

Maruti's Gurgaon and Manesar facilities are expected to be functioning at optimum capacity by the middle of next year and the company will need additional capacity. At present, the factory building of the new facility in Gujarat is under construction.

The Suzuki plant will manufacture vehicles exclusively for Maurti Suzuki India. It could build more high-priced products such as the Baleno (codenamed YRA) hatchback than the current facilities. If it does, it will make more profit on the sale of each car than the Gurgaon and Manesar plants.

The Baleno will be positioned above the Swift in the company's line-up of hatchbacks and will be exported as well.

The upcoming plant is also likely to manufacture the next-generation Swift hatchback and Dzire compact sedan.

Maruti Suzuki is targeting annual sales of 2 million units by the end of the decade.

Source: ET Auto