MG Motor inaugurates its first Indian manufacturing facility in Gujarat

UK-based automotive company MG Motor inaugurated its first-ever manufacturing facility in India on Friday, September 29. The company, owned by SAIC Motor, the largest carmaker in China, has opened the plant in Gujarat with an initial investment of Rs 2,000 crore.

MG Motor, in fact, took over the plant in Halol, Gujarat from General Motors India. Spread over an area of 170 acres, the plant will be revamped completely by MG Motor by 2019. With an initial capacity of 80,000 units a year in the first phase, the company will roll-out its first product from the plant in 2019.

The carmaker has initially hired a 70-strong workforce at the plant. The facility will entail the creation of a significant number of jobs, apart from several additional indirect jobs in the state, as part of the 'Make in India' and 'Skill India' initiatives, a company statement said.

"Today is a watershed moment for the MG brand in India with the inauguration of our first-ever manufacturing facility here. Overall, we aim to positively contribute to the ecosystem here in Gujarat including all stakeholders by generating employment opportunities for local talent, leveraging the capable supplier base and contributing to the overall benefit of the society and community here," said Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India.

The greenfield facility was inaugurated with a traditional Indian 'Puja' ceremony during the auspicious occasion of Navratras, in the presence of all MG Motor India employees, MG Motor International employees and key representatives of the local administration including Gujarat government.

"We greatly appreciate the pro-active approach displayed by the Gujarat government in facilitating the smooth transfer approval of the Halol plant and granting us the required approvals to re-start the operations. With this, we are very proud to play our role to the 'Make in India' initiative, contributing to the overall positive and sustainable development of the society here. With the takeover and other transfer formalities having completed, we will start refurbishing the entire plant very soon, with MG's state-of-the-art manufacturing tools, equipment and processes," said P Balendran, Executive Director, MG Motor India.

The MG brand, which originated as an iconic British Racing Sports Brand in the year 1924, has evolved into a modern-day innovative brand in the last 93 years.