Indian car company to invest €30 million in Catalonia

Noida (ACN).- On Tuesday Samvardhana Motherson Peguform (SMP), which produces components and materials to build cars, announced a €30 million investment in Catalonia. The announcement was made during the business trip of a delegation led by President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas to India. The Samvardhana Motherson Group, based in Noida (near New Delhi), already has 4 factories in Catalonia The factories were previously owned by former German company Peguform, which was purchased by the Indian multinational in 2011. Now, SMP will invest €25 million in rebuilding and enlarging its Polinyà plant, in Greater Barcelona, which produces car paint and was accidentally burned last September. The remaining €5 million will be allocated to upgrading its Ripollet plant, also based near the Catalan capital. The investment will create 100 new jobs. The company has two other factories in Martorell and Castellbisbal, also in Greater Barcelona. In fact, Barcelona is one of the main hubs in Europe in the car industry, with several manufacturing companies building vehicles and components. Last May, Catalonia’s car industry decided to create its own cluster.

Samvardhana Motherson Peguform (SMP) is one of the world’s most important car component manufacturers. The Indian company produces metal pieces, plastic parts for cars’ exteriors and interiors, automation accessories and car paint. It owns four factories in Catalònia, all of them in Greater Barcelona, and it employs around 1,000 workers. However, last September, an accidental fire burned down SMP’s factory in Polinyà. The company has announced today it will rebuild the plant. Furthermore it will expand it and upgrade it, making it larger and more modern in order to increase its production and productivity. The new plant will produce car paint for Catalonia’s car industry and for export. The operation will require an investment of €25 million. Besides, SMP will invest €5 additional million in improving its facilities in Ripollet, which produces metal belts.

SMP’s global investment reaches €30 million and will lead to creating 100 new jobs, according to data provided by Andreas Heuser, the company’s Delegate for Europe and America. Heuser emphasised that Catalonia is a “strategic” place for the Indian company. 20% of the products from its four Catalan plants are sold to supply car manufacturers based in Catalonia. “We want to have close contacts with Catalonia, because we have been working together for many years and we help each other out”, he stated. “We have a strong delegation there and I am certain that after the visit of the Catalan President we will have new opportunities to cooperate”, he added after he met with Mas, who is on a business trip to India.