Jamshedpur, Nov. 14: Tata Motors will begin manufacturing Daewoo trucks from January 2005. Initially, the present commercial vehicle assembling unit of Tata Motors at Telco would start assembling Daewoo truck parts imported from the company?s South Korean unit.
Last year, Tata Motors took over the commercial vehicle production and business of the South Korean automobile major Daewoo. US-based automobile major General Motors (GM) had acquired the car/multi-purpose vehicle units of Daewoo.
A Tata Motors official said, ?The company would manufacture the hi-tech commercial heavy vehicle in the category of trucks by January 2005 or before the end of this financial year. The start of the production of Daewoo trucks in the steel city would be a great gift to the nation.?
The trucks will have engine capacity ranging from 220 Horse Power to 400 Horse Power. The company will first assemble two to three models of Daewoo trucks keeping in mind the road and weather conditions of the country.
?For now, Tata Motors would import the aggregates of heavy commercial vehicle, including the engine from Korea-based plant. The aggregates would be assembled here,? said the officer.
Things are now at the planning stage but decks would be cleared by November end, said company sources. Tata Motors is already exporting the Daewoo trucks manufactured at its Korea based plant to other countries.
Sources said some ancillary units for the production of small parts used in the manufacturing of such trucks are also expected to come up in Adityapur. A separate full fledged assembling unit for manufacturing Daewoo trucks would take sometime.
Company sources said the automobile major has concentrated on its ?vehicle for the future? project, in which the company intends to develop a world class commercial vehicle.
ML Bapana, general manager, Tata Motors, in a recent function at the Aidityapur Industrial Area Development Authority had remarked, ``The company would start manufacturing Daewoo trucks very soon.'' He however refused to point out any specific time.eom
