MUMBAI:
Godrej Appliances, one of the leading players in the home appliances segment has strengthened its manufacturing capacity by increasing the production of its washing machines from 4 lakhs to 6 lakh units per annum.
This is part of the Rs. 400 Crore capacity expansion plan that the company announced last year.The new washing machine assembly line has been installed at its plant in Mohali and will allow the brand to introduce new variants and increase flexibility for multi model productionof washing machines.
Godrej Appliances has been focusing on premiumsation, and entered the Front Load washing machine segment last year with an advanced model that incorporates the unique Allergy Protect technology. The brand also focuses on premiumization across segments by introducing innovative technologies and advanced eatures in its products. Godrej Appliances also launched ‘Allure series’, a fully automatic top loadwashing machine with ‘Roller Coaster wash’ technology.In the Semi-Automatic segment of washing machines, Godrej Appliances was the first brand to
launch a model with a steel drum, an industry break through. The brand will see similar advanced products being manufactured in its plants in coming months particularly in the washing machine segment.
Currently 17 lakh Refrigerators and 4 lakh Semi- automatic washing machines are being manufactured at this facility, as well as 27 lakh Compressors for refrigerators, taking its annual production capacity to approximately 37.5 lakh home appliances with the manufacture of 30 lakh refrigerators, 6 lakhs washing machines and 1.5 lakhs air conditioners, at both its Mohali and Shirwal manufacturing locations.
Furthermore, the new capacity will generate additional employment for 100 people, 75 of whom are women, who will operate the new washing machine line.
Kamal Nandi, Business Head & EVP, Godrej Appliances said, “We have always been at the forefront of innovation and customer delight, testimony to which is the immense trust that customers put in our brand. Godrej Appliances is already the fastest growing brand in the washing machine category. The new capacity will help usachieve our target of 25% growth in Washing Machines. With the new assembly line at our Mohali plant, we have doubled our production capacity of washing machines from 2 lakh units to 4 lakh units, taking our annual production of washing machines up to 6 lakh units.At Godrej Appliances we are on the fast track to growth, growing faster than that of the industry year on year, and this capex investment is in line with our vision of being amongst the top 3 in the Indian
Appliance industry by 2020.”
Hussain Shariyarr, Manufacturing Head, Godrej Appliances, said, “Since the inception, manufacturing is one of the core strengths of Godrej Appliances, which not only helps in driving profitability but also helps in building its brand image. Both the manufacturing units – in Shirwal as well as Mohali are considered benchmarks in their respective regions and are also Platinum Green Co. rated by CII. Furthermore, each plant has the ability to generate 1 MW of solar power installed that would take the renewable energy share to 30%. An online monitoring system has also been installed to track the power generation on real time basis.”
Some of the other efforts on sustainability over last five years have resulted in30% reduction in specific energy consumption,44% reduction in specific fuel consumption, 36% reduction in specific water consumption,and 30% reduction in GHG emissions. The plant at Mohali is water positive as it harvests water from the ground and from rain. 99% of the raw material used are recyclable as well asbio fuel is being used for 100% of processes requirements.
