Alstom seeks Indian suppliers for Chennai unit

MUMBAI: French engineering and capital goods conglomerate Alstom is scouting for local partners in India to supply components to its upcoming metro rail coach manufacturing unit near Chennai.

The plant will start functioning in September with 40% local manufacturing, Henri Pourparte-Lafarge, president of the company's transport business, said at an event in France. "In the next 3-4 years, we hope to increase it to 80%," he said, adding, "We are scouting for local partners as we need good suppliers for specialised work."

The company is setting up a metro rail coach manufacturing unit with a total investment of e30 million near Chennai to service the e243-million order.

(The correspondent was in France recently at the invitation of Alstom.)