UK's Smiths Group to relocate wet-seal assembly ops from Thailand to Bengaluru

UK-headquartered diversified engineering firm Smiths Group Plc has said it will relocate its wet-seat assembly operations from Thailand to Bengaluru, according to an official statement from the state government.

Group's chief sustainability officer Kini Pathmanathan conveyed this to the state's delegation led by Industries Minister MB Patil.

The company expressed its keenness to expand its presence in Bengaluru, where it currently employs about 600 people. Smiths Group’s TITEflex business, which already serves aerospace and defense customers in Bengaluru, will make additional investments by relocating parts of its operations from Europe and the US to Karnataka's capital to further strengthen its A&D manufacturing capabilities in the region, Patil said.


“The meeting underscored the growing importance of Bengaluru in Smiths Group's global operations and positioned Karnataka as a strategic destination for growth,” the Minister said.

In a separate meeting the minister had with the representatives of the alcoholic beverages (Alcobev) industry, the companies mentioned Karnataka's significance as a critical market in India due to its strong consumer base and robust industry ecosystem.

Global Alcobev players such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Bacardi reiterated their long-term commitment to the state and their plans for operational expansion in Karnataka, signaling optimistic growth prospects in the sector.

Principal Secretary, Industries department, S.Selvakumar, and Industries Commissioner Gunjan Krishna were present at the interactions.