SOFIMA Filters India will be a dedicated aftermarket industrial site at Bahadurgarh, NCR, with an investment commitment of Euro 10 million
UFI Filters, a global leader in filtration technology and thermal management, announced the launch of their first aftermarket plant in India at Bahadurgarh in the National Capital Region (NCR). This is UFI Group’s 18th industrial site worldwide. The new industrial site, SOFIMA India (P) Ltd., will be dedicated to manufacturing filters for the aftermarket sector, serving both local spare parts’ market and export demands. Given the group’s widespread experience at its many plants around the world that are dedicated to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and International Automotive Task Force (IATF)-certified, the new industrial site at Bahadurgarh has been designed to comply with the most stringent international standards.
Equipped with the most up-to-date technologies, the plant will meet European standards for processes and quality and will be ISO 9001-certified. UFI Filters supplies the full range of air, oil, fuel, cabin, hydraulic and coolant filters as well as thermal management systems to the automotive sector as well.
Speaking at the inauguration of SOFIMA India, Hridesh Sharma, CEO, UFI Filters India, said: “This new industrial site opening is part of our strategy to offer high-quality spare parts to the Indian market. The new India operation will make it possible to provide products that are dedicated to the growing demands of the aftermarket sector and will allow the group to grow its business in line with our vision.”
“We have a committed investment of Euro 10 million and will employ around 300 workers at full capacity. Initial production will be to the tune of 6 million filters per year, including cabin filters and air filters for cars and heavy vehicles, as well as dedicated hydraulic filtration spares,” he added. Spread over a 5,000 sq. metres area over three floors, the new industrial site will focus on dedicated after-market products to fulfill the growing demand for high-quality products in India and abroad.
Giorgio Girondi, Chairman of the UFI Filters Group, in his address, said: “We are truly proud of this new industrial site, which brings the number of our industrial sites around the world to a total of 18.”
“Expansion in Southeast Asia, especially India, is strategic for us, as there is a huge potential given the high volume of vehicles available in the country, which we intend to address. All our products meet international standards, namely, SAE, ISO and OEM standards. ‘Think globally, act locally’ is the group’s central principle for supporting our OEM clients and the aftermarket. Thanks to the quality of UFI Filters’ products, major German brands including the Volkswagen Group and Porsche choose filtering systems made in India by UFI to complement their brand-new vehicles,” he added.
UFI Filters was founded in 1971 and serves a wide range of sectors ranging from automotive, aerospace and marine to specialised industrial and customised hydraulic applications. Renowned for its innovation, UFI’s products and know-how are found in all kinds of vehicles from F1 cars including Ferrari and seven other top F1 teams, to the European ExoMars spacecraft.
“We are keen to encourage local talent, and as such our recruitment would be in that direction. If required, we will also send new recruits from this plant to overseas plants for training, so as to maintain the high-quality levels that UFI Filters is known for. We aim to groom local talent to be future leaders of UFI Filters. We expect to engage around 300 personnel once the plant is fully commissioned,” Sharma said.
UFI supplies the full range of air, oil, fuel, cabin, hydraulic and coolant filters as well as thermal management systems to the automotive sector, meeting the needs of nearly all car brands and motorcycles as well as commercial, heavy-duty and agricultural vehicles. In the OE market, UFI is a leading filtration provider. Each family of filters within the company’s two aftermarket brands, UFI and SOFIMA, covers 96% of the European car parc. While it employs over 4,000 people in 16 countries, it also has on board 168 specialised technicians in its innovation and research centres and holds 206 patents. As a research-driven company, it reinvests over 5% of its revenues in research and development.