Triumph to set up Indian factory
As Triumph confirms its first Indian factory, the company will now aim to develop newer, smaller capacity bikes to appeal to the world's second largest bike marketThe automotive industry’s love affair with India is about to take another step forward with news that Triumph has identified a suitable site for its first Indian assembly plant.
It would be the British company’s third assembly plant after its operations in the UK and Thailand, and according to reports out of India is expected to be located in the state of Karnataka, in the country’s south – within close range of the port for potential export business in future.
India is an enticing region for bike makers because of its size – it’s the world’s second largest motorcycle market, and premium rival brands such as BMW and Ducati already have a presence in the sub continent.
Triumph is moving rapidly and indications are that it could have the assembly plant up and running within a year. The Hinckley-based company just recently launched the brand in India during January 2012, and is expected to deal with CKD (completely knocked-down) motorcycle kits initially, assembling Daytona 675, Speed and Street Triple and Bonneville models.
While the new assembly plant will only deal with CKD bikes to begin with, Triumph will be able to reduce costs further by manufacturing bikes in India, which will be a case of ‘when’, rather than ‘if’.
Like we’ve seen with KTM and Honda, Triumph may also seek to develop smaller capacity 125 and 250cc motorcycles that would appeal to a much wider audience in India, and would also have the potential to be exported to other markets in Europe and Asia, perhaps even Australia.
Triumph 250cc Street Triple? Watch this space...
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