Kapur, grandson of late Apollo Tyres empire founder Raunaq Singh, was then managing director of Sona Koyo Steering Systems.
Incidentally, the US $ 140 mn turnover Sona group, had humble beginnings in 1987 as a small supplier to Maruti Suzuki. Sona Koyo will be supplying steering systems for Nano, having bagged other big clients like Mahindra, Hyundai and Toyota already.
Just like it took a Karisma to turn the spotlight on the Sona group, auto component players in Gujarat are looking at Nano swinging a Karishma for their businesses.
Shailesh Shah, whose Rs 10-crore Ahmedabad-based Samvid Steels, makes rollers for auto bearings and alloy steel wires for auto components, is already dreaming big. "Our plant in Kadi is just 20 kms from Sanand. We are already talking to Tata Motors.
If we bag the Nano business, we can cruise to Rs 50 crore turnover in three years flat," says Shah, who's gearing up to invest Rs 8 crore in adding steering, transmission components and fastners to his product portfolio.
Bhupendrabhai Makwana, whose Rs 100 crore Texspin Bearings made clutch release bearings used in the Nano prototype, is betting on Nano trebling his business in five years. "Apart from direct supply, now we are looking at emerging as supplier to Nano's major vendors," says Makwana, who is planning to set up a plant near the Nano facility.
Exports-focused players like Raju Shah of the Rs 350 crore Harsha Engineers, which makes bearings and stamp components at Changodar, is also moving up the value chain to making precision stamp. "Apart from the additional business the small Tata car bring for us, Nano will attract international auto ancilliaries to Ahmedabad," feels Shah.
