Helmet maker STUDDS sets up Asia's largest helmet manufacturing facility in Haryana

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• New facility in Faridabad set up with an investment of Rs 200 crore

• It doubles the company's existing manufacturing capacity from 7 to 14 million motorcycle helmets per year

• The factory ensures direct employment to over 1,500 people despite high automation level of 70%

World's largest manufacturer of two wheeler helmets STUDDS on Monday said it has commenced operations at its new facility in Faridabad, which it claims is Asia's largest factory for helmets. The new facility is spread over 5.5 acres and has been set up with an initial investment of over Rs 160 crore. It would produce some of the company's most popular motorcycle helmets including the Shifter and Thunder series. Additionally it will also produce bicycle helmets for the domestic market.

STUDDS also recently began operations at  its another smaller manufacturing plant which is spread over 1.5 acres and where the company has invested Rs 40 crore. This factory, the company claims is India's only facility with an in-house Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) production line. EPS is a crushable foam used in helmet production and is considered the most important safety feature in the helmet.

The new plants will have production capacity of 7.5 million units of motorcycle helmets and 1.5 million bicycle helmets per annum. "This is a huge milestone for all of us at STUDDS as we move forward in the post-COVID era. This step is a testament to our commitment towards Make in India, for the world, reaffirming our role as the market leaders, with integrating some of the best manufacturing practices from across globe," says Sidhartha Bhushan Khurana, Managing Director, STUDDS Accessories Ltd.

"With the goal of expanding our production efficiency, our new plants would provide employment prospects for local citizens as well as add to the overall economic growth." "Currently, we have just begun operations and are planning to ramp up production gradually. With the commencement of our new plants, we have doubled our production capacity from 7 million to 14 million units of motorcycle helmets."

With these new manufacturing units, STUDDS now has four manufacturing factories in the country, all of them located in Faridabad. Besides the domestic market, STUDDS is currently exporting its helmets to more than 40 countries. The new plants are aimed at ramping up the exports.

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