BREMBO has celebrated the opening of its new plant in India for motorcycle and scooters braking syst

After purchasing in October 2008 the entire Indian JV KBX stake hold by Bosch, Brembo, the leader in high-performance brake systems, has today celebrated the official opening of its new plant in India.

The facility will manufacture disc braking systems for scooters and motorcycles between 125 and 250 cc for the Indian market. Brembo’s operational market sector has been growing of 14% in 2008 compared to the previous year and a development is foreseen for the year 2009.

The plant is about 160 km south of Mumbai in the city of Pune, the capital of India’s automotive sector, stands on a plot of 15,000 m(2) and provides 5,000 m(2) floor space, and employs 220 persons.

Brembo Group, through its Indian subsidiary, holds a 50% market share of motor vehicles brake systems manufactured in India and its main clients are the leading local as well as international companies such as Bajaj, Hero Honda, Honda Motors, Yamaha, Suzuki, Royal Henfield. The Indian market is mainly composed by motor vehicles from 50 cc to 350 cc.

On this occasion Brembo has also introduced the new brand “Breco”, which is a synthesis of “Brembo Company”, studied to be the brand specifically dedicated to the braking systems of small-to-medium displacement scooters and motorcycles (up to 250 cc) targeted for the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and other south-eastern countries (ASEAN).

The Brembo Group Indian subsidiary – today called KBX will soon change the name into Brembo Brake India – is the leader in the development and production of brake systems in India and was established in February 2006 as a 50-50 joint-venture between Brembo and Bosch. The 2008 sales were about 1.050 million Rupees (EUR 17 million); KBX has no financial debt.

Brembo has been active in India since 1998/99, when the Indian group Kalyani Brakes acquired a licence to manufacture brake discs for motorcycles from the Indian group Kalayani Brakes, subsequently acquired by Bosch Chassis Systems India Ltd, an Indian subsidiary of the German multinational. In 2006, KBX established as a Joint Venture between Bosch and Brembo. Since 2007, Brembo has been based in India with a design centre supporting the Group R&D activities. Soon it will be improved also with an organizational unit of Global Sourcing for all Brembo Group Companies.

In the last three years, Brembo has invested over 1 billion Rupees (more than EUR 17 million). To continue its development in India, Paolo Magri, Motorcycles Business Unit Director, has been appointed as Managing Director of Brembo Group India Activities Responsible.

Brembo Spa is the world leader and acknowledged innovator of the brake disc technology for automotive vehicles. Brembo supplies high performance brake systems for the most important manufacturers of cars, commercial vehicles and motorbikes worldwide, as well as clutches, seats, seat belts and other components for racing only. Moreover, Brembo is also a leader in the racing sector and has won more than 200 championships. Today the company operates in 14 countries of 3 continents, with 33 production and business sites, and a pool of about 5.800 employees, 9% of whom are engineers and product specialists active in the R&D. 2008 turnover is expected to be over EUR 1 billion. Brembo is the owner of the Brembo, Breco, Marchesini, Sabelt brands and operates through AP Racing brand.