US auto ancillary giant Dana sets up new technology centre in Pune, India

US auto ancillary supplier Dana Holding Corporation today said it had inaugurated an 8,000 square-meter (90,000 square-foot) technology centre in Pune. 

The $7.2 billion Dana is a global supplier of driveline, sealing, and thermal-management technologies that improve the efficiency and performance of passenger, commercial, and off-highway vehicles with both conventional and alternative-energy powertrains. 

With over 240 engineers, its new facility at pune is capable of providing global engineering support to original-equipment manufacturers in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway markets in India and throughout the region.

Known s the Dana India Technical Centre, this is the company's 13th facility in India, and strengthens the US firm's footprint in the region to support future growth. 

Dana says it employs over 2,900 people in India, including those operations in which the company holds a joint interest.

''India is a vital market that propels economic growth throughout the Asia Pacific region, and our investment in that country over the past half century demonstrates our commitment to and confidence in the region,'' said Dana President and CEO Roger Wood.

''The Dana India Technical Center allows us to offer our customers unmatched local technical expertise and a direct connection to our industry-leading global engineering resources.''

Dana customers in India such as Ashok Leyland Ltd, Caterpillar India, Deere and Co., Force Motors, Ford India, General Motors India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mahindra Trucks and Buses Ltd., TAFE, Tata Motors, and VE Commercial Vehicle Ltd.  Export customers include Caterpillar, Ford, Land Rover, Nissan, Renault, Still, and Toyota.

Devoted to research, design, development, and testing of drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management products, the centre is fully integrated into Dana's global research and development system to support new products from concept development through launch, as well as to adapt technologies developed elsewhere in the world for the specific needs of the Indian market.

It combines design, finite element analysis, and testing for all of Dana's product groups under one roof.  It includes an electronic controls lab, a testing area, a materials development lab, a prototype area, and an NVH and performance analysis lab for product development.

The new lab in Pune features the latest testing equipment for axles, transmissions, materials, NVH, prototyping, inspections, and machining to ensure that products engineered and manufactured by Dana in India meet the company's highest standards for performance and durability.  This equipment includes dynamometers, a rotating bending test stand, a beam fatigue test stand, a multi-axis spin stand, rotary actuators, and linear actuators.

''For decades, we have worked side-by-side with leading vehicle and equipment manufacturers in India, and by locating a full range of engineering resources here, we can deliver drivetrain solutions as much as 12 months quicker than our competitors,'' said George Constand, Dana's chief technical and quality officer.  ''With this new facility, we can rapidly deliver customized solutions that accommodate local needs and requirements for optimizing total cost of ownership, enhancing vehicle efficiency, and addressing environmental concerns.