Henkel to invest Rs. 220 cr in Pune adhesive plant.

Germany-based Henkel AG's subsidiary Henkel Adhesive Technologies will invest about Rs. 220 crore (€30 million) to set up the country’s largest adhesives plant of 80,000 tonnes per annum at Kurkumbh near Pune.

The new plant, which is expected to start production by early 2017, will create 500 new jobs.

The adhesive and surface treatment plant will cater to the various end user segments such as automotive, metal and industrial sectors.

The company, which has nine manufacturing plants across the country, has acquired 25 acres at Kurkumbh to enhance capacity at a later stage Jeremy Hunter, President, Henkel Group India, said the new plant is part of Henkel’s global strategy to strengthen the presence in emerging markets with focussed investments.

Henkel targets to increase its global sales to €20 billion from €16 billion by the end of next year. Of this, it expects sales of Rs. 10 billion to come from emerging markets. The company employs 967 people in India, while globally it has 50,000.

It is also working closely with automobile companies to innovate products that can make cars quieter and lighter. The company has invested about €1 billion in the R&D Centre which employs 35 scientists in Pune.

HBL