PEWIN plans to expand Sri City unit capacity four-fold by investing ₹400 cr.

PEWIN Sri City Plant Head R. Manimaran says that it is one of the most modern and IoT connected plant with 88% automation. Components and finished goods are moved using Automated Guided Vehicles.

Panasonic Electric Works India (PEWIN) is gearing up to increase the installed capacity of switches and sockets in Sri City by fourfold in two phases till 2030 by investing around ₹400 crore, said a company official.

“Currently, we have an installed capacity to produce 10 million switches and sockets per month. In the second phase, we will ramp it up to 20 million units and the third phase calls for setting up a new plant to produce another 20 million units,” Panasonic Life Solutions India Electric Works Division Plant Head R. Marimaran said during an interaction.

PEWIN also has manufacturing units at Daman and Haridwar that has installed capacity to produce five million units and 40 million units respectively. Since, both the plants are operating at full capacity, the company decided to undertake future expansion in Sri City.

In the first stage, the Japanese major has already invested ₹300 crore to manufacture Roma, Penta Modular and Ziva switches and sockets. Out of the eight million units, Penta Modular switches accounts for 40% of total production and Roma switches 30%.

The second phase calls for an additional investment of ₹100 crore. By April, the capacity will be increased to 12 million units, followed by 16 million units in September and 20 million units later.

“The second phase work will get completed by 2025 and work on the new building will begin by 2027, for which we are investing another ₹300 crore. In the third phase, the company might consider introducing new products such as switchgears, wires and fans,” he said.

Asserting that Sri City is a most modern IoT connected plant unlike Daman and Haridwar plant, he said it that raw materials, produced components and finished goods are moved to stores and warehouse inside the premises using eight Automated Guided Vehicles. Manual labour is used for packing and loading inventories.

“Sri City employs around 500 people against 1,800 and 5,000 people in other units. Even, if we were to move some new lines here, it can be done easily as it would be fully automated with less human intervention,” he said.