By Satnam Singh
CORRESPONDENT
Published: September 8, 2014 2:24 pm ET
Updated: September 9, 2014 12:17 am ET
Amit Bajaj
MUMBAI — Italian auxiliary equipment manufacturer Piovan SpA is eying the growing auxiliary market in India, and now plans to start assembling some equipment there before the end of the year.
“We have adequate space to start assembly of few products — initially like dehumidifying dryers, feeding and conveyor system,” said Amit Bajaj, manager of the company’s South Asian operations.
“We will commence full-fledged assembly operation in next two to three months time,” Bajaj said.
He said plastics processors are investing in plant automation to reduce waste and improve delivery and overall product quality.
Santa Maria di Sala, Italy-based Piovan entered India in 2008 and operates a local subsidiary, Piovan India Pvt. Ltd., with an office and warehouse in Mumbai.
The India office is responsible for South East Asian Countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
The Indian subsidiary will help the company meet demands from the local market.
“Labor cost is high in Europe and by starting assembly in India, we could benefit from low-cost labor available here,” Bajaj said. “Moreover, localization of assembly would lead to quicker delivery and ease of dealing in local currency, which has been increasingly volatile in the recent past.”
For Piovan, the India market for auxiliary equipment is growing 15 percent annually, reaching 2.8 million euros ($3.62 million) in 2013, he said.
“Indian plastic processors are increasingly investing in high-quality equipment to improve automation,” Bajaj said.
Piovan also is opening a new office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to help cover the Asian market. The company has production facilities in Italy, Germany, China, Brazil and the United States. | 
