Boeing has evinced keen interest in participating in Tamil Nadu’s plans to promote investments in aerospace industry, according to senior officials of the state Industries Department.

Representatives of the aircraft manufacturer held discussions with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco) officials recently, said B Elangovan, General Manager, Tidco, addressing a seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The State Government will soon announce an aerospace industry policy; set up a 300-acre aerospace components park at Sriperumbudur, an industrial suburb to the west of Chennai; a 50-acre Maintenance-Repair-Overhauling facility for aircraft adjacent to the airport at Meenambakkam; and a 2,000-acre, integrated aerospace components park in Hosur.

Boeing has committed to bring in a couple of its large suppliers to Tamil Nadu, Elangovan said.

Land is available for the Sriperumbudur facility which will have a design centre, manufacturing zone, testing and certification facility and common infrastructure.

A special cell will also be established to liaise with the Defence Department which will be a major client for the products and services.

Titanium untapped

A Sivathanu Pillai, Managing Director, BrahMos Aerospace, said Tamil Nadu has a huge industrial and natural resource base to tap opportunities in aerospace investments. Over 5 million tonnes of Titanium ore is till to be tapped. This metal is in demand in the aerospace sector but is being imported.

In neighbouring Kerala, a Titanium sponge unit has gone on stream with a capacity of 500 tonnes a year. Tamil Nadu has the capacity to set up a Titanium metal production facility of 10,000 tonnes a year. The aerospace industry can be a natural extension of the large automobile hub in the State, he felt.

Related Topics