Tata Motors Sanand Plant Visit: New Beginnings

It is often said that the end of one chapter could also be the beginning of a new saga. That’s exactly what seems to be the case with the new Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM) manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, which was once owned by Ford. After the American carmaker exited the country, Tata Motors took over the operations. Tata acquired the facility on January 10, 2023, and even offered jobs to 100% of the workforce that was employed by Ford. It is the company’s second facility in the state of Gujrat and is used for the production of both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EVs).

Acquired for ₹726 crore, the facility is spread across 460 acres of land. Tata invested an additional ₹1,300 crore to retool and adapt the facility for the production of Tata vehicles. Presently, the ICE and electric variants of the Nexon SUV are being produced here. The plant has a capacity of churning out three lakh units annually and this can further be scaled to 4.2 lakh units. It should be noted that despite this, the Nexon is also being produced at the Pune facility since the production here is still in the ramping phase. Our conversation with the officials at Tata Motors revealed that this very facility has the capacity to produce not just the current Nexon EV but other future EVs from the brand, including the Gen3 models.

Also Read: Tata Motors' Sanand Plant Surpasses 10 Lakh Unit Production Mark

The Human Element

What makes the Sanand facility special is interestingly not just the vehicles built there nor the production process, but also the human element which is eye-catching. Tata Motors, aiming to improve the lives of the workers at the facility and make them more skilled, has partnered with Ganpat University to offer higher education to 100% of the workforce at this facility. Those with ITI certification are offered to do a diploma while diploma holders get to study B.Tech. What is even better is the fact that there is no bond associated with this facility and the entire cost is borne by Tata Motors.

Also Read: Tata Motors to Invest Rs 9,000 Crore in Tamil Nadu For Vehicle Manufacturing Plant

The workers study in classrooms within the facility after their shift is completed. An entire building is dedicated to this (called Nalanda) and modelled to give the same atmosphere as a learning institute. Once a week, the workers go to the actual university for lab projects. This is a really commendable effort which is rather unique too. The facility currently employs more than 1,000 people out of which 850 were absorbed from Ford.

A Mechanical Marvel

As for the vehicle manufacturing operations, stamping, body construction, paint and final assembly are all taken care of here. Being a modern-day facility, there is no dearth of robotic arms swinging around in perfect harmony. The body shop has 98% automation, making the process smooth and efficient. Both the ICE and EV models are produced on the same line since almost 70% of the procedures are the same for both. We were told that it takes approximately 16 hours for a Nexon to go from body in white to final production. Looking at the future and the popularity of artificial intelligence (AI), the company intends to integrate AI and machine learning in their production process too.

Signs of things to come

After completing my tour of the TPEM Sanand facility, I felt like I had just witnessed the trailer for a rather dynamic production facility of the future. It has the capability to produce a variety of passenger vehicles, including conventional ICE cars and future iterations of EVs from the brand.

It also happens to be a nurturing facility that is going to increase the number of highly skilled workforce available in the country. It would be great to see the culture spread to other Tata facilities. For now, I am eager to revisit the manufacturing facility when it is functioning at full steam.