BL reported that Areva T&D will operationalize 3 Greenfield manufacturing units in India between December 5th and December 7th 2008 and hire over 1,200 in 2008. The units are coming up in Vadodara in Gujarat, Hosur and Padappai in Tamil Nadu and involves an investment of INR 700 crore.

Vadodara factory will make power transformers up to 765 kV and scale up to 1,200 kV in due course. It will also manufacture distribution transformers and medium voltage switchgear.

The Hosur plant will produce instrument transformers up to 765 kV and later for 1,200 kV. It would also be the R&D centre for instrument transformer product line to support the global needs.

The third Greenfield site at Padappai will manufacture circuit breakers for 765 kV and eventually for 1,200 kV. It would be an expanded capacity compared with the existing plant at Perungudi.

Mr Rathin Basu country president of Areva T&D India said that once these projects start contributing, India’s share, which stands at around 7% of the Areva Group’s total turnover, is expected to grow. He added that "We target to reach about 15% by 2012. The major drivers coming from utilities and industry demands, including steel plants, infrastructure and GIS sub stations."

Areva T&D India has targeted to double its turnover by 2012. It has 8 manufacturing plants at present and employs 3,500 people in India.