KION Group has officially launched its new plant, India's largest production facility for intralogistics equipment, in Pune, Maharashtra. Diesel and electric forklifts as well as battery-powered forklifts and reach trucks are manufactured in the ultra-modern plant in an area of around 25 ha.

The new plant is equipped with three assembly lines including a paint shop, parts warehouse and an R&D centre, where the constantly changing requirements and trends of the Indian market are to be evaluated and corresponding future products developed.

In addition, the new plant has a solar power plant with 700 kWa for energy generation as well as in-house processes for water conservation and waste management.

"KION Group continues to invest in India, looking at the growth opportunity available here," says CP Quek, chief Asia Pacific officer and a member of KION's executive board. "We realised the Indian market has been growing very rapidly and the demand for high performance products has been increasing as well, which is the domain of KION Group."

The new facility is creating more than 100 additional jobs in Pune.

"The new factory represents our long-term commitment to the market here in India, its customers, employees, vendors and our channel partners," explains Sunil K Gupta, president of KION India Private Limited.

The KION Group has had a presence in India, an important growth market, since 2011. Besides the Pune production facility, the company has a countrywide sales and service network of over 40 locations and dealerships with over 100 sales outlets. KION India currently employs around 400 people.