Chennai: Rotary diesel fuel injection pump manufacturer Delphi TVS Diesel Systems Limited will soon start construction work for its new common rail diesel injection (CRDI) plant at Oragadam, near Chennai.

The 2.5-lakh unit plant, the company's third factory, being put up at an investment of Rs350 crore is expected to start commercial production at the end of this calendar year. The plant will also make common rail components for exports. "We have taken possession of the 40 acres (cost around Rs8 crore) where the new plant will come up," says vice president finance and company secretary, M N Subramanian.

In addition, the plant will also manufacture unit pump common rail to be fitted in three and four wheeler engines. The pump will make the BS 3 and Euro IV complaint engines.

Meanwhile the company's newly built facility at Pantnagar in Uttaranchal will shortly go on stream. The Rs30-crore plant will manufacture 2.25 lakh rotary fuel injection systems mainly for Tata Ace, the small goods carrier from Tata Motors Limited.

"At Uttaranchal plant we will also manufacture mechanical unit pump for single and two cylinder engines," says president J S Chopra. The company developed mechanical unit pumps for BS 3 compliant engines in close association with Delphi Diesel Systems.

According to Chopra the company will also make unit pump common rail and mechanical unit pumps at its existing Mannur facility near Chennai.

With the decline of the rotary fuel injection systems in Europe, Delphi TVS is the global source for Delphi Diesel Systems'' customers of rotary pumps. The Indian company would be supplying rotary pump system to meet the requirements of Delphi's global customers. The turnover from these exports is expected to be Rs50 crore.