Coimbatore: Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) the $4 billion engineering, technology and construction company, a domestic giant, crossed yet another milestone in its growth with the back to back inauguration of the first two facilities at its 300 acre campus in Coimbatore. The facilities for the manufacture of high-end industrial valves and switchboards will cater to domestic and international markets, and position India as a global player in the high-end manufacturing space.

RN Mukhija, president (operations) and member of the board, L&T, inaugurated the Electrical & Electronics Division''s switchboard facility.

The valve facility of Audco India Limited (AIL), an L&T associate company, was jointly inaugurated by KV Rangaswami, president, (operations), member of the board, L&T, and Lewis M. Kling, president and chief executive officer of Flowserve Corporation, USA. Audco is a joint venture of L&T and Flowserve.

Commenting on the landmark event, AM Naik, chairman & managing director, L&T, stated: "The new facilities signal L&T''s commitment to strengthening high end manufacturing capability within the country. They are building blocks in our larger strategic goal of enhancing capacities to meet global demand for high precision manufacturing. This is in addition to L&T''s well-established world-class capabilities in execution of large projects and heavy engineering. The facilities will help L&T consolidate its leadership position in the high technology manufacturing space."

Emphasising the export opportunity, Mukhija, said, "The switchboards facility is poised to become the country''s single largest unit of its kind. Over 40 per cent of the production will cater to international markets."

All the facilities in the 300-acre Coimbatore campus will incorporate cutting edge technology and ''best of breed'' practices. The campus will progressively see the establishment of manufacturing facilities and technology centres for various strategic business units, an advanced tooling centre, and facilities for high precision components for sectors like aerospace, nuclear, automotive and hydraulics.

Coimbatore also enjoys proximity to the major ports of Cochin and Tuticorin.

The valves facility is the fourth manufacturing unit of Audco India Limited (AIL), a joint venture company incorporated in 1961, now has equal equity participation of Larsen & Toubro Limited, India and Flowserve Corporation, USA. The company has established itself as a global leader for manufacture and supply of valves and customized flow control products for major refineries, petrochemical plants, LNG & GTL projects, etc.

AIL exports almost 60 per cent of its production, and supplies are made to various projects/plants in USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. With the growing demand for Oil & Gas, and the large investments planned especially in the Middle East, AIL is poised for accelerated growth in the coming years.

The switchboards manufacturing facility at Coimbatore will soon become the largest single unit for manufacture of switchboards in the country. Manufacturing capability of 7000 panels per year will be increased to 13,000 panels by 2009 and to 17,000 panels by 2010. The Coimbatore facility is L&T''s fourth switchgear manufacturing centre - in addition to Powai (Mumbai), Faridabad (near Delhi) and Ahmednagar (Maharashtra).