State-owned SIFL bags Rs11-cr order from BrahMos Aerospace

Thrissur: The Steel and Industrial Forgings Ltd (SIFL), a state public sector undertaking located at Athani, will soon start manufacturing critical parts for India's supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, after winning a bid floated by BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd (BAPL) earlier this week. It won the contract worth Rs11 crore, pipping at the post the likes of Bharat Forge, Pune and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bangalore.

According to a senior SIFL manager, the company has the required facilities and skills and will be able to carry out aluminium and titanium forging work for BrahMos. He also said that the competition at the bidding level was tough with competitors like Bharat Forge, world's second largest forging company and the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd involved.

Speaking of past experience the SIFL had carried out forging work worth Rs30 crore for the nuclear submarine project of the Indian Navy four years ago.

BrahMos chief executive officer, Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, visited the SIFL facility at Athani in May this year.

To establish a presence in the aerospace market, SIFL is on the anvil of completing procedures to achieve aerospace standardisation under AS9100.

This is the first bid won by the SIFL from the BrahMos.

Officials said BAPL had asked them to complete the forgings in 18 months.

SIFL is already executing various orders for the defence ministry.