BKT consolidating Waluj production in single, 55 KTPA plant
Capacity at the 2021-opened Waluj plant will reach 55 KTPA (Photo: BKT)
Late in 2021, BKT announced operations would continue at its 1988-inaugurated Waluj factory following the commissioning of a plant originally intended to replace it. The off-highway tyre specialist decided to maintain production at the aging facility in response to “extremely robust” demand. A year down the track and BKT reverted to its initial plan. It is now redirecting the capital expenditure of Rs 3.5 billion (£35.2 million; US$42.4 million) previously approved for modernising the old plant to the newer Waluj facility to “bring in economies of scale.”
The tyre maker has already commenced this project and says it will complete work “as per schedule.” The 2021-opened new Waluj plant, located near the city of Aurangabad in India’s Maharashtra state, will become the only facility in that location and will have an overall capacity of 55,000 tonnes per annum.
BKT shares that its current achievable capacity across all its plants is 335,000 tonnes a year, dipping from 360,000 tonnes due to the older Waluj plant’s closure. The tyre maker expects to complete work on the newer Waluj facility between 1 March and 30 September 2023, at which time capacities will return to 360,000 tonnes per annum.
The original Waluj factory opened in 1988 (Photo: BKT)
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