Hero MotoCorp inaugurates R&D centre in Jaipur

Girja Shankar Kaura

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Jaipur, March 10

Country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today inaugurated its R&D centre here, where it will develop future models with an aim to consolidate position in domestic and international markets.

The centre, christened as Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT), is spread across 250 acres and has come up at an investment of Rs 850 crore.

Pawan Munjal, chairman, managing director and CEO of Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL), inaugurated the centre.

The CIT houses the best global technologies in product design and development, testing and validation.

It also boasts of world-class test-tracks within the campus. The 16- km-long tracks have 45 different surfaces to simulate real world road conditions.

Home to over 500 automotive experts with global and regional expertise, the operations at CIT will be headed by Dr Markus Braunsperger, formerly with BMW, as its chief technology officer.

Braunsperger said among the immediate plans for HMCL was introducing the over 200cc premium motorcycle and increasing the range of its scooters and bringing new mobility solutions.

He said, “The CIT is the new home of our R&D team and the commencement of operations here is a major milestone in our endeavour to ramp-up the product development competency to global standards at Hero”.

The CIT also houses all aspects of R&D under one roof, including self-sufficient facilities for new product design, prototype manufacturing, testing and validation.

The centre will generate direct and indirect employment in the region and assist in its socio-economic development.

The company has already established the credentials of its R&D function with the successful launch of Maestro Edge & Duet scooters — the first of its products designed and developed by Hero’s in-house R&D team.