Page 47 - RB-93-20-2

INDIA
WEIPL Expands in Korba Coal Mining Belt
Despite tepid market conditions, Waidhan Engineering & Industries Pvt Ltd (WEIPL) is expanding in the mining region of Korba in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The company is setting-up its third OTR/TBR site in the region, where there are rich reserves of coal and limestone. The company is based at Waidhan, Singruali in Madhya Pradesh, where it currently operates two retread sites besides also producing tread rubber, cushion gum and vulcanising cement.
“We are planning to open a TBR and light OTR plant in the middle of April in Korba, but the government has announced a countrywide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has forced us to put-off the opening by another month,” informed Harsh Himmatramka, Director, Waidhan Engineering & Industries Pvt Ltd.
Once operational, the Korba site will offer the retreading of TBR and Light OTR tyres (up to 25 inch) and the repairing of a full range of TBR and OTR tyre. The company has sourced the machinery and monorail system from Coimbatore based Glisten and the repairing from the UK company, Monaflex.”
“The site will cater to the mining and transport companies engaged with the various mines in the Korba region,” he said.
The upcoming site is planned to be spread over 100,000 sq ft area with a 90,000 sq ft operational covered area. The large area provides scope for future expansion also. The plant would serve the markets of Korba, which is about 3,000 tyre each month as well as other regions of Chhattisgarh and Western Odisha.
Some of the coal mining regions planned to be tapped are Korba and Raigarh in Chhattisgarh and Jharsuguda in Western Odisha. According to Himmatramka, “Lots of new coal mines are expected to be opened in this belt, and our strength lies in catering to clientele in the mining region as most of our clients are based in these areas, therefore, expansion in the mining belt is always a part of our strategy to strengthen our footprints in our core areas.”
The Korba plant is being installed with a monorail system, operating on a 9 tyre autoclave to cure tyres up to 25 inches in diameter, with the smallest size to retread being 17.05R16 and biggest 1750R25. “The plant will be able to retread up to 1,000 tyres each month but the initial monthly production is pegged at 700 tyres. We will gradually hike production to achieve the capacity and later expand depending on demand,” he explained.
Currently, WEIPL brings about 150 tyres from Korba to its two