Automotive industry in Chennai


is nicknamed the "Detroit of Asia" due to the presence of major automobile manufacturing units and allied industries around the city.
A number of motor companies, including BMW, Royal Enfield, Hyundai, Renault-Nissan, Citroen, Caparo Group, Komatsu, Caterpillar, Ashok Leyland, and TVS, have facilities along the 60 km automotive corridor. Oragadam is regarded as the epicenter of this corridor, which contains the National Automobile Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project. The corridor is served by three major ports, Chennai Port, Kattupalli Shipyard and Kamarajar Port.
The 4-wheeler vehicles in Chennai is the base of 30% of India's automobile industry and 35% of its automobile component industry. Besides the commercial industry, the Heavy Vehicles Factory has been established in Avadi to produce military related vehicles. Avadi also has the Combat Vehicles [Research and Development Establishment], with an engine-testing facility.

Automotive manufacturers

Tyre manufacturers

Auto-components manufacturers

The following auto component companies have their manufacturing plants in and around Chennai:
The Automotive Corridor, is a 60 km long corridor in Chennai, India. This corridor alone accounts for 33% of commercial vehicles, 21% of all passenger cars, and 35% of auto components produced in the country. The corridor stretches from Gummidipoondi, 50 km north of Chennai to Maraimalai Nagar 35 km south of Chennai and passes through Tiruvallur, Sriperumbudur and Oragadam. It is estimated that a part of this corridor from Tiruvallur to Maraimalai Nagar alone, by 2012, would produce around 1.25 million cars, 35,000 commercial vehicles and other automotives per year.

Tyre manufacturing

Major tyre manufacturing companies alone have committed investments around $4 billion in Tamil Nadu of which 90% has been invested in the Automotive Corridor. A number of tyre manufacturing companies have set up factories in this corridor and are as follows.
CompanyPlant LocationsInvestments
Alliance Tire CompanyGangaikondan
Apollo TyresOragadam2600
BridgestoneThervoy Kandigai
CEATSriperumbudur
DunlopAmbattur
JK TyresSriperumbudur1600
MichelinThervoy Kandigai11000
MRFArakkonam, Tiruvottiyur 1400