Indian car parts manufacturer Sandhar Technologies will open a factory in Romania, where it will produce die-cast aluminium components for windscreen wipers and seat belt retractor spindles.

Indian investors in Romania include multinational corporation Wipro that recently took over IT units from the German retailer Metro, IT services company Infosys, professional services firm Genpact and pharma companies SunPharma and Dr. Reddy’s Labs, while British-Indian billionaire Sanjeev Gupta bought the Sidex plant in Galati, along with other European facilities formerly owned by ArcelorMittal, in 2019. Gupta was also the sole bidder for the Romanian Credit and Investment Bank (BRCI) in November. 

Sandhar's strategy is developing production facilities close to the customers and the growth of the local automobile industry explains the investment.

The Indian group has set up a branch in Bucharest, through its Spanish subsidiary, to prepare the launch of its local operations. Newly registered Sandhar Technologies RO has a share capital of RON1mn (€0.2mn) and is wholly owned by Sandhar Technologies Barcelona, a company owned by Sandhar Technologies.

On the LinkedIN page of Sandhar Technologies Barcelona, the group says it already operates finishing centres in Poland and Romania, and a manufacturing plant in Mexico. But while the group's activity in Czestochowa, Poland has been public, its operations in Romania have been revealed so far only by deliveries and other services for some of its customers in the country

Founded in 1987, Sandhar is an Indian manufacturer of automotive components, serving OEMs around the world. Products include automotive locking and security systems, automotive vision systems, stampings, operators cabins and structural parts, zinc die casting, aluminium die casting, magnesium die casting, automotive optoelectronics, polymers, painting, plating and coating, commercial tooling, helmets, assemblies, fuel pumps, filters and wiper blades.

The company is listed on the Mumbai BSE Stock Exchange.

Founded in 1921 in Barcelona and moved to its current location 50km away from the city in 1995, Tecfisa (currently Sandhar Barcelona) was taken over in 2007 by Sandhar. Sandhar Barcelona has casting machines and produces over 200,000 components per day. Major customers are TRW, Autoliv, Bosch, Trelleborg and Saint Gobain.

Sandhar is a prime vendor to many OEs in India, including Honda Cars India. It recently expanded its product portfolio, by venturing into wiper blades, electric fuel pumps, mechanical fuel pumps and starter motors. To fulfil this range diversification, it recently struck a joint venture agreement with Korea’s Daewha Fuel Pump and also included ACG and oil filters into its offering.

Back in 2017, the Indian group began producing two elements of the wiper system assembly of the all-new fully electric Tesla Model 3. According to Sandhar Barcelona, “This is an emblematic project for us because we are supplying two parts from Mexico, used for the wiper system. We are very proud to contribute with our job in this next generation of cars.”