The plant spans 460 acres and is equipped to manufacture both Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Electric Vehicle (EV) models.The acquisition, along with substantial investments totaling Rs 725.7 crore for the acquisition and an additional Rs 1300 crore for retooling, has helped Tata meet its demand for the Nexon model, while also making it future ready for upcoming models like the Curvv itself.
We recently got the opportunity to visit TPEM’s facility and dive deeper into what it takes to manufacture a Nexon.
TPEM Sanand Plant: Automation is key
TPEM’s Sanand plant features four main shops: Stamping, Body Construction, Paint, and Final Assembly. The plant incorporates high levels of automation with a 98% automated weld shop and an 80% automated press shop. The paint shop, equipped with over 80 robots, boasts a 50% automation rate, while the TCF (Trim, Chassis, and Final assembly) shop ensures 100% in-station error proofing.
Key technological upgrades since the takeover include new dies for the press shop, additional robots and new grippers in the weld shop, advanced robotic painting in the paint shop, and updated handling systems in the assembly shop.
Workforce and Training
The Sanand plant employs over 1,000 workers, with more than 85% being local hires. Following the acquisition, over 850 former Ford employees joined Tata Motors, alleviating their concerns about job security.
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We also visited the in-house training facility, Nalanda, which features seven fully functional classrooms and can accommodate up to 500 people at a time. The training programs allow employees to pursue higher education without any cost, earning their regular salary while studying. One of the employees told us that 100 percent of the plant’s staff is enrolled in higher education programs – for example, those with ITIs, diplomas can enroll for BTech while those with BTech can go for MTech and so on.
TPEM Sanand Plant: A glimpse into Nexon’s production
During our visit, we also observed the meticulous manufacturing processes. The tour began at the stamping shop, where large hydraulic presses shaped raw steel sheets into precise body panels. These panels then moved to the weld shop, where advanced robots welded them into larger sections, forming the car’s structure.
At the next step, the paint shop uses RFID tags to guide the robots on colour, variant, and specifications for each body in white (BIW). The process begins with a 360-degree rotational dip for electrophoretic deposition coating to prevent corrosion. Robots then paint the internal areas, followed by a base coat, top coat, and clear coat in a wet-on-wet sequence, requiring just one baking session. The final steps include applying underbody coating and wax for added corrosion resistance.
The painted bodies advanced to the final assembly shop, where vehicles were equipped with essential components. The TCF (Trim, Chassis, and Final shop), boasts 100% in-station error proofing. In the trim section, vehicles are fitted with glass, window moldings, and bumpers, followed by the installation of the dashboard, seats, and steering wheel. The final stage involves assembling the suspension, fuel tank, brakes, and other critical components, ensuring each vehicle is road-ready.
It also included the ‘marriage line’ where the Nexon is fitted with its engine. At last, our tour concluded with a demonstration of the plant’s testing procedures, including a 2.2-kilometre test track, where we experienced the track testing of a brand-new Nexon on a meticulously crafted track with long straights, hard braking zones, parabolas and what not.