Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd. and Sasken Communication Technologies Ltd. enter into a Joint Venture agreement for Automotive Electronics

Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd. (TACO), one of India’s largest and fastest growing auto component groups and Sasken Communication Technologies Ltd. (Sasken), one of India’s leading embedded communications solutions company today announced a Joint Venture partnership to form TACO Sasken Automotive Electronics Private Limited.

The newly formed JV will design, develop and market automotive electronics products for the global market, addressing both OEMs and aftermarket. To start with, the JV will focus on automotive electronics products in the areas of telematics, infotainment and occupant convenience. The company will start its operation from a state-of-the-art product development centre at Bangalore, India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. D.S. Gupta, Managing Director of TACO, said, “Electronics content is a high growth area in the global automotive industry. With TACO’s focus on the global automotive industry, development capabilities within the Tata Group, and Sasken’s expertise in electronics and communications, this JV has the potential to become an innovative, global solution provider for automotive electronics.”

Mr. Rajiv Mody, Chairman and CEO of Sasken, said, “For a long time, innovation in technology was driven by the PC. But over the past few years a vast majority of innovation focus has moved to phones and lately to automobiles, creating huge opportunity in the embedded auto component world. With our cooperation we would be able to provide cutting edge embedded technology to the automotive sector.”

About Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd.
Tata AutoComp Systems Limited (TACO), India, promoted by the Tata Group, provides products and services in the area of auto components to global automotive customers, including Ashok Leyland, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, John Deere, Mahindra and Mahindra, Piaggio, Tata Motors, Toyota, Volvo and VW. TACO has own capabilities in Automotive Interiors and Plastics, Stamping & Sheet Metal Assemblies, Engineering and Supply Chain Management. TACO operates through offices in India, Germany, China and US. The Company has also 16 joint ventures in partnership with leading companies from the global auto component industry.

With 24 manufacturing facilities (including one plant in Germany and 3 export oriented units) and 5 engineering centers, TACO is rapidly expanding its business in a host of areas in auto components, with partners like Johnson Controls, GS Yuasa, Faurecia, Yazaki Corporation, T.Rad, Visteon, Knorr Bremse, Ficosa, Sungwoo Hitech, Owens Corning, Menzolit Fibron, MobiApps Holdings, Hendrickson, Chuo Springs and now Sasken. Currently, TACO Group designs and manufactures a wide variety of components: these include Seating Systems, Batteries, Plastic Interior and Exterior Parts, Wiring Harnesses, Aluminium Radiators, Lighting Systems, Engine Induction Systems and Braking Systems, Rear View Mirrors, Control Cables, Sheet Metal assemblies, SMC Parts, Vehicle Tracking Systems, Truck and Bus Suspension systems, Coil Springs, Torsion Bar, Stabilizer bar and now Automotive Electronics. For further information please visit http://www.tacogroup.com

About Sasken Communication Technologies Ltd.
Sasken is an embedded communications solutions company that helps businesses across the telecom value chain accelerate product development life cycles.

Sasken offers a hybrid model of services and products, and works with Network OEMs, Semiconductor Vendors, Terminal Devices OEMs and Operators across the world. Global Fortune 500, Tier 1 companies in each of these segments are part of Sasken's customer profile. Established in 1989, Sasken employs over 3,500 people at its offices in India, China, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, UK and the U.S. Sasken has repeatedly featured among the Best Employers in leading industry surveys. For further information please visit http://www.sasken.com.