In keeping with its focus on India as a rapidly growing key market, Dürr has now opened a new training centre to ensure the best of product quality and service. With the boom in the economy, and an increase in the auto growth in India, there is a greater demand for a skilled workforce and an urgent need for specialised training facilities for them. Recognising this latent demand, Dürr has responded by setting up a state-of-the-art training base in Chennai. The facility will cater to the skills development of its customer base in the region. Inaugurated in April 2015, the centre with a floor area of 4,300 square feet is equipped with Dürr's latest product offerings alongside a team of master trainers able to train and empower the Indian workforce on all the nuances of the highly advanced machines.
The training centre, which is the sixth of its kind worldwide, shows and explains Dürr innovations such as the EcoRP L033 painting robot. During the training sessions, participants are given detailed insight on the structure of the robots as well as the electrical control cabinets to which they are connected. They are further able to familiarize themselves with the EcoRPC robot control system gaining knowledge as to how the equipment works. This valuable information not only means that customers are able to operate the machinery, but they are also able to give instructions on it.
Further Dürr application technology products are also presented. The centre includes pumps, hand-held spray guns (EcoGun), automatic rotary atomizers (EcoBell2), color changers (EcoLCC) and economical paint supply systems allowing participants to learn about Dürr's sustainable paint system for enhancing quality.
In addition, Chennai acts as a showroom featuring a range of Dürr products, for example, a model of the EcoDryScrubber for dry separation of overspray and a model of the modular exhaust-gas purification system Ecopure® VAR. For the pre-treatment and cathodic dip coating process the facility also exhibits a current collector (one component of the rotational dip technology Ecopaint RoDip), the range of EcoCell dialysis cells for higher coating quality and an example of EcoMultiCyclone, a strong hydrocyclone system for bath cleaning.
Many of these components are termed under the concept of Eco+Paintshop, Dürr's approach for the responsible and sustainable painting in the automotive industry - resulting in lower lowering unit costs for customer OEMs due to the efficiency aspects for all processes. As a consequence, these innovations have enabled the German mechanical and plant engineering company to set new benchmarks in efficient production ensuring that it holds an excellent position in the automobile industry on the Indian subcontinent. The new training centre in the region once again demonstrates how Dürr has gone that extra mile in further improving its local service for its customers: Firstly, their employees no longer have to be flown to other countries for training meaning substantial savings of time and money. Secondly, Dürr is also able to continually train its own staff ensuring that customers receive the best possible service. Customer feedback has been positive so far. Clients especially welcome the prospect of wet painting trials being conducted in the future and the opportunity of being able to integrate Dürr in their planning processes early on by training their staff in a theoretical and practical way.
Celebrating the opening of the training centre, the inauguration was accompanied by the traditional lamp lighting ceremony with representatives from many prestigious Indian and international automotive companies, for example Mr. Felix Homburg, Head of Operations of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. Commenting on the occasion Mr. Achim Fabig, Consul General, German Consulate, Chennai, said, "German companies have always invested a lot of time, energy and effort in training activities. I am happy to note that Dürr too is following the same tradition of excellence and this training centre is a step in the right direction". Adding to the sentiment, Guest of Honour Mr. S. Raj, Chairman of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce remarked, "The growth of the global auto industry has been remarkable in recent times and one must congratulate Germany on its stature of being an 'export champion' in this area. With the Indian Auto Industry too poised for growth, there will be a high demand for a skilled workforce with specialised training. This training centre will help bridge the gap and make the Indian workforce globally competitive".
Providing insights into the business of Dürr in India, its Managing Director Mr. Michael Berger explained, "Dürr holds five divisions, which have already been established in India, with over 550 employees. The Chennai Training Centre has been set up in a record time of 6 months at a cost of over Euro 600,000 in its first phase. More investments including installation of machinery and training staff is expected over the years"
Elaborating further on the various aspects of the new training centre, Mr. Berger added, "The training modules are based on the 'Make in India' concept and have been designed keeping in mind the market potential and needs of our customers in India. The primary aim is to share and transfer knowledge and to give our stakeholders the opportunity to have a touch and feel experience of our latest technologies."
