MCKVIE-Eicher Centre for Automobile Technology center inaugurated in Kolkata

May 10, 2012, Kolkata: The MCKVIE-Eicher centre of Automotive technology was inaugurated by Mr. Rabi Ranjan Chattopadhyay, Minister for Science & Technology, Technical Education & Training, Govt of West Bengal in the presence of Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles Limited (A JV between Volvo and Eicher Motors) in Kolkata today.

VE Commercial Vehicles Limited has pioneered the unique concept of Industry-Institution tie up and has already established three world-class automobile labs at prominent institutes. The first was set up at ITI Kubernagar (Ahmedabad) in collaboration with the Govt of Gujarat. The second Institution tie up was established at National Institute of Engineering, Mysore and the third one was established at Mohali as a joint venture with Rayat Bahra Education Group, Chandigarh. The fourth state-of-the-art automobile lab at Howrah has been established with MCKV Institute of Engineering as part of the Industry-Academia model to educate students on the latest automotive technology covering modern manufacturing techniques, supply chain management and customer service management. This will help students to be Industry Ready on completion of the course and be absorbed in organizations with minimum orientation and training. This would also meet the skilled manpower requirements of the automotive sector which is already facing acute shortage of skilled human resources and minimize the gap between what is taught in institutes and what is required by the industry. Automobile labs are equipped with modern training aids like dynamic cutaways, , Practice units ,Multimedia training aids and Technical publications which are both comprehensive and pictorial, covering most scientific way of repair maintenance and overhauling of Commercial Vehicles.

The first batch of 65 students have been absorbed by VECV and an additional batch of 85 students would be available by June 2012

The following courses will be offered to students at the Kolkata centre:

• Degree in automobile engineering
• Post Graduate Diploma in automobile engineering.
• Masters in automobile engineering.

This set up will also be used as Regional Competency Development Centre of VECV for training Eicher dealership personnel of the Eastern region.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, CEO, VECV said, “VECV has pioneered the concept of IndustryAcademia tie up and we are extremely delighted to open our fourth centre in Howrah, Kolkata. The institute has been set up as part of the Industry-Academia collaborative model established by us to meet the skilled manpower requirement of the automotive sector. The auto sector which contributes to five per cent of the country’s GDP is expected to be the seventh largest car producer and retain fourth largest position in world truck manufacturing sect by 2016. It is also believed that the automotive sector would double its contribution to the country’s GDP from current levels of 5% to 10%. The Industry is already facing acute shortage of skilled man power, with the automotive mission plan envisaging requirement of 25 million people by 2016. Our Social Responsibility program has been designed to meet this critical gap”.

“This focused initiative to address the growing scarcity of technologically skilled manpower makes VECV a pioneering CV Manufacturer in India to have taken the lead in addressing this issue”, he added.

Disclaimer: All statements included or incorporated by reference in this media release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by us. Although VE Commercial Vehicles believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement was made, and VE Commercial Vehicles undertakes no obligation to Update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits can be derived from them.