Hero Motorcorp has commenced operations at its Colombian plant in Villa Rica today. This is the company's first facility outside India; fifth in total. With this, the company becomes the first Indian two-wheeler manufacturer to have a plant in Latin America.
Completed in a little over nine months since construction began, the plant is spread over 17 acres and built at a project cost of US$ 70 million. Initial production capacity of the facility will be 80,000 units per annum, which will be later raised to 1,50,000 units in the next phase. It will function as a hub for selling to the Andean markets, and as a strategic base for Hero Motorcorp to ship to Mexico and the USA.
Hero Motorcorp's plant will manufacture ten products from the HMCL portfolio, including the all-new scooter, Dash. Other expected products to join the Colombian portfolio include the 100cc Splendor iSmart, Eco Deluxe, Passion Pro, the 125cc Glamour, the 150cc Thriller and the 225c Karizma ZMR.