By Satnam Singh
CORRESPONDENT
Published: March 31, 2014 12:07 pm ET
Updated: March 31, 2014 12:30 pm ET
NEW DELHI — Indian auto lighting firm Neolite ZKW believes it has finally found a long-term partner through a strategic alliance with Europe’s Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
The alliance signed earlier this year will help Neolite make “significant in-roads” in the auto lighting business, especially with European carmakers expanding into India, said Rajesh Jain manager director of Neolite during an interview with Plastics News at Auto Expo 2014 in New Delhi.
Hella, based in Lippstadt, Germany, has had a presence in India since 1959. Neolite of Bahadurgarh, India, has been seeking a European connection since an earlier joint venture with Austria’s Zizala Lichtsystems GmbH ended.
The Austrian company wanted to focus more on its growth in China.
In India, Neolite and Hella plan to set up a new plant in Pune eyeing European carmakers.
“We would likely to have new plant in Pune by first quarter of 2016,” Jain said. Meanwhile the company is renewing its efforts and holding talks with key automakers having production facilities in Pune like Tata Motors, Volkswagen, Murati & Mahindra, General Motors Co. and two wheeler company Piaggio. | 
