“When you are in aerospace (business), it (assembly of helicopters and small aircraft) can’t be out of your radar,” Chairman & Managing Director V R S Natarajan said.
“We are looking at the possibility,” he said. BEML Ltd has made a set of landing gears for helicopters of HAL and expecting orders, he said, adding, the company is already supplying some body parts of fighter aircraft. BEML is now setting up a facility for fabricating titanium metal, aluminium and composites – things used in manufacture of helicopters. To start with, the company is seeking to position itself as a “single-point” for products for ground-support, and those related to hydraulics, lift and ladder and also strengthen its business of manufacturing of aero-plane parts.
If BEML decides to assemble helicopters and small aircraft, it could be during 2011-12 to 2016-17 timeframe.
BEML has acquired 25-acres in a special economic zone at Devenahally, where it would design, manufacture and roll out aero and space products.
(Published 07 December 2010, 15:15 IST)