Briggs & Stratton plans to expand capacity at Coimbatore plant, eyeing $50-mn sales turnover

BANGALORE: US-based Briggs & Stratton announced its expansion plans to expand capacity at its Coimbatore plant, hoping a sales turnover of $50 million in three years.

The producer of air-cooled gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, had sales of $2 million in 2011-12 in India.

Last year, the company had global revenues of $2.1 billion and acquired Coimbatore-based Premier Power Products in a $3 million deal last year.

The company aimed at small and marginal farmers in India and deals in a range of products, including weeders, tillers, and transplanters.

At present, the company has a capacity to manufacture 7,800 units, which would be scaled up to 22,000 by 2015-16.

Briggs & Stratton's Managing Director (Europe, the Middle East and African region) Roger Jann said, “One of India's great challenges in the next 50 years will be a transformation in the efficiency of its agriculture sector to support the growth of urban development, as the global economy opens up for the Indian entrepreneur.”