"Pioneer Balloon" planning India plant at Coimbatore
Coimbatore, in southern India, will be the next factory location for Wichita's Pioneer Balloon Co. The company plans to break ground next spring on a 42,000-square-foot facility located on 16 acres. The retired chairman of the board for BASF India, Matthew Thampi, was hired to become chairman of Pioneer India. Pioneer president Ted A. Vlamis says the new plant will allow the company to manufacture products such as toy balloons at a more competitive price.
"It has to do with a whole global strategy of how we're going to be competitive on a worldwide basis," Vlamis says. The new plant fits into what Vlamis calls the company's "triangle strategy" with the corners in the Americas, Mexico and Asia. He chose India to anchor the Asia corner of the strategy because business can be conducted in English; the laws on based on British law, similar to the United States legal system; and intellectual property rights are protected.
The Wichita-based company has 1,200 employees worldwide, and designs and manufactures balloons for use as everything from elaborate sculptures to toys for children. Customers range from artists and event planners to retailers such as Wal-Mart.
Once the plant is open, the company's international manufacturing operation expands to five countries: India, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Apart from Coimbatore, Pioneer's other plants are located in El Dorado, Dallas and Cleveland.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
"It has to do with a whole global strategy of how we're going to be competitive on a worldwide basis," Vlamis says. The new plant fits into what Vlamis calls the company's "triangle strategy" with the corners in the Americas, Mexico and Asia. He chose India to anchor the Asia corner of the strategy because business can be conducted in English; the laws on based on British law, similar to the United States legal system; and intellectual property rights are protected.
The Wichita-based company has 1,200 employees worldwide, and designs and manufactures balloons for use as everything from elaborate sculptures to toys for children. Customers range from artists and event planners to retailers such as Wal-Mart.
Once the plant is open, the company's international manufacturing operation expands to five countries: India, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Apart from Coimbatore, Pioneer's other plants are located in El Dorado, Dallas and Cleveland.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
More: Coimbatore is now becoming the cynosure for manufacturing & Engineering Companies. IT & ITeS companies also opening their Centers at Coimbatore.
