Article Posted on : - Nov 28, 2016

MUMBAI (PTI): Godrej & Boyce said it has delivered the 50th motor casing for the long range surface-to- air missile (LR-SAM) to the Defence Ministry for serial production.

The company on Friday also said it inaugurated a new facility for manufacturing rubber and composite materials for the defence sector.

G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, received the motor casing at an event here. Speaking at the event, Reddy said Godrej & Boyce has been contributing significantly towards the defence and space programmes.

"We anticipate and look forward to such significant contributions from other domestic manufacturers as well," he maintained.

Godrej & Boyce Executive Director and President Anil G Verma said motor casing would be the 180th hardware which is ready for serial production. The Godrej Group has been consistently contributing to strengthen the nation's defence and aerospace capabilities.

"For LR-SAM, we started the development (of the device) in 2010 and have over time established a set up for serial production for the same. This demonstrates our commitment towards indigenous manufacturing for defence and space programmes," Verma said.

He said the new facility inaugurated on Friday will help them enter the non-metallic side of the aerospace industry which in turn will enable them to manufacture more value-added assemblies and systems.

The facility will make rubber and composite components such as ablative lining for solid motor casings, reinforced airframe seals, conductive seals, aeroengine components, composite motor casing, sandwich panels (honeycomb/foam, ceramic matrix composite and other high-temp aeroengine parts.

The diversified Godrej Group started operations in 1897 by manufacturing high quality locks and launched Godrej Aerospace in 1985.

For long it has been supplying many complex equipment such as liquid propulsion engines for PSLV and GSLV rockets, thrusters for satellites and antenna systems to ISRO.

Godrej has also contributed to prestigious Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions. In the defence space, Godrej & Boyce also manufactures riveted structures, tankages, engines for IGMT-5 missiles and actuators for aircraft.

The company has contributed towards the development of famed Prithvi Missile, which uses a liquid engine and the firm has so far supplied 60 engines of these missiles.

Over the years, Godrej has invested substantially into developing the BrahMos facility with nearly Rs 100 crore being invested in setting up serial production of the missile. It now supplies six assemblies for the supersonic cruise missile.