Kolhapuri Chappals to Kolhapuri Planes
An Italian aviation manufacturer, Oma Sud
Sky Technologies, has zero in on
Kolhapur for setting up its
aircraft manufacturing and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO)
facility for small aircraft. The manufacturer is keen on locating
their operations in Kolhapur and are looking for land near the
airport.
Oma Sud’s senior management team, represented by M Kelly, has
selected Kolhapur for manufacturing small planes - four to six seaters for both Indian and Europe and US markets and also
offer maintenance support for small planes from the same
facility.
Oma Sud makes aeronautic airframes and designs and also
manufactures its own aircraft, Skycar, which is a five seater.
Oma Sud is also a vendor to Airbus, Alenia and Boeing for
tools fabrication, tools storage and spare parts manufacturing
and maintenance.
The airport in Kolhapur will
have to be upgraded though. Aviation Minister, Praful Patel has
agreed to upgrade if the State Government would provide the
required land. The Kolhapur airport can accommodate four
planes and currently operates one flight to Mumbai from a
100-ft runway and this will have to be expanded to 250 ft. A
meeting was held in Mumbai last week by the State Government
to clear the airport expansion project.
Kolhapur has already attracted textile and automotive
companies such as Tessitura Monti, Undercarriage and Tractor
Parts Private Ltd from Italy. Existing companies in Kolhapur
such as Ghatge Patil Industries and Menon & Menon have
expanded their operations. The Five State industrial estate at
Kagal and the MIDC at Gokul Shirgaon is full.
Kolhapur is surely on its way to make its presence felt on the
World Map.
