Delegation in India

The country where AVL List is counted as family

There are still few electric cars on the streets of Chennai, but plenty of tuk tuks and mopeds.(Bild: Fanny Gasser)

7000 kilometers east of Graz, the Styrian automotive supplier is well known. Now AVL wants to deepen Indian relations on a scientific level and is aiming for cooperation with universities.

The members of the Styrian business delegation agree that India has changed enormously over the last 15 years. The image of littered streets and pure poverty seems outdated, at least in part. The spirit of optimism among the population is also particularly striking: "You can tell that Indians are striving for more - the potential is huge," explains Christa Zengerer, Managing Director of ACstyria and an experienced traveler to India.

One Styrian player has been part of this exciting dynamic from the very beginning: Helmut List established a network in India over 40 years ago, and today the name AVL is on everyone's lips here. More than 1000 employees work at seven locations - hardly an engine is produced here without Styrian know-how, and we are also pioneers in the field of e-mobility. One of our biggest customers is the Mahindra automotive group.

The Indian economic key figures at a glance(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Adobe Stock)

Austrian loyalty scores points in India
During a visit to the plant in Chennai, Maria Kollmann, representative of AVL, is not only welcomed as a "friend", but even as "family". "They really appreciate the Austrian quality, the long partnership and the loyalty," says Kollmann happily. "I've already traveled a lot internationally, but in India the appreciation for Austria is really impressive," says Zengerer.

Maria Kollmann (AVL) visiting the Mahindra Research Valley(Bild: Fanny Gasser)

While most global markets caused AVL stomach ache last year, things were looking up in India. The company now wants to build on this: "We want to get into even closer contact with the universities. We are known for our research, around ten percent of our turnover goes into this area alone. We have also been a leader in patents among Austrian companies for years," explains Kollmann.

Further university visits are on the agenda for the business trip. "And we have already met the local Minister of Digitalization, who was also open to possible collaborations," says delegation leader Wolfgang Hesoun (WKO).

The trip is at the invitation of the state of Styria.