Motherson Group To join Apple supply chain in India with BIEL Crystal

Motherson Group will be collaborating with BIEL Crystal Manufactory, a top global supplier of smartphone glass, to enter Apple's supply chain network in India. The decision will establish the auto component manufacturer led by Vivek Chaand Sehgal as the second significant business group, after Tata, to supply products to Apple. The report indicated that this effort is included in Motherson's plan to utilize its manufacturing skills and expand into different industries.

In China's Shenzhen, BIEL was established in 1989 by billionaire Yeung Kin-man, primarily focusing on producing watch crystals. The report indicated that BIEL currently provides glass screens for approximately two-thirds of all iPhones.

The Indian company will have a majority stake of 51 percent in the upcoming partnership and aims to establish a new production plant in southern India, possibly in Tamil Nadu. The estimated capital required for this new project falls within the range of Rs 2,000 crore to 2,500 crore, with a projected income of Rs 8,000 to 8,500 crore expected to be generated in four to five years of functioning. The report mentions that the consumer electronics sector is set to be launched sometime from July to September.

BIEL's manufacturing plants in Guangdong, China, as well as Bac Ninh and Hai Duong, Vietnam, are authorized suppliers for Apple in India. The company supplies parts for a range of gadgets, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearables, to key brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Lenovo.

In January, Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd (SMIL) declared that its branch, Samvardhana Motherson Innovative Solutions Ltd (SMISL), would be establishing partnerships with BIEL Crystal (Singapore) Private Limited. BIEL had plans to make an investment in Motherson Electronic Components Pvt Ltd (MECPL), a subsidiary of SMISL that is wholly owned, but the specifics of the joint venture were not revealed.