Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday inspected the operations of Saint-Gobain’s integrated glass manufacturing facility at the Sriperumbudur SIPCOT Industrial Park and Renault’s automobile manufacturing plant at the Oragadam SIPCOT Industrial Park, while also reviewing the progress of ongoing industrial infrastructure projects in the region.
During his visit to Saint-Gobain, one of Asia’s largest integrated glass manufacturing facilities, the Chief Minister toured the company’s control room and reviewed the production of float glass, coated glass, laminated glass, fire-resistant glass and high-safety glass. He also interacted with senior company executives to understand the manufacturing processes.
Checks Robotic glass handling section
Vijay also visited the robotic glass handling section and interacted with students enrolled in the company’s “Learn While Earn” (LWE) programme, which is being conducted in partnership with the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF). The initiative aims to provide education, skill development, certification and employment opportunities for economically weaker students.
The Chief Minister was briefed on Saint-Gobain’s sustainability initiatives, including rainwater harvesting, urban forest development, a butterfly park and its Industry 4.0 innovation centre. He signed the company’s commemorative glass panel marking his visit, planted a sapling on the campus and posed for a group photograph with women employees.
Senior Saint-Gobain executives, including N. Sreedhar, CEO for Asia-Pacific and India, Managing Directors A.R. Unnikrishnan and K.S. Gopalakrishnan, and National Operations Head Venkat Murugan, accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Renault plant visit
At Renault’s manufacturing facility in Oragadam, Vijay inspected the assembly and quality assurance sections of the plant. He later drove the new Renault Duster SUV on the company’s long test track, conducting a trial run on Tracks 3 and 4. Renault India CEO Stephane Deblaise and other senior executives were present during the visit.
Review of SIPCOT projects
The Chief Minister also visited the Oragadam SIPCOT project office, where he reviewed the progress of ongoing infrastructure and industrial development works. State Industries Minister Keerthana and senior officials from the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department briefed him on the status of various projects.