India's role grows in Seco Tools' global strategy with Pune facility at the core
Seco Tools AB, a global provider of metal-cutting solutions, has marked 30 years of operations in India and outlined plans for the continued development of its production operations in Pune. The milestone reflects the evolution of this facility in Maharashtra into an important manufacturing, engineering and R&D hub within the Seco global network, with capabilities that support industrial customers in India and in international markets.
Backed by a series of investments over the past decade, Seco Tools India’s manufacturing operation in Pune has emerged as the company’s largest production facility outside Europe. Its R&D centre here is also described by the company as its largest outside Sweden. The development underlines the growing importance of India to Seco, which has been part of the Sandvik Group since 2012, and its growing importance to Seco’s global growth strategy.
The Pune facility plays an important role in Seco’s global manufacturing and innovation network, with capabilities spanning production, product development and process development. Its R&D centre supports the company’s global operations, while its tooling solutions and technical expertise cater to sectors such as aerospace, automotive, general engineering and medical manufacturing. These industries depend on precision, consistency and process reliability, making advanced cutting tools central to productivity and performance.
The Pune operation makes inserts, tools and toolholders in line with Seco’s global quality standards. Products made in India enter the company’s global distribution network, supporting customers across markets worldwide. In fact, the Indian operation exports a significant part of its production to the global market. Seco is continuing to build out its production operations to ensure it is equipped to fulfil future demand and respond to changing customer requirements. Seco is strengthening its ability to address evolving manufacturing needs through its production capabilities, technical expertise and focus on precision and productivity. By continuing to develop its Pune operations, the company aims to help manufacturers improve quality, efficiency and competitiveness. The company also works with customers to address machining challenges and improve performance.
“India’s manufacturing sector has an important role to play in the country’s industrial progress,” affirms Stefan Steenstrup, president, Seco, commenting on the milestone. “By strengthening our production, engineering and R&D capabilities in Pune, we aim to support manufacturers with the technology and expertise they need to improve precision, productivity and competitiveness. As Seco India marks 30 years, this expansion reflects our commitment to building capabilities that serve Indian industry, contribute to the wider manufacturing ecosystem and support India’s ambitions as a global manufacturing hub.”
Important manufacturing centre
“Over the past 30 years, our operations have grown into an important centre for manufacturing, engineering and R&D within the global Seco network,” adds Atul Mohkhedkar, MD & head, insert production, Seco India. “By continuing to build out these operations, we are strengthening Seco’s ability to fulfil future demand while maintaining our global quality standards.”
Seco India’s direct employee headcount has grown fourfold since its early years of operations, with core production activities carried out by company employees. Looking ahead, Seco will continue to strengthen its production capabilities, engineering expertise and R&D strengths in line with evolving industry requirements. Through its focus on technology, innovation and solutions tailored to Indian market needs, the company aims to support the growth and competitiveness of Indian manufacturers and contribute to India’s broader industrial development.
What differentiates Seco is its combination of precision-engineered cutting tools, application-specific expertise and digital machining solutions. Its emphasis on optimising the entire manufacturing process, rather than merely supplying tools, helps customers improve productivity, reliability and cost efficiency. However, experts also view Seco’s challenge in India is as strengthening its position against established Japanese, European and American tooling companies, while leveraging Pune as a global manufacturing and R&D base. Its ability to combine local manufacturing, application engineering, product innovation and competitive pricing will be crucial to gaining market share.