Business
Suzuki asks India suppliers for weekly maintenance day
The Hindu BusinessLine··2 Oct
Suzuki Motor told Indian suppliers to halt production one day a week for maintenance, two people said. The move comes as Maruti Suzuki targets 4 million cars a year by 2030 from 2.4 million. Suppliers are being asked to confirm by year-end that component lines do not run all seven days. Suzuki wants a 20-hour, six-day model by September 2027.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Component makers may need extra plant capacity to offset a mandatory weekly downtime day.
- Maruti Suzuki did not comment when Reuters sought a response for the report.
- The shift aims to cut unscheduled stoppages and quality faults as volumes rise toward 2030.
What's Happening
- In August, Suzuki president Toshihiro Suzuki asked suppliers to plan capacity on a six-day schedule.
- Maruti has since sought signed declarations that production lines rest at least one day weekly.
- The target model gives machines four hours of night downtime plus a full maintenance day.
Why The Pressure Is Rising
- India is Suzuki's biggest market and a growing export base toward Japan and Europe.
- Maruti's share has slid as Tata Motors and Mahindra launched feature-packed rivals.
- Domestic car sales are seen reaching about 5 million vehicles in 2026, up from 3 million in 2019.
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