India's largest carmaker Maruti Udyog expects to resume normal production soon, after an over three-month long strike at one of its key component suppliers was called off last week.
"The strike (at DCM Engineering) has been called off on Saturday last. The workers are back. We hope that within a week, everything will be normal," Jagdish Khattar, managing director, Maruti, told reporters in New Delhi.
Production of cars at Maruti, especially for exports, was hit during August and September due to the strike at DCM Engineering, its main supplier of cylinder blocks for engines.
DCM Engineering accounts for 70 per cent of the total supplies to Maruti with the rest coming from Hinduja Group company Ennore Foundries, Amtek Auto and Kirloskar Oil Engines.
Maruti's sales in August fell by 4.2 per cent to 32,127 vehicles but in September grew by three per cent to 34,543 units.
Its total sales during April-September 2003, however, surged by 31 per cent to 212,468 units.
Of this, domestic sales jumped by 26 per cent to 190,044 units while exports soared by 98 per cent to 22,424 units.