in Tamil Nadu

in Tamil Nadu Automotive Clusters Chennai is nicknamed as "The Detroit of Asia", because of its large auto industry base. Chennai is home to large number of auto assembly and component making firms. While there were a few domestic firms like TVS, TI Cycles, Ashok Leyland and Standard Motors earlier, in the post-reform period, several MNC firms like Hyundai, Ford, Daimler-Benz and Renault-Nissan have opened factories in the region. This in turn has attracted a number of component suppliers from foreign countries. Many local firms too cater to component production for all these firms. Hosur is another auto cluster with firms like TVS and Ashok Leyland having their factories there. Coimbatore region is also developing into an auto component cluster. Truck and Bus Body Building Industry Clusters The Namakkal-Tiruchengode belt in Western Tamil Nadu is known for its truck body building industry. Karur is another major hub with more than units. Many entrepreuners input requirements. Heavy Vehicles Factory was set up to manufacture tanks in Avadi on the outskirts of Chennai. Standard Motors too started manufacturing cars in Chennai. Ashok Motors (later Ashok Leyland) and Standard Motors together helped to form an automobile cluster in the Chennai region. The Avadi industrial estate was established in the 1950s to support the small and medium companies supplying to the large firms in this region. More hydro-electric power projects in the state were also initiated to increase the spread of electrification. The government played a major role in all these processes. The Salem Steel Plant was set up in to produce stainless steel. The 1970s and 1980s saw the setting up of emergence of powerloom weaving clusters in the Coimbatore region, as well as expansion of cotton knitwear cluster in Tiruppur and home furnishings cluster in Karur. This period also saw more encouragement for the small and medium sector with setting up of industrial estates by the state government in different parts. The Hosur industrial cluster is a successful case of how such policy efforts to promote industrial estates helped to develop industries in a backward region. Industrialisation in Tamil Nadu