Integral Coach Factory is the largest railway passenger coach manufacturing unit in Asia and India's premier coach building factory. Known for its state-of-the-art technology, it was started in Perambur, Chennai in Tamilnadu, in technical collaboration with Swiss Car & Elevator Manufacturing Corporation Ltd., Switzerland. Its construction commenced on March 1952. The first coach was flagged off by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on 2nd of October 1955.

The first in India to produce all-steel, all­ welded 'Integral' coaches with anti-telescopic end construction, the Integral Coach Factory combines the three major factors of modern passenger transport, viz. speed, comfort and safety.

Initially, the Integral Coach Factory was designed to produce only Broad Gauge Shells, which were to be furnished by the Zonal Railways. Later, a separate Furnishing Division was set up in view of severe limitations of capacity in the railway workshops and also to take advantage of mass production techniques. Now the entire production is carried out indigenously.

From modest beginning of just 35 shells in its first year of operation, the Integral Coach Factory is now capable of producing  1000 coaches per year. It manufactures more than 200 different types of coaches. They can be broadly classified into Self Propelled Coaches, Trailor Coaches, AC Coaches, Conventional Coaches and Special Coaches for prestigious trains like Palace on Wheels, Royal Orient Express, Deccan Odyssey etc. The Integral Coach Factory also bagged ISO 9001 for quality system and ISO 14001 for environment system. It has exported variety of coaches to about 13 Afro-Asian countries.

Apart from introducing new types of coaches, the Integral Coach Factory has introduced many safety features to ensure a comfortable and safe journey for the passengers.  Integral Coach Factory has the distinction of manufacturing the first stainless steel coach for Indian Railways. From design and development, to manufacturing and after-sales service of coaches, the Integral Coach Factory has achieved excellence.

The Department of Posts is pleased to issue a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Integral Coach Factory.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India