Volvo-Eicher JV’s new corporate identity

VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd. (VECV), a joint venture between the Volvo Group and Eicher Motors Ltd. (EML), recently launched its new corporate identity by unveiling the company logo. The reason for having a separate identity for VECV is to distinguish it from the parent companies.

The blue and red lines in the logo, represented by the individual Volvo and Eicher colours, run parallel to each other. This indicates the coming together of the two companies. Along with the white space between these lines, the symbol creates a graphic that is relevant to VECV as a commercial vehicle manufacturer.

VE Commercial Vehicles, operational since July 2008, owes its inception to the compelling intent of driving modernization in commercial transportation, in India and other developing markets.

As a 50-50 joint venture between the Volvo Group (Volvo) and Eicher Motors Ltd. (EML), VECV includes the complete range of Eicher’s commercial vehicles, components and engineering design businesses as well as the sales and distribution of Volvo trucks. Thus, each of its business units is already well established and backed by a sizable customer base.

Headquartered in New Delhi, VECV’s portfolio of commercial vehicles includes two product brands with absolutely different market positions, yet complementing segment synergies. Eicher trucks & buses have a wide offering in the mass market, 5T-40T range, while Volvo trucks have a strong presence in the premium, high-performance, heavy-duty segments. With a formidable presence in the existing light and medium-duty segments, VECV’s main focus is on increasing the penetration and market share of its heavy-duty products. Thus, its investments in design, development, manufacturing, systems, distribution and services are largely oriented towards creating a stronger position in the heavy-duty market.

The joint venture is now gearing itself for becoming a proactive solutions and service provider meeting all customer needs. This it will do by strengthening each of its product brands as leaders in their respective segments. Soon it will offer an even more innovative line-up of technologically advanced and ergonomically aesthetic products.

Volvo’s widespread distribution network will facilitate export of these products to countries the world over and will help VECV bolster its presence in nearly 30 countries to where it currently exports. With an improved thrust on retail network development and aftersales service, VECV will soon come to be recognized as a lean organization capable of setting new benchmarks in response times.

JNNURM bus project on track

Scheme to cover 118 cities
It is one of the most fast paced government projects executed to near perfection. The JNNURM order under the Ministry of Urban Development set an ambitious target to add close to 15,000 buses in 61 major cities across the country. This is part of the Government’s initiative to provide better public transportation and reduce traffic congestion and pollution. The project is funded by the Ministry of Urban Development.

“For the first time in the history of independent India, substantial assistance has been made available for purchase of 15,220 modern buses for city transport for 61 mission cities. These buses will be delivered by December 2009. As we consider public transport in cities a critical issue, we will try to organize assistance in procurement of such buses in 118 cities having a population of two lakhs and above”, said Mr. Jaipal Reddy, Minister for Urban Development, announcing the 100-day plan for his Ministry.

The process of placing orders by various State and city transport undertakings is being done on a war footing, and so far orders for 8,000 buses have already been placed with various vehicle manufacturers. The balance orders are also expected to be finalised in a month’s time. Out of the 15,000 buses, 20 per cent would be low-floor and semi low-floor AC and non-AC buses and the balance would be normal city buses.

Mr. Reddy has also taken it up with the Finance Ministry for completely doing away with the excise duty on public buses. Consequently, in the Budget for 2008-09, the excise duty was reduced from 16 to 12 per cent, and it was further reduced from 12 to 8 per cent in January 2009. The Ministry is making further efforts with MoF for reducing the excise duty from the eight to nil per cent.

The direct beneficiaries have been the vehicle manufacturers, with Tata Motors bagging a major share of close to 45 per cent of the total orders placed so far. Ashok Leyland has also bagged orders for 3,200 buses so far and further orders are expected.

Volvo has garnered a significant share of the order in the high-end low-floor AC city buses, and some orders have been bagged by Eicher Motors and Swaraj Mazda as well. Cerita Motors has received an order from BEST for 200 of the low-floor city buses. All these orders should keep bus and related component manufacturers busy till the end of this year.

The bus industry, particularly the city bus segment, has witnessed a sea-change in the product and technology aimed at providing better passenger comfort and safety. Most major metros are opting for low floor or semi low floor AC/non-AC buses with automatic transmission, air suspension systems, automatic door opening and closing systems, vehicle tracking system, on-line passenger information system, LED sign boards, electronic ticketing, smart cards, etc.

Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India Private Ltd., says: “The JNNURM scheme has set the direction and this probably is the first step. Hopefully, this will lead to even greater fillip to bringing in efficient and modern public transport for our cities, where we can all enjoy a better quality of city mobility”.

Tata Motors expands bus manufacturing capacity

Despite very challenging times, Tata Motors has invested in expanding capacity for manufacturing buses. Tata Motors has three major bus manufacturing units now. At Lucknow is a Tata Marcopolo unit which builds ultra low-floor buses like the ones which have been supplied to DTC in Delhi. The Dharwad plant is again a Tata Marcopolo facility which is possibly Asia’s largest bus manufacturing unit and could potentially be the largest integrated bus manufacturing facility in the world when it gets into full steam. The Dharwad facility is built with a capacity to manufacture 15,000 buses per annum and has plans of expanding it to 30,000 units, based on market demand.

Production commenced at the Dharwad plant towards the end of 2008 and the unit is already churning out 500 to 600 small and medium range buses. From July the Dharwad plant will start building the low floor buses as well. This is a significant addition to Tata Motors’ bus manufacturing capacity. The third facility is the ACGL facility in which Tata Motors has a majority stake.

The capacity at ACGL has been doubled from 4,000 to 8,000 units and can be ramped up to 10,000 units in a short time. Currently ACGL is manufacturing the Tata Hispano inter-city bus, the semi low floor city buses with 900mm floor height and the buses for Tata Motors’ export requirement.

With all the capacity expansion in place, Tata Motors is well placed to take advantage of the opportunity in the bus business. Particularly the JNNURM order for 15,000 buses, orders for 8,000 buses have already been placed and the balance orders will be placed in the next couple of months. Tata Motors is targeting at least 50 per cent of the JNNURM order, for which it has enough capacity to execute the order between its three plants. “We feel in the next two-three years this will also take a major shift towards fully built solutions. We are making a conscious effort to shift the market towards ready to use applications”.

So far, out of the orders placed for 8,000 buses, Tata Motors has bagged close to 50 per cent of the order and a good percentage of this would be low floor and semi low floor buses. Some of the States which have order the Tata Marcopolo low floor buses are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Orders from many other States are expected soon. It may be recalled that Tata Motors recently bagged on order for 1,625 low floor buses from DTC, which is in addition to the 650 buses already supplied.
As already reported, Tata Motors is clearly moving towards providing fully built solutions in the bus segment across all its products segments, right from the LCV buses to the low floor city buses and the high-end Hispano inter-city buses. Currently 75 per cent of the buses sold are fully built units and going forward, with all the capacities in place, its bus business will move more towards offering fully built solutions. To help achieve this objective, the company has been conducting a series of road shows across India to showcase its product range in the fully built bus segment.

In the luxury segment, the Hispano high-end inter-city bus was launched in 2008 and the initial lot of 50 to 60 buses were seeded in the market. With the feedback from customers, the product has been perfected and it is now ready for commercial production. Hispano is averaging 15 to 20 buses a month, manufactured at the ACGL plant in Goa. The bus is pitted against the Volvo and Mercedes buses with comparable features, at 20 per cent lesser cost. A few buses have been supplied to tourism corporations in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.

Tata Motors has also launched CNG buses in its ICV range and more than 100 buses have been sold already. In the semi-luxury segment, which is sold as chassis and the body built by body builders, Tata Motors offers the 1616 and 1618 chassis. The company is working on a ready to use product in this segment.

Tata Motors has clearly identified passenger transportation as a significant growth opportunity for the future. The company is offering a range of products starting from the Magic, which is a passenger version of Tata Ace, to the high-end city and inter-city buses. The opportunity is much bigger than in the cargo segment, and Tata Motors is all geared up to garner a significant share of the passenger transportation segment.

Ashok Leyland gearing up to handle changing bus technology

Ashok Leyland Ltd., the flagship company of Hinduja Group, keeps winning the hearts of Indian commuters by providing them the latest and safest bus technology. Despite tough competition in the bus segment, the company has been able to maintain its market leadership by supplying quality products with distinct features. No wonder then that the AL buses are the preferred choice of State transport undertakings (STUs).

Ashok Leyland has been a pioneer when it comes to introducing innovations in the bus segment – be it the double-decker or the vestibule buses, full air brakes or the concept of integral chassis. With a market share of 55 per cent, Ashok Leyland today is a clear leader in the country, and with exciting orders from major STUs already bagged and on the anvil, its market share is bound to increase.

The commercial vehicle segment could not escape the economic slowdown. But despite a 34 per cent fall in the CV industry, the bus segment dropped only 10 per cent – a clear indication of the sustaining demand levels in both the private and STU sectors.

Clearly, passenger transportation in the country is set for rapid changes. The Government, keen on reviving infrastructure in major cities, is looking at a sea-change in the way people travel in urban centres. Integral to this is the idea of ‘de-congesting’ cities and making them commuter-friendly through mass transportation. Coupled with this is a focus on longer, wider highways between major cities and, of course, the readiness of the passenger today to pay more for a comfortable journey.
Road ahead

After many years of stagnation, the bus segment is now set for a revival, thanks to the JNNURM. It is indeed like a breath of fresh air for the CV industry which is now in the grip of an economic slowdown. Through the scheme, the Government expects to augment 14,240 new buses in 53 cities. In addition there is a proposal for replacing 30,000 aged fleet of STUs.

The quantum of fleet addition apart, there is an underlying change in format too. With focus on better transport facilities for urbanization, there are many sub-sections being looked into: some of the buses are meant for running on dedicated lanes, and the service is called the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). These are low-floor, single-step entry, air-conditioned buses provided with the Global Positioning System.

Work related to fleet augmentation of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in time for the prestigious Commonwealth Games to be held in the Capital is in progress. Ashok Leyland is currently executing an order for 875 ultra low entry (ULE) CNG buses to DTC. Also, the inter-city transport is currently being driven by the wider four-six lane National Highways which will enable higher powered, modern passenger comfort buses plying between cities.

Needless to say, Ashok Leyland is bound to benefit from the rapid changes happening in the sector, making its already strong position in the bus segment all the more robust. FESLF BS3 is the first front engine, semi low-floor bus in India with uniform floor level throughout the passenger saloon, and driver-controlled wide pneumatic doors. It offers wider door options in the front, middle and the rear. It is more convenient for senior citizens, women and children. Faster boarding and alighting results in reduction in time and a greater number of trips.

With air suspension at the rear and rubber ended suspension at the front for passenger ride comfort, it is available in fully-built diesel and CNG fuel modes. More than 2,500 buses are already in operation.
The vestibule bus BS3 is the ultimate solution to mass transportation of passengers, especially during city peak hours. Movement of passengers within the saloon is possible through the vestibule. The turning circle radius is the same as that of regular buses. Steerable rearmost axle ensures excellent manoeuvrability even on roads with restricted width and tight corners.

Basic product segmentation

Mini/Midi buses: These 25 to 40-seater buses are for operation as school buses, tourism and staff transport. STUs operate them on intra-city congested routes.

Medium duty buses (45 to 70-seater)

* Intercity: STU (Omni, ordinary, semi-deluxe, deluxe)

* Moffusil / stage carriage (ordinary)

* Intracity: Metro, Tier-2 cities

* Tourism (private operators and tourism development corporations)

* Institutional

* Special buses – double decker, vestibules, tarmac coaches

c) Floor height – classification for the purpose of bus

* E+0 (Entry level) – no steps, ULE

* E+1 – One step, semi-low floor (rear engine, RESLF)

* E+2 – Two steps, semi-low floor (front engine, FESLF)

* E+3 – Three steps

Emission norms

From the current standards of BSIII for select metros and BSII pan-India norms of BSIV select metros and BSIII pan-India coming into effect from April 2010. This calls for stricter emission norms, thereby asking for higher power engines and related driveline aggregates pushing up the overall cost. AL is geared up to handling this technology challenge.

Based on the need for developing alternate fuels and also carbon emission norms, AL has developed vehicles with engines running on bio-diesel fuel. The pilot batch of vehicles are in operation in select States.

Hybrid electric vehicle is the eco-friendly option for cities where CNG is not available, while the concept is yet to put in use. Hythane, a blend of natural gas and hydrogen, improves efficiency while retaining the emission characteristics of CNG. The company has developed with Eden Energy, Australia, a 6-cylinder, 6-litre, 92kW BS4 engine for operation with hythane.

AL was the first to manufacture CNG buses. The first CNG-run bus in the country hit the roads of Mumbai in 1997 through BEST. Following the SC order to shift to CNG by April 2001, today more than 6,000 CNG-powered Ashok Leyland buses ply in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Vijayawada.

India’s first multi-point fuel injection (MPFI) for high capacity CNG engine was also developed by the company in 2008.

IV trends

* Integral bus body construction – better NVH characteristics, durable structure

* Multiaxle – high HP vehicles, Increased payload and carrying capacity.

* Vanity coaches – personalised coaches for film stars, corporate, caravan

* Twin levels of comfort in same bus: separate luxury section and section with ‘normal’ comfort

Air suspension is for better ride comfort, while anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid skidding at high speeds / slippery roads. Retarders for effective braking of high speed vehicles, gear box (automated manual transmission and fully automatic transmission) sleeper coaches and chemical toilets are in keeping with the modern trends.

Urban trends

There is the multimodal transport, wherein metros are linked with bus transport for ease of passenger flow and connectivity. The Urban Municipal Transport Policy is being framed to handle Mass Rapid Transit System. BRTS, on the other hand, is similar to the concept popular in South America. The Government has taken the initiative in allotting dedicated bus corridors for speedy movement of passenger buses in high density areas (mainly metros).

While this calls for a total change in the existing lanes, BRTS is likely to reduce congestion when implemented fully. It is also expected to reduce pollution through reduction of usage of private vehicles.

With 50 per cent more length and about 100 per cent more passenger carrying capacity, vestibule buses (road train) simply ‘sweep’ off passengers in high density locations like Govt. secretariats, SEZs, etc.

Meanwhile, higher powered engines incorporating Common rail system (CRS) will be introduced shortly. JNNURM is a Government initiative aiming at encouraging reforms and fast track planned development of 63 identified cities. It is offering support for replacing buses in these cities in the first phase (15,000 units) which is under implementation. The scheme will be extended to further cities in due course covering additional 30,000 buses (replacement of overaged buses).

FE SLF buses

* First Front Engine, Semi Low floor Bus in India (starting off with 644 nos World Bank order for BEST)

* Uniform floor level throughout the passenger saloon

* Driver controlled wide pneumatic doors

* Wider Door options in Front, Middle and Rear

* More convenient for senior citizens / women and children.

* Faster boarding / alighting resulting in reduction in time / more number of trips.

* Air suspension at the rear and rubber ended suspension at the front for Passenger ride comfort

* Available in Fully built; both Diesel & CNG fuel mode

* More than 2,500 buses are already in operation

RESLF buses: 240 KSRTC + 110 in UP

* Ease of entry

Vestibule bus BS3

* Ultimate solution to the needs of mass transportation of passengers especially during city peak hours

* Movement of passenger within the saloon possible through vestibule

* Turning circle radius same as that of regular buses, steerable rear most axle ensure excellent maneuverability even on roads with restricted width and in tight corners

Tarmac coaches

* Transportation of passengers to-and-fro from terminal

* First to offer Front Engine Low Floor bus having uniform floor height across the saloon

* Doors on both sides

Emerging opportunities

Similar to what Metro Rail did for Kolkata about 15 years ago, the DTC is planning to modernize the city transport. Coinciding with the Commonwealth Games slated for 2010, DTC has already ordered 2,000 buses (both air-conditioned and non-AC), apart from another 1,000 units likely to be added further. This new addition will be of Ultra-Low entry (ULE) buses powered by CNG fuel and will be adding up to the environment-friendly measures being taken up in the metros.

The contract is also unique in the way that the manufacturing companies will be supporting the backup support (sales and service) for 12 years of operation, thereby enabling DTC to focus on their core activities. A similar trend is expected in other major metro requirements.

To reduce investments, STUs have begun partnering with private operators through hire-permit schemes where the fully-built vehicle is owned by the private operator and is operated in STU permit routes. A large number of vehicles are in operation in Andhra and Karnataka, while the trend is likely to catch up in other cities.

The Intelligent Transport System (GPRS), known as ALERT was developed by Ashok Leyland at Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus which is arguably Asia’s largest bus station with a flow of almost 3,000 buses daily. The on-board unit on bus captures and transmits information to the satellite that gets captured for real time tracking and tracing. Information on location, speed, direction and two-way communication for the driver to get in touch with the control centre in case of breakdown are the striking features of the system. With exact information on arrival of buses, passengers can plan their trips, without having to wait.

A GPS- based bundle of telematics services for the commercial vehicle sector, Ashok Leyland’s ALERT offers services that include vehicle tracking and passenger information system. A host of applications like online advice to drivers on correct gear shifts, fuel pilferage monitoring, online diagnostics and prognostics, route optimization, telemetry and infotainment services are in the offing.

In the emerging scenario, Ashok Leyland as a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles and buses, is equipping itself to face the challenges within and without.

Cerita bags BEST order for 200 buses

Integral bus and coach manufacturer Cerita Motors has bagged a major order for 200 city buses from BEST Mumbai. This is the largest single order for Cerita till date, which it has managed to win against stiff competition. The 200 vehicles to be supplied will be semi low-floor 12- metre fully air-conditioned CNG buses fitted with 230 hp Cummins engines and automatic transmissions from Allison.

Cerita received its first trial order for 20 buses from BEST in 2007. After the successful trial run of these buses, BEST gave an additional order for 50 more buses in the same year. The latest order for 200 buses was placed after the undertaking got fully convinced of the company vehicle performance.

Mr. Rishi Aggarwal, Director, Cerita Motors, said : “ The order for 200 buses shows the confidence of BEST in our buses. We have created a separate service team across Mumbai to cater to the service requirement of BEST. The safety systems, in particular, on these buses are much superior to that of competitors”.

With the success of its buses in Mumbai, Cerita is now having discussions with many other transport corporations for supplying its city as well as inter-city buses. The company is expecting some good orders in the next couple of months, for executing which it has expanded its capacity.

Globally, integral bus manufacturers and bus body builders dominate the bus industry, including mature markets like Europe. In India it is still dominated by chassis manufacturers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Volvo.

Cerita Motors is possibly the only company which has managed to brave the odds and take on competition. Now that it has well-established fleets operating in several parts of the country, Cerita is sure to replicate its BEST success with many other corporations.

Volvo expands its footprint across Indian cities

By K. Gopalakrishnan

Volvo city buses will make them debut in six new cities across India and many more are expected, thanks to the JNNURM order. Volvo is targeting an increase in production from 30 to 50 per cent during the current year compared to 2008 when the company sold 440 buses. The growth comes from both the city and inter-city segments with the city segment contributing significantly.
In an interview to MOTORINDIA, Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India Ltd., said: “The JNNURM scheme has set the direction and this probably is the first step. Hopefully, this will lead to even greater fillip to bringing in efficient and modern public transport for our cities, where we can all enjoy a better quality of city mobility”.

Excerpts from the interview:

Question: How is the JNNURM order shaping up? Has there been any delay in execution or is it on-track?

Answer: In the cities of our interest the orders are already in place and we have begun executing deliveries. We already began deliveries in Bangalore and Mysore and will do so soon in other cities where we have orders. We probably made the first deliveries under this project. The original requirement to complete all deliveries by June may not be possible, but we will actually attempt to complete our deliveries close to the new deadlines which is later this year.

The JNNURM scheme eventually is going to be of high value to cities because it has moved away from subscribing to buses built on truck chassis and has promoted an upgradation of typical buses while at the same time it motivates the induction of modern buses such as the low-floor that we offer. While the former will provide a better level of comfort and convenience to the bus passengers the second option will play a big role to move people from their personal vehicles to public transport. This is a very important step, because the growth in personal vehicles has been much faster than the expansion of cities.

Besides, it’s also not merely about how many vehicles we have in a city, but the real issue is that more and more people want to be at the same place at the same time. Popularising public transport and making it motivating enough for personal vehicle owners to switch over will be a key factor to provide relief to our city infrastructure. Else, soon, travelling in a car will become plain impossible or a luxury which no one – either the driver or the other road users – can afford to have.

The JNNURM scheme has set the direction, and this probably is the first step. Hopefully, this will even give greater fillip to bringing in efficient and modern public transport for our cities, where we can all enjoy a better quality of city mobility.
Q: Till date, how many buses have been ordered? What is Volvo’s share of business from the JNNURM order placed so far? Do you expect additional orders to come from the pending orders?

A: We cannot say the exact amount that has been ordered because this includes segments of buses we do not participate in. Possibly, over 8,000 buses have been already ordered by the cities. At Volvo, we have a significant share when it comes to low floor AC city buses minus Delhi where we are yet to offer a CNG solution. While we cannot comment on the numbers we can say that we will add another 6 cities to our current list of 4 cities where Volvo city buses are in service. We hope to see some more orders, yes.

Q: Which are the new cities opting for Volvo city buses?

A: The new cities include Navi Mumbai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata, Hyderbad right now.

Q: How are the orders in the coach segment – both for single and multi-axle buses? Is there demand revival in the private operator segment? How is the response for the multi-axle buses and how many of these buses are on road?

A: It is still tough for the private operators as the liquidity crunch and the impact of financing is still hard. But we see some bottoming out and hope the situation improves following this season. Despite this situation, we have sold a good number of inter-city buses – a result of close customer relationships and their faith in us, even as this period continues to be tough. The orders for inter-city buses this year number over 150 nos. already.

The response to the multi-axle bus has been very good – the demand has picked up faster than expected, and we already have close to 60 of them running on our roads.

Q: With all these orders in place, how does the current order book stand for Volvo, both city buses and coaches (single and multi-axle)?

A: While we cannot share the exact numbers it’s safe to say that we will be upping our production by over 30-50 per cent and that includes orders from both coaches and city buses. We are running a healthy order book. In fact even when the downturn hit the industry around October last year, we spent much more time, than typical – with our customers across the country. With this, we managed to operate in sync with our segment demand- all through the initial months. As a result we did not require to close our production line even for a single day. This is a very important achievement for us – primarily because Volvo Buses as a complete bus company and its factory is just 18 months old and I feel proud that our industrial system, coupled with our customer interface has managed to display such flexibility and forward planning.
Q: Does this take care of the capacity and targets for the current year? What are the revised targets for the current year?

A: Yes, it does and instead we will increase our production by over 30-50 per cent. One reason is that we have spent a lot of time in the past year in building a lean production system at the highest quality level. Our production throughput times today are a record within the group. Of course, we have the benefit of a factory that has been built upon the best practises adopted from various Volvo Bus Factories across the world.

Q: A couple of months back you had announced the launch of Volvo Advisory services? How is the initiative shaping up? Have you already started working with any of the metros?

A: In the future, we will place a lot of focus on soft services and this is the starting step. We have already commenced some activity with our key customers and expect to see results in the coming months. We are also begun establishing the base for our IT/IS systems as a tool for profitability and efficiency for our customer fleets.

Q: In our last interaction you had mentioned that you would start exports of buses this year? With good orders in the domestic market, would you be able to focus on exports during the current year? When do you plan to start exports and which are the first few markets you will start with?

A: The factory is slated for exports right from the start. Our plan for exports is not until late next year, so there is no conflict with respect to domestic demand levels. The various markets could be anywhere within the Volvo markets around the world, and it’s a little too early to pinpoint the exact markets where we will sell.

Q: Globally, Volvo has been very successful with articulated buses in many markets, particularly in cities which have adopted BRTS. Are you seriously considering introducing articulated buses in India too?

A: Yes, anything is a possibility here. Volvo has one of the widest product programs in buses, and we are ready to bring in any product from the Volvo stable as soon as we can establish the need. As the pace picks up of changes in our cities, we hope that the circumstances are built to do so – but right now its not possible to indicate ‘if and when’.

Q: Are you planing any variants of the existing product range, like sleeper berths in the coach segment which is fast growing?

A: Strategically, it is not possible to discuss on the new products or variants which we are working on. However, the fact is that we have kept a good momentum in our presence in India – even when we were the only player. We have upgraded the 4x2 coach 4 times since its entry and now added the city bus and multi-axle into our portfolio. We set up a new factory which builds complete buses and introduced the multi-axle and our consultancy services in the last 18 months. The momentum will continue in one-way or the other. We are currently the first company to provide complete bus solutions under one roof with a singular focus on buses. We today offer the entire gamut of services – from after-sales, driver training to supply of product and advisory services. The complete bus is built within the Volvo System. We will strengthen this position in the days to come.

Q: What about the current service infrastructure? Have you added any new facilities?

A: We have 38 service and parts centers across India supporting our buses. Additionally, we provide on-site support to our customers where the fleets are concentrated in one location. In the last year we established about 5 new support points in the country.

Q: Lastly, it’s been close to 7 years since the launch of Volvo buses in India. I am sure there is a significant population of Volvo buses in the second-hand market. Is there any specific program for second-hand Volvo buses? How do you plan to handle these used buses?

A: This is an interesting area for sure. We do offer support in resale of vehicles for our customers, but more as a facilitator. This is still to develop into an independent program. The same applies to refurbishment of buses. This will be an area where we will take concrete steps in the coming days.

Bosch Rexroth technology to keep bus engines cool

New trends in fan drive technology offer distinct advantage for city buses and other mobile applications. The sharp reduction in emission values for heavy duty engines used in commercial vehicles and strict regulations result in a complex scenario for engine and vehicle manufacturers regarding the engine and exhaust gas treatment devices.

Many manufacturers have chosen the path of exhaust gas recirculation or similar processes, combined with shifting of peak torque to the lower speed range. Engines optimized in this way may need complex cooling management system to enable operating temperature to be maintained in a narrow band.

Trucks and buses with front-mounted engines are able to make use of relative air speed for cooling. In modern urban buses, whose engines are rear-mounted and which do not reach high speed and mostly in stop-and-go cycles, the cooling requirements are more demanding.

Bosch Rexroth’s intelligent hydrostatic fan drive system provides necessary cooling as demanded by the engine to achieve lower emission levels, no matter what the air stream and engine speed is.

Bosch Rexroth’s system solution for hydrostatic fan drive includes axial piston pumps and external gear motors. CAN-bus-compatible control electronics optimized for fan drives perfectly meet the requirement profile of intelligent regulation and cooling output. These variable systems with closed loop electronic circuit can be programmed exactly to supply the required cooling output at all times, regardless of the speed of the engine.

The electronically controlled A10VO ED variable pump supplies the required flow to an external gear motor that drives the fan. According to company estimates, the variable pump system reduces fuel consumption upto a maximum of five per cent compared with the conventional belt drives. However, the estimation of fuel savings depends on individual applications.
The variable fan drive is managed by a BODAS-RC electronic controller from Bosch Rexroth that features a tailored software solution for mobile applications. Automatic Fan Control (AFC) software for fan drive evaluates upto eight input signals, weighs them according to the maps in the control unit and generates a control signal for the variable pump.

Besides temperature, the user can also program other parameters to optimize operation. For example, the system recognizes when the driver activates the retarder for braking, and it knows when this happens more cooling output is needed for the combustion engine. This allows the controller to respond proactively to maintain the emission levels.

This system also provides several other advantages to manufacturers, as this solution separates the combustion engine and the coolers, allowing more installation layout choices.

Other development trends are combined systems. BODAS controllers are able to communicate with other systems in the vehicle via the CAN bus and can thus take on other tasks. With combined systems, the axial piston pump supplies additional auxiliary drives such as A/C compressors. One of the main gains is reduction of fuel consumption and hence operating costs.

Bosch Rexroth offers its customers the expertise of its application centres where the drive and control specialists tap the company’s knowledge and experience to configure the best solution. The hydrostatic fan drive shows how much potential this drive technology has in the field of electro hydraulics.

Bosch Rexroth of the Bosch Group achieved sales of approximately 5.8 billion Euros in 2008 with over 35,309 employees worldwide. Under the brand name of Rexroth, the company offers all drive and control technologies, from mechanics to hydraulics and pneumatics to electronics.

Over five lakh customers worldwide utilize Rexroth’s unique technology knowledge to implement their innovative and future-oriented systems and machine designs.

Growing demand for Swaraj Mazda’s Isuzu bus

It was an year back, precisely on June 6, 2008, that the Chandigarh-based Swaraj Mazda Ltd. came out with its LT-134PR luxury bus powered by the Isuzu in Andhra Pradesh. Besides completing its first successful year after launch, the vehicle with its extra features continues attracting customer attention.

According to a Senior Manager of Swaraj Mazda Ltd., the new LT-134PR ultra-luxury bus model with 40 push-back seats is much sought after, especially in the southern region. The bus is being manufactured at the state-of-the-art facility at Ropar in Punjab, and its body structure, systems and procedures are of global standard ensuring maintenance of product quality throughout. The company has so far delivered four buses each in Bangalore and Vijayawada and three in Ahmedabad. Also one vehicle each is under trial with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). Prospects of getting more orders are bright.

As many as 35 orders for the Isuzu bus are already in the pipeline, including another four to be delivered in Bangalore shortly. The feedback received from the bus run on the Bangalore-Pune route is quite encouraging. Through its dealership, Swaraj Mazda will soon be introducing Isuzu bus service on the Bangalore-Guruvayur route. Even during the current recessionary phase, particularly after September 2008, the company continues receiving several enquiries for its Isuzu buses that offer outstanding features, the most important being that the bus comes in a fully-built condition.

In order to push sales of the new buses, Swaraj Mazda has tied up with Canara Bank for vehicle financing. It is also learnt that under the JNNURM scheme, the company has already received an order for 350 Swaraj Mazda bus chassis from the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).

The salient features of the Swaraj Mazda Isuzu bus include its aero dynamic roof-mounted A/C with individual ducts & reading lights, roof-hatch, hat racks, LCDs for easy viewing, driver-controlled passenger entry door and ultra low foot step, power-operated rear view mirrors, tinted sealed glasses with 70 per cent visible light transmission, engine overrun, reverse warning and passenger door open buzzers, and the special sun visors.

Allison’s electronic system for preventive maintenance

Allison Transmission, a global supplier of commercial duty fully automatic transmissions, has developed a new service life indicator that will offer financial and environmental savings to operators. Calibrated to the specific operating requirements of each vehicle, Allison’s electronic monitoring system detects when maintenance is required and alerts the driver or maintenance manager. The new prognostics feature is the first of its kind and will be available for truck and bus applications.

The service life indicator can help increase operational cost efficiency by providing a simple and effective fleet management tool for three key areas: oil, oil filter and selected internal components.

“The user-friendly prognostics system provides improved lifecycle costs and assists in efficient planning of vehicle maintenance when used with any Allison-approved TES 295 certified fluid,” says Steve Spurlin, Executive Director, 3000/4000 Transmissions and Application Engineering.

Allison’s advanced warning technology system determines fluid life and alerts when a fluid change is required. The oil life monitor helps commercial customers achieve better environmental management because oil is only changed when necessary, so operators get the maximum oil life, while protecting the transmission system.

The filter life monitor alerts when the transmission’s fluid filter needs to be replaced and may help extend filter change intervals. This can improve associated costs. A transmission health monitor detects the operating condition of selected internal components for increased control over maintenance and servicing. This new system has been thoroughly field-tested in major city bus fleets, concrete delivery fleets and with other demanding applications.

Transmission operating parameters such as operating time, output revolutions and shift density are monitored and fluid life is automatically adjusted accordingly. When service is due for Allison 3000, 4000 and Torqmatic Series models, a spanner icon is illuminated on the shift selector’s digital display to alert the operator.

In addition to information about the oil level and diagnostics, the operator can check the status of all three prognostics by toggling through the shift selector’s display. For 1000 and 2000 Series models, a separate transmission service light to alert the operator is required. This helps fleet managers plan maintenance requirements to prevent unscheduled repairs and downtime.

The success story of Neeta Travels

By K. Gopalakrishnan
The Mumbai-Pune expressway is one of the most successful models showcasing how road transport can be more effective than other modes. Gone are the days when you had no other choice but to travel by train. Today, there are a few hundred buses traversing from Mumbai to Pune, and back every 5-10 minutes. With the availability of good roads and improved transport efficiency, the travelling public feel more comfortable. Further, good roads/expressways motivate the operators to offer more facilities for the travelling public by improving the running efficiency.

In 2002-03, when the Mumbai-Pune expressway was commissioned, Volvo utilized the opportunity to the utmost and virtually transformed the travel system with its B7R buses. And if there is one operator who used this opportunity to the maximum, it is none other than Neeta Travels. The names Volvo and Neeta have become synonymous with luxury bus travel on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

But how did this transformation happen? Mr. Sunil Savla of Neeta Travels says it all started in 2002-03 when the Mumbai-Pune expressway first opened up and Neeta started the inter-city service with just eight Volvo buses. The customer response was so encouraging that the company kept adding more buses every year, and today it has a fleet of over 120 Volvo buses.

Neeta Travels had a small beginning but has had a big growth. It was started in the 1980s with a single car for tourist passengers. The company bought its first bus in 1986, and it was actually a second-hand bus. It was in 1992 that Neeta bought its first new bus, a Tata luxury bus. In the next 10 years, by 2002, it added 50 buses to its fleet, most of which are Tata AC and non-AC buses.

Mr. Sunil Savla said, with the launch of Volvo buses in the Indian market in 2002, and the opening up of the Mumbai-Pune expressway, we identified an opportunity to introduce Volvo bus service on the expressway which covered the distance in just two hours and 30 minutes.

This was the real turning point for the company which kept doubling the fleet every year, which has now grown to 150 buses, of which 120 are Volvo B7R buses, 10 are Volvo multi-axle buses, 15 Tata Hispano buses and the balance 10 Mercedes buses.

Neeta has the reputation of being the first to introduce any new product in the bus segment. Be it the Volvo B7R when it was launched in Mumbai, the Volvo multi-axle bus, the Mercedes Bus and the Tata Hispano luxury bus launched in 2008. The company has been a pioneer in introducing the latest product and technology in the market.

In fact, when Volvo launched multi-axles buses with a price tag of Rs. 85 lakhs, there were doubts if the Indian market is ready for such a product. But Neeta has already got a fleet of 10 multi-axle buses and plans to add more multi-axle buses to his fleet in the future. Even from the customer side there is more demand for multi-axle as it offers better ride comfort for the passenger as there are two axles in the rear.

According to Mr. Sunil, Neeta now operates services across the whole of Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat and will start soon services to Bangalore and Mangalore. This will mark Neeta’s entry in the South which is traditionally a major market for people travelling by road.

Neeta also made an entry into the hospitality industry in 2004 by starting a hotel in Shirdi. Today, Neeta has seven hotels in Shirdi, Mahabaleshwar and Mumbai-Pune expressway and another three new projects are coming.

Mr. Sunil says: “We would like to provide complete solution for our customer – travel, accommodation and tour operation”. Neeta does a turnover of Rs. 60 crores per annum in both the travel and hotel industry together.

Bus operators like Neeta have been proactive in adopting latest technology and products and have transformed the bus travel industry. With better road network and improved connectivity between metros, the bus travel industry will witness exponential growth in the future.

TRF-Jasper Industries JV to offer complete transport solutions

TRF Ltd., a Tata enterprise, has entered into an agreement with Tata Capital Ltd. and Jasper Industries Pvt. Ltd. to form a joint venture christened Adithya Automotive Applications Pvt. Ltd. TRF will hold 51 per cent of the equity in the new company and Jasper and Tata Capital will hold 29 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Adithya Automotive Applications has been formed with the main objective of providing end solutions through fabrication and machining for vehicles to be used as tippers, load bodies, trailers, refrigerated bodies engaged in the business of automotive applications, etc.

TRF is engaged in engineering and supply of material handling equipment and systems for five decades. Its subsidiary, York Transport Equipment (Asia) Pte Ltd., Singapore, is in the business of production and distribution of trailer undergears, with market presence in 27 countries and manufacturing base in Singapore, Australia and India.

Waste handling solutions, the next big opportunity for Hyva

By K. Gopalakrishnan
With more than 80,000 Hyva tippers in service across the country, Hyva is already a name to reckon with in the transport industry in India, with vast scope for further growth. To-date, tippers have mainly been deployed in infrastructure development projects related to roads, bridges, air and sea ports construction and in mining industries. However, collection and transportation of waste in towns and cities acquires greater importance in the current scenario.

Growing population and rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have led to huge garbage generation, and hence the rising demand for efficient and environmentally sound handling and processing systems. Hyva India is focused on solutions to meet this demand.

Hyva India’s first success in waste handling came in 1997 with the supply of 10 stationary compactors, mounted on trailers, to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Another 26 units were supplied in 2008. And in the interim period, the company has been producing tippers and tipping hydraulics to meet the rising demand.

A key development took place in 2007 when Hyva established a partnership with the UK-based Dennis Eagle and entered into a technology contract to manufacture rear loading garbage compactors in India for both domestic and export markets. The first sale of a demonstration unit of the Hyva compactor was made to a private sector customer in Delhi. A second order followed, and more units were sold to another customer in the South. The first export order, through Dennis Eagle, for 33 compactors for Bahrain was extended in the last quarter of 2008.

“Our decision to partner with Hyva in India was based on Hyva’s access to the Indian market and its reputation as the leading manufacturer of high quality hydraulic cylinders,” commented Derek Flynn, General Manager - Export, Middle East and Africa, at Dennis Eagle.
Dennis Eagle is a known designer and manufacturer of commercial vehicle bodies and chassis cabs, predominantly for refuse collection vehicles (RCVs). Its highly-engineered, premium quality products are in service with many leading private and public sector fleets both in the UK and overseas. Dennis Eagle has established licensing agreements with companies in China and Africa also.

Dennis Eagle is a well established and respected brand with strong market share in the UK and other European countries. However, ex-UK deliveries to regions such as the Gulf, the Far East and Asia have become expensive. The partnership with Hyva India has improved prospects of sales in these regions through lower manufacturing costs and proximity to markets. The partnership can now deliver the Dennis Eagle brand in a much more attractive price package to these territories.

“So far, we are very pleased with our partnership with Hyva India. The agreement gives us cost-effective access to new markets in India and the Middle East, and combines two strong brands, Hyva and Dennis Eagle, at the premium end of the market. The operating relationship is excellent and sales are progressing well,” concluded Derek Flynn.

Future plans may include the production of smaller capacity vehicles for collection and recycling in urban areas.

The Indian challenge

In India, the waste handling sector is very competitive. There are quite a few players, many with experienced overseas partners. However, Hyva India has significant and sustainable competitive advantages in quality, reliability and efficiency derived from its advanced technology. The challenge for Hyva India is to increase its market share and the company is well placed to do that.

Hyva garbage compactors are ergonomically designed, built from special wear-resistant and high-yield steel and are easy to operate through an electrohydraulic system. The compactors are designed to provide at least 20% extra payload which translates into cost savings in fuel and other operating costs.

In addition, Hyva India is already an established supplier of tippers to all of the truck manufacturing companies in India. Many of these companies are now expanding their sales networks into Africa and Russia and Hyva compactors represent an important extension to their product portfolio. For example, Hyva India has recently secured an order for 20 compactors from Tata Motors for export to Algeria.

Extending the waste handling portfolio

Compactors are only the first stage in Hyva’s service offering for waste handling in India. Experience in China has demonstrated the potential for static and portable compactors and small and large transfer stations. Hook lift loaders are a proven complementary product for transportation of garbage containers. And heavy-duty skip loaders, multi-kap tipper and truck mounted cranes with clamshell buckets can all have a role to play in integrated waste handling solutions. Hyva India is the only supplier which can offer such a diverse and proven product portfolio and is supported by a national aftersales network.

Demand for waste handling solutions is rising strongly driven by population growth, urbanisation, regulation and the requirement for pollution free handling. Hyva India, with its efficient and environmentally sound solutions, is well placed to capitalise on this demand. Current plans to produce 300 compactors are expected to increase with sustained demand and an extended Hyva product portfolio.

However, garbage compactor is not the only offering Hyva India makes to the waste handling and transportation segment in India. Worldwide, Hyva sells many of its equipments like hook loader, skip loader, truck mounted crane and MultiKap tipper (tipper with hydraulic covering system) in large numbers for various municipal application.

Hyva has got a wide range (in terms of capacity and types) hook loaders, manufactured by its subsidiaries Hyvalift, Holland, and Hyva Mechanics, China. As of today Hyva India, is importing hook lifts from the manufacturing units and very soon aims to start local manufacturing, as certain volume get generated. These equipments are used for handling of open and closed garbage, industrial waster and scrap containers. Already, Hyva hook loaders are visible in different parts of country in all these application.
Built with high strength steel, these equipments are ready to meet high working demand round the clock and long life maintenance free product for its users.

Hyva skip loader

While this product (commonly known as dumper placer) is widely visible in Indian cities, Hyva offering stands out to be completely of different league. They are not well engineered and robustly built, but also available in Telescopic range (apart from standard version). These are unique in Indian market and Hyva expects to make their cutting edge through quality and capacity of equipment. As of today the product is built at Hyvalift, Holland .. but, manufacturing in India is very much in plan.

Hyva truck mounted crane

While knuckle boom cranes are popular in infrastructure development and construction business, a certain variant of Hook Loaders are also see in deployment in municipal application. Attached with various types of Buckets (Clamshell, Grab, etc.) these cranes can be used for garbage lifting, tree branch cutting and lifting, etc.

Hyva cranes are already seen in these application in India.

Hyva garbage transfer station

As every Indian city is growing in its area, it is indeed a need to shift the landfill (the place, where garbage is dumped) further from the city and thereby, the transport of collected garbage needs to be done over longer distance. Therefore, it is indeed a necessity to transport garbage in compacted form in order to make the transportation cost economical.

So, the idea is to collect the garbage from all small sorts of collection vehicles to a common place and then compact same and transport. While such system are adopted in developed nation decades back and widely applied in China in last five years (Hyva Mechanics is the biggest supplier in Chinese market), India is late starter. Certain progressive municipalities have already taken initiative.

Looking at the huge opportunity in this field and Hyva Mechanics grand success, Hyva India has made its entry in this field too. First such unit is under installation in South India.

No doubt, with this huge range of product, Hyva is emerging as the strongest single source player in the country.

WABCO increase stake in JV with TVS

WABCO Holdings Inc., a global technology leader and tier-one supplier to the commercial vehicle industry, has announced that it has executed its previously announced plan to raise its ownership to 75 per cent in its joint venture, WABCO-TVS (India) Ltd., further strengthening not only its presence in India but also its capabilities to connect with and grow in all of the world’s emerging markets.

Based on a court-approved plan, WABCO on June 3 increased its equity investment to 75 per cent from 39.2 per cent in WABCO-TVS (India) Ltd., shares of which are listed on the Mumbai, Madras and National Stock Exchanges. On the same day, it also transferred to the TVS Group its holding in Sundaram-Clayton Ltd., which contains the non-brakes business of its Indian joint venture.

With its outstanding engineering and manufacturing capabilities and local sourcing network, WABCO-TVS designs, manufactures and markets conventional braking products, advanced braking systems and other related air compression products and systems, directly serving customers locally and internationally through WABCO.

The regional leader in its market, WABCO-TVS (India) Ltd. has three world class factories. The factory located at Ambattur in Chennai recently received the prestigious Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Excellence Award from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance, among other customer and industry awards. It has also been recognized as well on its way as a global benchmark for implementing lean manufacturing, according to the Lean Enterprise Institute.
Two other factories inaugurated in 2008 – the one in Mahindra World City in Chennai and the other in Jamshedpur – operate in the same TPM excellence league as the factory in Ambattur, performing at benchmark-setting levels of efficiency and quality.

WABCO-TVS also has advanced software design and development centers located in Chennai, with more than 70 engineers who develop embedded software for applications in electronic braking, stability, transmission and climate control. In addition, the company has a center of excellence in mechanical engineering located in Ambattur which has more than 70 engineers who design and develop products and systems for India and other markets worldwide where WABCO operates.

The company which employs over 1,000 persons reported approximately $95 million in sales in 2008-09. WABCO has participated successfully in this joint venture for more than 40 years.

“Taking majority control of this world-class, award-winning company marks another major step in expanding WABCO’s global network of manufacturing, sourcing and engineering capabilities, while enhancing its already broad and successful footprint in Asia. We will also be able to further leverage WABCO-TVS’ unique engineering and product development platform which is capable of understanding the specific needs of emerging markets,” said Jacques Esculier, WABCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

“We are thankful to the TVS Group for its key role in establishing our long-term partnership as one of the world’s foremost contributors to the commercial vehicle industry, particularly in India”, he added.

For over 140 years, WABCO Vehicle Control Systems has pioneered breakthrough electronic, mechanical and mechatronic technologies for braking, stability and transmission automation systems supplied to the world’s leading commercial truck, trailer and bus manufacturers. With sales of $2.6 billion in 2008, it is headquartered in Brussels.

Hyva’s global expertise in waste management solutions

“In the last decade, Hyva’s global revenues from products sold into the environmental service industries have grown from zero to around 20 per cent of global sales. This demonstrates our agility as a business and our ability to recognise and capitalise on industry and market trends,” says Mr. Louwrens Dijkstra, CEO of Hyva. “And, despite the current uncertainties in the global economy, we expect waste management solutions to continue to grow in importance.”

The opportunity has been created by environmental legislation and regulation by government and private sector initiatives to improve environmental performance and by rising volumes of waste and garbage arising from population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation.

Hyva’s success in this area has been built on a diverse and competitive product portfolio, strategic partnerships with commercial vehicle manufacturers and specialized component suppliers, as well as the ability to supply and service customers on a onestop-shop, global basis.

The Hyva product portfolio serving the environmental service industries includes mobile and static compactors, hook and skip loaders, tippers, cranes, refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) and shredders. Strategic partnerships have been established with Oshkosh Corporation (manufacturing in China), Dennis Eagle (manufacturing RCVs in India and exporting to the Middle East and Far East), and Cargo Floor (manufacturing in Holland).

“These partnerships are particularly important to us. As they develop technical knowledge and facilitate additional sales in new territories through lower manufacturing costs and proximity to markets”, says Mr. Dijkstra.

Falling prices for recycled materials are an issue, and it is unlikely that, in the short term, there will be more than limited replacement demand in mature markets such as Western Europe and North America. However, in the developing economies of the Middle East, Far East, South America, India and China, there is still potential derived from large infrastructure projects and the growing demand for waste and garbage collection and handling.

“Over the last ten years, we have made a huge impact in this area. And, we will continue to do so in the future through new product development, technology partnerships and acquisitions where we can increase market share, improve geographic reach or secure new products and technologies,” he adds.

Role in waste handling

Hyva is playing an important and growing role in waste handling and management around the world. Despite the current economic uncertainties, demand remains strong in the developing economies from large infrastructure projects and from waste collection and handling in the growing urbanised areas. Hyva’s strength in meeting this demand is built on a diverse product portfolio, technology leadership, regionalised production, and strong after-sales and support.

Given below are Hyva’s expanding waste management activities in several countries:

Mexico: In recent years, the responsibility for collection of waste from commercial buildings and manufacturing plants has moved from municipal services to private sector collection companies.

Equipment configurations in use include stationary containers (up to 6 cubic metres) collected with front loader trucks, stationary containers (up to 30 cubic metres, 18 ton) collected with roll-off, winch-loader trucks, containers with fixed or integrated compactors (up to 30 cubic metres, 18 ton) collected with roll-off, and winch-loader trucks. In the construction industry, there is potential for use of Hyva skip loaders, although it would require some changes to the legislation and regulations relating to handling of construction debris.

France: The European Parliament’s Environment Committee has set targets that by 2020, 50 per cent of the European Union’s household waste and 70 per cent of construction waste should be recycled; and member-States should aim to stabilise waste production by 2012 (based on the 2009 levels). In the seven-year period (1999-2006), the French population increased from 60 million to 63 million.
These trends indicate the likely increase in demand for waste handling over the next 10 years. Systems commonly used by waste handling companies in France are Hyva lift hook loaders and also Hyva Floor for horizontal loading and unloading.

Spain: Eroski, the leading supermarket retailer in Spain, decided six years ago to introduce its own waste management system to handle cardboard cartons and plastic wrappings and films. Hyva provided it with a customised solution, including delivery and collection of units based on MP16SW mobile press containers for organic waste, and stationary compactors for film and carton. This equipment is supported by a maintenance contract with 24/7 assistance throughout Spain.

At present, Eroski has more than 200 Hyva press units in service. And there are more than 350 trucks carrying the Hyvapress name across the Spanish road network.

Australia: Australia lacks an up-to-date national waste strategy, and although the domestic kerb-side recycling collection project has been fully embraced by all the States, the industrial sector is way behind Europe. A major portion of industrial waste is still sent direct to landfill, and large-scale material recycling facilities are few and far between. As a result, Australia’s waste levels have risen by 28 per cent in the last five years.

Although there is a lot of space to build such facilities, only a few companies have sourced the technology required to process high waste volumes, and often the major cities have many small waste companies transporting high volumes of over long distances to landfill.

As a result, the Hyva 8x4 hook lift with drawbar trailer is popular to move high volumes over long distances with much lower gross vehicle weight allowances than in Europe. The Hyva telescopic skip loader is also proving popular when fitted to a long wheelbase 6x4 chassis allowing the operators to transport up to 5 semi-loaded, 4 cubic meter skips.

Further potential exists with plant and machinery companies which have diversified into waste management and can cut their transport costs by using one Hyva hook lift and trailer to move their waste where they previously had to use two or three vehicles.

Romania: Vrancart is the leading producer of hygienic papers, fluting paper and corrugated cardboard in Romania. New materials are delivered to, and used materials are collected from supermarkets. Hook loaders are the main Hyva product in use, but there is also potential for skip loaders, cranes and Hyva Floor.

Thailand: In Thailand, the main Hyva products in service with waste management companies are hook loaders, skip loaders and vacuum evacuation skids combined with hook loaders to move waste liquids and light slurries.

MANN+HUMMEL aiming for 40% revenue from CV segment

MANN+HUMMEL is targeting a 40 per cent revenue through filter sales in the commercial vehicle segment in the first three-five years.

This was disclosed in an exclusive interview to MOTORINDIA by Mr. Hans-Georg Hummel, Managing Director, MANN and HUMMEL Filter Private Ltd., on the sidelines of the press conference recently organised by the company in Bangalore to announce the launch of its automotive filters in the aftermarket as well as inauguration of its R&D Centre.

He said the range of filters produced by the company includes specially designed air filter system for commercial vehicles. This would be among the focus areas for the company in India since the products are more value-added rather than volume-based. It has already become a major supplier of the air filter system to the newly-launched Tata World Truck and also has a substantial market share in supplies to global OEMs such as MAN, Volvo, Daimler, Scania, etc.

Mr. Manfred Wolf, Senior Executive Vice President, Filter Elements and Systems for Industry and Trade, MANN+HUMMEL GmbH, said the company has major investment plans for Asia, including in India, for introduction of new products. As a 68-year-old family-run company, it is not only a pioneer but also an innovative filter manufacturer, investing heavily on R&D activities as well as for registration of patents.

The company has also grown through its various acquisitions, mainly SMEs. For instance, in North America, it has bought Purolator jointly with Bosch. With such acquisitions, the company has become a strong player in the European as well as South American markets. For India, the company is working out a long-term strategy, he added.

According to Mr. Ajith Raj Nair, Joint Managing Director, MANN and HUMMEL Filter Private Ltd., the Indian filter aftermarket business in the organised sector is worth Rs. 600-800 crores, and his company is aiming for a sizeable market share in the next few yeas. It has already appointed agents in different parts of the country and is also planning to export its filters in a small way.

Elofic’s Nalagarh plant commissioned

Elofic has crossed yet another milestone by commissioning its new filter plant at Nalagarh in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. This plant is testimony to the perseverance of the company, which, despite the recessionary trends, went on an expansion mode to diversify and increase production of its popular filters for the domestic aftermarket.

The new plant commenced production and sales on its 58th Anniversary of Raising on May 11. It has the latest technologies and machines to manufacture new generation filters for the discerning automobile market. The range includes new environment-friendly eco-filters and advanced spin-on, STF and air filters. The plant has its own press shop for in-house quality metallic components, to increase the reliability of its products vis-à-vis dependency on outsourced components.

The plant will cater to the requirements of new developments, in keeping with the latest market demands, to ensure better customer satisfaction and quality of its products. While the existing capabilities at Faridabad will cater to the bulk of the existing market, it is hoped the new plant will enable Elofic to meet its commitments to discerning customers of new products.

The company, with its enlightened management and motivated staff and workers, aims to ensure the continued customer preference for Elofic filters.
Elofic, which is already into greases, also launched its lubricating oils in May. Sales will initially commence from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The company is also introducing long-life greases and re-launching silicon gaskets of improved quality.

In the field since 1995, Elofic is an ISO certified company, with the ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification for manufacturing and the ISO:9001 certificate for its marketing offices. Its R&D facility recently received Government recognition.

MANN filters for aftermarket launched

Peenya R&D Centre opens
MANN+HUMMEL India, a 100 per cent affiliate of the MANN+HUMMEL Group of Germany, recently launched its operations in the automotive aftermarket in India. The German group has also opened its state-of-the-art R&D Centre at Peenya in Bangalore where designers trained in Germany would be working. The centre would locally design and test different parts without having to send them to Europe.

An announcement to this effect was made at a special press conference held in Bangalore for the purpose, which was addressed by Mr. Manfred Wolf, Managing Director, as well as other officials of the MANN+HUMMEL Group and the Indian subsidiary.

Founded in 1941 as an automotive components supplier, the German group has made significant contributions towards developments in filter technology. Today it is also engaged in other branches of industry throughout the world.

In 2008, MANN+HUMMEL achieved a turnover of 1.83 billion Euro. Employing 12,400 people at its 41 locations worldwide, the group that provides optimum service and advice to customers and partners from varied fields of activity is organized into divisions like air filter systems, intake manifold systems, liquid filter systems, and other important modules and components in and around the engine.

The other divisions are filter elements, industrial filters, systems and equipment for the filtration of machining liquids in mechanical production, and chip handling equipment and chip transport systems.

MANN+HUMMEL considers Asia as one of the biggest and important markets, and India plays a major role in it. The group wants to become one of the top five suppliers in its area of business.

Addressing the press conference, Mr. Manfred Wolf said: “MANN+FILTER which is the aftermarket brand of the group will provide a wide range of quality air, oil and fuel filters to meet the current Indian needs and, with forward looking ideas and solutions, its future requirements. MANN+FILTER incorporates state-of-the-art as well as the most up-to-date filter technology, maximises engine performance and reduces fuel consumption”.

While the technology incorporated helps optimum engine protection, the MANN+FILTER media for air filters demonstrate particularly high mechanical stability with the intake air filtered efficiently.

Mr. Wolf also disclosed that MANN+FILTER would soon be launched in south India as well as in Chattisgarh and would subsequently be introduced in the western and northern parts of the country.

Mr. Hans Georg Hummel, Managing Director, MANN+HUMMEL India, observed: “Quality air filters from MANN+FILTER, when replaced regularly, reduce fuel consumption by filtering out dust, soot and even drops of water from the intake air ensuring only clean air gets into the combustion chamber. Increasing engine performance while keeping fuel consumption low calls for plenty of innovation in engine building, which is what we at MANN+HUMMEL focus on”.

MANN+HUMMEL India has been operating from its Tumkur plant near Bangalore for the last three years and has been OE supplier to several automotive and industrial equipment manufacturers in the country. Now the company has launched its high quality filters for the aftermarket sector.

With regard to pricing, Mr. Ajith Raj Nair, Joint Managing Director, MANN+HUMMEL India, said the filter range would be high quality products that are very competitively priced, keeping in view the growing Indian market.

Allison Transmission India sets up customization centre near Chennai

Allison Transmission, Inc. has announced the establishment of a customization centre under contract with Capricorn Logistics Pvt. Ltd. to provide a whole range of logistics services. The facility situated north of Chennai will exclusively cater to the domestic sector in India. Besides local procurement, transmission parts and support equipment for the Indian market will be imported from the Netherlands and the US.

Capricorn Logistics Pvt. Ltd. will manage and provide 3PL services like warehousing, packaging, distribution, logistics and other value-added SCM solutions for this Allison facility.

In addition, Allison Transmission India Pvt. Ltd. is also setting up a manufacturing plant south of Chennai. Construction work on this 100 per cent EOU is in progress.

The company was looking for an integrated logistics service provider with thorough knowledge of local Indian conditions and capacity to deliver high quality services to its customers. It is believed to have found this provider in Capricorn.

Speaking about the association, Mr. Ram S. Amarnath, Managing Director, Allison Transmission India Pvt. Ltd., said: “Allison Transmission has a long-standing relationship with India. In order to service our customers better in India, which is one of our key markets, we are happy to announce the setting up of a customization centre. Allison Transmission acknowledges Capricorn Logistics’ understanding of local conditions and their ability to create quality infrastructure with quality manpower within a short time. We believe that Capricorn will add value to our supply chain by integrating local practices with international ones so that the process is seamless, and Allison Transmission gets the same level of competence here in India as it gets internationally.”

Capricorn also looks forward to mutually beneficial and long-term relations with Allison Transmission India. Mr. Datta Bhonsle, CEO for the Supply Chain Vertical for Capricorn, remarked: “Allison choosing Capricorn as its partner is a matter of great pride for us at Capricorn and also an acknowledgement of the inherent strengths and advantages that Capricorn will provide to MNC companies seeking local competence in the Indian supply chain industry.”

Allison’s association with India goes back more than 40 years when it began serving the country’s mining and oil field industries. In 2007, it established permanent offices in India, operating under the name of Allison Transmission India Pvt. Ltd. to realize growth opportunities in the on-highway market. In recent years, Allison Transmission’s growth in India has been propelled by fitting automatics into low-floor CNG and diesel buses in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Nagpur and other Indian cities. Allison’s major OEM customers include Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, JCBL and Lexia Motors.

Allison’s presence in India solidifies the company’s desire to expand the automatic experience with an unrivalled combination of quality, reliability, durability, vocational value and customer service to the Indian market.

Apollo Tyres emerges No.1 player

Bid to double turnover to Rs. 10,000 crores in two years
The entire automotive and associate industries had a bumpy ride in 2008-09 on account mainly of the fast spreading recession and the attendant industrial slowdown. But, for the Delhi-based Apollo Tyres it was an year of milestones and achievements, with the company attaining the leadership position in the Indian tyre industry. In fact, the company emerged a clear market leader by virtue of its outstanding performance and recording the cumulative annual revenue of Rs. 4,984 crores during the year, taking into account Indian and South African operations. Among the various contributory factors for the company emergence as the market leader is its extra focus on product quality. In fact, Apollo’s net sales continues to grow in double digits despite the demand slowdown.

According to sources in the engineering division, the company is aiming to double the turnover within the next two years to touch the Rs. 10,000-crore mark. The company is also increasing its investment in the new plant coming up at Oragadam in Chennai for production of truck radial tyres, which is expected to commence operation by November next. This is Apollo’s fifth unit in India, the other four being the two units located in Kerala and one each at Baroda and Pune.

Apollo is now reckoned the 11th largest tyre company in the world and has become truly global with the acquistion of three plants in South Africa and one in the Netherlands.

Despite the trying times, the company recorded a net profit after tax of Rs. 1.3 billion (Rs. 139.1 crores), making it the only top Indian tyre manufacturer to have remained profitable throughout each quarter of 2008-09.

While the first six months of the year witnessed skyrocketing raw material prices, the next six months faced a severe demand slowdown across the board, in both domestic and export markets, along with currency volatility.

Many firsts

Apollo Tyres has the distinction of having a number of firsts to its credit. It was the first Indian tyre company to launch exclusive branded outlets -- Apollo Tyre World -- for truck tyres, segment the market on the basis of load and mileage requirements, introduce packaging for car and two-wheeler tyres and tubes, run a customer loyalty programme, introduce radial tyres for the farm category, obtain ISO Certification for all its operations, produce H, V and W-speed rated tubeless tyres, run HIV-AIDS awareness and prevention clinics for the trucking community, support the creation of an Emergency Medical Service in an Indian city, execute an overseas acquisition, and, finally, the first tyre company to reach a revenue of over $1 billion.

Rapid growth and expansion

An analysis of the origin and growth of the company makes an interesting reading. Apollo was registered as a company in 1976 and its first plant commissioned in Perambra in Cochin in 1977. While the second plant was commissioned at Limda in Baroda in 1991, the company acquired Premier Tyres at Kalamassery in Cochin in 1995. The year 2000 witnessed establishment of the exclusive radial capacity at the Limda plant. In 2003, expansion of passenger car radial capacity was to 6,600 tyres/day was completed.

India’s first H-speed rated tubeless passenger car radial tyres was started in 2004, while expansion of the passenger car range to include 4x4 and all-terrain tyres was effected. In 2006, the company acquired Dunlop Tyres International in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and launched DuraTread. This was immediately followed by the launch of India’s first range of ultra-high performance V and W-speed rated tyres.

The year 2007 was most significant for Apollo Tyres, for it was then that the company launched the Regal truck and bus radial tyres, as also the Apollo Tennis Initiative and Mission 2018.