Public transportation to double by 2025

One of the first demonstration vehicles from the European Bus System of the Future (EBSF) research project was recently displayed at the international Mercedes-Benz symposium on future local public transportation. The vehicle, which is based on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro, is used to examine ideas associated with new passenger assistance systems. When the bus nears the stop, for example, special lighting elements show passengers where it is best to get on so that “congestion” is avoided at the doors. And in the interior, appropriate ceiling lights show passengers where seats are currently unoccupied. This reduces the time spent looking for a seat and the distance that needs to be walked through the bus. WLAN, GPS, and 230 volt sockets enable passengers to operate laptops and similar devices in the bus. Regular-service testing of this bus is scheduled to begin in Bremerhaven, Germany, at the end of the year.

EBSF is the biggest road-related transportation project to be funded by the European Commission to date. Its aim is to demonstrate the capabilities of a new generation of urban bus networks. EBSF encompasses a total of seven demonstration projects devoted to topics such as the driver area, energy management, communications, and intermodality. The investigations will be carried out in seven European cities. The International Association of Public Transport (French designation: Union Internationale des Transports Public, UITP) is responsible for the overall technical, financial, and administrative management of the EBSF project.

Innovative concepts are becoming increasingly important for local public transportation, which is striving to deal with the effects of global megatrends such as the growing world population, increasing urbanization, and climate change. According to an UITP forecast, these developments will cause local public transportation to double worldwide. What’s more, research has also discovered a growing potential for local public transportation among the various social groups.

The market research institute SIGMA, for example, has conducted a study which showed that local public transportation in the largest European markets is no longer just used by down market social groups, such as children and the elderly.

On the contrary, contemporary-minded up-market social groups are also using public transport at an above-average rate. In addition, most target groups do not think that passenger cars and local public transportation are mutually incompatible. Instead, the trend among “avant-garde” target groups in big cities is toward a smart mobility mix between individual mobility and local public transportation.

The German Transportation Ministry’s report on mobility in Germany confirms this change in behavior. The figures for 2002 to 2008 show that the mobility systems with the biggest increases were bicycles and local public transportation.

A key feature of future local public transportation will be the networking of different means and facilities of transport, including e-bikes, car-sharing, rail systems, and road transport. Some areas in the world are already building such networks. Buses will play a key role in this development. And that is not only because they already account for over 46 per cent of local public transportation and therefore serve as its backbone. In addition, buses are unbeatable when it comes to safety, environmental compatibility, sustainability, economic efficiency, and flexibility.

Germany’s Federal Environment Agency, for example, has determined that travel coaches consume only 1.4 liters of diesel per person and 100 kilometers on average, which translates into 31 grams of CO2 per person and kilometer. As a result, travel coaches are the undisputed “champions” for low emissions – way ahead of trains, cars, and planes. The situation is similar with regular-service buses in local public transportation.

Resource-conserving drive systems are one of the factors contributing to sustainable mobility, and such systems are already available as standard equipment in buses today or are undergoing testing. They include buses with BlueTec diesel technology, regular-service buses with natural gas engines, diesel hybrid buses, and zero-emission fuel cell hybrid buses. In addition to alternative drive systems, alternative fuels are also being tested for use in buses.

Buses also rate highly with regard to economic efficiency and flexibility. With their wide array of different drive systems, today’s buses already offer transportation advantages from the time the very first vehicle is bought. On the other hand, the same types of buses can be used to create highly efficient transportation systems such as those of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system at one-tenth the cost of rail vehicle networks.

BRT systems consist of one or more separate lanes on which buses travel at frequent intervals. The lanes are fed by several feeder lines. Around 100 bus transportation systems now serve as shining examples of successful transport solutions. They include the networks in Bogotá, Colombia, Nantes, France, and Istanbul, Turkey. About 90 additional BRT projects are currently being planned worldwide. These infrastructure projects create sustainable mobility, generate economic growth, and provide huge benefits with regard to people’s quality of life. These projects also hold large, medium-term business potential for bus manufacturers and suppliers of infrastructure-related systems.

By offering appealing services, comfort, and high quality, such bus transportation systems can attract passengers and help reduce the strain on cities. Three years after the new system was introduced in Istanbul, for example, around 750,000 passengers use the Metrobüs service every day, not least because it takes far less time than traveling through the city in passenger cars.

At the Mercedes-Benz symposium, examples from Germany and the Netherlands also showed how local public transportation companies can boost their business and operating result by offering high quality. In the Netherlands, Qbuzz was able to gain new bus lines and concession contracts, thanks to its effective quality assurance.

Qbuzz focuses its quality assurance efforts on the drivers because they directly represent the company to its customers, the passengers. Another positive feature is the transparency of the Qbuzz organization, which enables clients to gain up-to-the minute information on transport operation and the bus lines – even online. The high quality of Qbuzz is demonstrated by the company’s promises to customers, which range from on-time bus operation to outstanding driver service and a money-back guarantee.
The quality assurance efforts of the German transport company Spillmann focus mainly on the attractiveness and equipment of the vehicles. The overall concept constitutes a philosophy that incorporates the customer before he or she even gets on the bus. The combination of cutting-edge technology and high-quality equipment, as well as of service, customer preference, and complaints management has been so successful that Spillmann, which has one of Germany’s newest local public transportation fleets, is very popular among customers.

Passenger numbers are steadily increasing and vandalism is almost unknown. What’s more, the unique lighting concept and high-quality equipment have led to a high level of customer satisfaction, which has been measurably shown to have generated positive effects. “Torches” in the vehicle interiors, LED lamps, lighting along the floors, entertainment systems, and customer preference management are all investments that have paid off for the transportation company. Bus names like “Metro Lounge” and “City Lounge” already show on the exterior what Spillmann wants public transportation to be for its customers: inviting, relaxing, and appealing.

Comfort and appeal are also key areas that the development of future bus generations is focusing on. This applies to the driver area and the associated visibility as well as to seating comfort, climate control, brightness, and the attractiveness of the passenger compartment. The era of vehicle interiors that are designed solely with functionality in mind will soon be at an end, and modern, attractive and dynamic-looking surfaces will also be introduced into regular-service buses. Just as appealing is the increasing provision of useful information for operators, drivers, and customers alike. Equipping the buses with WLAN and GPS, for example, allows tourists to use their smartphones to find their way around in a big city without requiring anyone’s help. In addition, fleet management systems ensure drivers and operators are always in direct contact and can smoothly share or call up information.

The vehicle safety of regular-service buses will also be steadily enhanced, thanks to features like collision protection and safety cabs for drivers and the introduction of ESP in city buses as well. The development engineers are continuing to forge ahead in the area of sustainability by creating innovative drive systems, fuels, and materials and bringing them to the series-production stage. New development methods ensure from the very start that the quality and reliability of series-production vehicles remains high. The dynamic development of technology for local public transportation clearly shows that the bus still has its real heyday ahead of it even after a history of 115 years.

Making local public transportation sustainable, comfortable, modern, and attractive also depends on the business opportunities, which are determined, for example, by government agencies, transport operators, and, not least, the passengers. Buses are extremely profitable, thanks to a wide variety of factors ranging from their purchase costs and infrastructure demands to their availability, reliability and lifecycle costs. Vehicle manufacturers contribute their bus-specific expertise and continuously enhance the corresponding services, including servicing, full-service contracts, innovative fleet management systems like BusFleet, and driver training courses for improving driving safety and fuel economy.

An examination of the future of local public transportation also has to include considerations regarding the interaction with the customers – young passengers as well as elderly ones. Corresponding ideas were generated at the Mercedes-Benz symposium. According to experts, advanced cell phones will increasingly be used to find appropriate routes and they will also serve as travel tickets. Ticket machines will, in turn, offer more infotainment. After passengers have identified themselves with their cell phones, the system will greet them and display information on their mobility subscription as well as a personalized menu, showing their last destinations and key stops. This range of options will often suffice, since few people change their destinations frequently. After the passenger has selected an item, the system displays a plan of the transit network, recommending various routes to get to his or her destination.

The passenger can view additional information about each route and find out about the stops at which he or she can switch from the bus to a cargo vehicle, for example, or to a rental bicycle. After selecting a particular route, the passenger also has the option of notifying his or her friends on Facebook, Twitter or similar services and networks of the trip. The system then transmits the travel information and a ticket to the passenger’s cell phone and the customer can commence his or her trip.

Tata Hispano Hybrid buses to run in Madrid

Tata Hispano Motors Carrocera SA, Tata Motors’ wholly-owned subsidiary in Spain, has won a prestigious order for supplying 10 CNG Series Hybrid low-floor city buses, to be built on Tata Motors chassis, to EMT Madrid, a Madrid city public transportation company. The buses will be delivered in 2012.

Meant for urban transportation, the Tata Hispano CNG Hybrid is powered with a series hybrid system. For a series hybrid vehicle, the engine is not connected to the driveline. Instead it just runs a generator which charges the battery pack at a steady power. The battery pack provides electrical energy to the motor which in turn generates tractive power. Besides, the engine operates on a constant speed, constant load mode, maximising engine efficiency irrespective of large variation in vehicle speed and frequent stops and starts.

The Tata Hispano CNG Hybrid offers substantial improvement in fuel economy and emissions compared to a conventional bus. As a result, the technology leads to lower emissions, thereby contributing to cleaner air and a greener, more environment-friendly commercial passenger transportation application. The vehicle chassis is capable of being integrated with pure electric mode, CNG micro turbine and hydrogen fuel cell in the future.

The low-floor bus (floor height: 350 mm) is equipped with heater, air-conditioner, wheel chair, baby seat, space for luggage, security cameras, WIFI, electrical ramp, ticketing machine, reverse camera, electronic display board, electrically operated in-swing and out-swing doors and kneeling facility allowing easy entry and exit, reducing halt time and trip lengths. Electronically controlled air suspension (ECAS) and electronic braking provide excellent ride quality, handling and passenger comfort. With high starting & smooth acceleration, and a maximum speed of 70 km per hour, the Tata Hispano Hybrid is an innovative solution for fast and comfortable urban transport in an environment-friendly manner.

Ashok Leyland-RAKIA vehicle factory inaugurated

To roll out AVIA range of trucks

His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah inaugurated the state-of-the-art vehicle factory of Ashok Leyland (UAE) Ltd., a joint venture between Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), at Ras Al Khaimah. The function took place in the distinguished presence of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE, Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer, RAKIA, Mr. Srichand P. Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group, and other dignitaries from the Hinduja Family and senior management of Ashok Leyland.

The facility, which is UAE’s first vehicle factory, was dedicated to the people of RAK by His Highness at another event that closely followed the inauguration, where he also launched the AVIA range trucks manufactured by AVIA Ashok Leyland Ltd., Czech Republic. The vehicles will soon start rolling out from this facility at RAK.

“For the Hinduja Group, this event is an important step in reinforcing our presence in the Middle East”, said Mr. Srichand Hinduja. “The support and co-operation that we have received from His Highness and his Cabinet for getting this factory up and running has been overwhelming and it is our goal to make this a benchmark manufacturing facility in the world,” he added.

Mr. R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, said: “This facility is an important building block in our quest to be a global player. Ashok Leyland has enjoyed a dominant position in the popular bus market of the Gulf region and therefore it was only natural for us to set up a manufacturing base closer to our customers. This facility will not only cater to the growing markets in GCC but also to African and in the event, European markets too.”

“This new facility will be a great fillip to the local economy. It will provide more employment opportunities, world-class vehicles and the ‘Made-in-RAK’ tag will surely find great acceptance in the local markets which will in turn help the economy grow”, said Dr. Khater Massaad.

Set on over 100,000 sq. meters of land with a built up area of 20,000 sq. meters, the vehicle factory is a world-class facility with an initial annual capacity of 2,000 buses and trucks of international quality. There are two separate weld lines that can handle multiple models; a conveyorised paint line consisting of paint booth, baking zone and cooling zone, two conveyorised trim lines, an extremely flexible vehicle assembly line suitable for current and prospective models, supported by modern facilities to test multiple product features.

Capitalising on the built-in flexibility of the manufacturing facilities, the product range is being enlarged, with the production of trucks. In a significant move, the European brand of trucks, currently produced at Prague headquartered AVIA Ashok Leyland Motors, are set to roll out from the Ras Al Khaimah plant. The D-Line series of AVIA trucks will complement Ashok Leyland’s medium and heavy duty trucks, in serving the traditional markets of Africa, UAE and neighbouring regions.

The launch models for the market are the D75-140, a 7.5 tonner powered by a 140 hp engine and the D120-180 (12 tonner, 180 hp engine), with wheel base options. Noted for its stylish aero dynamic contours, its clean, modern lines were designed by European Styling House I.D.E.A and Hawtal Whiting in the UK. Both the cab and chassis designs meet and exceed the most stringent of GCC legislation. The cab qualifies for crash test requirements as per ECE 29-02. AVIA cabs have the unique double zinc steel sheets with full immersion cataphoretic (ED) coating, for unbeatable corrosion protection.

AVIA trucks would be the first in GCC to offer brake systems as per EU standards in the 7.5 tonne category. The well equipped cab is designed for high levels of driver comfort in the sophisticated European market. The menu of features includes air-conditioning, electric windows, adjustable steering wheel and air suspended seat. The cab also has an air filter to purify the air entering the cab.

AFS demonstrates natural gas hybrid bus engine controllers

Alternative Fuel Systems Inc. (AFS) announced that together with its partner Advantek Fuel Systems Pvt. Ltd. (“Advantek”) the company has successfully developed sophisticated engine controller technology that was used in three natural gas hybrid buses manufactured by India’s Ashok Leyland. These “HYBUS” demonstration vehicles were used to provide transportation services for VIP’s at the recent Commonwealth Games held in Delhi. Ashok Leyland is the largest manufacturer of buses in India. They are also a major provider of heavy duty commercial trucks and specialty vehicles.

AFS President and CEO Jim Perry stated: “With Advantek, we were pleased to be contracted by Ashok Leyland to develop engine control hardware and software for their combination compressed natural gas engine / electric drive hybrid bus. The controller incorporates robust and high speed communication software that allows it to exchange information with other bus systems, including the electric drive. In this project, AFS showcased its expertise in design and manufacture of engine control systems for use in the most advanced applications.”

Mr. Perry also added: “Clean burning natural gas provides significant economic and environmental benefits compared to diesel engines. The integration of a hybrid electrical drive with the natural gas engine in these buses is an excellent approach to improve fuel economy. When these types of vehicles become mainstream products, AFS will already have a track record in the leading edge technology required.”

AFS, based in Calgary, Canada, is a leading developer and manufacturer of natural gas vehicle engine controllers and associated components.

VECV’s increased focus on strengthening Eicher’s bus business

Eicher Trucks and Buses, part of VECV, showcased its Rear Engine Semi low-floor (RESLF) city bus at the Auto Expo 2010. The company has been conducting extensive testing of this bus across India in various cities and is planning to officially launch it by March 2011.

Eicher is a relatively new player in the HCV bus segment. The company has very strong presence in the light and medium commercial vehicle segment. Infact, it enjoys strong leadership position in some of the segments.

The RESLF city bus is currently doing trial runs at Indore, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Vashi (Navi Mumbai). The company is planning to induct the city bus in one of the cities in the North for trial runs by February 2010.

Based on the performance of these buses and the feedback received from the city transport corporations, the company has started participating in enquiries and tenders that have been floated by transport corporations recently. Eicher is confident that it will make a significant entry in the city bus market very soon.

Currently the company is offering a Diesel BS III Non AC bus. In 2011 Eicher plans to launch both Diesel & CNG BS IV AC & Non AC variants. The commercial launch of the product will be in March 2011. The RESLF is come with a floor height of 650 mm.

In the Inter-city bus segment, Eicher offers a 20.15 bus chassis based on the HCV platform. It’s a Front Engine Chassis available in BSII and BSIII versions which are now being sold in increasing numbers in both domestic and overseas market and is compatible for all types of bus applications except the air conditioned Intercity coach. The company is also exporting fully built buses on this platform to the Middle East.

In the HCV bus chassis, Eicher offers three variants, 9, 10 and 11.3 meter versions with 5340 and 5840 wheel bases. The company has sold over 250 units of 20.15 buses and bus chassis during the current year 2010.

In the first phase of line extension and consolidation (as regards the HCV Bus Platform) in the year 2011, Eicher plans to introduce its flagship brand Skyline on this platform mainly catering to the requirements of Staff Transportation and Educational Institutions. In the second phase the company is planning to enter the Intercity Luxury Bus Market with a 12 Mtr Chassis. This however will be a year late, likely by 2012.

In the light and medium duty bus segment, Eicher offers a wide range of buses from 12 - 51 Seater in both Chassis & Built Up options. The variants are available in Diesel BS III & BS IV and CNG BS IV options. In the fully built bus segment, Eicher has two very successful brands, the Skyline and Starline. The Skyline, is a highly visible premium brand which was awarded the `LCV Bus of the Year’ Award in 2010. The Starline offers value for money. The company offers Executive as well as School buses in both Brands. Eicher has sold over 5000 buses in the light and medium duty segment in 2010. In 2011, the company is planning to launch the Skyline and Starline with new Wheelbase options and features to offer enhanced comfort and safety as per the bus code of CMVR.

Volvo Buses target $1 billion turnover in India by 2015

Its been less than a decade since Volvo launched its buses in India. With over 3,500 coaches and city buses on road, the name Volvo has become synonymous to luxury travel across the country. Mr. Akash Passey, the person who has been credited with much of this success, is now busy preparing for the next phase of growth for Volvo buses in India.

As many of you would know, Volvo started building buses in partnership with Jaico in 2001. In 2007, Volvo Bus Corporation established an Indian entity with 70:30 equity participation between Volvo and Jaico and set-up an independent bus manufacturing facility at Hoskote near Bangalore. Recently on December 6, Volvo Bus Corporation has acquired the 30 per cent stake from Azad Group.

“Witnessing the growth in the bus industry, we have come to a stage where we need to invest more, to grow more. Within the Volvo Bus Corporation, India is today seen, not just to service the Indian domestic market, but also a home market for Volvo Bus Corporation and therefore we are seriously looking at the opportunities in exports to other markets. Keeping that in mind the Volvo Bus Corporation and Azad Group decided to part ways with mutual consent”, Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India Private Ltd.

With this, Volvo Buses India has become a 100 per cent subsidiary of Volvo Bus Corporation. “It also shows our commitment and the importance given to the Indian market by Volvo Bus Corporation”, Mr. Akash Passey adds.

The company has announced plans for expansion and has set some ambitious growth targets. Mr. Akash Passey says, “In the next five years, we would like to achieve a turnover of $1 billion and sales of 5,000 units per annum. To achieve this, we will increase our manpower strength by 30 per cent over the next two years from the current levels. We will expand our facilities, double the capacity. We are investing more in our facilities as we see that the Indian market has grown and accepted our products well”.

Among the initiatives that Volvo is looking at as part of its expansion in India is a dedicated training facilities for employees, setting-up of customer experience centers across the country and foraying into refurbishment of existing Volvo buses.

Elaborating on each of these, Mr. Akash Passey said: “In the next two years, we will have a Manpower strength of 1,500 to 2,000 people working for the company in India. Hence we are setting up an in-house training to train our own staff. We are also setting five customer experience centers across India in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi. These would be one-stop-shop for getting soft offers, repairs and refurbishing. Another important initiative is foraying into refurbish of existing Volvo buses. With over 3,500 buses on road, some of then are more than 8 to 9 years old, customers are looking for refurbishing services, for both interiors and exterior and even on the drivelines. We will start offering these services by mid-2011”.

Exports

As mentioned earlier, Volvo is looking at its Indian bus plant not just to service the domestic market but to cater to its requirement in other global markets as well. Mr. Akash Passey says: “In the next five years, we would like to have 25 to 30 per cent of our revenues to come from exports. The idea is to get into as many markets as possible, Africa, Middle-East and all the neighboring markets, namely, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh”.

He says: “Its been a great year in terms of exports. We have started deliveries of coaches to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We have sent the first prototypes to South Africa and the customer response has been very positive. The models are very similar to those we sell in India, but the specs are slightly different. In some markets, the customer is looking at interiors which match European standards. So there is a challenge both in terms of marketing and in production. This will help us upgrade the skill levels in the plant to new levels. In 2010, we will end the year with exports of around 20 to 30 buses and for 2011 our target is 80 to 100 buses”.

Volvo has witnessed a very steady growth in the Indian bus business. In 2009, the company sold around 530 buses, which includes both city buses and coaches, and for the current year it hopes to the end the current year with sales of 560 buses. In 2009, the growth was primarily because of the city buses, thanks to the JnNURM order. “In 2010, the coach market has come back, particularly the acceptance for our multi-axle coaches has been very good. In fact, 90 per cent of our key customers, including institutional and private customers, have moved to multi-axle buses”, says Mr. Akash. Although the growth in terms of numbers are from 530 to 560 buses this year, there is much higher increase in turnover due to the increase in sales of multi-axle buses.

Recently, Volvo Buses has received its largest order in India to date, for 100 Volvo 9400XL multi-axle coaches from Vijayanand Road Lines Logistics (VRL). The coaches will be delivered during 2011 and the order is the largest to date in India in terms of order value.

Mr. Akash Passey says: “The India bus market is maturing. When Volvo first entered the bus market, we had a lot of big and small operators who came into this business. Today, operators have realised that you need a particular size and scale of operations to run this business. The 100 multi-axle bus order from VRL clearly indicates the direction in which the market is headed. The coach segment is expect to grow significantly in the coming years and so does the city bus segment”.

In the city segment, Volvo buses are running in over 12 cities with over 1,200 buses on road. Mumbai’s BEST has recently 2 Volvo buses to its fleet. “The way our cities are growing, our Government can’t stay away. JnNURM was an important step to de-congest the traffic in cities and promote public transport. We expect the government to launch the second phase by 2011-12”, adds Mr. Akash Passey.

Volvo recently launched the new Euro 4 compliant city buses and earlier this year launched the CNG version. Currently, field trials are on in Delhi for the city buses which will be complete by May next year and deliveries will started by 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2011.

Volvo had initially invested nearly Rs. 100 crores in setting up of the new bus manufacturing facility. For the current phase of expansion, the company is planning to invest an equal amount over the next couple of years.

VRL order for 100 multi-axle buses

Volvo Buses has received its largest order in India to date, for 100 Volvo 9400XL coaches. The company is also announcing major expansion plans for the coming years.

The company that ordered the 100 triple-axle Volvo 9400XL coaches is Vijayanand Road Lines Logistics (VRL). The coaches will be delivered during 2011 and the order is the largest to date in India in terms of order value.

VRL is the largest transport company in India, with nearly 3,000 buses and trucks. The company purchased its first Volvo bus in 2002 and currently has 48 Volvo buses in its fleet.

“This order reflects the amount by which our confidence has grown in our partnership with Volvo, in the Indian passenger demands and of course in our business, as a corporate brand that provides top notch transport services,” says Mr. Vijay Sankeshwar, VRL Chairman.

During the company’s nearly ten years in India, Volvo Buses has changed the image of bus travel, with its luxurious, safe and efficient buses.

“This is not something we do alone. It is our customers, such as VRL, who are actually affecting this change on the field. These are not bus operators as we know them, but emerging corporate houses backed by a modern, professional and customer-focused approach”, says Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses in India.

The order from VRL arrived at a time when Volvo Buses in India is announcing plans for significant expansion in the coming years. The company expects to double the operation in the plant outside Bangalore in the next two years.

“We see the establishing of key concepts that will drive future progress – long-haul luxury travel is getting segmented with higher demands and the country is clear about its ambition of making public transport a key tool for sustainable cities,” says Mr. Akash Passey.

JCBL draws big plans for expansion

JCBL is a group to watch out for in the next decade. Started as a manufacturer of buses in the 90s, JCBL has today established strong leadership position in the bus segment and has expanded into components and cargo applications. The group has also diversified into automotive dealerships and pharma business. From a turnover of Rs. 20 crores in year 2000, the group will end the current financial year with turnover of Rs. 1000 crores.

The person who has been credited with much of this growth is Mr. Rishi Aggarwal, Managing Director of the JCBL Group. He, along with his Father Mr. Rajinder Aggarwal have taken the group to great heights. Infact, Economic Times has recently conferred the prestigious Business Achiever Award on Mr. Rishi Aggarwal, for being among the best second generation Industrialists This was an outcome of the Economic Times’ year-long study on Industrialists of North, whom in their second generation, have taken up the business to great heights with broader perspectives.

Despite a tough 2008-09 JCBL has emerged stronger thanks to its focus on improving efficiency in each of its businesses. The success of JCBL has been its strong focus on in-house engineering and design capabilities. The group is strengthening each of its core businesses by entering into new joint ventures and stategic partnerships. I spoke to Mr. Rishi Aggarwal on the Group’s strategy for each of the businesses.

Bus and SPV

JCBL offers the most comprehensive range of Buses, Special Application Vehicles, Election Campaign Vans, Display Vans, OB Vans, Radar Calibration Vans, Riot Control Vehicles, Mobile Homes and Offices, Life-Saving Ambulances. In the bus business JCBL will end the year with sales of 4000 buses compared to 2800 last year. The company has capacity to build 6000 buses per annum. JCBL is planning to focus on high-end luxury buses and Special purpose vehicles. JCBL continues to strengthen its presence in the inter-city luxury bus segment, working closely with the STUs in Punjab, Gujarat, Maharastra and other states.

The company is working with OEMs on special application products such as Ambulances, bullet proof vehicles and Mobile homes.

During the current year JCBL has executed a prestigious product for United Nations Development Program. The company has delivered 32 Mobile Blood Bank units customized and built on Cerita chassis.

Strengthening Cerita

Cerita is JCBL’s top of the line, luxury brand in the inter-city and city bus segment. It was a bold entry into the integral coach segment for the group. In the last few years, Cerita has managed carve a niche for itself in the inter-city luxury and city bus segment. BEST, Mumbai is one of the major customers of Cerita with over 300 city buses on-road. To further strengthen the Cerita brand, the company is now setting-up an extensive service network across India. “Within the next 18 months, we will establish workshops in 9 locations across India. We will launch a completely new range of buses from Cerita Stable in 2011 including the Euro 4 city buses. We expect the first 3 locations to come up by March 2011”, adds Mr. Rishi Aggarwal.

The Cerita range of buses have also been indigenized to a large extent. Cummins engines are supplied locally, transmissions from Allison are again supplied locally.

In the last few years, JCBL has been taking a deliberate effort to strengthen its business in the Southern part of India. As part of this effort, JCBL set-up a joint venture with Marrel for manufacturing tipper bodies in Oragadam near Chennai.

JCBL-Mithra JV

To further strengthen its position in the Southern bus market, JCBL has entered into a joint venture with the Mithra Group of Andhra Pradesh for building buses. The 50:50 joint venture between JCBL and Mithra is setting up a manufacturing facility in Vijayawada on a 20 acre plot of land at an investment of Rs. 25 crores to manufacture 2000 buses per annum. Initially buses will be sent as SKDs from the JCBL plant in the North and will be assembled in Vijayawada. Over a period of time, the new plant will start full-fledged manufacturing on its own.

The JCBL Mithra JV will cater to the requirements of transport corporations in the South, School, College and institutional bus segment.

Mr. Rishi Aggarwal says, “It’s the start of a new phase in the history of JCBL with the expansion in south. Mithra is a trusted partner to work with. We found lot of synergies with the Mithra Group in terms of the business philosophy and process approach”.

Components

Whats interesting to see is the way the company has transformed from a pure bus manufacturer, to a complete solution provider. Today, JCBL Group has in-house capabilities to manufacture most of the important components that go into a bus, starting from seats, FRPs, interior systems, air conditioning systems, locks and other coach components.

Component has become an important part of JCBL’s overall business. The component business has been consolidated under the MSL brand. The company’s initial foray into the component business was in manufacturing seating systems. Today, MSL has 3 business units - Seating systems, FRPs and Interior components. Mr. Rishi Aggarwal says, “Our component strategy has worked well for the group. Next year our component business alone would cross Rs. 100 crores in turnover”.

In the seating systems, MSL is the second largest manufacturer of seats in India. The company offers a wide range of seats for all applications and these have been approved by ARAI. MSL supplies seats to all the leading OEMs like Swaraj Mazda Ltd., Tata Motors Ltd., Ashok Leyland and leading bus body builders and luxury bus operators in the country. MSL caters to leading STUs like the Gujarat State Transport Corporation, Maharashtra State Transport Corporation, Himachal Roadways, Rajasthan State Transport Corporation, PEPSU Road Transport Corporation, Chandigarh Transport Undertaking and BEST Mumbai.

MSL had also established a joint venture with GHE Group for bus components and interiors. MSL is today a leading supplier of locks, hat racks, roof hatches, roller blinds and other accessories for all major bus manufacturers.

Haiger Refrigeration (P) Limited, part of the JCBL Group, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of bus air conditioning systems. Haiger offers cost–efficient air conditioning systems for the bus industry in India. The company is planning to set-up a modern state-of-the-art facility for bus air conditioning systems.

MSL – Stratiforme JV

MSL has recently set-up a joint venture with Stratiforme Industries of France, a leading manufacturers of Railway Composites in Europe. The new joint venture company has established a world class fiber glass manufacturing facility. The 51:49 JV between MSL and Stratiforme will cater to part of requirements of Stratiforme in Europe and will also supply to companies like Alsthom and Bombardier in India. This is JV will significantly enhance the groups capabilities in fibre glass manufacturing. Bus is an important segment to focus for the MSL-Startiforme JV. The JV has invested Rs. 15 crores in a world class facility.

JCBL Marrel

An important diversification for JCBL was in the area of cargo applications, particularly tippers and tip-trailers. JCBL set-up a joint venture with French major Marrel for manufacturing tipper bodies. The manufacturing facility was established in Oragadam, the new industrial suburb in Chennai. JCBL Marrel initially started supplying tipper bodies to Volvo India and today, it is working with most of the truck manufacturers. “We have a strong order order book for the next 3 months”, says Mr. Rishi Aggarwal. By 2013 we expect substantial volumes in JCBL Marrel.

JCBL is clearly strengthening each of its business units and preparing itself for the next phase of growth. “In our 2nd phase of expansion, we have drawn some big plans for both for cargo and passenger segment. We are setting-up a world class facility in Chennai adjacent to the JCBL Marrel plant. We want to leverage on our capabilities and capture markets across India”.

S.M.Kannappa Automobiles launches the all new ‘Prakash P.8000 - Z1 BMR’

S.M.Kannappa Automobiles Private limited is a pioneer in the field of Bus body building. With over four decades of experience in bus manufacturing, the company has established a very strong presence across India. The flagship brand Prakash is undoubtedly the leading marque in the luxury bus segment. The company has constantly developed new designs to excite the customers.

S.M.K has launched the all new ‘Prakash P.8000-Z1 BMR’ Super luxury Inter-city bus. The bus built on an Ashok Leyland 12 meter air suspension chassis with 205 HP engine. The first couple of units have been delivered to one of their prestigious customer from Tamilnadu and there is further order for another 50 units from private fleet operators in Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Kerala and Maharastra, says Mr. V.Radhakrishnan, Director, S. M. Kannappa Automobiles Private Limited.

The new model, P.8000-Z1 BMR, has been developed over 2 years of intensive design and development effort by the engineers at S.M.Kannappa. A lot of thought has gone into the safety and convenience aspect for the travellers as also on the aesthetics of the bus. The bus model has been analysed and certified by CIRT for FEA Roll-over test.

The bus has an Aerodynamic design with a much differentiated rear design, as seen in the pictures. It comes with nearly 11.5 cu.m of luggage storage space, with the lifting door designed in a convenient manner. The rear LED lighting design is the highlight of the bus making it look very contemporary and stylish.

In the interior, it’s environment friendly and also comfortable seating systems. The P.8000-Z1 BMR has spacious hat-racks with attractive AC louvers for storing hand baggage. It comes with an elegant dash board. A lot of importance has been given to the Driver comfort with spaciously designed crew cabin with good artistic seats; upholstery and convenient berth for the co-driver which will make the crews feel more comfortable. The overall fit and finish of the driver cabin is far superior. LED lightings in the interior reduces overall power consumption and provide much better Pleasing illumination.

An interesting safety cum convenience feature is the exit door in the front on both passenger and the driver side. The Driver door can double-up as an emergency door as well. The model which has been launched is an AC version and the non-AC version will be launched soon, says Mr. V.Radhakrishnan.

Overall, the business prospects of the company looks good, targeting to make 1200 buses this year compared to 926 last year.

Luxuria - Business class travel on wheels

For all those who feel bus travel is monotonous, tiring and time consuming, here is an experience that will blow your mind-off. Luxuria, the new name for luxury bus travel in India. The pictures that you see here are good enough to let you know what this experience is. Simply put, its business class experience, on road. In fact, the experience is far superior than a business class in an aircraft.

Launched by the Blue Hill Group, promoters of the ‘Nilgiris Supermarket Chain’, the Luxuria is a first of its kind premium, super-luxury intercity bus service. The bus has been built on a multi-axle Volvo platform and designed by the Ace automobile designer Mr. Dilip Chhabria.

Mr. Prabhu Ramachandran, Director, Blue Hill Group, said: “Luxuria is a novel concept for travel in India. We believe that there is a major need gap for luxury surface travel connecting the main cities of the country. India now has an upwardly mobile population who is our major target audience. We believe that we have the first mover advantage in this category and in the next three years we plan to expand our services to other major cities in the country.”

He further added: “Nilgiris Supermarket Chain was the first self-service supermarket in India and pioneered the concept of retail shopping experience in the country. Luxuria, we believe will be a true trend setter in travel in India. The designs of the buses are a true embodiment of style by Dilip Chhabria and will become a benchmark in travel”.

Luxuria is a 21 seater luxury coach built on a multi-axle Volvo chassis which normally comes with 53 seats. So you can just imagine the space around each seat. It comes with a high-grade leather reclining seats with electronically operated calf support. The bus offers entertainment on board with individual drop-down screens for each seat, which plays movies and music on demand, plus all the TV channels that you normally watch at home. Added to this is internet connectivity. The entire bus is wi-fi enabled which makes it very convenient for business travellers.

An important issue for bus travellers is availability of good food enroute. We still don’t have well-developed restaurants on the highways in India. On-board Luxuria, you are very served good, hygienic food. The bus also comes with other features like toilets, refrigerator and microwave. Lastly, there is even an in-bus magazine, like an in-flight magazine.

The Blue Hill Group has initially invested Rs. 30 crores for 12 buses and the plan is to invest Rs. 450 crores in the next seven years with a fleet size of 250 buses.

According to Mr. Pankaj Rampal, COO, Blue Hill Logistics P. Ltd.: “These ultra-luxury buses are targeted at air travellers. The buses are designed to give business class and first class luxury and comforts at far lower prices.

Luxuria has been initially launched in the Bangalore – Chennai – Bangalore sector and the group is planning to launch similar service across India, particularly for shorter routes where the travel time is not more than 6 to 7 hours.

Luxuria, has opened a new chapter in luxury bus travel. The cost of travel from Bangalore to Chennai is Rs. 1,800, which is half the cost of air travel and three times the cost of a ticket on a regular Volvo service. I tried online for the tickets and was pleasantly surprised to see the buses running full. It clearly shows there is a demand for such service and travellers are prepared to pay the price for a comfortable and luxurious experience.

Techno Automotive establishes bus manufacturing facility in Chennai

Techno Automotive is a new entrant in the Indian bus manufacturing industry. The company has set-up a modern bus body building facility in Oragadom, the new industrial hub in the outskirts of Chennai. Techno Automotive Engineeers Private Ltd. has been promoted by Mr. Aneez, a first generation entrepreneur.

Chennai, home for Ashok Leyland and a major market for buses, cannot boast of many good quality bus body builders. Most of the bus manufacturers are based out of Bangalore and Karur. Identifying an opportunity, Mr. Aneez decided to set up the facility in Chennai. Also Oragadom will be home for Daimler’s commercial vehicle manufacturing facility which will roll-out vehicles by 2012.

Work started on setting up this unit in April 2010 and in a very short span of time, the first luxury bus rolled out by November 2010. Mr. Aneez, with his roots in Kerala, is targeting the luxury bus market in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The new plant has been established at an investment of Rs. 5 crores, on a 3.8 acre plot of land with an initial capacity to build 25 buses per month. Techno Automotive has in-house capabilities for design, fabrication and manufacturing all types of buses. The entire facility has been built as per CIRT specifications. Currently Techno Automotive has a team of 100 people. The first bus launched is Elegante, a 49 seater luxury bus. The company is planning to expand the product range in the medium and heavy duty bus segment. It is targeting to sell 50 buses by March 2011.

Superbus, a new concept in public transport

Superbus is a new concept of public transport, invented by the Dutch first astronaut Prof. Wubbo Ockels of the Delft University of Technology, combining high speed travel with the flexibility of a road vehicle.

Superbus is as long and wide as a normal bus, but has much lower ground clearance. The structure and body is made of carbon. The aerodynamic shape makes Superbus highly efficient. The electrical vehicle uses at 250 km/h as much energy as a normal bus at 100 km/h. The 23 passengers have a spacious environment with luxury seats, like they drive in an extended limo-sports car. 16 wing doors allow easy access with minimal interference of other passengers.

Superbus service is on demand. Passengers will announce their travel desire via sms or internet. Superbus will group those that want to travel form roughly the same location to roughly the same destination. Superbus can drive on normal roads and roundabouts. Adjacent to the autobahn a special superbus tracks allows for the high speed ride of Superbus. Each 20 km Superbus can switch form and to the normal autobahn lane at a dynamic separation.

The Superbus batteries will give a range of 200 km and will be swapped when empty with full ones using a ‘pit stop’ Superbus performance and potential was studied by the Ministry of Transport in the Netherlands and was compared with High Speed Train and with the Magnetic Levitation Train.

Superbus turned out to be superior on each of the four criteria: passenger attraction, environmental impact, cost of infrastructure and potential profit of the business case. This was the reason that the Ministry gave the funding to the University to design and build a experimental prototype.

Dr. Antonia Terzi, former Chief Aerodynamicist of BMW-Williams F1 was the Chief Vehicle Designer. It took three years from first idea to the present launch and first test ride.

Mercedes-Benz inaugurates service facility for buses in Northern India

Mercedes-Benz India recently inaugurated the first state-of-the-art authorized service center for buses in Northern India – PMG Automobiles Pvt. Ltd. near Chandigarh. The facility was inaugurated by Mr. Devdutta Chandavarkar, Director, After Sales, Mercedes-Benz India, and Mr. Mohit Pratap Singh, Principal owner, PMG Automobiles Private Ltd.

Located at Panchkula, close to Chandigarh, the service station especially set up for catering to Mercedes-Benz buses – both two and multi-axle, embodies all the brand attributes of Mercedes-Benz, at par with global standards. Spread over a sprawling area of 30,000 sq.ft. with a team of highly trained personnel, the workshop reflects an initial investment of INR 30+ lakhs in its establishment including the infrastructure, machinery and tools.

This service station has the capacity to service two buses daily ensuring on time service and maintenance support to the customers in Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and other neighbouring areas. Additionally the service station offers a broad suite of functionalities such as body & paint repair, wheel alignment, etc. The technical support staff from the service station has undergone extensive training by Mercedes-Benz to cater to diverse customer requirements and ensuring high quality delivery.

On the inauguration of the service station, Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said: “After-sales service constitutes a substantial component in the customer’s ownership experience and drives brand loyalty significantly. Our customers appreciate that they can get the latest and the best from the Mercedes-Benz stable, backed by the most extensive after-sales service network as compared to any other luxury player in India. Continuing to extend a similar expertise to our commercial vehicles segment, this new service station will be the first to cater to our crucial North Indian markets, comprising Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and other adjoining cities.”

Dr. Aulbur further added: “It is our constant endeavour to work with people who share the same passion and commitment towards the customers: our association with PMG Automobiles is a testimony to that commitment and a step towards establishing a world-class ownership experience for our customers of Chandigarh as well as other adjoining cities.”

The market for high-end city buses is lucrative. It is estimated at an approximately 500 units per annum and expected to grow by 20 per cent each year. Mercedes-Benz India sees a potential in this niche market and as such plans to offer with solutions that are been successfully operated in similar operating conditions in other parts of the world. With the overwhelming response received for the two and multi-axle buses both from Government organizations as well as private fleet operators, setting up of after-sales service station is the naturally the next step forward towards ensuring smooth world class after-sales service experience.

Commenting about the new venture, Mr. Mohit Pratp Singh, Principal owner, PMG Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., stated: “We are proud to begin our association with a prestigious brand like Mercedes-Benz. With the strong support of our qualified and trained professionals, we at PMG Automobiles will put in every effort to provide customers with an unmatched after-sales service backup and delivery for years to come. Chandigarh has emerged as strong luxury market and we realize that there is significant potential not just from Chandigarh but also from the adjoining cities. Our focus will be to reach out to the existing and potential customers in a step-by-step manner.”

The company has an extensive network of with its presence in 27 cities with 57 touch points, which is the largest as compared to any luxury player in India.

Ashok Leyland bags 600-vehicle order from VRL Logistics

Ashok Leyland has bagged an order for 600 vehicles from VRL Logistics that comprise 500 numbers of 3123 Multi-Axle Vehicle (MAV) in the 8x2 configuration, a newly developed, first of its kind for the Indian commercial vehicle industry, along with 100 nos. of the company’s 12-metre buses. The order is cumulatively worth in excess of Rs. 125 crores, deliveries against which are expected to commence in a month’s time.

“Our entire business strategy revolves around a deeper understanding of our customers’ requirements and pain points to develop transport solutions that best meet their needs,” explained Mr. R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland.

“A case in point is the 3123 (8x2) MAV that we have collaboratively developed with VRL, customized to suit their specific load-carrying requirements as India’s leading logistics company. The 3123 (8x2) is unique for it is the first time that a CRS engine is being offered on a vehicle platform in India. It is the only 31-tonner in the country with a 230 hp engine and its 30.5 feet load span makes it ideal to meet VRL’s requirement of weight and volume combination,” he added.

The 3123 (8x2) offers a higher rated payload and its 230 hp engine promises faster turnaround time that will together ensure higher productivity for its users. Ashok Leyland has been primarily responsible for creating the 31-tonne segment which is fast gaining acceptance across the country owing to the superior operating economics and better turnaround time that these trucks are able to deliver.

The 12-metre buses are also customized to meet VRL’s requirements and will be powered by 225 hp (BS III) CRS engines. These 600 vehicles will be inducted into VRL’s fleet, 80 per cent of which are Ashok Leyland vehicles.

Mr. Vijay Sankeshwar, Chairman, VRL Logistics, said: “VRL has grown from a single truck company in 1976 to a leading logistics enterprise with a fleet of 2,691 vehicles, a 12,000+ strong team and operations spread across 911 branches covering 2,629 locations. Our growth has resulted both by constantly improving our internal efficiencies and, at the same time, drawing innovative product ideas and support from our partners, like Ashok Leyland, to create new product segments and drive growth for both partners.”

Elaborating on Ashok Leyland’s over three-decade-long relationship with VRL Logistics, Mr. Seshasayee added: “VRL has been a tough yet discerning customer to serve; they are a benchmark in terms of operations and maintenance. Our association has been a long and fruitful one and we are particularly proud to have been a part of their growth over the years.”

VRL Logistics’ association with Ashok Leyland goes beyond just vehicles to include areas like driver training, maintenance support and ‘Leyparts’ stocking facilities.

Among the many achievements of VRL is that they have been listed in the LIMCA Book of Records as the largest fleet operator in the private sector, and have also won the best logistics provider for both the retail and FMCG sectors in 2009 by Frost & Sullivan Annual Logistics Benchmarking Award.

Mr. Seshasayee also inaugurated the new facility of Bellad Ashok Leyland in Hubli recently. Spread across over 80,000 sq.ft., of which 20,000 sq.ft. is built-up area, this facility has a 10-bay workshop and the unique auto loop dispensing system, seen for the first time in servicing of commercial vehicles.

Aftek offers IT solutions for public transportation and logistics sector

Aftek – the IT solution providers for public transportation and logistics sector have now come out with a completed framework called as the Aftek Transportation Framework (ATF). AFT offers various transportation services under one complete framework.

ATF is advantageous for transport organizations and independent fleet operators alike, who are seeking expertise for deploying ITS, either partially or fully. ATF offers highly customizable and cost-effect IT solutions for public transportation and logistics sector. It also enables seamless exchange of information between all the concerned business entities.

Designed for scalability and future growth, the main components of ATF are depot manager, bus tracking system, passenger information system, automatic fare collection, smartcard management and driver console unit. Being highly configurable, these components can be easily integrated with third party devices and can also be customized to fulfill JnNURM compliance requirements. For convenience, access to all the framework components is offered by means of a unified portal application.

Eberspaecher Suetrak’s Indian headquarters at Bangalore

Eberspaecher Suetrak Bus Climate Control Systems India Pvt. Ltd. (ESI), part of the Eberspaecher Group worldwide, has established its Indian headquarters in Bangalore. The new location, which will be operational from January 2011, will house the production and admin departments. The new plant will provide local source of supply to meet the demand for bus climate control systems in the rapidly expanding Indian market.

Eberspaecher ranks amongst the leading system developers and suppliers of exhaust technology, vehicle heating and bus air-conditioning systems worldwide and is also involved in vehicle electronics and automotive bus systems for electronic networking in the vehicles. Its customers include almost all European and North American, and increasingly more Asian manufacturers of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In 2009, the group, with approximately 5,300 employees, posted sales of over 1.3 billion Euros.

In Bangalore, Eberspaecher Suetrak will be producing roof AC units as well as split AC units, offering Indian customers a full range of bus air-conditioning systems. The country being one of the world’s fasting growing markets for bus AC systems, this new facility in Southern India is of strategic importance for the company. “Our products make us leaders in the market for bus climate control systems in India. Our objective is to steadily grow our market share in the country over the coming years,” explains Joachim Tosstorff, General Manager of Eberspaecher Suetrak.

“Many of our customers and suppliers as well are based in Southern India. By relocating our Indian headquarters we can now be a competent and strong local partner offering top quality and service for optimum convenience and all types of bus AC systems,” adds Mr. Kanwal Preet Singh, Director of Eberspaecher Suetrak Bus Climate Control Systems India Pvt. Ltd. Apart from production and sales, the company will be offering servicing and repairs, technical advice and training for customers.

The company’s 50 employees in India will be supported by Eberspaecher Suetrak’s German head office in Renningen. The German HQ has worked closely together with its Indian colleagues right from the planning stage, and has supported them in both the process as a whole and in the transfer of knowledge for the new production site.

In June 2010 the Eberspaecher Group acquired the Indian bus AC business from Carrier Corp. (USA) with its head office at Gurgaon. The move positions Eberspaecher Suetrak as a one-stop shop for heating and cooling in the Indian bus market.

Eaton delivers first hybrid power systems for buses in India

Eaton Corporation, a leader in the development of hybrid power systems for commercial trucks and buses, today announced that customers of its hybrid systems have collectively accumulated more than 160 million kilometers of service, reducing fuel consumption by 15 million liters of diesel fuel and harmful emissions by 40,000 metric tons.

Most recently, Eaton introduced its hybrid electric system into the Indian city bus market with debut on the Tata Motors electric hybrid Starbuses used for transporting special foreign delegates during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Tata Motors jointly operated these four buses with the Delhi Transport Corporation on specific routes during the games.

Worldwide, more than 4,500 of Eaton’s hybrid systems are in use today on city buses, school buses, package delivery trucks, beverage delivery trucks, refrigerated delivery trucks, refuse and recycling trucks, utility vehicles and other commercial applications. Eaton has also begun offering a complete line of electric vehicle charging systems to further reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions.

“Tata is an innovative leader in the Indian bus market and is making important progress in reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Krishnakumar Srinivasan, managing director – Eaton Truck Division in India. “Eaton is well positioned to deliver effective power management technologies that help our customers control costs and reduce their energy requirements. Hybrid-powered buses have the potential to impact environmental sustainability in a very big way. We’ve seen many positive results from customers in North America, Europe and Asia, and we hope that today’s debut will lead to greater acceptance of hybrid technology throughout all of India.”

Eaton worked with Tata to specially design the system for buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The hybrid system combines a 5.9 litre Cummins CNG engine rated at 172 kilowatt (230HP) with an electric motor that has a peak power output of 44 kilowatt. Eaton matches the system to an automated six-speed Eaton transmission and stores energy in four lithium-ion batteries that are mounted under the seats. Additionally, Eaton equips the buses with its unique start-stop technology that automatically switches off the engine when the bus is stationary and turns it back on when power is needed. This system dramatically reduces emissions, especially at bus stops.

Eaton offers the world’s most complete line-up of hybrid systems for commercial vehicle applications and the charging and networked charging infrastructure for commercial and residential applications. Eaton hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hybrid hydraulic power systems are available or in development on truck models including Crane Carrier Corporation, DAF, Daimler, Freightliner, Ford, International, Iveco, Kenworth, and Peterbilt and on bus models from BCI, Foton, Heng Tong, JNP, King Long, Shen Long, Solaris, Tata, YoungMan, Yutong and Zhongtong.

Benefits of the Eaton hybrid systems include fuel savings up to 35 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions, extended brake life and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent during work site operations which helps customers to significantly reduce their operating costs.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.

Omnitek Engineering appoints master distributor in India

Omnitek Engineering Corporation announced appointment of Energy Infra as a master distributor for the company’s products in India, with a particular focus on diesel-to-natural gas conversion kit sales for truck, bus and power generator applications.

Omnitek also said it will work with Energy Infra to develop programs to convert a variety of engine models commonly used in India, utilizing Energy Infra’s facilities as technical training centers for sub-dealers located throughout the country.

“Converting high-polluting diesel powered engines to operate on natural gas provides an effective and economical solution to operating power generators, trucks and buses at significantly less expense than purchasing new natural gas engines. Our distribution agreement with Energy Infra will greatly enhance Omnitek’s presence in a market with enormous growth potential,” said Werner Funk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Omnitek Engineering Corporation.

He noted that Energy Infra has established relationships with numerous government agencies, businesses and automotive companies in India that are committed to converting to natural gas from other more costly and less environment-friendly fuels.

Funk added that power outages in India are a common occurrence, impacting commercial and residential customers. “The build-out of a natural gas pipeline network throughout India, a plentiful supply of natural gas and an engine conversion return on investment of less than one year combined with an estimated savings of up to 70 per cent compared with diesel fuel usage, are compelling incentives to convert to natural gas powered-generators to address electricity shortages and power outages,” Funk said.

He noted that there are an estimated 935,000 natural gas vehicles currently operating in India, primarily city buses, three-wheelers and taxis. Funk added that the Indian Government has identified 250 cities for its natural gas distribution build-out program during the next three- to five-year period. “This clearly bodes well for long-term opportunities for Omnitek in India,” Funk said.

ArvinMeritor to expand its aftermarket presence in India

Aftermarket is an important part of ArvinMeritor’s global business. Of the total turnover of $4.5 billion, aftermarket accounts for close to $1 billion, which is nearly 20 per cent of the total turnover. Globally ArvinMeritor’s aftermarket & trailer segment supplies axles, brakes, drivelines, suspension parts, and other replacement and remanufactured parts including transmissions to commercial vehicle aftermarket customers. This segment also supplies various undercarriage products and systems for trailer applications. The company has a number of industry leading brand names in the aftermarket such as Meritor in all global markets, Euclid, Meritor, WABCO, Mascot Truck Parts in North America; Trucktechnic and Remanufactured Parts in Europe; Meritor in South America and Euclid and Gabriel in Asia Pacific.

The ArvinMeritor Group has been in India for over three decades through its partnership with Bharat Forge. But the company has very limited aftermarket presence in India. To increase its presence in the aftermarket, the company has recently appointed Mr. Maninder Nanda as Director - Commercial Vehicles Aftermarket (CVA) at Arvin Meritor, India.

Mr. Nanda says: “As the global focus on aftermarket is growing we have a big opportunity in India to harness the Meritor brand and develop our business. We have a presence in the Indian market with our products for more than 25 years. About 700,000 Meritor axles are already on Indian roads. But we haven’t explored the opportunity in the aftermarket and hence, we are now building our presence in the Indian aftermarket”.

Currently, ArvinMeritor’s aftermarket presence is only for axle parts and some of the other captive components they produce. The distribution is mostly through OE spares. The company is now creating an independent Meritor brand and distribution network with sales team across India.

“We have hired about six people now and developing a complete distribution network for Meritor. We are setting up a huge warehouse in Pune to meet customer requirements. The warehouse will be of Meritor standards”, Mr. Nanda adds.

Increasing product portfolio

As mentioned earlier, globally ArvinMeritor’s aftermarket & trailer segment supplies axles, brakes, drivelines, suspension parts, and other replacement and remanufactured parts including transmissions to commercial vehicle aftermarket customer. Mr. Nanda says: “The growth strategy for India is to increase the product portfolio by offering axle parts, gear components, gear rings for all makes. Brake parts will be an important area of focus”.

Another important segment is driveline axle products, in which the company will have growth through 700,000 axles already on road. The company is also looking at opportunities in trailer axles. “Currently we are present in this segment in India in a small way but we are looking at entering this business in a big way. In the US, 80 per cent of the trucks have a trailer combination but in India it is just 10 per cent. We will see a big shift in the market in the coming years with the development of roads and improved movement of good traffic, which will result in a big market for trailer axles in India”, said Mr. Nanda.

“In India, as per the current estimates the trailer segment is expected to touch volumes of 100,000 units by 2013-14 from the current levels of 25,000 to 30,000 units. On an average of two to three axles in every trailer, there is a big market opening up for trailer axles in India. Currently there are a very few organized manufacturers in this segment. Meritor has a very strong brand in axle, both globally and in India, and we will leverage on our brand strength in trailer axles as well. This will be an important growth vertical in India for the Meritor brand and we expect to launch the products by mid-2011”, added Mr. Nanda.

Driveline components is another part of Meritor’s business globally. The company has close to 40 per cent share of OEMs in the drive lines business in North America. “In India, we are still not into the driveline business for components like prop-shafts and other critical component. Our plan is to get into the prop shaft and component business, to start with in the aftermarket. We have the designs, products and capabilities and we see a very big market for driveline components. Here again there very few players in the organized segment for driveline components in India. Currently, just 50 per cent of the driveline components come from organized sector”, says Mr. Nanda.

Remanufacturing

ArvinMeritor has set an ambitious growth target of growing multifold in the aftermarket business in India. Currently the aftermarket contributes to just five per cent of the total business. “Our concept of aftermarket business revolves around the lifecycle of the vehicle. We have products and solutions to offer across the lifecycle of the vehicle starting from the first owner of a new vehicle to the third owner of the same truck 8 to 10 years later. Each customer has a different requirement”.

Remanufacturing is another important part of ArvinMeritor’s aftermarket strategy and Mr. Nanda sees a big opportunity for remanufacturing in India as well. “We have brake remanufacturing centers in Canada and the US where we do about 250,000 brake shoe remanufacturing every month. In the US, we do remanufacturing of transmissions, automatic and manual, all makes. The quality we offer is something the unorganized sector can never match up to. We are very excited about the opportunity in the Indian aftermarket for remanufacturing”, Mr. Nanda adds.

Sales & distribution network

ArvinMeritor is setting up a centralized warehouse in Pune. This will be a warehouse and distribution center, with procurement and quality control team. The company is planning appoint distributors across India in the next six months. ArvinMeritor is also planning to have a Global Aftermarket Engineering team based out of Bangalore.

Mr. Nanda said: “We will use our technological expertise to serve our customers with good quality components. As we develop our Indian aftermarket presence, we will also have the opportunity of supplying from India to Meritor’s aftermarket business globally.