Ashok Leyland-Nissan joint venture on track

LCV launch by mid-2011

Ashok Leyland and Nissan Motor Company have announced that their joint venture to manufacture and market a whole range of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) is proceeding on schedule and that the first set of three new products will start rolling out from mid-2011. Of these, two will be manufactured at Ashok Leyland’s facilities in Hosur, while the third will roll out of the production lines at the Nissan plant at Oragadam near Chennai.

Addressing the media in Chennai, Dr. Andy Palmer, Senior Vice-President, Nissan Motor Company and Chairman, Ashok Leyland Nissan Vehicles Ltd., said: “The JV is moving forward at full throttle now although we had been forced to slow down a bit during the recessionary phase last year. The Indian LCV segment has witnessed very robust growth over the past decade, and by joining our complementary forces we have created synergies to launch our products for this market on schedule – just three years after the formation of the JV.”

Dr. V. Sumantran, Executive Vice Chairman, Hinduja Automotive Ltd., and Chairman, Nissan Ashok Leyland Powertrain Ltd., said: “Within this JV, we have endeavoured to utilize our learnings relative to customer and market needs and taking forward the best Indian traditions of Indian frugal enterprise. The JV benefits from blending these factors together with Nissan’s long heritage of top-class engineering and quality orientation. We have closely observed changes in market dynamics, the greater role for intra-city and last mile goods distribution and rapidly evolving customer expectations. We feel our products, born out of the JV’s cost conscious quality orientation, coupled with the substantial advancement of product technologies, will help us deliver very competitive value to our customers.”

The flagship offering from this stable will be the contemporary F24 platform that will feature trucks and buses in the 5-7.5 tonne GVW range. These vehicles will be powered by an efficient, proven 3-litre, 4-cylinder Common Rail Diesel engine which would be BS-III and BS-IV compliant. The partners have emphasized that they are on course with their plans, which in phase I would see production emerge from Hosur and Oragadam. They also expect to execute phase II in which they will set up a dedicated plant for the JV. The overall scale of the enterprise has seen no change and, in fact, both parent companies have been in discussion for potential future product extensions. The joint venture, Mr. Palmer said, had planned an initial capacity of 1.50 lakh units for LCVs.

The partners have also clarified that they will continue with their original plan of bringing their range of vehicles to the market leveraging the Ashok Leyland and Nissan brands through their respective dealer networks. Likewise, the JV continues to examine certain specific export markets, in addition to the Indian market.

The JV will offer Japanese quality products at Indian costs, added Mr. Sumantran.

Mahindra Navistar revolutionising Indian truck industry

Addressing the elite gathering during the unveiling of the Mahindra Navistar new range of trucks, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group, observed that the company has taken a bold initiative by launching the world class trucks into the Indian market by joining hands with the renowned Navistar of the US. With this launch, M&M has been able to cover the entire gamut of the mobility segment in India.

Since India enjoys several advantages like its resilient economy and emergence as a most ideal investment location in the world, next to China, M&M is very confident that the new generation Navistar trucks would also be as successful as similar products launched by it earlier.
“This launch is a major step towards fulfilment of the commitment we made in 2005 to develop into a full-line commercial vehicle manufacturer. Mahindra’s strong R&D capabilities, coupled with Navistar’s extensive experience in the trucking business, will make MNAL a force to reckon with in the Indian commercial vehicle industry,” he added.

Mr. Anand Mahindra also commented: “With the addition of the MN 49 and MN 40 to its product portfolio, Mahindra Navistar is now well poised to cater to a wide spectrum of requirements of the Indian HCV industry. This product line-up makes us a credible player in the commercial vehicle segment.

Mr. Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, in his special address on the occasion, said his company which has its major focus on trucks, buses and engines, was all the while looking for an appropriate partner for its joint venture in India and finally picked M&M as it proved its magnificent role in the automotive field.

“I am delighted to witness the launch of the MN 49 and MN 40 at Auto Expo. India is an important market for us, and the Mahindra Navistar JV will redefine the trucking industry in India”, he added.

Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., observed: “This is a moment of great pride for us as we unveil the first two products in our HCV portfolio. These trucks have been developed by utilising the combined expertise of both Navistar and Mahindra in technology, product development and the understanding of the trucking business and operating environment in India. This makes our trucks Made in India, Made for India and Made with the best international trucking know-how. They are powered by the high performance MaxxForce 7.2 litre diesel engines which are best suited to outperform in Indian operating conditions.”
In his address, Mr. Dee Kapur, President, Navistar Truck Group, USA, said: “This is a momentous occasion where two leaders in commercial vehicles have joined forces to bring significant operational efficiencies to Indian truck operators. India is an important market in our global growth strategy, and over the next few months we will be introducing a range of products which, I am sure, will revolutionise the HCV industry in India.”

Mr. Steven White, Charge d’Affaires, the Consul General of the US, was also present at the launch function.

With this JV, Mahindra will be in a position to introduce a global technology for its Indian customers. The new vehicle models would be designed specifically to meet the customer requirements.

The trucks from MNAL have been designed, developed and tested for Indian roads and usage conditions and are capable of negotiating the toughest terrain. Made for India and designed by utilizing Navistar Inc’s world renowned trucking expertise of over 175 years, this launch came soon after the unveiling of the JV’s 25 tonne and 31 tonne trucks in Delhi earlier.

The newly-launched vehicles incorporate Navistar’s MaxxForce engine which has been proven across the world for power and fuel efficiency. Their spacious and ergonomic design, coupled with a better power-to-weight ratio and a high load carrying capacity, makes them ideal for quick delivery of goods.

The joint venture is in the process of addressing every segment of the commercial vehicle market from 3.5 tonne to 49 tonne GVW with variants of passenger transport, cargo and specialized load applications. It aims to expand its product line over the next two years to emerge as a full range commercial vehicle player.

The Mahindra Navistar range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles is being manufactured at M&M’s new greenfield plant at Chakan, near Pune. The plant, which spans over 700 acres, has been set up with investments of over Rs. 4,000 crores and will produce other M&M products as well.

Both the new trucks which have been rigorously tested meet stringent international safety standards. The spacious and ergonomically designed cabin with various sleeper options also makes them suitable for continuous long hauls.
Advanced MaxxForce engine

At the heart of this range of vehicles is the world renowned MaxxForce diesel engine. This family of engines is most modern in its class in terms of product configuration as well as components technology for the commercial vehicle segment in India. In order to make them more suitable to Indian conditions the engines have been substantially modified.

The engine features both a mechanical injection system with a Bosch rotary pump as well as a high-pressure 1800 bar common-rail fuel injection system. The MaxxForce 7.2 diesel engine to be produced in India is also fully compliant with BS-III and BS-IV emission standards. It outperforms the competition by offering 15 per cent more power and 35 per cent more torque.

The Mahindra Navistar offers best-in-class ride and handling with its four-point suspended cabin and optimized steering and suspension. The manoeuvrability is best in class with a very tight turning circle. Both the road and the in-cab illumination is best-in-class and offers dual tone horns, soft feel switches and indicators with a provision for further add-ons. The vehicle comes with the option of a factory-fitted vehicle tracking system with hands-free two-way communication for ease of tracking.

It has a well-engineered drivetrain with superior efficiency and durability, organic clutch lining with best-in-class life, rugged propeller shaft and rear axle. The heavy duty brakes with wider shoes and 10 bar system pressure ensure reliable braking.

The entire range of tests have been conducted to build reliability and endurance in Mahindra Navistar trucks. The trucks have been extensively tested on specially developed torture tracks to ensure durability beyond a million km and have been validated for actual usage of lakhs of km on Indian roads. These workhorses also feature a strong and durable suspension, rugged chassis aggregates, robust brakes and heavy duty axles matching the superior torque and delivering better life.

Safe and comfortable

Both trucks offer a high degree of safety and comfort for the driver and his co-passengers. The cabin meets ECE R 29 which is an international standard of safety, protecting occupants in case of any untoward mishap. The unique adjustable seat and steering combination allows drivers of various heights to attain the most suitable driving position and posture. This feature, coupled with windshield width and height, provides the best visibility in the front as well as the sides.

The driver and his co-passengers also have the option of resting on the comfortable 1.78 m x 0.5 m (7 ft x 2 ft) lower bunk and the 1.59 m x 0.5 m (6 ft 3 in x 2 ft) upper bunk with air-conditioning being available as an additional option for added comfort.
The manually operated hydraulic tilt mechanism is easy to tilt and return and can be operated by even a single person. The trucks offer plenty of space below the cabin, allowing easy repair of components such as the engine, FIP, etc. There is no opening in the floor which means that there is less heat, noise and smoke in the cabin which results in better driving conditions and lower fatigue levels.

The cabin can easily accommodate the driver, a co-driver and a cleaner. This allows rotation of driving duties, minimising fatigue. There is ample storage space to carry all the comforts of home with the trucks. This includes the three-compartment storage below the lower bunk and the six-compartment storage in the upper console above the windshield. There is also one console incorporated into the dashboard design.

Mahindra Navistar has put in place an extensive sales and service network to cater to its customers. Besides this, MNAL will also draw on the vast pool of M&M auto and tractor channel partners to use as an extended network for servicing customers needs.

And to top it all, Mahindra Navistar has set up a 24x7, multi-lingual call centre which is manned by trained truck experts to provide on-road support to customers, just in case the need arises.

Mahindra Maxximo, ideal mini-truck with C2 CRDe engine

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has announced the launch of the Maxximo, the world’s first mini-truck to be powered by a 2-cylinder CRDe engine with DOHC technology and 4 valves per cylinder. A game-changer offering, the Maxximo combines best-in-class technology, unmatched performance and superior style and comfort. This is the first product to roll out of Mahindra’s state-of-the-art Chakan plant.

“The efficient movement of road freight plays an important role in the economic progress of a nation. Under the hub-and-spoke distribution model, the role of small goods carriers is also becoming important to ensure last-mile or end-point distribution of goods. The Maxximo has been developed with our winning mantra of customer centricity combined with modern, efficient technology to create the next generation mini-truck,” said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Group.

“The Maxximo is a trend-setting, stylized vehicle in the fast-growing small load category segment. Powered by the world’s first 2-cylinder CRDe engine with advanced DOHC technology and 4 valves per cylinder, we seek to elevate the transport business to the next level. Our customers will benefit immensely from the high power, superior mileage, low maintenance and economical operational costs of the Maxximo,” said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

A result of intensive customer insight, the Maxximo captures the latent and expressed needs of the customer. Equipped with superior technology, coupled with ergonomic design, unmatched style and car-like comforts, the Maxximo offers a host of benefits to the customer and is an ideal intra-city vehicle for small-cargo transport.

The vehicle which has undergone rigorous tests and has been validated on all performance, safety and reliability parameters is backed by Mahindra’s wide service network.
Cutting-edge technology

The Maxximo is powered by the world’s first 2-cylinder CRDe engine with DOHC technology and 4 valves per cylinder and is branded as the C2 CRDE engine. The engine provides an ideal balance between power and fuel economy.

It delivers 18.4 Kw (25 HP) of power and 55 Nm (5.5 Kgm) of torque, which means greater pulling power along with superior fuel economy of 20 kmpl. All of this from an engine which enjoys a best-in-class engine life and thus gives high reliability and reduces the maintenance cost considerably.

The Maxximo boasts of superior pick-up, in-gear acceleration and gradeability. It delivers an unmatched top speed of 70 kmph and best-in-category acceleration, in loaded condition. This allows the customer to make more trips in a day, thus increasing his revenue.

A large loading area of 3.2 sq. mt. (35 sq. ft.), coupled with 850 kg of rated payload, means that the customer can carry more load in one trip, leading to improved earnings.

Leaf-spring suspension at the rear with 6 leaves along with thicker (3.6 mm) wheel rims coupled with the powerful C2 CRDe engine, truly gives the Maxximo go-anywhere capability. The cargo body is reinforced to make it strong and long-lasting.

Stylish, comfortable

The trendy front grill adds a distinctly stylish look to the Maxximo. Style is further highlighted with wrap-around headlamps that flank the front grill. With multi-focal reflectors, the customer gets the added benefit of improved visibility at night.

The car-like interior includes features like beige-and-tan 2-tone seats that come with headrests and that are more comfortable with better support; a bench seat for the co-driver with no obstruction between driver and co-driver seat, all of which reduce the driver and passenger fatigue over long distances.

The well-designed beige-coloured instrument panel boasts of a stylish cluster with a digital odometer, double trip meter and an integrated clock.

A taller and wider cabin with more leg-room and knee-room allows for easy entry and exit, while a footstep for the cargo body, windshield wiper with intermittent function and inbuilt spray system, mobile charging facility and dual-mounted sun-visor add to the overall convenience.

The ergonomic hand brake position, dead pedal, steering wheel made of soft-touch, strong-grip material, bigger rear-window and larger windshield enhance the Maxximo’s driving pleasure.

Class-leading safety

The Maxximo meets stringent frontal crash impact norms (AIS 029, for N1 category of vehicles) with a frontal crash protector. It is also equipped with a drive-by-wire accelerator system which results in quicker response from the engine when the accelerator is pressed, allowing for safer overtaking. Also, in contrast to regular cable-driven accelerators this technology requires no cable-setting, which means less downtime for the operator and less maintenance cost. Load sensing proportionate valve (LSPV) brakes provide more control under braking, and the booster improves brake-effectiveness while reducing driver fatigue.

The Mahindra Maxximo will be launched by the end of January in select markets and will be made available across the country in a phased manner.

Ashok Leyland's U-Truck platform to usher in superior trucking experience

Ashok Leyland launched at Auto Expo 2010 its new, innovative U-Truck platform with the unveiling of the U-4936 (6x4) Tractor and the U-2523 (6x4) Tipper. The U-Truck platform will straddle the entire range of tractors, tippers and haulage trucks in the 16 - 49 tonne segment, with over 25 models and a host of variants to roll out in 18 months starting April. The range will be powered by BS III and BS IV engines that are also protected for BS V norms, ranging from 160 to 380 hp.

Joining the proven ‘H’ series is a new Neptune family of engines, entirely developed in-house, that are stronger and more reliable by design, with higher power and greater fuel efficiency.

The company also launched ‘Leyland Direct’, a national helpline for customer care that comes with the Ashok Leyland Tatkaal assurance of a response team reaching a customer in 4 hours anywhere on the Golden Quadrilateral and restoring the vehicle back on road within 48 hours, with a committed compensation for any delay.
“The U-Truck is a sublimation of our in-depth understanding of the customer, his requirements, his pain points, and converting our insight into a product platform best suited for him. It is an innovative platform that will set a new benchmark in terms of a holistically superior trucking experience including higher return on investment”, said Mr. R Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, at the launch.

“A stand-out feature of the U-Truck platform is the wide choice available to the customer, depending on his specific application-based requirement. The platform is contemporary, competitive and future-ready and will be backed up by Leyland Direct, which is an expression of an enhanced level of customer engagement. This is only the beginning of a very exciting journey that we are embarking on with our customers,” he added.

One key aspect of the U-Truck platform is its superior, electronic and efficient engine management system. The BS IV versions of ‘H’ engines have Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology while the new Neptune engines are with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology, to reduce emission. The engines have been benchmarked for lower operating costs, lower maintenance, longer life, higher vehicle availability and better comfort.

The U-Truck platform will be equipped with electronic clusters and advanced telematics for real-time track and trace, on-board diagnostics and driver management features to ensure the safety of the driver and cargo. The cluster can give alerts on vehicle health, fuel levels and service requirements, and also provide comprehensive reports on fleet productivity and driving habits.
“The U-Truck is a win-win proposition for both the customer and our channel partners”, said Mr. Rajive Saharia, Executive Director - Marketing, Ashok Leyland. “For the customer the attributes of quicker speeds, more trips, improved fuel efficiency, greater comfort and safety and more choices of fully-built options translate into higher revenue, lower operating costs and hence better profitability. Reliable aggregates and interfaces with proper matching of consumables ensure long and synchronized service intervals. This along with our bouquet of service offerings will help our channel partners to service our customers a whole lot better”, he added.

“This platform represents an organizational transformation for us at Ashok Leyland,” is how Mr. Seshasayee put it. “A completely fresh approach in terms of processes, attitude and product, wherein the sale of a vehicle is not the end but a beginning, because we are ready with a whole range of service products for a life-long engagement with the customer.”

Mr. Vinod Dasari, Chief Operating Officer, Ashok Leyland, explained that the modularity of the new platform endowed the company with the agility to respond quicker to specific customer demands than ever before. “The modularity gives us speed, it helps us to control our inventories and we can help our vendor partners to plan their inventories better. On the manufacturing front, it will cue our transition from stock-and-sell to make-to-order system. Yes, there are some very exciting times to look forward to,” he said.

AMW adds 3118 haulage truck to product range

Asia MotorWorks Ltd. (AMW) has introduced its new 3118 haulage truck for heavy-duty, long-distance applications in the Indian transport sector. The latest addition to the AMW product range was recently unveiled to a large gathering of customers, truck drivers and special invitees.

The 3118 is ideally suited for transporting steel, oil and cement and is also intended for port applications and general market load. It fulfils the critical requirement of a high performance, robust vehicle suitable for on-road applications. It has been specially designed to offer the maximum cost per tonne performance combined with convenience, safety and comfort features that are the best in class in the industry.

AMW’s 3118 haulage truck is fitted with a Cummins 180BHP diesel engine that delivers increased power and a flat torque curve on a larger band of rpm for excellent fuel efficiency. The gear shift comes with closely packed gear ratios leading to longer life of transmission and reduced maintenance costs, besides the advantage of gradeability. The bogie suspension ensures increased suspension life, superior drive comfort for enhanced driver productivity and increased tyre life.

The vehicle offers an optimum payload that translates into better economies of scale and higher profitability. The robust chassis construction is ideally suited for the tough Indian road conditions, and the suspended cab design makes it easy to access the entire drive line.

The trend-setting ready-to-use air-conditioned cabin, aimed to enhance driver productivity, is available with the 3118 that comes with crash-proof cabins contributing to safe and efficient driving.
Addressing the function, Mr. Anirudh Bhuwalka, CEO and Managing Director, Asia MotorWorks, said: “At AMW we endeavour to provide best-in-class modern vehicles that symbolize product innovation, style, comfort and profitability to our customers. We believe that the 3118 haulage vehicle is a truly global product from our stable lending itself to numerous on-road applications, thereby making it an ideal solution to the demanding transportation segment. Our mobile service vans located every 200 km and a 2-hour call away will be an added service differentiator to the on-road 3118. Backed by innovation and service, the 3118 will drive our product portfolio and ensure significant increase in our ever-growing market share.”

AMW has constantly delivered quality products, from heavy trucks to specialized application vehicles. Its all-India network of dealers and authorized service centers provide sales and 24X7 service and spareparts support to customers all over India.

Volvo introduces specially designed heavy truck for Indian roads

Volvo Trucks has introduced its FH520 Powertronic tractor, the most powerful and technologically advanced truck, on Indian roads.

Meant for the heaviest and most demanding transportation needs, the Volvo FH520 Powertronic comes with Volvo PT2606 gearbox which is fully automatic with a built-in hydraulic torque converter and offers the possibility of manual gear changes through gear-lever buttons. The PT2606 is dimensioned for engine torque of 2600 Nm and is specially developed for heavy transport operations where it offers the advantage of smooth, gentle gear changes without any interruption in power delivery and permits safe starts even in difficult conditions.

The torque amplifier in the vehicle is designed to match the engine’s torque, offering excellent pulling power and hill-climbing ability. The driveline is made to achieve a maximum geared speed of 59 kmph in unladen conditions and 38 kmph in laden conditions. Therefore, the FH520 6x4 Powertronic is technically designed to carry a maximum load of 200 tonnes GCW (both on private and public roads with special approval from the Ministry of Surface Transport. Applications of the product range from movement of pre-cast structures, reactor bodies, high-capacity turbines transformers for power projects to windmill turbines.

Unveiling the FH520 Powertronic, Mr. Somnath Bhattacharjee, President, Volvo Trucks India, said: “Since last decade, Volvo trucks have been changing the face of the heavy-duty trucking industry in India, and we take this ‘game-changer’ role very passionately. In the last ten years we have been driving the modernization of Indian trucking Industry in terms of technology, performance, safety and emission standards. Today, Volvo Trucks enjoys 70% of the premium European heavy-duty market share in India and, with the launch of the FH520 Powertronic, our offering in the heavy haulage segment gets expanded further since this truck comes with unparalleled features that will drive the progress of the heaviest and most-demanding transportation.”

He added: “Volvo trucks are centrally-focused on improving total cost of ownership for our customers. We are constantly challenged to meet the higher performance demand set out by the customers and the industry together with generating higher profitability for the customers and at the same time reduce the environmental impact. Moreover, in pursuance to our core values, we benchmark our products against the best-in-class quality standards, highest safety standards and lowest emission levels.”

The total current population of Volvo trucks on the Indian roads is around 6,000. In the context of Volvo Truck India’s domestic sales in 2009, the company is targeting an increase in sales of 20-25% in 2010. A nation-wide world-class aftersales network of more than 90 support points, a range of soft products for delivering the most competitive performance levels, more than 90% off-the-shelf parts availability, dedicated customer-centric 24x7 action-service, all together ensure that Volvo trucks meet stringent application demands and yet remain highly reliable and efficient, delivering best-in-class uptime.

VE Series Eicher heavy duty trucks launched

To introduce RESLF buses soon

The Volvo Group and Eicher Motors came together in July 2008 and set up VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a 50-50 joint venture with the idea of driving modernisation in commercial transportation in India and the developing world. After 18 months of intense collaboration and knowledge sharing, VECV has launched its all-new range of Eicher heavy duty trucks – the VE Series – thereby gearing up to achieve its targeted a 15 per cent share in the Indian heavy duty truck market by 2015.

The VE Series of Eicher heavy duty trucks includes the entire range of 16T - 40T GVW products, including 4x2, 6x2, 8x2 rigid haulage trucks, a 4x2 tractor-trailers and 4x2 and 6x4 tippers. The products are ideally suited for usage segments such as long haul, chemical and petroleum transport, bulk cargo transport, construction, mineral ore transportation, port-load handling, and municipal and airport applications.

Mr. Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, explains the significance of the VE series in the larger game-plan, saying: “All Eicher trucks in the VE Series carry the inherent advantages accrued from the dual-parentage of VECV. Volvo’s technology prowess, quality systems and advanced production processes are intrinsic to the design and manufacturing of these products, and so is the fuel-efficiency edge that Eicher continues to champion. Moreover, with access to global expertise in testing and validating these products, we’ve ensured that all products of the VE Series are engineered for superior performance, reliability and uncompromising durability. Going forward, these strengths will become the key differentiators of the Eicher heavy-duty truck range enabling better productivity and profitability for our customers.”

Besides these hard-core product attributes, the VE Series also offers the benefits of soft-services which would maximize uptime on the road and thereby better the operating economics. And, it is to deliver on this value proposition that service and sales reach have been improved. All key transport routes in the country have been mapped and identified to create a dense service network. There are over 200 authorized service centres and over 10000 private mechanics trained by Eicher, ensuring that the vehicles are maintained as per recommended service protocols. In addition, each of the 205 dealerships is equipped with mobile service vans and 24x7 helpline numbers to ensure quick response and speedy service.

“The VE Series will enable ‘Eicher Trucks and Buses’ to consolidate its position as a full-range premium mass market player wresting 15 per cent share of the heavy-duty truck market in India by 2015. In the coming days, the newer products from the Eicher range will revolutionize the Indian and emerging markets,” he added.

In a nutshell, the key differentiating features of the VE Series are superior fuel efficiency, higher reliability, superior performance level and best-in-class after-market support.

According to Mr. Siddhartha, besides the new introduction from the VE series-the Terra 25, a 6x4 rigid tipper which was on display at Auto Expo, the company also showcased a 650 mm floor height, 12-metre rear-engine city bus from Eicher. More commonly known as the rear engine semi low floor (RESLF), this bus is equipped with a single step at the front, automatic integrated door locking, touch sensors and wire-multiplexing, coupled with a self-diagnostic system making it a really modern, safe, passenger and driver-friendly bus.

Besides the inherent Eicher advantage of fuel-efficiency, it has all the contemporary features of a low floor city-bus and comes at a competitive price point. This initiative characterises the company commitment towards modernising commercial transportation in India and the developing world. The RESLF will be offered in different variants, e.g., Diesel, CNG, BSIII, air-conditioned, etc. A market share of 20 per cent in the city bus segment by 2015 is targeted.

Mr. Bertil Thoren, President, Volvo Group Alliance Office, AB Volvo, and Director on the Board of VECV, commented: “India is a very important market for the Volvo Group and our partnership with Eicher Motors in the form of VECV has as its purpose the introduction of the Eicher range of heavy duty products, best suited for the country’s infrastructural and logistics needs. This partnership has inked the intention of the Volvo Group to be a part of the ‘driving modernization in commercial transportation in India’ efforts by achieving a formidable position in heavy-duties and thereby increasing our footprint in the mass market-segments. Our commitment to this cause is unfailing, and we will provide all possible support to establish Eicher as the premium brand in the mass market segment and a customer’s preferred choice, not only in India but also in other emerging markets.”

U-Truck: To drive Ashok Leyland's future growth

-By K. Gopalakrishnan

I am no expert in testing trucks. But having driven many of the Indian and European trucks, I can say that Ashok Leyland has a winner in “U-Truck”. I had the opportunity to drive the new range of trucks at the AL test facility in Chennai and found them very impressive. Ashok Leyland has leap-frogged technology and has designed and developed a product which will set standards in the Indian commercial vehicle industry.
Mr. R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, says: “U-Truck anticipates and will continue to answer the changing needs of the market. It is not a niche product but a vehicle for mass migration of customers to a superior experience”.

The U-Truck will be manufactured at the new state-of-the-art facility at Pantnagar which has a capacity to manufacture 50, 000 trucks per annum. Initial units will be rolled out of the Hosur II facility, adds Mr. Seshasayee.
Mr. Rajive Saharia, Executive Director - Sales & Marketing, Ashok Leyland, said: “The U Truck series will be unveiled at the Auto Expo and will be progressively launched, starting from April 2010. We have lined up 25 different models in the U Truck range, and all these models will be launched within 18 months starting from April 2010”.

The U Truck range will comprise the complete range of trucks from 16 to 49 tonne which includes haulage trucks, tippers and tractors. The new range will eventually replace the existing range of trucks offered by Ashok Leyland.

The U Truck project was a complete shift in the way we started looking at the market and customers, says Mr. B.Venkat Subramaniam, Special Director - Future Vehicles Program, Ashok Leyland Ltd. “Currently we have a range of trucks which are typically built on to a standard chassis and then developed for a specific solution. Even though we have a wide range of products, it is still not very comprehensive to address the needs of our customers. The U-Truck is a complete shift in the way we started addressing the customer needs. We want to offer our customers a product which is completely customised to the application for which the truck will be used. Also the U Truck range has been fuelled by our own ambitions to grow, to enter new markets and cater to customers whom we are not catering to right now. That’s why we have developed a new platform of trucks that is entirely modular to build and therefore much easier to customise and deliver retaining the DNA of Ashok Leyland trucks which is rugged, reliable and fuel efficient. The U-Truck range will be contemporary, competitive and future ready products and will transform the customer needs”.

Positioning of the U-Truck

The name U-Truck comes from the company’s tagline “Engineering your tomorrows”. It’s the ‘your’ in the middle which stands for ‘U’ and this in turn signifies the customer.

Mr. Saharia says: “The mission behind the development of the U Truck was to offer customers an opportunity to mass-migrate into a future truck, which is ready to deliver a far superior experience. It is leading the customer’s needs, and on that delivering a better experience. While doing this we are not trying to create a niche segment or a high-end product. This is a product which will be offered to the entire range of customers. It will address our entire range from 16 to 49 tonnes. The U truck range will be affordable and ensure higher return on investment for our customers”.

Ashok Leyland is planning to launch 25 new models under the U Truck range in the first 18 months starting from April next. The reason for choosing this date is purely to match the emission norms. The U Truck series will cover the entire range from tractor trailers, tippers and haulage vehicles.

“In the first quarter from April to June, we plan to launch 9 models and there after we will launch 4 to 5 products every quarter. Practically every month we will launch a new product from the U truck range. Initially we will target the tractor and tipper segment, and within each product category the company will offer variants. In tippers alone there will be close to 20 different models, Mr. Saharia adds.
Design and Development of U Truck

Mr. R. R. G. Menon, Executive Director - Product Development, Ashok Leyland, observes: “When designing and developing the U Truck, we have closely looked at the parameters which drive business for our customer which is better comfort for the driver, better fuel efficiency, more payload, high vehicle uptime, faster turn-around time, durability and a fully built solution which will help him put the vehicle on road from day 1. This is the base from which the engineering team started”.

Cabs

The new U Truck series will have all combinations starting from 4X2, 6X2, 6X4, 8X2, 8X4 in the haulage, tipper and tractor segments. In terms of features, the new truck range will have factory-built cabs as standard in all trucks. It is the G90 cab or the Newgen cab, as it is known. The cabs will be both high roof and day cabs with factory-fitted AC as optional. The cab will be a suspended and tiltable one having cleared all crash tests. The company is also working on a completely new cab, code named the Nextgen, which will be introduced from 2012-13 onwards.

New series engines

Ashok Leyland has developed a completely new series of engines to power the U Truck. The new Neptune series of engines will set benchmarks offering superior levels of performance, power and fuel efficiency. In the Neptune series, there are 11 different power ratings starting from 160 to 360 hp, which will be Euro 3, Euro 4-compliant and the Neptune series can be upgraded to Euro 5. The Neptune engines are both SCR and EGR ready. The company has worked with AVL of Austria in developing the new series of engines.

Apart from the Neptune series of engines, the existing successful H series engines will also be offered in the U Truck. Currently the engine range Ashok Leyland offers is in the range of 160 to 360 hp. For requirement beyond 360 hp, particularly in heavy duty Tractor Trailer applications, the company is open to sourcing engines from manufacturers like Cummins or CAT.

Transmissions

The transmissions will be manufactured by Ashok Leyland with technology from ZF. The U Truck range will offer 6, 8, 9 and 16 speed gear boxes based on the models and specifications. Ashok Leyland currently manufactures the 6, 8 and 9 speed gear boxes and 16 speed will be sourced from ZF directly. The company is also working on automated manual transmissions and fully automatic transmission for deep mining applications.

Axles

Rear axles will be from both Meritor and Dana sourced from Automotive Axles and Axles India. The company will offer seven different rear axle ratios based on the application and customer requirement. Front axles will be manufactured by Ashok Leyland in-house. The U truck will be fitted with bigger and wider brakes with disc brakes as an option. The new front axle have been designed accordingly. All this helps is getting faster turnaround time.

Suspension

The suspension has been designed to be longer than the current offering and this would result in better ride comfort. The company offers both standard and heavy duty suspension based on applications. Ashok Leyland is also planning to offer anti-roll bar and air suspension system based on customer requirement.

Front instrument cluster

The electronic architecture in the U Truck needs specific mention. The Automotive Infotronics Division has developed a completely new instrument panel through its joint venture with Continental. The new instrument panel can perform functions like remote diagnosis, prognosis, gear shift indicator, fuel, maps, cameras and many others.

The U Truck will offer 5 to 7 per cent better fuel efficiency than the present range of vehicles. It depends on the way you select the driveline for the application. The truck has been tested for over 300,000 kms on road.
Ashok Leyland is working on every aspect which will result in improved performance of the product. The company is also designing the applications like tippers, trailer, bulkers as the performance of the vehicle largely depends on the design of these applications. Even the hydraulics used on the tipper will be Ashok Leyland branded and will be integrated with the vehicle and validated by the company. “Tippers, trailers and other bodies will be loaded to the vehicle at the production point, and the vehicle will roll out as a fully built unit. We will take complete responsibility for the product”, adds Mr. Saharia.

The new products will have a modular nature that will help Ashok Leyland to develop variants to address the needs of different markets, different application, and road conditions.

Sales and service

Mr. Seshasayee says: “U-Truck is part of the organizational transformational process. We have covered some ground, in the ability of functions to be proximate without intermediation, in capturing customer voice, CRM and in dealer management. U-Truck will bring in further changes in the organization. Units have to move from stock-and-sell to make-to-order. It will call for greater agility to fulfill diverse orders. It will change the way we deliver products and services to the customer”.

Ashok Leyland is addressing this requirement by completely revamping the sales and service infrastructure and manpower. There is a completely transformation in the service infrastructure.

Mr. Saharia says: “One of the major challenges for the company would be in the area of sales and service of the new truck range. Its going to be very different from selling just a standard chassis. – We need to sit down with the customer, find his application, understand his requirement and build a truck which best suits his needs. We need to factor-in performance characteristics like power, gradeability, fuel efficiency before we suggest the right truck to our customer. We want to offer a completely different service experience to the customer. We have geared up in terms of delivering quality service and the promise of assured and quick response times. For this we have started an initiative called ‘Leyland Direct’, which is already being piloted on certain routes.

Leyland Direct is an initiative to create a single point of contact for all customer needs, addressing their sales, service and parts requirements. Currently it has started off as a distress response initiative. “The commitment is if, on the Golden Quadrilateral, a customer needs help at any place or time, he can call our helpline, and we will reach there in 4 hours and get the vehicle back on road in 48 hours. And if we fail to set it right in 48 hours, then we pay compensation accordingly”, said Mr. Saharia.

For the purpose, Ashok Leyland has created a touch point every 75 to 100 km within the Golden Quadrilateral. The idea is to be able to map all the routes where the customers operate and extend the service offering.

Even for tipper operators who are operating in remote locations like mines, the company is working on providing service at the customer site. It has recently started a containerised workshop, a mobile service offering, which can be stationed in location where there is a high density of customer vehicles.

Added to this, the trucks can be fitted with the ALERT module which can enable two way voice communication. Through this module, the driver can instantly connect to the Ashok Leyland service call centre. The call centre is equipped with manpower to handle upto six different languages, and they don’t just attend to the call but are also equipped to understand the problem and immediately inform the nearby service facility which will reach the customer at the fastest possible time.

The company has looked at high reliability as an important factor in all aggregates. This will ensure maximum vehicle uptime. It has also looked at increasing the life of consumables and has designed it in such a way that the service and replacement interval for all aggregates and consumables will be at 40,000 km. This will ensure the vehicle can have a longer usage period without having to frequently visit the service station resulting in lesser maintenance time for the major aggregates, optimising lifecycle maintenance cost and ensuring longer warranty periods.

Global markets

According to Mr. Seshasayee, the U Truck reflects the company’s global ambitions and will help it spearhead its entry into the second hemisphere market, with competitive advantages in costs.

The company has been expanding its export market adding 2 to 3 new markets every year. Last year it added Honduras in Latin America and this year it will add a couple of more markets in the same region. We are also looking at the South East Asian region, says Mr. Seshasayee. The company is also looking at the possibility of exporting these trucks as SKDs and assembling it at UAE, where it has recently established a Bus plant.

The U-Truck marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Ashok Leyland. The 60-year-old company has transformed itself to match up to the requirements of the market and its customers. The U-Truck will lead the Ashok Leyland’s growth in the future.

Mahindra Navistar trucks to be unveiled at Auto Expo

Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd. (MNAL) will unveil its all-new truck range on January 4, just a day before Auto Expo opens in Delhi. As a precursor to this event, MNAL unveiled the MaxxForce series of engines fitted on the new range of its trucks. The introduction of this engine is the result of the partnership between M&M and Navistar under which joint ventures have been set up to manufacture engines and trucks in India.

Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., and Mr. Dee Kapur, President, Navistar Truck Group, USA, unveiled the MaxxForce 7.2 litre diesel engine.

Dr. Goenka said on the occasion: “The Mahindra Navistar truck and the MaxxForce engine have been designed and developed by the joint venture using the technology from Navistar combined with the engineering capabilities of M&M. The truck has been completely designed by the JV in India keeping in mind the requirements of the Indian market and customers”.

In 2005, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and International Truck and Engine Corporation, the operating company of Navistar, entered into a JV to manufacture light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles for Indian as well as export markets. Subsequently, they signed another agreement for the JV, Mahindra Navistar Engines Private Ltd. (MNEPL), for manufacturing engines.

Said Mr. Kapur: “I am delighted to introduce the MaxxForce brand of engines, which power the world’s best trucks, to the Indian market. With its outstanding performance and low cost of ownership, I am sure that the MaxxForce 7.2 diesel engine will enjoy the same equity in India, as it does across the globe. We are also pleased to extend our association with Mahindra which is one of India’s leading auto brands.”

MNAL will be addressing every segment of the commercial vehicle market, from 3.5 tonne GVW to 49 tonne GVW with variants of passenger transport, cargo and specialized load applications. Mahindra Navistar aims to expand its product line over the next two years to emerge a full range commercial vehicle player. The JV has invested Rs. 1,200 crores at the new greenfield facility at Chakan in Pune for manufacturing trucks and engine.

MNEPL has been established with a capacity to manufacture 40,000 engines. The truck and engine facility is part of a much larger units established by M&M at Chakan over an area of 700 acres. Apart from the MNAL and MNEPL plant, the Chakan plant will also build the new small LCV and the new SUV which M&M plans to launch in 2010.

Mr. Rakesh Kalra, MNAL Managing Director, said: “We will unveil the trucks at Auto Expo and hope to launch it in the next few months. We are also planning to launch buses which will be fitted with rear engine in the next year and a half. Both the trucks and buses will be fitted with MaxxForce engines developed by the JV”.

Dr. Goenka said: “The MaxxForce 7.2 engine is known the world over as a high performance, reliable and fuel efficient engine and it is now all set to redefine the M & HCV segment in India. The engine has been designed for rugged operating environments and modified substantially for Indian truck requirements which will make it the driving force behind our forthcoming range of M & HCV Trucks. Mahindra & Mahindra has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, and by partnering with Navistar Inc., the world leader in diesel engine technology, we are well positioned to revolutionise the trucking business in India”.

MaxxForce 7.2 diesel engine, will power Mahindra Navistar’s new range of M & HCV trucks and buses which will be introduced in the Indian market in the coming months. The MaxxForce 7.2 engines will be manufactured at a state-of-the-art engine manufacturing plant at Chakan in Maharashtra. The plant will be spread across 23 acres of land and is equipped for serial production of medium speed diesel engines.

The new truck has been developed from scratch without adapting any of the global models of Navistar. Most of the Navistar models have a long hood in the front, which is typical of American trucks. Initially there was a plan to look at one of the models from the Navistar stable and adapt it to Indian market, said Dr. Goenka.

The JV then decided to design and develop a cab-over model, which is more specific to the Indian market, and hence the delay in the project which was conceived in 2005. The new range of trucks developed with a cab-over design will compliment the global product range of Navistar and this will open up opportunities for both the JV and the partners to look at various global markets for export of trucks and aggregates”, Dr. Goenka adds.

The trucks have been indigenously developed; hence there is a very high level of indigenisation. Except for the few components which are being imported for the engines, all other components have been completely indigenised, says Mr. Kalra.
“MNAL would be a major player and not a marginal player in the commercial vehicle segment. We will look at double digit market share in 2 to 3 years from launch of our product. We think we have a very strong value proposition in terms of pricing, technology, comfort, convenience, load carrying capacity and the way we will market and service the product”, says Dr. Goenka.

Exports

As with other JVs, exports will be an important area of focus for the MNAL JV. “We will certainly look at opportunities for export of truck and aggregates as well. One of the distinguishing factors of the JV is that, the truck which has been developed is owned by the JV and not by their parents. The JV has full freedom from both the partners to export the product to markets where it makes business sense. Export will help in increasing volumes for the project”, adds Dr. Goenka.

Mr. Rakesh Kalra says: “The JV has already been working on exporting components, and we already export truck and engine components back to the US worth $25-30 million per annum, and as we go along we will look at opportunities for engines as well as trucks. We will start export of trucks and engines in the next 12 to 18 months”.

Mahindra Navistar is already selling a range of LCVs, the Tourister and Loadking, which have been transferred to the JV from M&M. The new truck launch will be the first brand new product from the JV.

Currently the LCVs are being manufactured at M&M’s manufacturing facility at Zaheerabad. The company sells close to 10,000 units of the passenger and cargo versions.

The company has recently given a complete facelift to the existing LCV range. The new range called CRX offer more comfort, reliabity and load of Xtra features, says Mr. Kalra. CRX range comes with a new dash board, better roof linings, improved head room and seat positioning, which helps in easier entry and exit from the vehicle.

Sales & service

An important area which MNAL is working on is setting up of sales and service infrastructure. Currently the company is using M&M’s network for its commercial vehicle range. But with the launch of the new range of trucks, the company is setting up an independent sales and service network across India. “We will have our own network, and if we are able to use M&M’s existing network for preliminary service, then we have a huge network in place. We will have our own 3S dealers and service available in the next few months”, asserts Mr. Kalra.

In 2010, the competition in the CV segment will get intense. All commercial vehicle manufacturers have got their product range in place to meet customer expectations. How does MNAL plan to take on competition? “At the end of the day it is the product plus service, as a package which counts for the customer. We have developed a product which is fuel efficient, reliable, better ergonomics – at the right cost. We are working on ways to enhance his business and remain very competitive for our customer”, says Mr. Kalra.

Mr. Dee Kapur made an interesting observation on the Mahindra Group. Mahindra first launched its tractors 50 years ago, which was a model from the International stable and today M&M is the world’s largest manufacturer of tractors. Going by the same logic, Mahindra is launching its first heavy commercial vehicle jointly with Navistar. This could well be the start of another successful venture for the Mahindra Group.

Tata Motors launches the world truck range

Just a couple of months back, Tata Motors launched the world’s cheapest and smallest car, the Nano, and now comes the big daddy of Indian trucks, the Tata World Truck. It just goes to prove once again the versatility and the competence of the company to simultaneously develop products in completely different vehicle segments. The World Truck was launched by Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman, Tata Motors, at a spectacular event held recently in Mumbai.

The World Truck is not just a single truck but a range of trucks covering multi-axle trucks, tractor-trailers, tippers, mixers, and special application vehicles. Tata Motors has invested over Rs. 1,000 crore in developing the world truck and will manufacture it in India at Jamshedpur where it has established a state-of-the-art facility, and also in Dusan in Korea. The product has been jointly developed by Tata Motors and its two subsidiaries, Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company in South Korea and the Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc in the UK. The company has harnessed the best of inputs and technologies – in styling, engines, transmission, suspension, chassis frames, fabrication and dies – from partners based in countries like Italy, Germany, Sweden, the US, Japan and South Korea.
Mr. Ratan Tata said: “The developing infrastructure in India makes it possible for transporters to reap the benefit of trucks with higher power, speed and carrying capacity. The new range from Tata Motors will meet those needs. It will also help us penetrate international markets more effectively and competitively.”

The new plant set up in Jamshedpur for the World Truck can produce 55,000 units initially and can be expanded to 1.5 lakh units based on the market demand. The company expects international volumes to be at par with numbers in India. The range comprises multi-axle trucks, tractor-trailers, tippers, mixers, and special application vehicles. Besides India, they will also gradually be introduced in South Korea, South Africa, the SAARC countries and the Middle East.

The Managing Director of Tata Motors, Mr. Ravi Kant said: “The range is an output of collaboration across the Tata Motors family, supplemented by inputs from partners across the world. This approach has enabled us to harness appropriate expertise and develop relevant products faster than ever before.”
For the next couple of months, Tata Motors will seed the market with a few of these trucks by giving it to some key customers. “The trucks will be available in the domestic market in the second quarter of this fiscal,” said Tata Motors Executive Director-Commercial Vehicles, Mr. P. M. Telang.

The company, however, would start exporting these trucks only by the end of the current financial year. “We expect to start export from the end of this fiscal. Initially, we will be exporting to countries such as South Africa, the Middle East, Russia and Turkey,” he added.

But why a world truck? ask Mr. R. Ramakrishnan (Ramki, as he is known to many in the industry), Head of Sales and Marketing - Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, and he says, the whole idea of making a World Truck started a decade ago, in 2000, when Tata Motors announced the worst results in its corporate history, a loss of Rs. 560 crores. “This is when we started looking inwards introspecting and understanding as to where we went wrong. What should we do to ensure that this performance doesn’t repeat ever in the history of Tata Motors. While we took some immediate steps to improve quality, reduce cost and focus more on our customers, a group of us started looking at what we should do in the long term”.

He said: “Looking at our product strategy, the market growth and the products we were offering then, we decided to look beyond the Indian shores and looked at the world as a canvas and thats when we came up with the idea of developing a truck which will be for the global market. The mission was to clearly modernize road transportation in India and effectively compete with global players who had entered or announced plans to enter the Indian market and also to extend Tata’s global footprint by competing with these global brands not just in India but even in other markets.
“We then set a goal to retain our market leadership, which is close to 70% in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle space in India, and also increase our international presence. With markets developing in different part of the world, competition was intensifying and India, which was lagging behind compared to countries like Brazil and China, started on the growth process with the ambitious plans to build roads across India. Customer awareness also increased about the availability of technology and products and competition in their sphere was also intensifying and they were faced with the challenge of running their operations more effectively and therefore more profitability”, Ramki added.

According to him, as the road and other supportive infrastructure in India is increasing, to meet changed requirement of operating economics parameters, the need for vehicles with higher power to weight ratio is expected to go up. Tata Motors made an analysis of horse power per tonne of carrying capacity (power to weight ratio) in developed countries like the UK, the US, Japan and developing economies like China and Brazil. It showed that as we move towards the heavier range the gap widens, which means the truck plying in the country today are grossly under powered as compared to trucks in other countries.

Tata Motors has also taken into account the requirement of customers in various markets and put all these inputs together in developing a range of trucks which are reliable and durable fuel-efficient trucks that are “ready-to-use” – providing the lowest life-cycle cost.
The World Truck range covers all the applications in the heavy and medium duty truck segment from 10 ton to 49 ton GVW/GCW. It addresses the needs of individual operators, fleet operators, mining / construction contractors, institutional buyers in all chosen markets. The World Truck will cater to a number of applications which might be in small volumes individually but together, it can contribute to significant numbers.

Tata Motors has worked with many global companies in developing the World Truck. Engines from the US and Europe, Cabin has been styled in Italy, the chassis frame from Mexico and gear box from the US and Europe.
Aggregates

The entire range is having a new modular design cabin and chassis with high powered Euro-3 and Euro-4 engines. It also offers the features compatible in global markets with performance characteristics matching world benchmarks. The powertrain option stretches from 150 PS to 560 PS, with suitable engines, transmissions and axles of different makes. Additional features on offer include automated transmissions and air suspension.

The World Truck will offer a combination of Cummins ISBE and ISLE engines and Iveco Cursor 9 engines. Initially the company is launching the 280 and 380 hp range of trucks and progressively will introduce higher horsepower engines as per the market requirement.

What’s interesting is the introduction of Iveco engines in the high end tractor trailer models. In gearbox again, Tata Motors is offering two options – ZF and Eaton. It’s clearly an integration of aggregates to develop a truly world truck. “We are design ready with over 200 combinations and potentially can create over 1000+ combinations. Every truck will have Global Positioning System for effective vehicle tracking as standard fitment”, added Ramki.
The range offers a higher power-to-weight ratio translating into faster turnaround time, better reliability and durability, and resulting in higher revenue generation for the transporter than is the norm now. The versatility of the range meets several needs: tractor-trailers and multi-axle trucks for long distance transportation, rigid trucks for short-distance distribution, tippers, mixers, cranes for construction and mining, special applications like reefers, bulkers, and tip-trailers. The capacity of the trucks can be from 10 tonnes to 75 tonnes gross combination weight (GCW), to meet a wide mix of usages.

Comfortable cabin options

The spacious air-conditioned cabs come in three different lengths (day, rest and sleeper), three different heights (flat, low-dome and high-dome roof) and in two different widths. While there are two trim levels, features include reclining seats, adjustable steering wheel, seat belts and arm rests (for both the driver and co-driver) for driver comfort and safety. These features are designed to induce longer and more trips and safer driving.
In terms of speed, all vehicles, except the tipper, can hit and hold 100 kmph on the highway. This means if in a conventional truck you cover 350 kms, on the World Truck you can easily cover over 750 to 800 kms. This is double the distance covered which means, the time taken will come down by half, faster delivery, better productivity, higher carrying capacity resulting in lesser trucks on road and lesser pollution as well.

The truck has been designed to meet the highest safety standards. The truck meets the Swedish norms which is possibly the stringent safety norms across the globe. The truck meets present and upcoming safety norms as per AIS 029. The product has been tested extensively on road covering over 1 million kms and also in the virtual environment in the 4 post and 19 post test rings for over a million kms.

Tata Motors has developed a truly World Class Truck. The truck looks stunning and breath-taking. A lot depends on the performance of the product on road and how well these trucks serve the transportation needs in India. But what Tata has launched today clearly is the product for the future. The company has announced to the world that it is ready with trucks which are made not only for India but for many other global markets as well.

What amazes me is the way the company has gone about developing and strengthening its commercial vehicle business. The company has done well in the bus segment, both city and intercity, thanks to the JV with Marcopolo and the acquisition of Hispano.

In the truck segment, the acquisition of Daewoo’s truck business in 2004 has helped in getting a better understanding of the requirements of the global truck market. This is possibly the first step in its long journey of becoming a global leader in the commercial vehicle segment. The World Truck will surely make the global industry stand up and take a more closer look at Tata Motors.

TRF subsidiary York Transport launches trailer axles

York Transport Equipment (India) (YTEI), a subsidiary of TRF, launched its first axle from its manufacturing facility located in TRF’s premises in Jamshedpur. In view of the growing demand for trailers and the need to be close to the rapidly growing customer base in India, the York Group, a subsidiary of TRF, since October 2007, has set up YTEI.

York Transport Equipment, Singapore, is a leading manufacturer of trailer axles, mechanical and air suspensions and other trailer accessories in Asia Pacific, Australia-New Zealand, Middle East and Africa regions. York has three manufacturing units, one each in Singapore, Melbourne and QingDao in China.

The York Group has a wide range of products covering axles (5” round, 6” square) from 12 to 17.5 tonnes; disc brake axles, self steer axles and ABS ready axles; mechanical leaf spring suspension (both under slung and over slung) from 12 to 17.5 tonnes; mechanical bogie suspension from 20 to 40-tonne capacity; walking beams suspension from 24 to 40-tonne capacity; and air suspension from 9 to 12-tonne capacity.
York’s most popular axle in India is the 5021 which is a 6” square axle with 14mm wall thickness. These axles are specially designed for trailer application and can carry 12 tonnes at a speed of 105 kmph. York products meet the European ECE quality standards, certified by RWTUV of Germany and have compliance approvals with the Australian Design Rules.

YTEI plans to soon start manufacturing other variants of these axles, viz., 5021 with wider track of 1950mm and 5021 with antilock braking system (ABS) ready. Another popular axle, 2021, a 5” round widely used in air suspension applications, would also be produced very soon.

York’s products have been sold to trailer builders in India since last five years. Tata Motors is a major user of York axles and other products in the trailers that they sell along with their prime movers.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Sudhir Deoras, TRF Managing Director, Chairman, York Group, said that YTEI would build capacity to produce over 100,000 axles in the future.
Record production

TRF celebrated record performance of all its divisions in 2008-09. All the divisions reported better performance over the previous year and made commitments to further improve the company’s performance to achieve the aspiration of becoming five times bigger in five years time and an international name in the area of bulk material handling, under the Vision-2013 campaign.

However, in the midst of the celebrations a note of caution was also struck and suggestions to combat the economic downturn were discussed to ensure that the company would continue to maintain its successful march towards its goal.

Speaking on the occasion, Hemant Kharkar, Chief Operating Officer, said that, compared to last year, the company would have to face the challenges of the economic downturn throughout 2009-10. He emphasized the need for adopting process improvement techniques which would help to sustain the performance of the company.

RC Nandrajog, Executive Director, suggested that the best way to face the challenges of the economic downturn is to implement the strategy of cost control, cash management and corporate efficiency. This, he said, would not only help the company to tide over the impact of recession but also prepare well and reap the benefits of economic upturn in the future.
The Tata Robins Fraser labour union, general secretary, RK Rahi, assured that they would continue to give unstinted support to all the growth plans of the company. He hoped that the company would further increase the emphasis on training in the future.

Sudhir Deoras congratulated the efforts of all employees of the company towards the success in fiscal 2008-09. This, he said, was the outcome of a well planned strategy.

He prescribed that by adopting advanced and relevant technology, upgradation of human resources by training and timely completion of projects and delivery of products, the company would be able to satisfy its customers much better than before.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the employees to achieve the targets of 2009-10.

The journey so far...

It has been a very long journey for Tata Motors. Set up to manufacture locomotives and other engineering products, Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Telco as it was known earlier) started its journey way back in 1945.

By keeping customer needs in focus, Tata Motors has scripted an automobile revolution that has secured triumph for the company and recognition for the country. Over 40 lakh Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads since the first one rolled out in 1954. Today seven out of every 10 trucks on Indian roads sport the trusted Tata name. The company has been at the forefront of a movement that has set a whole nation on the move.

The seeds of this success were sown when Telco entered into a technical and financial collaboration with Daimler-Benz AG (now DaimlerChrysler) to launch the Tata Mercedes Benz. This was the first acquaintance that Indians had with an Indian vehicle manufacturing company. The collaboration with Daimler-Benz AG ended in 1969, but Telco had by then built up enough steam to power forward on its own.

Until June 5, 1969, the trucks bore the Mercedes “star” after which it was replaced by the Tata “T”. The roadmap for the future was laid out by JRD Tata and Sumant Moolgaokar who, sensing a boom in the automobile industry, decided to set up a second factory in Pune. The rest, as they say, is history.

During June 1969-December 1976, Telco gave the market as many Tata vehicles as the Tata Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced in the earlier 14 years. Over the next 40 years, the brand that epitomised movement and progress in this country itself embarked on a journey of evolution and learning. Imbued with the pioneering spirit and driven by the pursuit of automotive excellence, Tata Motors forged a reputation that made it India’s largest and one of the world’s top five automobile manufacturing companies.

From 1986 with the Indian automobile scene witnessing a radical change, Telco’s R&D came up with the 407 series – the truck (a light commercial vehicle), designed in-house, was created for Indian conditions, not modified to suit Indian conditions as others were. Approximately 32 applications for LCV manufacture had been approved by the Government, and most with foreign collaboration. To this, Telco’s R&D had a savvy market answer – the 407 specifically created for Indian roads and quick to become the market favourite.

Along the way, Tata Motors introduced a range of products and made additions and improvements to a host of others. The appreciation that these launches and improvements were met with validated the company’s focus on customer satisfaction. Often the fame and goodwill transcended mere geographical boundaries.

Tata Motors aimed to increase its presence worldwide. In 2004, it acquired Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company of South Korea. The main reason behind the acquisition was the companys plan to reduce domestic exposure.

On its journey to make an international foot print, it also made significant acquisitions and joint ventures to improve its bus business. In 2005, sensing the huge opportunity in the fully-built bus segment, Tata Motors acquired 21 per cent stake in Hispano Carrocera and introduced its high-end inter-city buses in the country. It has also formed a 51:49 joint venture with Marcopolo S.A., a Brazil-based global leader, in bus body building, for city and midi buses. All these initiatives have already started showing the desired results.

With the launch of World Truck, Tata Motors is making an entry into the territory which has been hitherto dominated by the Daimlers, Volvos and the Man. The success of the World Truck will be a key factor which would decide the company’s aspirations of becoming a global commercial vehicle manufacturer.

World Truck fitted with JAI parabolic springs

Tata Motors’ World Trucks range would be the first heavy commercial vehicles in India to have parabolic springs from day one. Jamna Auto Industries Ltd. (JAI) and Tata ERC engineers have worked together to produce parabolic springs for this prestigious range of vehicles. These springs have gone through many stringent tests both at Tata Motors and JAJ.

JAI, India’s largest spring manufacturer with four manufacturing units, introduced the parabolic springs technology in India way back in 1988. About 95 per cent of European trucks run on parabolic springs, whereas in India switch-over from traditional conventional springs to parabolic springs in heavy commercial vehicles has just started.

JAI introduced parabolic springs for the Maruti car in 1988 and later on produced the same for the Sumo and Ace range of vehicles.

Parabolic springs not only improve the ride comfort but also increase the life of the springs with the superior manufacturing technology involved. These springs weigh 20-25 per cent less than conventional springs.

Tata AutoComp powers World Truck

Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd., a leading automotive component conglomerate, has significantly contributed in the engineering, design and supply of components to the Tata World Truck.

The challenge faced by Tata AutoComp was to design and develop state-of-the-art components while keeping Indian operating conditions of overloading, rough roads and extreme weather conditions in mind. It is for the first time that driver, co-driver and occupant safety and comfort was given importance in the heavy vehicle segment. The emphasis is on enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle, smoother ride, high power, ease of handling, and comfort and safety of the driver and the co-driver.

The design and engineering teams at Tata AutoComp worked closely with the development team at Tata Motors to deliver a superior product.

Details of the various components supplied:

Cabin exterior and interior: This is the first time that a heavy commercial vehicle in India is designed with a driver cabin made of light materials like plastics and composites. Tata AutoComp Systems’ Interiors & Plastics Division and Automotive Composite Systems’ have contributed major components in plastics and composites which go into building the cabin.

In fact, the Interiors & Plastics Division has been there as an Early Supplier Involvement (EIS) in this project from the styling surface in Italy. This has resulted in overall reduction of the weight of the cabin as compared to the traditional sheet metal, leading to enhanced styling and durability.

Seating systems: The seating system is specially developed to ensure total driver comfort and safety. ISRI-TJC, a joint venture between Tata Johnson Controls Automotive Ltd. and Isringhausen GmbH, first did a benchmarking of all global truck seating systems. The seats were designed and developed in Germany meeting Indian and global standards. The designs also took into account Indian road conditions.

This is the first time that a seat with integrated seat belt meeting the AIS and ECE regulations is introduced. The driver seat is fitted with world class mechanical or pneumatic suspension mechanisms that allow vertical height adjustment, fore and aft movement, tilt mechanism for cushion, adjustable lower and upper lumber supports and high density foam and bolsters for additional comfort. The seats are also fitted with a heater option to provide comfort in extreme cold conditions.
Braking system: The air braking system developed by Knorr-Bremse is designed with a braking system pressure of 10 bar against 8.1 bar currently offered on similar vehicle platforms for better braking performance. An advanced air processing unit replaces the traditional air dryer to ensure better air management as it is a combination of air dryer and oil separator and has a multi-circuit protection valve, thus offering higher reliability and service life.

To offer modularization and better space management, an integrated pedal unit has been developed. The hand brake valve has been designed with a trailer check function. Over and above, a state-of-the-art trailer braking system with ABS has also been developed.

Currently the trailer performance is not governed under Indian regulations. Hence trailer manufacturing is largely an unorganised industry. Introduction of this advanced trailer braking system will vastly enhance dynamic behaviour and road safety of tractor / truck and trailer combinations in the World Truck.

Wiring harness: For the first time; a new fuse and relay box based on bus bar with F-F terminal has been introduced in a commercial vehicle. This has helped reduce 75 circuits. A special bulk head has also been designed for as an interconnector between the front and dash wiring harness. This will help in trouble-shooting, enhance serviceability and ensure ease of fitment on the vehicle. The routing of the entire harness on the vehicle has been developed with 60 different clamping options.

Headlamp and fog lamp: This is another first of its kind in Indian commercial vehicles where the head lamp designed by Tata Visteon Automotive Ltd. comes with the poly ellipsoidal system (PES) lamp. This offers excellent light spread and sharp beam cut-off to ensure no glare for the on-coming driver. The high beam is designed to give one of the highest light output of over 100 lux for clear nigh time visibility.

The compact lamp aesthetically blends well with the overall exterior design of the vehicle while meeting global standards of light output. The specially designed fog lamp provides additional visibility in challenging weather conditions.

Suspension systems: The Tandem Bogies suspension systems indigenously designed by TACO Hendrickson Suspension Ltd. take into account all Indian operating parameters like road conditions, overloading and ease of serviceability to ensure better ride handling and control. The suspension systems have been designed to perform up to 15-25 per cent overloading consideration.

This world class technology has been made cost effective with 100 per cent localization of components. The range includes suspension products for all kinds of heavy vehicles under this program from rigid truck to high-end tippers. The 48-ton inverter bogie suspension developed for the tipper is the first of its kind being introduced. Over and above, all the bogies suspensions use rubber bolster to offer better shock absorption.

Outer rear view mirror: The mirror cluster developed by Tata Ficosa Automotive Ltd. incorporates special mirrors that offer clear visibility of all the sides of the vehicle as well as a wide range rear approaching vehicles. This will ensure good visibility of the vehicle’s immediate environs to the driver for better safety.

Radiators and inter-coolers: Tata Toyo Radiator Ltd. has developed an aluminium radiator and inter cooler optimized for cooling and fuel efficiency. For the first time a lower thickness core for radiator was used resulting in lower weight and less requirement of coolant.