A LONG, HAUTE HAUL

Foreign and Indian truck firms jostle to burn rubber on the country’s roads

Till a decade ago, heavy commercial vehicles in India were synonymous with the two big daddies, Tata and Ashok Leyland. But with a booming economy and an ever-expanding road network, foreign players (MAN, Volvo) as well as other Indian giants (AMW, Eicher) are pitching in to grab a piece of the market.

After Swedish giant Volvo tested waters in India in 1998, German truck major Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG, or better known as MAN, is now making its foray in the country. In collaboration with Force, it has set up a plant at Pithampur in Maharshtra for manufacturing 16-tonne flat-bed trucks and 40-49 tonne tractor trailers. While MAN has a commanding presence in the 40- and 49-tonne category, it will now focus on the 16- and 25-tonne by gaining a strong foothold in the former.

The MAN products for the Indian market include 16- and 25-tonne 180 HP flat-bed trucks, 25-tonne 280 HP tippers, concrete-mixers and haulers, and 40- and 49-tonne 280 HP tractor trailers for long-distance haulage. The tippers come for around Rs 26 lakh, while the tractors cost between Rs 17.7 lakh and Rs 29.9 lakh. With full body, they cost between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 44 lakh.

While MAN admits that the prices are steep, it says the quality is better than most. (It was after all at the MAN factory at Augsburg that Rudolf Diesel invented the world’s first diesel engine.) The engines will be mass-produced in India for the domestic as well as export market. This will cut down on costs, as the company won’t have to import Completely Built Units (CBU) or even Knocked Down Units (KDU) from MAN plants abroad. German engineers from MAN would also train their Indian counterparts in all aspects related to the engine.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat-based Asia Motor Works is working on keeping European comfort and driving experience at Indian price as its forte. All AMW trucks come with AC cabins, power steering, adjustable seats, sleeping bunks and FM radios. The company, which was established in 2002, uses Cummins engine, the best in the market for operating on rugged terrain; ZF gearbox from Germany, which offers a high power-to-weight ratio and improved start-up even with heavy loads; clutches from Valeo, France, for easy gearshifts and less wear and tear; and axles from Meritor, US, for better traction on uneven surfaces, in all its trucks.

Their prices, however, are much less compared to either Volvo or MAN. The company says its tractors are designed for higher carriage capacity at low operational costs and save up to 15 percent on fuel consumption, while their tipper comes with bogey suspension and bigger box body for higher load-bearing capacity.

Its products include 25- and 31-tonne 180 HP haulers, tippers and transit mixers, 25-tonne 230 HP tippers and 40-tonne 180 and 230 HP and 49-tonne 230 and 300 HP tractors, with prices ranging from Rs 17 lakh for the 25-tonne 180 HP tipper to Rs 28 lakh for the 49-tonne 230 HP trailer and the 25-tonne 230 HP tipper.

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Eicher, which has been a market leader in the 5-12-tonne category, is also coming up with 25-tonne 180 HP tippers, 31-tonne 154 HP haulers and 40-tonne 180 HP trailers. With a tie-up with Volvo under way, the company soon plans to tap the 49-tonne market. Eicher says they are not competing with European giants like Volvo and MAN, but trying to carve a niche in the Indian market. In other words, they are trying to eat into the market share with price range comparable to Tata and Leyland in the Rs 13- 20 lakh category. The company is also not providing frills like AC cabins because owners are always looking on cutting down costs.

With foreign players trying to find their foothold in a booming market and Indian manufacturers trying their best to retain their share, the ultimate beneficiary will be the customer, and most importantly the driver, who won’t be subjected to tiresome long-distance haulage.