Amarnath Ramachandran, LeeBoy

Mr. Amarnath Ramachandran
President and Director
Customer loyalty can be measured by continued engagement and repeat orders
Our industry has always been cyclic, seasonal and susceptible to a host of external parameters like political stability, Forex rates, government spending, etc. It is not for the faint-hearted, and requires a lot of deep resolve and deep pockets in the initial phase. 2017 has been a year of consolidation for LeeBoy India. We have been hit like the rest of the market by demonetization, GST, etc. In the long term, we are still very optimistic about India.
LeeBoy has been very clear about its brand offering. We offer hi-spec machines that are of high quality and serviceable globally. They are fitted with state-of-the-art aggregates and features that increase productivity for the end-user. These machines are fully loaded with features and offered at an extremely reasonable price. We also include service offerings which are customized to suit customer needs and context. The customers have direct access to us as well as the dealers.
We keep it simple. Listen to the customer – his expectations and feedback. Offer a professional and efficient team and the infrastructure to manage these expectations. And at the centre of it all, build world-class products.
Brand substitution, while a real threat, is easier said than done. At the end of the day, customer loyalty can only be measured by continued engagement and repeat orders. At LeeBoy, on an average, 60% of our sales are from existing customers.
Premium products are doing well inspite of lower cost variants
As our machines use prime aggregates, our margins in India are thinner than we’d like them to be. We make up a bit by exporting the same products.
It is important to note that the Indian customer is slowly moving away from being just cost conscious and focusing more on the performance and productivity of products. This explains why we still have premium products doing well, inspite of lower cost variants available in the market.
LeeBoy’s products are priced very competitively and are engineered to take care of everything that Indian conditions throw at them.
Ease of operation, safety, and telematics are prime features of LeeBoy machines
We incorporate features that go a long way in simplifying complex controls and reduce dependence on the skills levels of the operator. These include current technology in hydraulics, transmissions, brake technologies, and the operator environment inside the cabin. Some instances are the centralized lubrication systems in our excavators, integration of transmission fault codes, and important parameters on the main electronic display in the cabin, Power Distribution Modules for better trouble shooting, etc.
Our design also focuses on providing better control to the operator so that he can maintain movement under any flow or load, and take away the strain from the operator. These features reduce operator fatigue, cycle times, and maximise fuel efficiency and productivity due to ease of operation.
Operator comfort and safety is ensured by an ergonomically designed cabin with AC, high visibility, infinitely variable productivity control, a reclining seat, differentiated piston joysticks and foot pedals for a cushioned feeling. Work-lights are fitted on the upper structure, cabin top & boom. There is a high visibility beacon with dual or quadro flash along with a loud travel alarm. Other safety features like fire extinguisher, pick to break glass, night lighting etc are standard.
We have a lot of safety features built in to prevent operator misuse that includes the LeeBoy Insta-I telematics to ensure that operational data on health of the machine is tracked and maintained by skilled personnel. This enables the machine to run as the designers intended it to. Fuel alerts are also available.

LeeBoy had telematics installed on all machines from the very beginning
The first level was introduced in 2012 with Insta-I, our customized telematics solution for monitoring critical parameters around the utilization, maintenance and health of the LeeBoy machines across multiple sites. With mobile alerts enabled, the Insta-i system enables customers to centrally manage their LeeBoy machines and improve the performance by minimizing wastage and efficient analysis and reporting of data.
We then worked with laser control for the graders. There’s also depth control and load limiting controllers in the excavators. At a group level, ST Engineering, our parent company, is also working on fully autonomous vehicles.
LeeBoy’s post-sales care, training for operators and service engineers, and help desk

Our outlets and dealer network ensure availability of all essential spares for periodic and breakdown maintenance. We have also invested in an exclusive training academy where the operator and service engineers undergo intensive training to operate and maintain our machines. There is a sharp focus here on preventive maintenance and troubleshooting to ensure a longer lifespan of the equipment, higher uptime and lower maintenance costs.
We have recently launched the LeeBoy HelpDesk to enhance the speed and effectiveness of responding and resolving customer queries and complaints. Overall, our customers are assured of quick service so that uptime is maximized.
Service today is a given. It’s not possible to survive without service. LeeBoy works on a concept of total cost of ownership where factors like resale value, service support and flexibility of the company, to make small changes play as big a role in maintaining customer loyalty as just after-sales and after-market support.
New at Excon 2017
We will launch our two new graders:
- LeeBoy 990 (18t, 250 hp) and
- LeeBoy 995 (22t, 280 hp)
In preparation for the upcoming Tier IV changeover in 2022, LeeBoy is also launching CRDI versions of the 985 grader (Series 2) with a host of other advances, and also the 525e which will be fitted with a Cummins QSB 6.7 170 bhp @ 2000 rpm and a new high-visibility cab.
Enhanced features in our products on display at EXCON, include:
- Electronic CAN controlled engine
- Electronic fault diagnostic systems for the whole machine from HO
- New intelligent fan drive controller with integrated speed sensor
- Electronic proportional control hydraulics
- Power distribution modules
- Built in safety algorithms in the transmission controller to prevent misuse and damage
- Display of transmission fault codes and important parameters on the main electronic display in the cabin
- Vastly Improved ergonomics and aesthetics with an imported cabin fully designed in Italy with all round higher visibility
- Radar based audio-visual, anti-collision system
- Automatic cross slope and grade control system and
- Laser controls.