Hyundai CE India: Focus on Products Offering & Customized Solutions

In India, we have our manufacturing facility for construction equipment in Chakan, Pune. Current capacity of the plant is 2500 units and can be scaled up to 10,000 units which will be sufficient in terms of capacity for the next 3 years. Our main focus will be on competitive total product offering to customers, strong support in terms of wide network and quality manpower with spares availability near to customer work site and customized solution as per customer requirement, says Mr. Prabhat Tiwari Head Marketing & Key Accounts, Hyundai Construction Equipment India Pvt. Ltd. in an interview with S.K.Khanna.

The NBM&CW welcomes you in your new position, please introduce Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) international operations and the marketing focus you would be contemplating to market its product and services in Indian operations?
Hyundai Heavy Industry headquartered in Ulsan, Korea is global leader in the heavy industries sector. The HHI has global business network in six business divisions, represented by, Construction Equipment. Shipbuilding, Offshore and Engineering, Industrial Plant and Engineering, Engine and Machinery, Electro Electric System

HHI had 20 Billion USD annual turnover globally, employing around 25000 workforce with 18 years average length of employment. We have 18 subsidiaries and 15 branches across the Globe.

In India, we have our manufacturing facility for construction equipment in Chakan, Pune, with 4 regional offices with spares warehouses in region. We have 21 dealers in India.

Our main focus will be:

1. Competitive total product offering to Customers
2. Strong support in terms of wide network and Quality Manpower with Spares availability near to customer work site and
3. Customized solution as per customer requirement.

As a Marketing Head, what will be your prime focus and strategies to garner larger market share for the company?
We would be focusing on three broad aspects,

1. Product: Quality, Right type and size of equipment suiting customers need. New products development as per market demand.
2. Support Infrastructure: Strengthening support Infrastructure in terms of Quality manpower, reach to customers, and faster availability of Spares to ensure higher availability.
3. Training: We will impart continuous training to Customer personnel for better upkeep of machines for higher availability. Also we will be creating pool of trained manpower in our industry through multiplying effect of our master trainer program.

Additionally, we are also introducing Voice of Customer program where we will take feedback from end users periodically for improvement.

How Hyundai’s new factory at Chakan, Pune has shaped up? Do you have any plan to set up more factories in India, using the same as export hubs, apart from meeting the domestic requirement?
Current capacity of the plant is 2500 units and can be scaled up to 10,000 units which will be sufficient in terms of capacity for next 3 years.

Your company is one of the reputed global equipment manufacturers, how do you induct global manufacturing production trends into localized products and services in India to suit Indian conditions and encourage indigenization?
All products manufactured by Hyundai across the globe are of the same quality and standard. We follow same quality and work process follow manual across the Globe. We have strong in house R&D facility and our own Institute catering to all our manufacturing facility across the Globe. Minor changes have been effected to suit local working conditions, which is promptly being worked out by our Product Development Team, which actually visits work site to asses working conditions.

What market share your company is looking for in the next two-three years through your operations in India?
We will target to become top 2 players in India in the next 3 years with a market share of around 18 - 20%.

Hyundai India was an important participant at Excon 2009. Do you think that this participation has achieved its main marketing objective?
Hyundai Construction Equipment is well accepted in India and coming up as a natural choice for many customers due to competitive total offering. Excon 2009 reiterated our continued commitment to Indian market. We got an overwhelming response from customers across India, which was manifested during Excon by large number of visitor from all sectors to our stall.

What were the new products launched at Excon?
We launched 80 Ton Hydraulic Excavator Model Robex 800LC-7 & indigenous 11 Ton Hydraulic Excavator Model Robex 110-7 during Excon. We had displayed our range of attachment like Clamshell Bucket and Hyundai Rock Breaker during Excon 2009.

Robex 800LC-7 comes in two versions Viz Backhoe and Shovel designed for Indian Mining as well as heavy construction work condition. We had overwhelming response to our imported Robex 110-7, hence we decided to manufacture here in India to cater to our mass customer base.

Any breakthrough or significant development that you would like to share with NBM&CW about its participation?
We booked over 150 units during Excon and have a bank of enquiry floated from all corners of India. Certain models of excavators specially 50T we are booked till January end 2010.