“Kleeman Tracked Screens Will Be Designed For the Indian Aggregates Sector”
What is the reason for extended entry of Kleeman's products into Indian crushing and screening sector?
Indian crushing and screening market is quite competitive from the product placement and also from the pricing angle. Refraining from making an outright entry into the market, we've decided to introduce our solutions after close observations of the customer requirements, which require high productivity yet cost competitive solutions. The answer of this was product localization, making the product integrated to the requirements of the Indian aggregates sector backed by appropriate service support. The first stage of localization requires proper selections of vendors and their further development in order to get components according to our standards, making the introduction of the crushing solutions extended.
When do you propose to introduce your entire range of Kleeman tracked crushers and screens for the Indian market?
Initially, it will be the screens in 6 different models ranging from 200 to 600 tph. This will be followed by stage wise introduction of other range. However, according to the present market requirements, we will focus on the medium and smaller capacity tracked units. We have chosen for the phase wise introduction of crushers, as we want to do justice to the service requirements of the customers maintaining right focus.
Are engineering improvisations being contemplated in the plant to make them attuned to Indian aggregate and mineral processing conditions?
The Kleemann range of screens which we have started manufacturing in Pune, are being designed keeping the Indian aggregate and mineral processing requirements in mind. The same practice we are following for our other range of products also being manufactured in India.
Which are the segments you will compete with and how do you propose to make the products competitive?
Aimed at larger capacity quarry owners and operators, we will compete with the premium product segment. There is demand from mineral processing sectors catering to the requirements of road projects led by the expansion of road construction sector and coal processing. Once demand of the units picks up for the Indian market, we will equip the units with Deutz and Cummins engines, facilitating easier services.
Will Wirtgen appoint dealers to promote and support the Kleeman plants? What will be the strategy to ensure timely parts and product support?
Wirtgen group's business philosophy has always been to remain close to customers. That is the reason, we deal directly with the customers without any intermediate dealers. We have a central warehouse for spares at our Pune plant and at other locations across India which ensure timely delivery of spares to our customers. We have sales and service offices across 20 locations in India from where our trained and efficient team can connect with our customers in a short span of time. The same strategy would be applicable for the Kleemann products as well.
What are your future plans to introduce Benninghoven's asphalt batching plants in India?
Benninghoven was acquired from Niko of Japan based on our future business strategy to be a total solutions provider in road construction business. Seventy percent stake of the company was acquired in 2013 @ 110 million euros. The acquisition has strengthened our position and now we will offer solutions across the entire vertical of road construction comprising crushing and batching on one end and milling- recycling-mixing-paving and finally compacting in the other end. However, we do not intend to introduce Benninghoven range of asphalt batching plant in India or to other global markets in the coming next 2-3 years, rather our focus will be to integrate the entity into Wirtgen making the solutions attuned to meet the requirements of the European, Middle East, and African markets. The integration will essentially involve making the solutions attuned to the local operating conditions backed with adequate service and product support.
NBM&CW May 2015
