Mr. Sandeep Singh - M.D., Tata Hitachi
Mr. Sandeep Singh, M.D.
We hope demand will come back to normalcy given the investment in infrastructure
In the budget 2017-18, the Government allotted Rs.4 lakh cr vis-a-vis Rs.3.6 lakh cr in 2016 -17–a growth of more than 10%. Within this allocation, the Transportation sector, which has a major bearing on our industry, was allotted Rs.2.4 lakh cr, an increase of more than 11%.
The Capex in the first 5 months of the year was 30%, more than that of same period on a year-on-year basis. In particular, the spend from key infrastructure drivers of roads & rural development was nearly 50% more. Resulting in a strong demand for the CE industry in the first half of the year. Also, the increased spend on Capex in H1 resulted in sustained demand for construction equipment. Demonetization had very little effect on the CE industry.
The demand for CE did get affected after the implementation of GST, more so from the understanding of various rules & procedures by our customers. We hope that the demand will come back to normalcy given the investment in infrastructure.
Our focus is on Infrastructure and Mining
As an organization, our focus is on our demand drivers in the market – Infrastructure and Mining. In Infrastructure, there has been a spurt in roads and railways construction leading to an increase in the demand for excavators. We are also seeing a significant demand from major and minor irrigation projects from some of the South Indian states.
As regards the Mining segment, the industry overview in the long-term is positive. This year, we expect the market to recover in the second half, given the increased demand for electricity and hence, coal.
Tata Hitachi aims to delight customers through a positive quality experience
Success in branding is not just a matter of standing for something different, but ensuring that this difference is in tune with what consumers really want or need.
Our aim at Tata Hitachi is to create a differentiated brand in the marketplace – one in which all products are more or less on par – by delighting customers through a positive quality experience that goes way beyond a transactional one.
Our promise of quality is delivered through our processes, our products, our after-sales service and support solutions, our spare parts availability and range, and through our vast distribution network.
Our two-pronged product strategy for value and premium customers
Our comprehensive range of excavators include 2 to 40-ton hydraulic excavators for the Infrastructure sector, 45 to 120-ton for the mining sector, and the ultra large 190 to 800-ton excavators for specialized heavy-duty mining.
These products, amongst others, are a part of our latest EX Super series and the technologically advanced ZAXIS GI series. Our two-pronged product strategy addresses both value and premium segment of customers.
The value segment has products belonging to the EX Super Series of excavators – combining advanced technology and low running costs - to enable a high return on investment.These excavators work in a wide variety of applications in various geographies across India commanding best-in-class resale value.
For the premium segment, we have launched the ZAXIS GI series of excavators – fitted with industry leading hydraulic technology to ensure unbeatable performance, high fuel efficiency and high durability. The highlight of this series is the optimized hydraulic system and the improved engine which showcases Hitachi’s technological prowess and expertise.
We have also introduced the 3T payload wheel loader TL340H with hydrostatic technology – the first in the country in its segment, providing best-in-class fuel consumption, ease of operation & maintenance.
Our machines conform to current safety regulations as well as DGMS regulations
Our prime focus is to deliver reliable solutions to customers depending on their job site requirement. It is this focus that has guided us towards the launch of the EX Super series of machines. These machines have several new features to address the needs of the value segment of customers. The introduction of the auto idle as well as various power modes have led to easier operations, as the operator can now set the power based on his requirement using one-touch buttons. This leads to major fuel savings by optimizing the power required. With the Super series, we introduced a larger, more ergonomic cabin too – an addition that is highly appreciated by customers.
Our machines conform to current safety regulations as well as DGMS regulations, as required. Communication on safe operation of machines has always been incorporated in our manuals & explained at the time of machine commissioning. Our service engineers continuously engage and advise the operators on ensuring safe operation of machines during their field visits.
We offer full maintenance contracts, annual contracts, and extended warranty
We have launched ConSite: a next-generation service solution that utilizes Information Communication Technology (ICT), to deliver monthly reports to customers: summary reports that give an overview of the operation of all the fleet owner’s machines, and detailed reports that show information about individual machines.
We also offer a comprehensive range of support solutions such as Full Maintenance Contracts, Annual Maintenance Contracts, and Extended Warranty, thereby, strengthening our relationship through the customer lifecycle experience.
For our Mining customers, we have introduced Full Maintenance contracts too, through which they can avail complete onsite management of the machines. Our service engineers are placed onsite, where we also store spare parts, and provide them with a fully-equipped workshop to address all their requirements.
IT-enabled solutions are strengthening our customer service capabilities
We have introduced a Remote Fleet Management system with our Global e–Service offering. It allows customers easy access to onsite machines – thereby, helping them access real time operating information to increase machine productivity and reduce downtime.
This is achieved with the help of IoT sensors on the machine. The system is available 24 hours a day, all the year round, and can be viewed on laptops and mobile devices through the internet.
In addition to this, we have strengthened our customer service capabilities by offering IT-enabled solutions to our customers.