Srinivasa Raghavan, Scania
Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan,Director Sales (Trucks)
How has 2017 been for the Tipper Truck market in the backdrop of reforms such as denomination, new emission norm, and GST?
Scania has developed and is operating Euro VI compliant vehicles since 2012. As pioneers in sustainable transport, Scania is committed to partnering with India’s move to clean, green vehicles. The BS IV emission norm is a good move that will take the country one step closer to clean air and low pollution. All our vehicles are Euro IV compliant which is equivalent to BS IV in India, and they can also run on alternate green fuels such as ethanol and bio diesel. We have not seen any major implications of GST and demonetisation on our business. However, we are keeping a close look on the developments and would review the situation from time to time.
Many premium foreign tipper truck manufacturers are now well-entrenched in India. How does Scania counter competition in terms of product placement and services?
Based on stringent global standards and refined to match the toughest market demands, not only in India but across the world, our vehicles are made for Indian conditions and have some unique design advantages. Here are some of the features of our new off-road mining tipper truck which helps bring down the operational cost for our customers:
- Superior material and unique body design
- Increased payload carrying capacity
- Increased fuel efficiency
- Better ride stability with center of gravity.
Scania’s manufacturing presence in India is aligned with the government’s Make in India program that encourages companies to manufacture in the country to increase employment opportunities for local talent. Scania has two manufacturing facilities near Bangalore, and we are working on different types of sustainable transport solutions.
How does Scania machines enhance productivity and operational efficiency?
Our products are designed to help customers run operations efficiently. Indian customers look for features like fuel efficiency, product reliability, durability, and ease of engaging vehicles. We design vehicles that are not only best suited for local conditions but also offer total operating efficiency. Our trucks and tippers have been designed with the driver’s safety and comfort in mind, and are equipped with the best in safety standards.
Additionally, across India, Scania has partnered with state transport corporations to engage in driver training workshops and sessions. Scania Driver Training can help even the most experienced drivers to drive more economically and more safely. Scania trained drivers can reduce their fuel consumption by 10% with a significant reduction in emissions, and they are less likely to get into accidents.
What are the engineering attributes of your tipper trucks for faster cycles, fuel efficiency, and extended performance?
All new Scania P440 8x4 Tippers are equipped with different driving modes which facilitate the driver to select the best suited driving mode as per the road conditions. This enables the truck to perform even in the most demanding road conditions with faster turnaround times. Also, the unique combination of high initial torque and higher reduction ratios ensure maximum traction, resulting in enhanced performance of the truck during loaded trips.
Scania P440 8x4 Tippers also come with a lighter 20.2 Cu.M tipper body solution, which majorly contributes to increased fuel efficiency during return trips, which means “higher productivity with lesser fuel consumption”. Known for its robustness, Scania’s driveline components such as the clutch, engine, chassis and the suspension give extended performance consistently, as compared to our competitors.
Product innovation is a result of continuous R&D at Scania. In India, our R&D projects aim to find effective solutions for unique local challenges using our globally proven technology. Customer feedback and on-site inputs and information form the basis of our R&D work.
Please tell us about Scania’s fleet management systems.
In line with Scania’s ambition to provide not only hardware but also the complete transport solutions, we offer customers a range of value-added services such as the Scania Fleet Management. It helps customers to identify and act upon the key details needed to increase the productivity of their fleet, thereby, enhancing their business.
As part of the Scania Site Optimisation framework, we have recently deployed a sophisticated and one-of-its-kind FMS system for a customer to assess more than 400 drivers’ performance and provide feedback as the basis for coaching. Individually, data on fuel consumption, idling, breaking, and productivity was also collected. As in many mining operations, the customer’s truck fleet stood idle more than one-third of the working time. Of the entire available time, 4 percent was downtime, 12% was stand-by, and 17% of the time was lost in delays. As a result of the FMS solution, there was more than 30% increase in productivity per truck involved in the test as compared to the rest of the fleet.
Note: Scania Site Optimisation is a framework of tools, methods, and information based on our Lean Production heritage to improve mining transport operations. The core of this service framework is to holistically view the mine as a factory, and implement the lean principle, tools, and methods.
Published on:
30 November 2017
Published in: NBM&CW December 2017
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