Tata Motors: Focuses on Innovative Designs

"Tata Motors offers a wide range of powerful and fuel-efficient tippers for construction and mining applications. The innovative design of these tippers which is based on the insights of customers' need which set them apart from others. At Excon 2011, Tata Motors will display Construck range of vehicles and it is a great opportunity for us to showcase Tata Motors engineering and technological might," says Mr. Vinod Sahay, Head (Sales & Marketing) Medium and Heavy Commercial Trucks Tata Motors in an interview with S.A.Faridi.

Although Tata motors is a household name in India but for the benefit of our readers; can you please brief us about the growth projection of the company, its manufacturing facilities and products range from passengers transport to its new range of world-class truck 'Construck PRIMA'?
Tata Motors Limited is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated revenue of Rs. 1,23,133 crores in 2010-11. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top three in passenger vehicles. The company is the world's fourth largest truck manufacturer and the second largest bus manufacturer.


Established in 1945, Tata Motors' presence indeed cuts across the length and breadth of India. Over 5.9 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the first rolled out in 1954. The company's manufacturing base in India is spread across Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Dharwad (Karnataka).

Milestones:

• Over 3,500 touch points for sales, services and spare parts network.
• The first Indian company to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange.
• In 2005, launched the Tata Ace, India's first indigenously developed mini-truck.
• In January 2008, Tata Motors unveiled indigenized developed world's cheapest Car, the Tata Nano.
• In May 2009, Tata Motors unveiled its new range of world standard trucks Prima. Prima trucks with their power, speed, loading capacity, operating economics, and lower life-cycle cost, have set new benchmarks in the industry.

What is the operational viability attributes of tipper trucks for applications in construction and mining sector? How do these operational features signify operational cost competitiveness for the users in these sectors?
Tata Motors offers a wide range of powerful and fuel-efficient tippers for construction and mining applications. The vehicles range from tippers, tip trailers, transit mixers to truck mounted cranes and concrete boom pumps. What sets apart these tippers is their innovative design which is based on insights in to customer needs.

Within medium and heavy commercial truck line of business, a new vertical "Tata CONSTRUCK" has been created. This vertical understands and will fulfill changing construction customer's needs.


As every construction project is getting very competitive, "Tata Construck" offers a widest range variant within every segment so that customers can choose the products best suited for their applications and they can get optimum performance from the Tippers.

In multi axle tippers range Tata Motors offers 6 variants LPK 2518 Normal Suspension, LPK2518HD with bogie suspension, LPK 2518HD 9S with 9 speed gear box and bogie suspension, LPK 2523, and new world-class PRIMA - 3128.K & 2528.K.

In two axle tippers, we offer 5 variants LPK 1616 and LPK 1618 - 10 CM³ body with full forward cabin, SK 1616, SK 1613, SK 1616/42 with 4200mm wheel base with Safe and strong semi forward cabin platforms.


What sets apart our products range from competition are the powerful and fuel efficient engines, heavy duty drivelines, strong and sturdy steel cabins, giving best in class performance and high gradeability in all applications.

Based on the market response—what are the modifications proposed to be carried out to make it cost effective and energy-efficient?
Last year, we had introduced a new LPK 2518 with 9 Speed Gear Box "Tata G 1150". India's 1st indigenously developed 9 speed gearbox, is being fitted in LPK 2518HD 9S and LPK 2523. We have sold more than 1000 Tippers fitted with Tata G 1150 gear box so far and customers have experienced the benefits of the heavy duty gear box in difficult terrains and applications.

A word about your dealership network, customer support services, and spare parts supply for tipper trucks.
Tata Motors has an extensive network across the country with more than 1000 workshops and over 7700 retailers ensures effective service and availability of spare parts in every pockets.

Tata Motors provides 24x7 onsite service support to its customers with a company trained engineers/technicians site, spare parts stocking is done at site to ensure effective preventive and repair maintenance and higher uptime.

What are your existing tipper truck products range and new products being planned to be launched in view of new demand trends of tipper trucks in India?
Tata Motors has products across with GVW ranging from 16T-31 Ton, engine HP ranging from 130 Hp to 270 Hp.

PRIMA 3128.K 8x4 and 2528.K 6x4 ensures higher ROI, uptime and thereby ensure higher profitability for customer. 3128.K has 18/20/23 CM³ box and 16 CM³ scoop options, and 2528.K would be with 16 CM3 box and scoop options.

In the multi axle tippers range, customers have options of LPK 2518 to LPK 2523 with standard or inverted bogie suspension with options of 6 speed or 9 speed gear box.

In two axles tipper segment Tata Motors offers its customers SK 1616/1613 with 3600mm and 4200mm wheel base with 8.5 CM³ and 10 CM³ body options. These tippers are available in semi forward. In full forward range TATA Motors offers its customers LPK 1616 and LPK 1618 with 10 CM³ tippers.

With global and national economic headwind looming large on the industrial front; what is your assessment of growth potential of construction equipment in general and tipper truck market in particular in coming years?
Construction industry in India is poised for rapid growth and transformation. Significant investments are being made in infrastructures projects, roads, highways, ports, power, steel etc. The tippers market is expected to grow significantly.

What sort of innovative strategies the company is evolving to stave off the tough competition scenario in the country?
Tata Motors provides its customers with wide range of products (tipper) for all applications in construction and mining. These products would be supported with an efficient sales, service and spares network spanning the length and breadth of the construction and mining geography. Also as industry leader, Tata Motors has been setting up service stations and driver training schools across the country. It will help in skill enhancement as the drivers would get to know about the latest safety features, operation, and maintenance of the tippers as well.

Despite the demand of top quality and high end products, the Indian customers are very sensitive on the price front; how do you maintain equilibrium between affordability and reliability?
Customers have realized the importance of high end reliable products which guarantees them a higher ROI, uptime and higher profitability. Tata Motors has addressed this segment through PRIMA range of tippers which offer the customer a unique balance in terms of affordability and reliability.

What are Tata Motors plans to participate in the forthcoming industry mega event—Excon 2011 and what are the equipment you will display at the event? Do you think that this event will pep up construction equipment market?
Excon, is the large construction equipment and technology Fair. Tata Motors will display Construck range of vehicles at the show and it is a great opportunity for us to showcase tata motors engineering and Technological Might.

We have every reason to believe this event will pep up this industry as new products, technologies are being showcased.