VMT Industries: Truck Trailers Specialist
As per industry reports, India’s logistic industry valued at around $160 billion is likely to reach $215 billion in the next two years, growing at a rate of 10.5% following implementation of GST. During the last five years, it has grown at a CAGR of 7.8%. The Global Ranking of the World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) shows that India jumped to the 35th rank in 2016 from 54th in 2014 in overall logistics performance. As per a survey conducted by VMT, over 5,000 hydraulic axles and 35,000 mechanical trailers of different categories were produced in India in 2017, and around 1.2 million heavy truck-trailers, worldwide.
Says Gurvinder Singh, MD, VMT Industries, “In view of the reports and figures, the Indian logistic industry seems to have a bright future, so much so that realizing the importance of the sector and to address the inefficiencies within, the government has included the sector in the Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure Subsector. This will benefit the sector in many ways.”
According to him, increasing trading activities across the country will propel the heavy-duty truck trailer market, with demand being led by the Power and Windmill industries, Railways & Metros, Infra projects, and Heavy Construction Equipment, for which VMT is gearing up with its hydraulic axles, extendable trailers, ODCs and other mechanical trailers, with improved transmission.
Avers Gurvinder, “VMT designs, manufactures and provides transportation solutions for extremely long loads and heavy components. We see a huge opportunity, especially for extendable/telescopic trailers, in the windmill sector, we are fully equipped to meet any increase in demand. VMT’s innovative connectivity-based business model is driving demand for its products, given their enhanced safety, reduced cost of ownership, and greater convenience to owners. VMT’s Panta Axle, for instance, is a kind of mechanical trailer of five axles, made specially for carrying windmill blades and towers with a maximum payload capacity of 75 tons, and can be used in different industries for various applications.
He informs that new business opportunities are also emerging for their Hydraulic Axle Modular Trailers (HAMTs) which are used to transport ODCs, heavy load of transformers, and heavy construction equipment.
As one of the largest hydraulic axle manufacturers in the world, VMT’s share in the Indian market for hydraulic axles is the highest at 60-65% and 2% in the global market. As per a survey conducted by VMT, there are around 400/telescopic trailers in the Indian market manufactured by national and international companies, of which, VMT has over 60% share, and around 30% in ODC and mechanical trailers in India. It has an in-house R&D team and design facility with three manufacturing units, of which, one is fully automated.
According to Gurvinder, VMT has the engineering resources and over 60 years of experience to develop customized trailers as per the user’s/project’s requirement. “Our experts know each industry’s application requirements, and they guide customers in selecting the right product, and they work with all the product lines to get the job done within the desired timeframe and at quite competitive rates.”
“VMT offers HAMTs, ODCs, Special/Multi-purpose trailers, and all types of mechanical trailers, along with customized products. In fact, VMT designs, manufactures, and provides transportation solutions for extremely long loads and heavy components, so we are fully equipped to meet the upcoming demand.”
As regards exports, Gurvinder discloses that they have a strong presence in African and Asian countries. It has opened a branch in Thailand in association with Bangkok-based SVND Bus & Truck Ltd from where it will serve the markets of Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore and other Asian countries. “With our fourth production unit in Baroda, presently under-construction, we will enhance production and start exporting to many other countries. We also have plans to introduce our trailers in European and American markets,” he informs.
The global trailer market is segmented into trailer type, axle type, vehicle type, and region type. Based on trailer type, the market is further categorized into hydraulic axle trailers, telescopic trailers, mechanical trailers like box trailer, highbed tipper, and others. The axle type can be single axle and tandem axle. Reduction in cost of fuel, lower emissions, and extra carriage capacity of trailers have a positive impact on the trailer market, whereas, high maintenance cost, reduced resale value, and a slowdown in the transportation and logistics industry impact the market adversely.
NBM&CW December 2018
