Volvo Trucks India
Vinod Aggarwal
"Volvo Trucks has participated consistently at bauma CONEXPO INDIA to showcase its technologically advanced and innovative solutions for the industry. We will showcase our highly efficient FM 380 8x4 truck, which can perform in the toughest of applications, and some other products with which we have set a new benchmark of achieving around 98% uptime."
Volvo has upped haulage and tipping in mining with its new high powered, multi axle tipper trucks.
With rapid growth in road construction, irrigation projects, hydel projects, stone, marble and granite quarries, we decided to enhance haulage operations in all these segments, which demand higher productivity, lower cost per ton of operations, and more load per trip and uptime. Volvo multi-axle tipper trucks are fuel efficient too with Volvo’s superior l-Shift technology and supported by our reliable onsite service. In fact, Volvo trucks have marked a departure in usage of tipper trucks in mining activity, which was earlier based more on rudimentary technology.
Dinakar B
Our newly launched FM 380 8x4 truck is globally known for its efficiency and flexibility in the toughest applications.
We offer two different superstructure solutions on FM 380: 23 Cu.m U-Body and 19.5 Cu.m rock body, both of which are the highest capacities in their segment, ensuring maximum productvity for the customer. The truck comes with a 13-litre engine, generating a maximum 380 horsepower and peak torque of 1900 Nm @ 1000-1400 rpm.
A unique feature of the Volvo engine is that maximum horsepower and torque are available at low engine rpm in operating range, resulting in better fuel efficiency and higher average vehicle speed. FM 380 8x4 also comes with I-Shift (Automated Manual transmission) and Volvo is the only manufacturer to provide AMT in this segment. This truck has a host of safety and comfort features like auxillary brake, ABS, air suspended seats, electric parking brakes and an ergonomically designed dashboard.
The first-of-its-kind FMX 460 8x4 19.5 Cu.M granite body, show our capability to raise the standard of productivity, efficiency and reliability.
FMX 460 8X4 is a true mining and construction truck as it is a robust, dependable and a high capacity tipper that enables swift and efficient transportation of large loads. Similarly, the FM 420 6X4 tractor can enable large capacity applications with its powerful engine, superior transmission and weight optimized design. Building trucks has become more complex with more considerations, responsibilities and requirements. Demand for transport that assures safety and efficiency remains as strong as ever, so we will continue to innovate products that meet these needs.
Volvo has introduced proven features in its trucks such as I-Shift transmission, its patented engine brake technology, 10x4 dump trucks for mining, centralized lubrication system, and advanced telematics system Dynafleet.
Several unique Volvo Trucks features are already well-proven and are increasing productivity and profitability by making assignments faster and easier for drivers. We have successfully tested many innovative technologies like the Emergency braking system, Lane assist, Sleep detection system, Autonomous truck, platooning etc. These are under extensive testing and will be available in the future, globally, depending on the various market needs.
AMT or the Volvo I-Shift allows the driver to completely focus on driving while the I-Shift manages the gear shifts based on the speed, load, gradient and terrain. It guarantees optimum shifting thus ensuring better fuel efficiency of almost 3% than manual transmission. Driver fatigue is reduced substantially, and he is able to focus on the road, which also helps avoid accidents.
Volvo EMS (Engine Management System), a wholly electronically controlled system, provides precise and efficient engine control and helps in optimal engine performance and faster fault tracing. The engine control module takes in data from several sensors on the engine and the vehicle; compares current readings with stored parameters, and adjusts fuel quantity and injection timing accordingly, throughout the engine’s operation. Volvo has been actively working on the Autonomous truck technology, and many on-road trials have been conducted.
In the construction segment where no one measures uptime, we have set a new benchmark of achieving around 98% uptime; this is not by chance, but by design.
Volvo Trucks has been offering a full range of heavy- to medium-duty trucks in India since 1998, making us the market leader in the high-performance mining and ODC business. Till date, we have delivered over 13,600 heavy-duty trucks, maintained the number 1 brand position in the premium market segment, facilitated 40% of coal production, and have trained over 100,000 drivers in India.
Volvo’s strengths lie in building a large capacity body resulting in higher productivity; using powerful and fuel-efficient engine and matching driveline, higher gradeability, better productivity and suitability for toughest applications; l-Shift transmission for heavy duty applications, best-in-class cabins; Dynafleet, Volvo Trucks Fleet management system; maximum uptime, and customized service packages. All our products are made to handle extreme stress, contact with abrasive material, and maximum payloads.
Our approach is driven by TCO and giving value to customers over the life cycle of the product (LCC – life cycle costing).
We never sell our products without understanding the return on investment being made by the customer. Our sales consultants work closely with customers to understand their requirement. As an organization we believe that our success lies in making our customers successful. We make our after-market services available to them onsite as we understand the criticality of a breakdown and promise customers a very high uptime. This helps them plan their operations more efficiently and realize the intended benefits of buying a premium quality truck.
We are working with major contractors in road and irrigation segments.
The Indian construction industry is expected to grow at a strong rate in the coming years supported by increased government investment in infrastructure development and private sector involvement. We have been witnessing higher budgetary allocation for infrastructure YoY and announcements of several big-ticket projects. Strong economic growth in the country and rising FDI in the sector will also support the construction industry’s growth.
The government has announced mega infrastructure projects like Bharatmala, Sagarmala and River Interlinking projects with huge investments involved, and a few key projects like Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg driven by different state governments. We are working closely with contractors who will be engaged in the construction activities. There are also plans to construct 100 airports at an estimated cost of $60 billion (about Rs 4.2 lakh crore) in the next 10-15 years.
With our trucks, customers can carry more load with less fuel and they are confident of completing projects on time. They are also able to reduce the overall fleet size with our trucks, resulting in lesser overhead costs and better safety at sites.
We are witnessing a shift towards higher capacity excavators, tippers, loaders and pavers.
Stepping up productivity needs better planning of projects, usage of higher capacity equipment, skilled manpower and an enabling ecosystem. In terms of equipment, we are already witnessing a shift towards higher capacity machines – be it excavators, tippers, loaders or pavers in road construction. But there is a long way to go when it comes to improving overall productivity and efficiency in operation (e.g. working 24 hours like in mining). We do not see a challenge with quality of roads with increased speed since there are stringent quality norms set by government agencies.
Published on:
06 December 2018
Published in: NBM&CW December 2018
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