Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Page 1

I N D I A ’ S N O . 1 M A G A Z I N E F O R A U T O M O T I V E N E W S , V I E W S & A N A LY S I S

Auto Monitor

Vol. 13 No. 02

www.a monli ne.i n

4 February 2013

INTERVIEW

Pg 10

INTERVIEW

32 Pages

` 50

Pg 12

India Key To BRIC Presence

On A Roll

Anders Grundstromer, Scania CV India’s new MD

Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec

Scan this code on your smart phone to visit www.amonline.in

New Generation Face Gears Nabeel A. Khan Mumbai

A

vtec Ltd., part of the CK Birla Group, will start mass production in India of crown gears and other patented technology from ASSAG, the Swiss company it recently acquired, Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director of Avtec told Auto Monitor. ASSAG crown gears were previously manufactured only in limited numbers, owing to their niche market in the Netherlands. “ASSAG does the design and prototype building, but we will do the manufacturing here in India. That is the plan. We’ll manufacture and export to the parent company or the end consumers. We wanted to have an overseas export footprint, and not limit ourselves only to the Indian market,” Kadapa explained. A basic spur face gear set consists of a cylindrical pinion and a disc shaped angular face gear. The cylindrical pinion can move freely in the axial direction without affecting the contact pattern. The face gear has an angular drive in which the axis angle can be in the range of zero degrees to approximately 135 degrees. They are used more and more as an alternative to bevel and worm gears. The difference between normal gears and face gears is that the latter can be

moved axially. The ASSAG face gear, marketed under the brand name Cylkro, is unique given its optimized shape and material properties. Cylcro face gears are also often used as differential gears. The axial freedom makes these drives robust and easy to install at the same time. Upon inquiring whether the timing of the acquisition was well thought out, Kadapa replied, “If we had acquired the company at the peak time, it would have cost 30-40 percent more.” Kadappa sees huge potential for this technology in the automotive, construction equipment, and medical equipment sectors. According to experts, although the technology is still in its nascent stage, both in India and abroad, it has high adoptability. Avtec seems to be following their strategy and trying to leverage the opportunities they envisaged during acquisition. “We bought this company especially because of the intellectual property rights. They have about seven different patents in face gear technology,” he said. The advantage crown gears offer is that they can run without any constraint. They allow axial float, and this is useful where unconstrained movement is important. Some of the applications are in the Sydney Monorail, in AutoTram gear boxes, and in the landing gear of the Airbus

Advantages Of Face Gear - Axial position of pinion is nearly free (without affecting the contact pattern or backlash) - Multiple pinions could be placed on one face gear (multiple output shafts) - High efficiency - No axial forces on the pinion - Can be used as angular gears and differentials - Can withstand extreme temperature variations - Easy mounting, space saving, and free combinations for differentials and multiple outputs An example of space saving combined with multiple drives can be seen in the new Audi Quattro, which uses a self-locking crown gear differential. Two Cylkro face gears with different tooth geometries create a 40:60 torque split in this lightweight differential. Using the Cylkro face gear technology, Audi realized a substantial weight reduction compared to a conventional differential.

A350. Up in the air, temperatures can be extremely high or extremely low, and gears must

Read Interview on Page 14

perform well in all conditions. The axial float allows perpetual clearance. So, expansion or contraction due to temperature does not affect the profile of the gear teeth. Face gears are also used in

Contd. on Pg 08

Rochi Engineers In JV With PURItech

DATA MONITOR Top 5 Car Makers Company

Dec-11

Dec-12

Change

Maruti

77,475

82,073

5.93%

Hyundai

29,516

26,697

-9.55%

M&M

21,540

25,014

16.13%

Tata Motors

34,264

24,669

-28.00%

TKM

15,948

12,071

-24.31%

Top 5 Car Exporters Company

Dec-11

Dec-12

Change

Hyundai

19,433

21,136

8.76%

Maruti

14,526

12,916

-11.08%

Nissan

2,211

8,793

297.69%

Ford

1282

4382

241.81%

TKM

-

2,307

#DIV/0!

* Source: SIAM/ ** Excluding exports/ *** all sub segments considered/ ^ excluding MRPL

Our Bureau Mumbai

P

u ne -b a s e d Ro c h i Engineers is looking to set up a manufacturing facility for diesel filters and emission control technologies in association with Germany’s PURItech GmbH. The company is looking to manufacture around 200,000 units per annum at the Pune facility, mainly for exports to Europe and North America. They will also evaluate opportunities for advanced emission control products in the domestic market as

and when new emission control regulations are implemented by the Indian government. The JV will set up a research and development centre and a manufacturing facility in Pune, which is expected to come onstream by 2014. The facility will design and manufacture emission control systems for diesel engines, including diesel particulate filters, catalytic convertors, diesel oxidation catalyst systems, and filter cleaning and detection devices. “Rochi Engineers currently supplies exhaust systems,

Contd. on Pg 08

Bernhard Kahlert, MD, PURItech and Pradeep Kharkar, CEO, Rochi Engineers




EDITORIAL The Right Time

A

t a time when the automobile industry is jittering over shallow sales (except for a few select companies), an interesting report has emerged from Espirito Santo Securities. It predicts that the Indian auto and auto components industry can be expected to surpass China’s growth path by 2021. Simultaneously, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India has pegged annual growth for the industry at 12 percent from 2012 to 2021. The researchers seem pretty confident that the industry is in a comfortable position to beat this estimated growth rate driven by robust demand from OEMs coupled with growth in the replacement market as vehicles age and exports improve with scale, as was seen in China. Components suppliers are actually on a roll. In most cases, it’s because of their vicinity to the manufacturing plants that helps them get a good idea of production. Also, a major part of their business comes from being assured suppliers to the aftermarket which in itself is a huge business. Last month, during my conversation with an OEM, he joked that while they may suffer poor sales pangs, their suppliers are doing better than them. At least they don’t have to keep looking at sales charts all the time.

ADEA Awaits The response from the dealers requesting their nominations for the Automotive Dealership Excellence Awards has been heartwarming. The dealers have been prompt in filling in laboriously the forms and sending it across. Our Knowledge Partner is hard at work in making an assessment of the forms and doing its groundwork. Like you, we too will know on the day of the awards. But in case you haven’t received your invitations, we request that you call our representative on the number provided on the website and avail of your pass to the awards night. As an attraction, you will see a fantabulous crowd of the top OEMs, not to mention some high profile industry people who are just waiting to listen to what their dealers have to say. We wish you all the best and hope to see you at the awards. Comments can be sent to jayashree.mendes@network18publishing.com

QUOTES Sergio Marchionne, Fiat-Chrysler CEO said on its expected sales in China.

Arnaud Montebourg, France Industry minister on Renault’s layoff plans compared to PSA Peugeot Citroen.

We expect production of around 100,000 Jeeps per year which is expandable to 200,000.

It’s better than having to deal with layoffs and drastic plant closures that hit company morale.

FOUNDER & EDITOR, NETWORK 18 Raghav Bahl PRESIDENT & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, TV 18 Senthil Chengalvarayan EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jayashree Kini-Mendes EDITORIAL TEAM Abhishek Parekh, Features Editor SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS Nabeel A Khan Anand Mohan CORRESPONDENT Jagdev Kalsi Pradeb Biswas COPY DESK Geoffrey Mathews ART DIRECTOR Varuna Naik SENIOR DESIGNER Mahesh Talkar CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Mexy Xavier PHOTOGRAPHERS Varun Anchan, Senior Photographer Joshua Navalkar BUSINESS CONTROLLERS Akshata Rane, Lovey Fernandes, Deepak Bhatia, Ashish Kukreti, Shwetha ME, Jayashree N, Shefali Mahant

PRINTING EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Ananth R. Iyer ASSISTANT GEN MANAGER-PPC Shekhar Khot

PRODUCTION TEAM Surekha Karmarkar Sanjay Shelar, Ravikumar Potdar, Ravi Salian

GROUP CEO, NETWORK 18 B. Sai Kumar CEO-NETWORK 18 PUBLISHING Sandeep Khosla EVP-HUMAN RESOURCES Sanjeev Kumar Singh ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT Sudhanva Jategaonkar ADVERTISING SALES Shashin Bhagat (Ahmedabad) shashin.bhagat@network18publishing.com Mahadev B (Bengaluru) mahadev.b@network18publishing.com Hari Hara Subramaniam (Chennai) hari.s@network18publishing.com Balakrishnan.s (Coimbatore) balakrishnan.s@network18publishing.com Surendra Kumar Agrawal (Delhi) surendra.a@network18publishing.com Dominic Dsouza (Hyderabad) dominic.dsouza@network18publishing.com Ameya Gokhale (Indore) ameya.gokhale@network18publishing.com Sandeep Arora (Jaipur) sandeep.arora@network18publishing.com Abhik Ghosal (Kolkata) abhik.ghosal@network18publishing.com Inder Dhingra (Ludhiana) inder.dhingra@network18publishing.com Surajit Bhattacharjee (Ludhiana) surajit.b@network18publishing.com Olwin Dsouza (Mumbai) olwin.dsouza@network18publishing.com Rohit Dass (Pune) rohit.dass@network18publishing.com Vipul Modha (Rajkot) vipul.modha@network18publishing.com Chirag Pathak (Vadodara) chirag.pathak@network18publishing.com MARKETING TEAM Ganesh Mahale, Akshaya Jadhav

Auto Monitor OVERSEAS CONTACT CHINA 1001 Tower 3, Donghai Plaza, 1486 Nanjing Road, West, Shanghai 200040, China Tel: +86-21 6289 – 5533 Ext. 368, Fax: +86-21 6247 – 4855 (Craig Shibinsky) Email: craig@ringier.com.hk Ringier Trade Media Ltd

Ringier Trade Media Ltd HONG KONG 9/F, Cheong Sun Tower, 118 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2369 – 8788 Ext. 21, Fax: +852 2869 – 5919 (Maggie) Email: maggie@ringier.com.hk

Ringier Trade Media Ltd TAIWAN Room 3, Fl. 12, No. 303, Chung Ming S. Rd., Taichung, Taiwan Tel: +886-4 2329 – 7318 Ext. 16, Fax: +886-4 2310 – 7167 (Sydney La) Email: sydneylai@ringier.com.hk

USA Tel: (513) 527-8800 Fax: (513) 527-8801 Email: dhight@gardnerweb.com USA Alfredo Domador, 6505 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 430 Miami, FL. 33126, USA Tel: (305)448-6875 Fax: (305)448-9942

NEWS STAND AND SUBSCRIPTIONS DISTRIBUTION HEAD Sunil Nair SR. MANAGER-SUBSCRIPTIONS Sheetal Kotawdekar CO-ORDINATORS Rahul Mankar, Anant Shirke, Sarita Quartos’, Chaitali Parker, Kamlesh Madkar, Vaibhav Ghavwale

SERVICES CIRCULATION SERVICES Write to automonitor@infomedia18.in SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES For subscription queries, write to customercare@infomedia18.in or call +91 22 30034631-34 or toll free 1800 200 1021 PERMISSIONS For subscription to copy or reuse material from AUTO MONITOR, Write to automonitor@infomedia18.in

Weekly Issue Price: `50 $QQXDO 6XEVFULSWLRQ `799

Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Network18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Network18 does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without due postal stamps for return postage. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. Printed by Mohan Gajria and published & edited by Lakshmi Narasimhan on behalf of Network18 Printed at Infomedia 18 Ltd, Plot no.3, Sector 7, off Sion-Panvel Road, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400 706, and published at Network18, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J. K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. AUTO MONITOR is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India under No. 67827/98. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Network18. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information published in this edition, neither Network18 nor any of its employees accept any responsibility for any errors or omission. Further, Network18 does not take any responsibility for loss or damage incurred or suffered by any subscriber of this magazine as a result of his/her accepting any invitation/offer published in this edition. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. *Ownership of this magazine stands transferred from Infomedia18 Ltd (Infomedia18) to Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18) in pursuance of the scheme of arrangement between Network18 and Infomedia18 and their respective shareholders and creditors, as approved by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and the necessary approval of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is being obtained.



CONTENTS CORPORATE Scania Launches Three Luxury Buses

10

Metrolink makes worldwide debut with India launch

10

GLOBAL WATCH Green Technologies A Priority

18

Tyre manufacturers and suppliers are actively scouting for materials and processes that can aid in the reduction of green house gases in the manufacturing process

18

On A Roll

12

Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec speaks to Auto Monitor about the opportunities that have opened up with ASSAG acquisition and how they might be leveraged

Lexus Design Awards Creates Buzz

12

20

The Lexus Design Award has attracted strong interest from around the world, with more than 2,100 initial registrations leading to 1,243 projects being submitted by the closing date for entries

20

White Tops World Car Colour Ranks Tyre Trends

14

Dr Arup K Chandra, Head Global (Raw Material & Compound Development), R&D, Apollo Tyres speaks on the product development cycle and innovation challenges in the tyre industry

14

22

White/white pearl dominates the global automotive colour popularity ranks for the second consecutive year, according to the 2012 DuPont Automotive Colour Popularity Report

VW Inaugurates Solar Park In USA

25

JLR launch locally-built Jaguar XF in India

26

The new solar park is Volkswagen’s strategy of generating more and more power within the Group from renewable energy sources

JLR is commencing production of the Jaguar XF saloon at its facility in Pune, India, from components supplied from the company’s Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, UK

26



Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

NEWS

8

An ADEA Whose Time Has Come

T

here are approximately 6,500 auto dealers in India, and although debatable, it is still a considerable number. And they have a tough job. Their success lies in the ability to convince customers to pick a vehicle among the brands they sell, and ensure they are happy with their buy. Their personal success lies in the ability to convince the customer and make the sale. No easy job, that. Even more so, considering that the auto market is feeling a little under the weather. Surely, good work must be recognized. And it is for this reason that for the fourth year in a row, Auto Monitor along with Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) will engage with the entire fraternity to honour the best dealers. We would here like to mention that this is the first-of-its-kind initiative ever undertaken in the country for the automotive dealership fraternity. It is also the only platform that recognizes excellence in automotive retail. The ADEA is a big step forward

January 2012 ADEA Awards

for FADA as it has been a constant endeavor with them to be at the forefront of the change in automotive retail. It helps them be unique considering that it is an apex body representing automobile dealers across vehicle categories and class.

Know The System While the awards function will be held at a glitzy ceremony on March 9, 2013, work at the backend begins five months in advance. We take precise care to notify OEMs, dealers, asso-

ciations, et al, and constantly remind them to send in their nominations so as to qualify. The nominations could be sent by post or filled online at http://www.adea.in/adea.html. The forms are then screened for accuracy and eligibility by our Knowledge partner, CARE – Credit Analysis & Research Limited. The agency then ratifies the form through visits or calls with the respective dealers to acquire more detailed information that would enable them to slot the dealer in any

of the following parameters: Sales satisfaction index; Service satisfaction index; Employee satisfaction index; CSR initiatives index; Green initiatives index; and Safety initiatives index. Six such awards will be given. Besides this, based on the nominations, we will also identify two top performing dealers in four key vehicle categories: two wheelers, three wheelers, passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Thus a total of fourteen awards will be presented to dealers across vehicle categories.

The purpose of ADEA is to recognize best practices and processes, forward looking initiatives and latest equipment and technologies that have helped dealers set new benchmarks in customer service and satisfaction. Even if you have not sent in your nomination, we are keen that come to felicitate your fellow dealers and for a meeting of minds. May be it would help to know that most top OEMs will also be present. We look forward to seeing you that evening.

New Generation..... Contd. from Pg 1 the rotor blade of helicopters. Thanks to the face teeth profile, it can support high torque levels. The new design is supposed to lower the cost by about 15-20 percent, because of the smaller overall design. Further, it also acts like a standard pinion, allowing it to be used anywhere. Conventionally, the crown and pinion are joined together, but in this case they don’t need to be. That will also lower the cost of aftersales parts. The size of the gears will also be about 25 percent smaller. However, the manufacturing technology isn’t yet complete. It’s an evolving technology and is slowly finding applications. One use is in the new Audi Quattro, where the central gear differential that distributes torque uses this gear technology. The use of face gear also reduces the diameter, which increases the ground clearance. The technology was developed by ASSAG in association with Audi and licenced back to Audi since ASSAG did not have the capacity for large volume production.

Rochi Engineers..... Contd. from Pg 1 mufflers, and other emission related components to OEMs in India. This JV will enable us to move up the technology ladder, and prepare us for the upcoming emission control legislations. Though we will continue to supply existing emission control products from Rochi Engineers, the demand for BS III B and BS IV products and other future technologies will be met through this JV,” said Gautam Kharkar, Director, Rochi Engineers. He added that the JV does not see a major market in India either in the OEM or replacement segments at this juncture since emission products are driven largely by regulations. The JV partners are looking to invest around $11 million (Rs 60 crore) over the next four to five years. A major challenge for the JV, as pointed out by Kharkar, is the absence of quality suppliers for ceramic substrates, an essential component for particle filters. The company plans to tackle this by initially importing the substrate of the specified quality, and later manufacturing it themselves as manufacturing capability grows in the JV facility. Kharkar said that the products from the JV are expected to serve OEMs of on-road and offroad vehicles, and the power genset industry. The company currently caters to customers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors, Mahindra Navistar, Volvo, AMW, and MAN Trucks. In the off-road category the company will cater to the construction and mining segments and will tap Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, JCB, Terex, Volvo, and Case New Holland as potential customers.



Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

NEWS

10

India Key To BRIC Presence On his first day in office, Scania CV India’s new MD, Anders GrundstrĂśmer, talks to Anand Mohan about Scania’s strategy for India, the importance of our market to their global operations, and the role of Indian suppliers in helping Scania achieve 100 percent localization for their bus bodies by January 2014. Globally, especially in Europe, Scania is going through a rough patch. Is entering emerging markets a way of compensating for the losses in Europe? Our ambition is to be a global company. We want to be present in the BRIC countries because these four markets alone with the markets around them like South East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are important markets for the future. Markets like India will grow much more than Europe in the coming years. Scania is stepping into a fairly well-understood market, one in which Volvo has now spent over a decade. For a company with a similar product portfolio and from the same home country, it must have been fairly straightforward for Scania to plan its India strategy. What will be your focus here? My immediate focus is to get the project up and running. We are inaugurating the assembly line for trucks and bus chassis in June, and also our service workshop and head ofďŹ ce. To support

Sivakumar (Director - Sales) to increase sales in India, and later on to get the bus-body factory up and running by December. This is my main priority in India right now. I also want to visit a lot of customers and suppliers to learn what possibilities Scania has in India. Setting up a factory in Bangalore was a strategic move by Scania to share suppliers already delivering to Volvo. Can you elaborate on how it has helped? Yes, absolutely. It has helped. I started operations of Scania in Russia in 1996-97. Volvo was present there before us too. It is not important to be the ďŹ rst to enter the market. We are a dominant player in Russia today in our segment, and we want to do that in India too. Besides manufacturing, sales, and service, we are also doing R&D in Bangalore together with Larsen & Toubro; not only for Indian products but also for global products. Scania has a global production system so the R&D we do in Bangalore is part of the global operations.

That means the products we supply here are the same as in the rest of the world, and with the same quality standards. What sort of an R&D set up do you have here? We have about ďŹ fty consultants working on R&D and it’s constantly growing. There are very good engineers in India. Even the supplier base in India is growing in quality, every day I would say. So what is important for us is we will have a bus that is 100 percent Indian, produced with all the components for the bus body sourced locally, from January 2014 onwards. Before that the buses will be imported as CBUs. And what about the chassis and engine components? We already have components in our mining truck that are Indian made. The number of Indian suppliers is growing as we introduce new features to our trucks and buses. What is Scania doing about local supply chain management? You have distribution of goods in big cities for which we can play a role if we get better infrastructure. In Bengaluru, for example, the trafďŹ c is tough. You need more ring roads around big cities so we can play an important role in the supply chain.

How is India faring compared to other BRIC nations and what is Scania’s role at present in the rest of the BRIC nations? Russia operations started in 1996-97. They were on the top ten list of Scania in 2011 selling about 6000 units in the premium segment. Brazil too is on the top ten, so I don’t see any rea-

son why India shouldn’t be on that list. And how is China doing? China is a bit different. You can’t have your own company in China. You have to have a joint venture and the majority shareholder has to be the Chinese company. We want to enter the market by ourselves.

Scania Launches Three Luxury Buses Metrolink makes worldwide debut with India launch

S

cania has launched Metrolink in India, which marks the company’s entry into the bus and coach market. The commercial vehicle manufacturer claims that the Metrolink is a purpose-designed coach for luxury intercity or charter travel in head-turning style. The coach will be offered in three models with a capacity to accommodate 45, 49, and 53 passengers. Scania has introduced the Metrolink exclusively to the Indian market at this point of time. In a few years’ time, the Scania Metrolink will grow into a global range of complete vehicles with network support. The commercial vehicle manufacturer says that its Metrolink will stand out from other competitors as a premium product. The Metrolink features Scania’s ‘wrapping T’ styling motif that sweeps from the front into the window line along the

The commercial vehicle manufacturer says that its Metrolink will stand out from other competitors as a premium product. sides. The ďŹ rst batch of deliveries to customers is expected to begin from mid-2013 and assembly of complete coaches will start at Scania’s new facility in Bengaluru in early 2014. The Metrolink HD 45-seater variant is a 12-metre 4x2 model with 45 seats, a Scania 9-litre 310 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and ďŹ tted with a 465-litre fuel tank. The Metrolink HD 49-seater variant is a 13.7-metre 6x2 model with 49 semi-sleeper seats (or

53 without calf support). It gets power from a Scania 13-litre 360 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The third axle is hydraulically steered for easy manoeuvring. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and equipped WITH A LITRE FUEL TANK s The Metrolink HD 53-seater is a 14.5-metre high-capacity 6x2 model featuring 53 semi-sleeper seats (or 57 without calf support). It has the Scania 13-litre 410 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The third axle is hydraulically steered for easy manoeuvring. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and ďŹ tted with a 465-litre fuel tank. “It is with great pride that Scania makes India the first market worldwide to enjoy the beneďŹ ts of the Scania Metrolink, a new range of intercity coaches, with a distinct Scania character, and bristling with state-of-theart technology. Scania has been at the forefront of developing new coach concepts and technologies for more than a century. It gives us great pleasure to now bring the world-renowned Scania buses and coaches to India,â€? said

Our products are known for their outstanding fuel economy and high uptime, while ensuring low operating costs.

Anders GrundstrĂśmer, Managing Director, Scania Commercial Vehicle India, and Senior Vice President of the Scania Group. “Our products are known for their outstanding fuel economy and high uptime, while ensuring low operating costs.â€? Scania Metrolink is a premium product that is completely in line with Scania’s mission to be a trusted partner for the transportation industry in India,â€? added GrundstrĂśmer. The company aims to sell about 2,000 trucks and 1,000 coaches per year in the Indian market within the next ďŹ ve years. Scania is investing about `250 crores in an industrial facility located near Bengaluru. The head ofďŹ ce, complete with a service workshop and a central parts warehouse, will be housed at the same site. The Scania Regional Product Centre, will also be the centre of the company’s commercial operations in the country. Production is expected to start in early 2014. It is estimated that some 800 people will be employed at the facility

in the long term. The industrial operations will consist of ďŹ nal assembly of trucks with bodywork, and building of complete coaches with bodywork. Scania has been represented in the Indian market since 2007, when a partnership was initiated with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). L&T has successfully established Scania’s trucks and services and has developed a close partnership with customers in the mining industry. L&T currently operates about 10 Scania service workshops at various mining sites in the country. In 2011, Scania established the company Scania Commercial Vehicles India in order to boost its presence in India through sales to additional segments of the Indian commercial vehicle market. Scania recently launched a new range of on-road haulage truck models specially adapted for the Indian market -- the R 500 6x4, the G 460 6x4, the P 410 6x2 and the P 360 4x2. The P 410 8x4 mining tipper was launched in December 2012.



Auto Monitor

INTERVIEW

12

On A Roll Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec, is the man who brought the ASSAG acquisition deal to the table, and took the engine manufacturing company to a new level by wooing many new customers. He spoke to Nabeel A Khan about the opportunities that have opened up with this acquisition and how they might be leveraged. Where are you looking to sell the new ASSAG face gear technology that you will produce here in India? We have to go to all the automobile people. We can also go to LCV, tractor, and agricultural equipment OEMs. The applications are very wide. All customers are the same, but which customers will be willing to try it out, that’s the question. Our first step is consolidating what we acquired in Switzerland, and then we will bring it to India. What kind of advantage does this new gear technology offer? In this technology, the axial position of the pinion is nearly free (without affecting the contact pattern or backlash), and multiple pinions can be placed on one face gear (multiple output

shafts), offering greater efficiency. There are no axial forces on the pinion and it can withstand extreme temperature variations. It is also space saving, and allows for easy mounting and free combinations for differentials and multiple outputs. An example of space saving combined with the possibility of multiple drives can be seen in the recently launched version of the Audi Quattro, which has a self-locking crown gear differential. Two Cylkro face gears with different tooth geometries, resulting in a 40:60 torque split, are built into this lightweight differential. Using the Cylkro face gear technology, Audi realized a substantial weight reduction over a conventional differential. Was product synergy the major driver for this acquisi-

4 FEBRUARY 2013

We acquired ASSAG for anywhere between `100-110 crores. The company by itself is profitable. And we have seen the synergy benefits. tion, or was it the value of the company? We acquired ASSAG for anywhere between `100-110 crores. The company by itself is profitable. And we have seen the synergy benefits. The company can work in tandem with our tech centre in India. ASSAG also have a known design capability. They can design any complex gearbox. They have a patented technology that can be used in a gearbox, but they can also design conventional gearboxes. We intend to integrate operations, we are going to do our R&D and use their design capability. We are investing 20-25 crores in the Indian technical centre. It started operations in 2012. The Indian tech centre has the capability to design transmission and gearboxes and currently I’m designing a new 4x4 transfer case for a European customer. It is to be used in SUVs. We are also exploring opportunities in India. This acquisition is sure to win you new business in overseas markets. How do you see your exports growing? Today 10 percent of our revenues come from exports. We plan to increase it to 22 percent. The current pie size is `850 crores this year. We close in March, so it’s an estimate. I’m hoping the last three months will be strong. Last year it was `650 crores. Our PAT is 7-8 percent. This year is hard. We are also working with Daimler on various programs currently. My product is getting launched in Jan. So far we have seen small numbers, but now we have to go for large numbers.

All customers are the same, but which customers will be willing to try it out, that’s the question. Our first step is consolidating what we acquired in Switzerland, and then bring it to India. You were planning to shift some assemblies and production to Hosur for better logistics and become a just-in-time supplier. How is that progressing? Last time I told you we were setting up a components plant in Hosur. It’s almost ready, but currently we are only doing the Caterpillar components there. For Daimler LDT we make engines, and for HDT we make a system for transmission. We also do gearbox assembly there for Ford. March onwards we’ll start the transmission assembly for Ashok Leyland that we’re making in Pithampur. The assembly lines are ready, we are waiting for the final validation from the customer. That will make the process just-in-time as we get closer to the customer. Today we have a transit time of almost 40 hours. Can you tell us about the investments you are looking at for this process? Current investment there is `40 crore. Some of the current and existing equipment will also shift there to form a completely new venture there. We are doing it in phases and also creating space there for some of my switch products that we’ll be making there.



Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

INTERVIEW

14

Tyre Trends Dr Arup K Chandra, Head Global (Raw Material & Compound Development), Research & Development Centre, Apollo Tyres Ltd., speaks to Abhishek Parekh on the product development cycle and challenges in innovation in the tyre industry. What are the major challenges faced by tyre manufacturers in the production process and innovation? Like any other industry, there are a lot of technological advancements in the tyre manufacturing industry. Advanced products are generally offered based on market maturity and demand, since customers cannot be taken for granted. New product development and technological innovation is significantly influenced by likely market acceptance and demand. How are market dynamics affecting product development efforts within the tyre industry? Product research and development cannot happen in isolation. A major driver for product development is OEM demand and their expectations from suppliers. In addition to such demand, it is also important

for any supplier to the automotive industry to appreciate the driving conditions in order to arrive at suitable solutions. Why is it taking longer for radial tyre demand to pick up in the CV segment? In my view, the road conditions in cities are slightly better compared to those on the outskirts of the city or between cities. And a large part of a car owner’s driving is done within the city on comparatively better roads. Moreover, suspension systems and wheels are tuned to different driving conditions, whereas in the case of commercial vehicles that is not the case. Most of the roads across the country are not in good shape and that reduces the average speed of CVs carrying goods and passengers between cities. Hence, there may not be a very compelling reason for

customers to upgrade to better quality radial tyres unless they are compelled to upgrade by regulations. Less than satisfactory road conditions, road congestion, low average speeds in most geographic areas, and poor maintenance of vehicles are not conducive to large scale radialisation in the CV segment. But we are hopeful that the scenario

will change in favour of radialisation in the coming years. It is a known fact that around 75 to 80 percent of all new trucks and buses sold in China come fitted with radial tyres, as compared to just around 18 to 20 percent in the CV segment in India. What role are OEMs playing in the radialisation process?

OEMs have been playing and will continue to play a key role in increasing radial tyre adoption in the CV segment. Customers would be encouraged to fit radial tyres in the replacement market if OEMs adopt radial tyres in a big way, and also tune suspension systems towards higher adoption of radials. Radial tyres for cars and CVs are the way for-

Most current legislations in terms of emission norms and fuel efficiency parameters can be achieved through amalgamation of bio and synthetic materials. ward and all the new tyre capacities coming up across the country are in the radial segment. We are also witnessing a massive shift towards radialisation in the CV segment in a gradual manner. What are the newer technologies that tyre companies are working towards or are likely to introduce into India? In many sectors, innovation is generally driven by demand and by legislation, and this is true of the tyre segment as well. The tyre industry is gradually adopting blue technology before it can fully embrace and adopt green technology. Most current legislations in terms of emission norms and fuel efficiency parameters can be achieved through amalgamation of bio and synthetic materials. Green technology, by contrast, implies raw materials sourced from organic or bio-based sources, enabling environment-friendly processes and recycling capability. Most tyre companies are making a gradual move towards green processes and technologies, but it will be a while before we witness green manufacturing in tyre production. We have the process and material technology but wider adoption of bio-based materials or green technology is likely to be driven by regulations. What could be the outcome of product development efforts? We will be developing and improving on technology for high and ultra high performance tyres for different applications, with an eye on establishing ourselves as a global player. Market demand for such high performance tyres is likely to grow in developed markets in Europe and North America. As infrastructure improves in developing markets including India, such performance tyres will have a larger market demand. We are anticipating market demand for ‘super single’ tyres in India to replace dual tyres in multi-axle trucks. Such tyres are lighter, have a longer life, and more economical to manufacture, and hence cheaper compared to current options. But their adoption will require OEM support in terms of changes in axle design and suspension systems.





Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

NEWS

18

Green Technologies A Priority The recent Lanxess Rubber Day in Mumbai saw a variety of stimulating discussions on the Indian automobile industry, green technologies, road safety, and radialisation. Our Bureau New Delhi

T

yre manufacturers and suppliers are actively scouting for materials and processes to reduce green house gases in the manufacturing process. Though bio-based materials are considered critical to this objective, it may be a while before manufacturers can make the shift or help their supplier base to upgrade to environment-friendly materials and processes. The recent panel discussion on ‘The Future of Mobility of India’ during the Lanxess Rubber Day in Mumbai saw Dr Arup Chandra, Head, Research & Development, Apollo Tyres Ltd., deliberating on the poor roads and stop-and-go traffic conditions in the country, which lead to low average speeds and low distances travelled, in turn discouraging tyre radialisation. The panel also discussed the poor maintenance of tyres by

consumers and vehicle owners. “In the truck segment, around 28 percent of vehicles are on radial tyres, while in the passenger car segment it is 98 percent. If OEMs, the tyre industry, and the government work together, in around four to five years all existing problems can be overcome. The Indian tyre companies have the capability to supply OEMs with all kinds of tyres which may be required as per European standards,” he added. The event covered topics including ‘The Future of Mobility in India’, ‘Innovation in Rubber for a Greener Tomorrow’, ‘Technolog ica l Trends in Automotive Rubber Components’, and ‘Driving Growth and Delivering Safety’. Around 300 participants from the rubber and automotive industries, and academia and government deliberated on environment-friendly processes and related issues. Among the prominent speakers were MF

Farooqui, Secretary, Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Dr Rainier van Roessel, Member of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, and Sudhir Rao, Managing Director, Skoda Auto India. The event takes place at a time when India’s tyre and automotive sectors are expected to experience strong growth in the near future. Government officials recently confirmed that India remains on track to meet the targets stated in the nation’s Automotive Mission Plan, which projects that the automotive sector will account for more than 10 percent of India’s GDP and employ 25 million people by 2016. The second panel discussion was on ‘Innovation in Rubber for a Greener Tomorrow’. Speaking about the challenges, Dr. Rabindra Mukhopadhyay, Head – R & D Centre of JK Tyre Industries Limited, said, “The existing road infrastructure needs to

be improved and better quality fuels need to be introduced. The required raw materials are available for green tyres but for manufacturing energy balance is required. Indian manufacturing is currently in a transition phase from market-driven to innovation-driven.” He also highlighted the challenges at the consumer level saying, “Immediate awareness at all levels is required, like consumers should avoid underinflation of tyres. The awareness about lifecycle cost also needs to be increased among them. Indian OEMs want to have everything at the same low price, but that leaves a big question mark for the suppliers.” “In the last few years expectations of consumers from the tyre industry have changed with different options available across the range. Change is happening gradually and is being driven by the OEMs, but is bringing in enormous challenges. One needs to

address sustainable scalability. The government policy will have an important role to play,” said Rajiv Budhraja, Director General, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association of India “Innovation is expected to drive the industry forward. There is a growing integration of IT technology such as navigation. The evolution of design for adopting recycling is also catching up fast. Owing to the rising input costs, manufacturers are using the emergence of design schools to make cars more recyclable,” said R N K Krishnan, Consultant, Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee. The process of radialisation is of keen interest to the tyre industry. A radial design does not require a separate tube, delivers longevity, better fuel economy, and substantially improved safety performance. Only about 15 per cent of large commercial vehicles in India presently run on radial tyres, according to industry estimates.

Toyota At The 2013 Geneva Motor Show

T

oyota will take the wraps off two contrasting new concepts at the Geneva motor show and also pave the way for two new model introductions that will strengthen its European model range in the coming months. The FT-86 Open and Toyota i-Road concepts will be sharing the spotlight with the new, British-built Auris Touring Sports and the fourth-generation RAV4 compact SUV.

FT-86 Open concept The Toyota FT-86 Open concept previews a possible future development of the award-winning GT86 sports coupe. The show car will help Toyota gauge public reaction to the idea, at the same time as it carries out engineering tests on a prototype.

Toyota i-Road The Toyota i-Road has been conceived as a compact, fun and emissions-free personal mobility concept, designed to offer quick and efficient urban transport for two people.

Auris Touring Sports Toyota intends Auris Touring Sports to become a new reference point in the market for medium-size estate cars, supported by its strong, contemporary styling, excellent luggage capacity and unique-in-segment full hybrid powertrain option.

RAV4 The fourth generation RAV4 offers distinctive styling, a high quality interior, greater efficiency and improvements to its all-wheel drive system that help deliver a more engaging drive. RAV4’s debut will be supported by two special design studies, the RAV4 Premium and RAV4 Adventure.

Toyota Auris Touring Sports

Toyota RAV4



Auto Monitor

20

4 FEBRUARY 2013

NEWS

Lexus Design Mahindra Transport Excellence Awards 2012 ‘Moves’ Designers

T

O

n January 9, 2013, the Mahindra Group rewarded the unsung heroes of Indian Transport. It rewarded those in its ecosystem who live by the principles of RISE, those who demonstrate the RISE pillars of ‘Accepting No Limits’, ‘Alternative Thinking’ and ‘Driving Positive Change’, in their day to day work. The objective was to recognize and reward excellence and outperformance of all key stakeholders in the Indian Transport Sector. The philosophy behind the awards was to reward those who demonstrate RISE principles/pillars in their work in the Indian Transport Sector. The categories for which the awards were given were Fleet Owners, Fleet Drivers, Dhaba Owners, Highway Mechanics, Customised Application Builder and Driver Training Initiative.

he first Lexus Design Award has attracted strong interest from around the world, with more than 2,100 initial registrations leading to 1,243 projects being submitted by the closing date for entries. These were mainly from product design (50 percent) and architecture (30 percent), with the balance from diverse fields including graphic design, interior design, fashion, film and TV. The award, which this year takes “motion” as its theme, has achieved an excellent global reach, with 44 percent of registrations from Europe, 32 percent from Asia and 20 percent from the USA. Announced in October 2012, the Lexus Design Award is an international competition for designers across a wide spectrum of creative disciplines. Lexus aims to use the competition to nurture creativity and support designers around the world; more details are available at www.lexus-global.com/ design/lda.

A jury of six experts will select 10 finalists, to be announced by the end of February. Two of these will be given the chance to work with world-famous designers who will oversee the creation of their prototypes: product designer Sam Hecht and architect Junya Ishigami. As well as working with their mentors, they will also receive financial support to cover prototype and production costs. All the finalists will be invited to present their work at Milan Design Week 2013 in April. The two full prototypes and panel displays of the other eight finalists’ work will be put on public show in the Lexus exhibition halls. s ,EXUS $ESIGN !WARD RECEIVES 1,243 project entries s 4EN lNALISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED by end of February s 7INNING ENTRIES TO BE DISplayed at this year’s Milan Design Week in April More details about Lexus’s involvement in this year’s Milan Design Week will be announced on 5 February.



Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

REPORT

22

White Tops World Car Colour Ranks W hite/white pearl dom inates t he global automotive colour popularity ranks for the second consecutive year, according to the 2012 DuPont Automotive Colour Popularity Report. Black/black effect moves into second place in the global ranks this year, largely due to the increased popularity in the Asia Pacific market as this colour has a worldwide perception of high quality and luxury. Silver fell to third, as its popularity has waned due to its overall gradual decline, especially in the critical large automotive markets of Europe and Asia. White/white pearl moved to top the ranks in Europe in 2012, and was in the leading position as the most popular car colour in North America (U.S. and Canada), Japan, South Korea, Russia, South Africa and Mexico. Overall, white/white pearl represents 23 percent of the global market in DuPont’s 2012 report. Over the past decade, white has held significant rankings in automotive colour popularity and is widely seen in other consumer products worldwide. During this timeframe, white’s popularity had been highlighted across all vehicle segments, though historically, it had been most popular among the truck segment. Past advancements in pearlescent whites enabled this colour to initially break into the luxury segments. “Today, white tri-coats are more readily applicable to the global manufacturing base and evoke quality and value among a variety of vehicle segments,” according to Nancy Lockhart,

DuPont colour marketing manager. “Solid whites have been seen in vanilla shades, stone shades and the current preference of bright whites.” Black/black effect led among vehicle colour popularity in China, but took second place in the global ranks with 21 percent of the world’s share of automotive colour. Silver rounded out the top three global colour choices, topping the ranks in South America, Brazil and India, but slipped four percentage points to just 18 percent of the overall global automotive market from 22 percent last year. “Silver peaked during the start of the digital age between 2000 and 2006,” said Lockhart. “We’re seeing more luxury vehicle purchases now that the economy has started to stabilize, and vehicles painted black/black effect are seen as luxury status symbols in several key global markets.”

The top global vehicle colours in DuPont’s report are as follows: 1. White/White Pearl – 23 percent 2. Black/Black Effect – 21 percent 3. Silver – 18 percent 4. Gray – 14 percent 5. Red – 8 percent 6. Blue – 6 percent 7. Brown/Beige – 6 percent 8. Green – 1 percent 9. Yellow/Gold – 1 percent 10. Others – 2 percent North America – Top Three Remain the Same: White/White Pearl, Black and Silver North American vehicle colour in 2012 was once again dominated by white/white pearl, with 24 percent market share,

putting it in first place for the sixth consecutive year. It also led the compact/sport and truck/ SUV segment. Black/black effect was at the top of the intermediate/CUV segment and luxury/luxury SUV segment popularity ranks. It represented 19 percent of the overall market, maintaining second place in vehicle colour popularity in North America. Compared to metallic versions, solid blacks are most favored in the truck segment. Metallic blacks brought interest to the market and have been widely used in all segments, especially in luxury/luxury SUV. For the first time since 1998, silver did not lead in any of the North American vehicle segments, which may be attributed to the increased influence of black and white as status symbols for luxury and quality. However, silver held steady in third place overall with 16 percent market share. Gray rose two percentage points this year with increases in the truck, luxury and intermediate vehicle segments. The top four preferences, white, black, silver, and gray, have represented the majority of popularity the last 10 years. Red rounded out the top five colour choices across each vehicle segment and consequently, overall in the region, with 10 percent of the market. Europe: In 2012, white/white pearl overtook black/black effect as Europe’s most popular vehicle hue. With 24 percent of the overall European market, white/ white pearl also topped the compact/sport and truck/SUV categories in the region. “The significance of white is represented in sustainability preferences and advanced design,” said Elke Dirks, DuPont colour designer for Europe. “White pearlescent shades are growing in popularity as well, although their use is minimal compared to solid whites.” Black/black effect has been losing popularity in the region since it peaked in 2009, according to DuPont, and has slipped to second place overall, with 23 percent of the market. However, it maintains its leadership position in the intermediate/MPV and luxury/luxury SUV categories.

White Gains In Asia Pacific White, black and gray are the top colours in the Asia Pacific region overall, but white seized the lead this year from silver, with 22 percent market share in the region. Black and gray were 21 and 20 percent respectively, while silver dropped to fourth overall with just 14 percent. Red rounds out the top five colours in the region, with 7 percent of the overall market in 2012. Japan’s affinity for white/ white pearl continued in this year’s report for the sixth consecutive year, with the top spot and 27 percent share, up from 26 per-

cent in 2011. At 22 percent, black/ black effect increased in popularity and ranks second in Japan. Rounding out the top five, silver (17 percent), blue (8 percent) and gray (7 percent) fell in popularity this year, while red is growing in popularity, netting 6 percent of the overall Japanese market. “The compact car segment in Japan shows more eco-trends with more natural and earthy colour choices, which we expect to see more of in the market moving forward,” said Kumiko Ohmura, DuPont colour marketing manager, Asia Pacific. South Korea has the highest popularity of white/white pearl in the Asia Pacific region at 28 percent, an increase of 3 percent over 2011 and overtaking the longtime leader, silver (23 percent), in the country by 3 percent. Black/black effect represents 16 percent of the South Korean market and gray colours 15 percent of vehicles in South Korea, with blue and red tied in fifth with 5 percent each. India sees the lightest colours at the top of the colour popularity charts. Silver leads, with 28 percent of the overall market, while white/white pearl is a close second at 27 percent. In third, light versions of brown/beige rank with 12 percent, while gray follows with 11 percent. Black receives its lowest ranking globally in India, with just 7 percent.

Colour Returns to Russia While white/white pearl (18 percent), silver (15 percent) and black/black effect (14 percent) lead the colour preference charts in Russia, more vibrant colours are making a local statement. Red is in a close race with black/black effect for third place, with 13 percent of the market, and blue follows with 12 percent. Green also shows the highest ranking in the world in the Russian market, with 8 percent. South America: Silver led the South American market with 29 percent share, though it dropped 1 percent from last year. White/white pearl (21 percent) increased 4 percent and moves into second place, with 21 percent of the market in South America. Black/black effect (19 percent), gray (13 percent), red

(9 percent), brown/beige (5 percent), blue (2 percent) and green (1 percent) follow. Decreases in silver, gray and red were comparable with increases in white and blue in 2012. Specific to Brazil, the colour rankings mirrored the overall South American market rankings for the top 10.

“Colour Mind” Showcases Global Colour Trends To complement its 60th Global Automotive Colour Popularity Report, this year’s annual DuPont global colour collection represents a collaboration of new styling trends and technologies showcasing a colourful inspiration for automotive designers. The latest collection, “Colour Mind,” showcases trends that are focused on four groups, as follows: Exceptional luxur y and quality are associated with colours in the “Noble Ambition” group. These colour selections are those most associated with luxury goods throughout history. Colours include a jewel-like green, “Ivy League,” a pearlescent white, “Prince Charming,” and a bold bronze, “Nobelist.” High visibility design trends and modern colours exaggerated in the “Individual Attitude” group. These stylish colours are intended for the fashionable individual who wants to be noticed. Colours include an intense red solid colour, “Eye Candy,” a dark teal, “Miss Personality,” and a soft muted pink metallic, “Lone Wolf.” Innovative technologies and energy initiatives are brought forward in the “Progressive Nature” group. Some of the metallic variations are “Electronic Beat” and “Virtual Vision.” Natural colours include beige, “High Tech Nature” and a medium earthy brown, “Futurist.” Historical automotive colours are revived in the “Authentic History” group. In this group, past favorites are reformulated with a modern twist. Key colours are “Re-imagined Gray” and “Green Revival.” Others include a bright red, “Famous,” and a grayish blue, “Global Heritage.” These latest colour trends are formulated into leading technology and application processes for today’s automotive manufacturing.




4 FEBRUARY 2013

G L O B A L WAT C H

Auto Monitor

25

VW Inaugurates Solar Park In USA The Volkswagen brand has inaugurated its largest solar facility in the world at its US plant in Chattanooga.

F

rank Fischer, CEO and Chairman of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said: ‘We are proud to inaugurate today the largest solar park of an automaker in USA. This facility is a key part of our ‘Think Blue. Factory.’ programme and further proof of Volkswagen’s worldwide commitment to environmental protection. Once again, we are setting standards in efficient, sustainable production.’ The Volkswagen Group Officer for the Environment, Energy and New Business Areas, Wolfram Thomas, stated: ‘The new solar park is an integral part of Volkswagen’s worldwide strategy of generating more and more power within the Group from renewable energy sources.’

The Volkswagen Chattanooga Solar Park has a peak output of 9.5 megawatts and is the largest solar facility operated by an automaker in the USA. The environmentally compatible power is to be used for Passat production. the facility, creating more than 5000 jobs in the region to date. According to independent studies, the Volkswagen facility is expected to boost income in the

The expected annual output of the about 33,600 crystal solar modules installed on an area of 13 hectares around the plant is about 13,100 megawatt-hours per year. The power is to be used directly in production, with solar power providing 12.5 per cent of the electric power required in full-capacity operation and meeting 100 per cent of demand when the plant is not in production. Partners in the project are the Californian subsidiary of Phoenix Solar AG, Sulzemoos near Munich, and Silicon Ranch, headquartered in Nashville/Tennessee. The Chattanooga plant has a workforce of more than 3000 people, who produce the new Volkswagen Passat especially developed for the North American market. As a result of extremely environmentally compatible production at the plant, Volkswagen in Chattanooga has already received several awards. In December 2011, Volkswagen was the first automaker in the world to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The company also operates an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 and an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001. Matthew Kisber, President and CEO of Silicon Ranch: ‘We are proud to implement this key project as a partner of Volkswagen. The commissioning of this park will improve the energy efficiency of the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga and confirm Volkswagen’s position as a company with leading environmental standards throughout the world. The solar power generated at this park will have a strong positive impact not only on the environment but also on our economy.’ Dr. Murray Cameron, Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Solar AG and currently also President and CEO of Phoenix Solar Inc.: ‘Over the next few years, the USA will become one of the largest photovoltaic markets in the world. We are proud that we have been able to demonstrate our experience in the design and construction of major solar power facilities at the Volkswagen plant.’

About VW in Chattanooga Volkswagen has invested about $1 billion in

region by $12 billion and lead to the creation of a total of 9500 jobs. The US plant produces the new Volkswagen Passat developed especially for the North American market, which won the Motor Trend 2012 Car of the Year award.

About Silicon Ranch Silicon Ranch Corporation develops and operates utility scale solar facilities. Silicon Ranch is distinguished from other developers by its ability to deliver a green energy solution that addresses the environmental, business and work force issues associated with successfully expanding solar capacity and green jobs. Silicon Ranch has gained prominence as a low

cost producer of solar energy by focusing on creating efficiencies through every step of the deployment process thereby increasing capital investments in clean energy.

About Phoenix Solar AG Phoenix Solar AG (www.phoenixsolar-group.de), which has its headquarters in Sulzemoos near Munich, is a leading international photovoltaic system integrator. The Group develops, plans, builds and operates

large-scale photovoltaic plants and is a specialist wholesaler for turnkey power plants, solar modules and accessories. With sales operations throughout Germany and subsidiaries throughout the world, the company has sold solar modules with an output of more than one gigawatt since its founding. The shares of Phoenix Solar AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU93) are listed on the official market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.


Auto Monitor

26

4 FEBRUARY 2013

G L O B A L WAT C H

JLR Launch Local Built Jaguar XF In India Jaguar Land Rover is commencing production of the Jaguar XF saloon at its facility in Pune, India, from components supplied from the company’s Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, UK.

T

he initial Pune-built Jaguar XF models will feature the company’s acclaimed 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is coming to the Indian market for the first time. The Jaguars will be built alongside Land Rover Freelander 2 vehicles which have been produced in Pune since May 2011 Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “India is a market that offers significant opportunities for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. The expansion of our Pune operations to include the Jaguar XF will help us realise our ambitions for the Indian market. “Jaguar Land Rover is committed to building a sustainable, profitable business; increasing our global manufacturing footprint is a key element of our growth strategy. Together with our joint venture manufacturing facility already under construction near Shanghai, expanding our operations at Pune will help

us increase the global volume of cars we build, in addition to those produced in the UK.” Rohit Suri, Vice President, Jaguar Land Rover India said: “The Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Jaguar XF are our bestselling models in India and this has driven the move to build

these products locally. “The Jaguar XF has become very popular with our customers due to its spoarts car per for ma nce, outsta nd i ng luxury saloon elegance and contemporary individual styling. Its inspired engineering and technological innovation have helped

30 Years Of Seatbelt Laws In UK

S

eatbelt laws were first put into place thirty years ago in Britain, but they still face issues with their use. One in five (19%) motorists in Britain claim to know someone who doesn’t use a seatbelt in the front of their car. 31 January 2013 will see the anniversary of the introduction

of compulsory wearing which came to effect in 1983. Latest figures show 95 per cent of drivers and 96 per cent of front seat passengers wear a seat belt; 89 per cent of rear seat passengers use one. Yet every year, not wearing a seatbelt is still a contributory factor in more than 220 deaths and serious injuries.

A higher number of younger motorists know someone who does not wear a seatbelt compared to the older age group. s )N THE BACK OF THE CAR of 18-29 year olds know someone who doesn’t wear a seatbelt compared to 25% OF YEAR OLDS WHILST FOR IN the front of the car, 36% of

it to win more than 100 awards internationally. So we are now delighted to offer this car as a locally built product with a new engine for this market, which will enable us to provide our customers with a wider choice of competitively priced models.” Jaguar Land Rover India

16-29 year olds know someONE COMPARED TO OF year olds. s $RIVERS AND PASSENGERS AGED HAVE THE LOWEST SEAT BELT wearing rates combined with the highest accident rates. s 9ET PER CENT OF ADULTS STILL admit to being inconsistent seat-belt wearers. Road safety charity IAM’s chief executive Simon Best said: “In the past three decades seatbelts have made a fantastic contri-

recently announced a 32% growth in wholesales in 2012 at 2393 cars compared with 1813 cars in the previous year. Further details, including specifications, are available on the Jaguar India website (www. jaguar.in) and Land Rover India website (www.landrover.in).

bution to road safety success in Britain helping to save thousands of lives. But the ongoing message needs to be reinforced to all age groups.” “All the modern technology in a new car assumes the occupant is wearing a seatbelt. Younger drivers know that not wearing a seatbelt is dangerous, but they must still be reminded that no matter where you are sitting in a car, a seatbelt will save your life.”




4 FEBRUARY 2013

CLASSIFIEDS

Auto Monitor

29

Tej Control Systems Pvt Ltd Plot No.329/331, Road No.25, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane(W) - 400 604. Tel. +91 22 2583 8191 to 98, Fax: +91 22 25838199 Email: tivs@tejcontrol.com, vision@tejcontrol.com Website: www.tejivs.com

The leading source for automotive parts, components & accessories.


Auto Monitor

4 FEBRUARY 2013

CLASSIFIEDS

30

ADVERTISERS’ LIST Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details ACE Micromatic Group

Pg No 1, BC

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Fiem Industries Ltd

T: +91-80-40200555

T: +91-9991702453

E: customercare@acemicromatic.com

E: s.narayanan@fiemindustries.com

W: www.acemicromatic.net

W: www.fiemindustries.com

Alfa Flexitubes Pvt Ltd

8

Fox Solutions

Pg No 14

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Metro Tyres Ltd

5

Molex Incorporated

T: +91-253-6618100

T: +86-28-8789-5088

E: sales@alfa-flexitubes.com

E: sales@foxindia.net

E: adam.ong@molex.com

W: www.alfa-flexitubes.com

W: www.foxindia.net

W: www.molex.com

17

G W Precision Tools India Pvt Ltd

T: +91-11-26564542

T: +91-80-40431252

E: shveta.raina@anandgroupindia.com

E: info@gwindia.in

W: www.anandgroupindia.com

W: www.gwindia.in

Arvind Engineers

29

Haas Automation India Pvt Ltd

12

9

Prayag Polytech Pvt Ltd T: +91-11-47262000

E: sanjeevfbd@arvindengineers.com

E: indiasales@haascnc.com

E: delhi@prayagmb.com

W: www.arvindengineers.com

W: www.haascnc.com

W: www.prayagmb.com

29

Hewlett Packard India Sales Pvt. Lt

3

T: +91-124-4932900

Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd

25

E: mktg@SLTL.com W: www.hp.com

W: www.auroral-sinter.com.tw

16

T: +91-22-30034650

International Bus & Utility Vehicle Show 2013

W: www.sahajanandlaser.com

26

T: +91-11-24647810

Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd

21

T: +91-11-23315941

E: adea@network18publishing.com

E: aarti.anandan@shrirampistons.com W: www.siamindia.com

W: www.adea.in

Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt Lt

23

T: +91-79-23287461

E: sh69032.tw@msa.hinet.net

Automotive Dealership Excellance Awards

11

Jyoti CNC Automation Pvt. Ltd.

BIC

Tata Motors Ltd.

7

T: +91-80-43438102

T: +91-2827-287081

T: +91-22-66586195

E: imtndia@zeiss.co.in

E: info@jyoti.co.in

E: charu.gulati@tatamotors.com

W: www.zeiss.co.in

W: www.jyoti.co.in

W: www.tatamotors.com

Dhoot Transmission Pvt Ltd

13

Kalpa Industries

18

TKW Fasteners Pvt Ltd

29

T: +91-8791333300

T: +91 -124-4081711

E: sales@dhoottransmission.com

E: info@larexcables.com

E: tarun@tkwfasteners.com

W: www.dhoottransmission.com

W: www.larexcables.com

W: www.tkwfasteners.com

Ecocat India Pvt Ltd

24

Kamal Ced Solutions Llp

FIC

Varroc Engineering Pvt Ltd

27

T: +91-129-4266500

T: +91-9313137970

T: +91-240-2556227

E: alok@ecocatindia.com

E: enquiry@kamalcedsolution.com

E: varroc.info@varrocgroup.com

W: www.ecocat.com

W: www.kamalenvirotechgroup.com

W: www.varrocgroup.com

FIC : Front Inside Cover BIC : Back Inside Cover BC: Back cover

28

W: www.nbcbearings.com

T: +91-22-66098830

T: +886-37-542-988

19

National Engineering Industries Ltd

T: +91-129-4001978

Auroral Sinter Metals Co., Ltd.

15

T: +91-120-4147414

T: +91-9811209178

Anand Automotive Ltd

Pg No

Not Applicable

Our consistent advertisers

The leading source for automotive parts, components & accessories.



Regn. No. MH/MR/WEST/20/2012-2014. RNI No. MAHENG/2000/11414 Licenced to post at Mumbai patrika channel sorting office G.P.O. Mumbai 400 001. Date Of Mailing: 1st & 2nd Fortnightly Issue. Date Of Publication: 28th of Every Month

32


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.